Olympus E-PM1 Review
October 5, 2011
|
Mark Goldstein
|
|

Specifications
Type | |
---|---|
Body material | Metal |
Lens mount | Micro Four Thirds |
Image Sensor | |
Type | 4/3 '' Live MOS sensor |
Effective pixels | 12.3 Megapixels |
Filter array | Primary colour filter (RGB) |
Aspect ratio & area | 4:3 / 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Full resolution | 13.1 Megapixels |
Engine | |
Type | TruePic VI |
Filter | |
Dust reduction filter | Supersonic Wave Filter |
IR cut filter | Hybrid type |
LPF filter | Fixed type |
Live View | |
Displayed information | Aperture, Shutter speed, Auto bracket, AE lock, Focus mode, Shooting mode, Battery check, My Mode, IS activating mode, Internal temperature warning, Face / Eye detection mode, Record mode, ISO, Sequential shooting mode , White Balance, Metering mode, Exposure compensation value, AF frame display, AF confirmation mark, Shooting information, Spot metering area, Super FP, Flash status, Touch Panel Condition, Focal length, Eye-Fi condition, Flash mode |
AF type | Contrast detection system |
100% field of view | Approx. 100 % |
Magnification levels | 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 x |
Image Stabiliser | |
Type | Sensor shift |
Modes | Two-dimensional, vertical or horizontal activation |
Shutter speed range | 2 - 1/4000 s (not available when Bulb is selected) |
Focusing System | |
Method | Contrast Detection AF system (when non high-speed contrast AF compatible lens is used, it works as MF assist) |
Focus areas | 35 points / Automatic and manual selection |
AF lock | Yes , Locked by first position of shutter release button in single AF mode, AE/AF lock button (customised) |
Modes | Manual focus, Single AF, Continuous AF, Single AF + MF, AF Tracking |
AF illuminator | Yes |
Face Detection extension | Eye Detect AF: Off, Left side priority, Near side priority, Right side priority |
Full time AF | Yes |
Manual focus | Yes , With enlarged focusing area |
Exposure System | |
Modes | Programme automatic, i-Auto, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual, Scene Modes, Art Filter |
Exposure compensation | +/- 3 EV ( 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps ) |
Exposure bracketing | 2 / 3 / 5 frames ( +/- 1/3, 2/3, 1 EV steps ) 7 frames ( +/- 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 EV steps ) |
ISO bracketing | 5 frames ( 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps ) |
AE lock | Yes (Fn1/Rec button) |
My Mode | 4 settings storable |
Enhancement function | Shadow Adjustment Technology |
Scene Modes | |
Number of scene modes | 24 |
Modes | Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape with Portrait, Macro, Sports, Night Scene, Night Scene with portrait, Children, High key, Low key, Digital Image Stabilisation, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Documents, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, Fisheye converter, Macro converter, 3D |
Multi-Exposure | |
Max. number of frames | 2 frames (shooting) 3 frames (editing) |
Auto gain control | Yes |
Frame assistance | Live View |
Light Metering | |
Method | TTL open aperture light metering |
Zones | 324 zones Multi-pattern Sensing System |
Detection range | 0 - 20 EV (17mm f2.8, ISO 100) |
Modes | ESP light metering, Spot metering, Centre weighted metering, Highlight, Shadow |
Art Filter | |
Modes | Pop Art, Soft Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, Dramatic Tone |
Sensitivity | |
Auto | ISO 200 - 12800 (customisable, default ISO 200 - 1600) |
Manual | ISO 200 - 12800 |
Shutter | |
Shutter type | Computerised focal-plane shutter |
Self timer | 2 s / 12 s |
Shutter Speeds | |
Shutter speed range | 1/4000 - 60 s (in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps) |
Bulb mode | Up to 30 minutes (selectable longest time in the menu, default: 8 minutes) |
White Balance | |
AUTO WB system | Advanced detection system with Live MOS sensor |
Manual White balance (One-Touch) | Yes |
White balance bracketing | 3 frames / +/- 2, 4, 6 mired steps |
One-touch white balance | 2 custom settings can be registered |
Custom WB | 1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K - 14000K) |
Preset values | Tungsten, Flourescent 1, Sunlight, Flash, Overcast, Shade |
Auto Flash adjustment | Off / Auto WB / Flash |
Keep warm colour | On / Off |
Sequence Shooting | |
Speed (H) | Approx. 4.1 fps Approx. fps 5.5 fps (when I.S. is switched off) |
Image Processing | |
Colour space | sRGB / AdobeRGB |
Sharpness + Contrast | 5 levels |
Contrast | 5 levels |
Saturation | 5 levels |
Black & White filter | Yellow, Orange, Red, Green |
Black & White toning | Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green in Black & White mode |
Picture mode | i-Enhance, Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone, Art Filter |
Gradation | 4 levels (auto, high key, normal, low key) |
Engine | TruePic VI |
Art Filter bracketing | Available |
Tele converter effect | 2 x |
Internal Flash | |
Modes | AUTO, Manual, Manual (Full, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64), Red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation with red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation, Slow synchronisation 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Off |
