Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder

by Olympus

Product Details

• Item Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B002UXRG8Y
• Item model number: E-P2 w/ 14-42mm
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,885 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 4, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The new PEN, like the E-P1, is the world's smallest 12.3-megapixel interchangeable lens system with In-body Image Stabilization. It blends the high-quality still images like that of a DSLR with High Definition (HD) video, stereo Linear PCM audio recording and In-Camera Creativity inside an ultra-portable body. Along with several new features, and eight in-camera Art Filters that can be applied to still images and HD videos, the result is mighty powerful and creative.


The innovative E-P2 offers more of what photo enthusiasts have been asking for:

• A stylish retro black metal body reminiscent of a traditional PEN camera;
• Accessory port to accommodate the included detachable VF-2 Electronic View Finder (EVF) or optional external microphone adapter EMA-1;
• A newly-developed Continuous Autofocus (C-AF) Tracking System tracks the subject across or back-and-forward through the frame;
• Two new art filters: Diorama & Cross Process for greater creative expression in your still images and HD videos;
• iEnhance to automatically adjust color and contrast for a more dramatic effect;
• Full Manual Control of shutter/aperture in Movie Mode; and
• HDMI Control of camera's playback functions using the TV Remote when the camera is connected to an HDTV.

Olympus PEN E-P2 Highlights

Accessorize: Everything Goes with Basic Black
The E-P2 incorporates a new port for connecting new accessories including an optional EMA-1 Microphone adapter and the VF-2 live-finder, a detachable electronic viewfinder that comes with the E-P2. The live-finder easily slides onto the camera's accessory port and hot shoe when needed to provide 1.15x magnification, a 100% field of view with amazing resolution, brightness and contrast. The viewfinder refreshes quickly to minimize image ghosting on fast-moving subjects.

The VF-2 rotates up to 90 degrees to enable photographers to look down into it, which is useful when shooting subjects from challenging angles. The built-in diopter adjustment and high magnification offer easy viewing with and without glasses.

For those who want to capture enhanced audio, the new EMA-1 external microphone connector can be plugged into the new camera's external accessory port. The connector will accept the optional Olympus ME-51S stereo microphone or any microphone of their choice. Olympus has a variety of other accessories to maximize the functionality of the new PEN, including the previously released 14-42mm and 17mm Micro Four Thirds lenses. The MMF-1 Four Thirds System Lens Adapter makes E-P2 compatible with all Olympus ZUIKO Digital SpecificTM lenses and other Four Thirds System lenses from Sigma, Panasonic and Leica. Olympus OM film-based lenses can be attached to the E-P2 with the MF-2 OM Lens Adapter. Additionally, an optional FL-14 flash unit, suitably small for the camera, adds more lighting versatility to your shots.

The E-P2 with optional EMA-1 microphone adapter

Stay focused on Your Targets Wherever They Roam
Sometimes it can be hard enough to keep up with kids, let alone take pictures of them. The E-P2's new C-AF Tracking and AF Target Registration locks your subject into focus, and constantly adjusts focus and brightness whether you or your subject is moving. With this mode, a simple push of the shutter release enables you to keep fast-moving and unpredictable subjects in focus--tracking subjects from left to right and from front to back--within the frame, automatically ensuring that even active subjects are captured clearly.

Even More Ways to Create
Olympus pioneered easy-to-use in-camera art filters for still images captured inside its E-System DSLRs. It was the first company to offer the ability to apply art filters to High Definition video recordings captured with the E-P1. Now, the E-P2 continues this tradition of innovation with eight in-camera art filters, including two new filters: the Diorama and Cross Process. The Diorama art filter gives users a miniature model photo feeling by narrowing the depth of focus and enhancing color and contrast. The selective focus that this filter offers lends intimacy to images of even the largest subjects like canyons or cityscapes.

The Cross Process art filter offers an unexpected look to images and videos by changing the color and contrast of subjects on the fly. Using this mode can result in surreal other-worldly images. Whether you're a videographer, documentarian or established director--or just want to shoot like one --Art Filters set your images and videos apart from the pack. Since they're built into the camera, you can achieve dramatic results on the go without needing a computer or editing software. These new filters are a welcome addition to the Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film and Pin Hole filters previously available on the E-P1.

Because the PEN is an interchangable lens system camera, you also have more creative options for video capture. You can attach any one of the new super-compact Micro Four Thirds lenses or, because the camera can accept many of the other Four Thirds Format lenses with an available MMF-1 Four Thirds System Lens Adapter, you can add anything from an extreme wide-angle fisheye lens to a super telephoto lens for a wide range of expressive options. All the while you will have more DSLR-like control over depth of field, focus, white balance and ISO. It begs the question, "What will you create?"

iEnhance for Radiant Colors
The E-P2 includes a new picture mode called iEnhance, which analyzes colors and brightness. The new mode mimics what the naked eye sees. For example, a beautiful sunset looks awesome in person and generally seems to fade when captured in an image. With iEnhance, the warm yellow and orange colors are heightened to be brilliant and closer to the actual scene. The result is exceptionally clear imaging with a dramatically lifelike color. iEnhance can be used in any shooting mode--from program to manual--and automatically engages when in iAuto.

