Olympus E-PL1 review

Time between shots isn’t stellar either and it pales in comparison to similarly priced or even cheaper DSLRs in that respect. The main culprit is the camera’s contrast detect auto-focus system, but that’s a familiar trait of all Micro Four Thirds cameras. It uses an 11-point system, where you can either select all AF points or one in particular. If you turn Face Detect on too, this increases to 25-points, but you lose the manual selection capabilities.

On a positive note, the E-PL1 includes a built-in flash which, while not being particularly powerful, is something that was conspicuously absent from both the E-P1 and E-P2. It’s activated via a small switch above the LCD and, thanks to its double hinge, sits well away from the body to help prevent red eye.

What’s more, the images that come out of the E-PL1 are excellent given its compact size – the body is no bigger than Canon’s PowerShot G11 and the 14-42mm F/3.5-5.6 lens is less than half the size of a typical DSLR’s kit lens. That’s all down to the E-PL1’s 12.3 megapixel Live MOS 4/3in sensor and the metering system, which are both the same as those used in the E-P1 and E-P2.

Images are not only well exposed with good dynamic range and colour, but also very sharp. Resolution and noise control are both very good, all the way up to ISO 3200. While photos aren’t as crisp at ISO 3200 as they are at lower ISOs, images are most definitely useable even at this setting. You would never find a compact being able to achieve the same levels of quality, that’s for sure.

The E-PL1 also includes six Art modes – Pop Art, Soft Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama (the ‘Tilt-Shift effect’) and Gentle Sepia – and 19 scene modes, which help to give the novice even more control. Performance in the Art mode is sluggish though with the 2.7in LCD screen refreshing at less than 10 fps, as the camera processes the effect in real time.

The lens controls chromatic aberration and flare very well, but there’s a generous helping of barrel distortion at the wide end. It’s also a little soft at the telephoto end of its range, but this doesn’t have a massive impact on overall image quality below ISO 800. The lens’ sweetspot is around the 25mm focal length (50mm actual), where images are very crisp and distortion-free.

With its dedicated video button, the E-PL1 is also a fairly useful video camera. It supports up to 720p at 30 fps with the relatively inefficient Motion JPEG format, with a maximum recording time of seven minutes in HD. The shutter button also remains active while you’re recording, meaning you can capture full-resolution stills while recording.

For focusing, you can choose between single shot, continuous or manual modes. However, because it’s electronically linked, it’s just about audible on the soundtrack. Video quality is a little soft compared to the E-PL1’s static image quality, but it’s still very good for a camera of this size.

Overall, while the E-PL1 does have some limitations, it’s a very good camera for beginners looking to develop their skills. The Live Guide is excellent and, after a brief explanation of what each Live Guide function controlled, we managed to get several novice photographers to start expressing themselves a lot more in their photos. When they saw the results on the E-PL1’s 2.7in screen, they quickly realised what a decent camera could do for their photography.

The E-PL1 doesn’t do enough to replace the DSLR, which can be bought for a lot less, but its user interface will help beginners looking to develop, and the images it produces are almost as good. As either a DSLR companion or an alternative to a high-end compact, we think it’s well-worth paying that bit more for something like this and, given how far the E-P1’s price has dropped since its launch, the E-PL1 will likely become much cheaper in a few months.