Type | Detachable flash (bundled) |
Flash compensation | +/- 3 EV ( 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps ) |
Guide number | 10 (ISO 200) |
Manual settings | Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64 |
X-sync speed | 1/160 s |
External Flash Control | |
X-sync speed | 1/160 s / 1/4000 s (Super FP Mode) |
Type | TTL AUTO, AUTO, MANUAL, FP TTL AUTO, FP MANUAL |
Modes | Auto, Red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation, 2nd curtain and slow synchronisation, Fill-in for exclusive flash, Manual |
Intensity | +/- 3 EV ( 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps ) Note: Some functions are only available if they are supported by the external flash. |
Wireless Flash Control | |
Number of channels | 4 channels |
Compatible external flash | FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-300R |
Control method | Triggered and controlled by built-in flash light |
Group setting | 3 groups Available when used together with cameras compatible with the Olympus wireless RC flash system. |
Monitor | |
Monitor type | LCD |
Monitor size | 7.6 cm / 3.0 '' (16:9) |
Resolution | 460000 dots |
Brightness adjustment | +/- 7 levels |
Colour balance | A-B: +/-7 levels, G-M: +/-7 levels |
Super Control Panel | |
Displayed information | Battery indicator, Record mode, Shutter speed, Aperture value, Exposure compensation indicatior, ISO, AE bracketing, AF frame, Focus mode, AEL notification, Face detection, Number of storable frames, Metering mode, Exposure mode, Exposure level view, Flash compensation value, Colour space, Gradation, Colour saturation compensation value, Sharpness compensation value, Contrast compensation value, White balance, White balance compensation value, Noise reduction, Flash mode, Drive mode, Internal temperature warning, Histogram |
Recording Formats | |
RAW | 12 bit |
RAW & JPEG | Yes parallel recording |
JPEG | Yes |
Aspect ratio | 4:3 / 3:2 / 16:9 / 6:6 / 3:4 |
MPO (3D) | Yes |
Image Size | |
RAW | 4032 x 3024 compressed / 13.8 MB / frame 4032 x 3024 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 5.9 MB / frame 4032 x 3024 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 2.7 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Normal (compression: 1/8) 1.1 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.3 MB / frame |
Still Image Recording | |
EXIF | 2.2 |
PIM | III |
DPOF | Yes |
DCF | Yes |
Movie Recording System | |
Recording format | AVCHD / AVI Motion JPEG® |
Image Stabilisation Mode | Yes Digital Image Stabilisation |
HD Movie quality | Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 60i, 17Mbps (AVCHD) Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 60i, 13Mbps HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 60p, 17Mbps HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 60p, 13Mbps HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / 30fps (AVI Motion JPEG®) |
Movie quality | 640 x 480 / 30fps (AVI Motion JPEG®) 14min. |
Max. recording time | 14 min (SD) / 7 min (HD) (AVI Motion JPEG®)* 29 min (HD) (AVCHD) |
Max. file size | 2 GB (Motion-JPEG) 4 GB (AVCHD) |
Exposure Modes | Aperture priority, Art Filter, Manual, Programme automatic, Shutter priority |
Sound Recording System | |
Internal microphone | Stereo |
External microphone | Optional |
Recording format | Dolby Digital (AVCHD) Stereo PCM/16bit, 48kHz, Wave Format Base (Motion-JPEG) |
Image footage | 30 s |
Speaker | Yes |
View Images | |
Modes | Index, Calendar, Zoom, Slide show, Movie, Single |
Light box | Yes |
Histogram in playback mode | Yes |
Shooting information | Off / On |
Erase / Protect / Copy Function | |
Erase modes | Single, All, Selected |
Image protect mode | Single frame, Selected frames, All Frames, Release protect (Single/All selected) |
Image Editing | |
RAW data edit | Yes |
Red-eye reduction | Yes |
Sepia | Yes |
Black & White | Yes |
Resize | Yes |
Correction of saturation | Yes |
Shadow Adjustment | Yes |
Trimming | Yes |
e-Portrait | Yes |
Menu | |
Menu languages in camera | English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovak, Turkish, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Serbian |
Customisation Options | |
My Mode | 4 settings storable |
Interface | |
Media | SD Memory Card (SDHC, SDXC, UHS-I compatible) Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting |
HDMI™ | Yes Mini connector (type C) * |
USB 2.0 High Speed | Yes |
Combined V & USB output | Yes NTSC or PAL selectable * "HDMI", the HDMI logo and "High-Definition Multimedia Interface" are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC. |
Eye-Fi Card compatible | Yes |
Bluetooth® | Yes (with optional adapter PENPAL) |
Power Supply | |
Battery | Lithium-Ion Battery |
Sleep mode | 1, 3, 5, 10 min. and off selectable. |
Live View shooting | Approx. 330 images (50% with Live View) / |
Environment | |
Temperature | 0 - 40 °C operating temperature / -20 - 60 °C storage temperature |
Humidity | 30 - 90 % operation humidity / 10 - 90 % storage humidity |
Size | |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 109.5 x 63.7 x 34.0 mm (without protrusions) |
Weight | 265 g (including battery and memory card) 217 g (body only) |
Exterior | |
Available Colours | Black, Silver, White, Brown, Purple, Silver-Rose |