HDMI Control from Your HDTV Remote
The new PEN makes sharing your content easier than ever. Just connect the E-P2 to your HDTV with an optional HDMI cable and use your HDTV's remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera's menus from the comfort of your favorite couch or chair.

Manual in Movie Mode
The E-P2's manual movie mode allows for independent control of aperture and shutter for expanded exposure and creative control. Now you can adjust the shutter to control the depth of focus while using the aperture to set the overall brightness of the video. This level of control allows you to express your vision exactly how you want in your HD videos.

Make a Design Statement
The E-P2's high-end, stainless-steel all-black body is easy to handle and carry, and has the styling and refinement of a precision chronometer. Its retro-chic look turns heads, from tech-aficionados and camera buffs to the style-conscious and everyday point-and-shooter. Built rock solid, it fits comfortably in a jacket pocket or a handbag for impromptu street-shooting or any spontaneous adventure. The E-P2 lets you do more and go more places while capturing your life, thanks to its compact size--4.74"(W) x 2.75" (H) x 1.37" (D)--and light 11.1-ounce body. Attention to detail is visible in every aspect of the PEN's design, including the currently available small and lightweight 14-42mm and 17mm M. Zuiko Digital lenses as well as the newly announced 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 (18-36mm equivalent) and 14-150mm f4.0-5.6 (28-300mm equivalent) M. Zuiko Digital lenses.

Ultra-Compact Body Delivers Superior Image Quality
The E-P2 has everything you need to produce vibrant DSLR-quality images: a large 12.3-megapixel imager, In-body Image Stabilization, fast Imager Autofocus, the proven Olympus Dust Reduction System and the new TruePic V Image Processor.

Standard point-and-shoot sensor vs. the PEN E-P2 sensor

As the second Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus, the E-P2 provides the same image quality as current Four Thirds format E-System cameras because it has the same image sensor size as the E-30 and E-620 DSLR models, but in a much smaller body. This high-performance 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to reduce noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

The E-P2's Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus' TruePic V Image Processor, which produces clear and colorful photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible. The image processor is noted for accurate natural color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal expression; it also lowers image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings (ISO 100 to ISO 6400), enabling great results in low-light situations.

Be a Mover, Not a Shaker
Any lens attached to the E-P2 will deliver blur-free images thanks to three modes of In-body Image Stabilization that compensate for up to four steps EV (exposure value). Mechanical Image Stabilization automatically compensates for camera shake in low light or when shooting without a tripod. Since the PEN is the world's smallest interchangeable lens camera with In-body Image Stabilization, you'll feel comfortable taking it on the road with you to capture the action. As an added advantage, the built-in image stabilization works not only with the M. Zuiko lenses but all Four Thirds lenses and even older OM film-based lenses when used with the appropriate adapter for the E-P2.

Small Real Estate with an Amazing 3-Inch LCD View
Consumers accustomed to composing and focusing using a point-and-shoot camera's LCD will appreciate the E-P2's 100 percent accurate, 3-inch full color HyperCrystal LCD, which gives them the same easy, seamless experience when shooting still images or videos. The camera's Live Control function makes it easy to compose, edit and shoot pictures or videos without stopping to access various menus. The E-P2's fast Imager Autofocus in Live View also enables you to compose, focus and capture the shot quickly and easily without ever taking your eyes off the large LCD.

The LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees, which ensures that images can be composed from even the most obscure angles.

This Camera Leaves Others in the Dust
You don't have to waste precious time worrying about dust ruining the perfect image; instead, spend more of that time shooting with the E-P2. The proven Olympus Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter, a patented ultrasonic technology that vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor, capturing it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on.

What You See Is What You Get
When viewing the LCD in Live View, Art Filter effects and settings like white balance and exposure are viewable right on the LCD, and their impact is seen instantly on the display. Real-time monitoring offers amazing versatility and creative control, and users who apply a setting have instant gratification because what they see on the camera's LCD is what they've captured. For musicians used to applying audio effects like reverb to their instruments before recording them, the concept of setting the E-P2 to capture precisely the kind of image they want before they press the shutter makes perfect sense. For imaging purists who want to shoot without filters, and apply them to images inside the camera later, or just edit images back at their computers, the E-P2 provides these options and opens more in-the-field creative possibilities.

Mix It Up with Multiple Exposure
With the E-P2's Multiple Exposure function available for still image capture, you are free to tell a visual story your way, whether in a portrait, a landscape or a combination of both. The image capture options allow you to shoot one shot, then another and combine them in real time, or capture both shots separately and combine them in the camera later. Overlay your face on top of your pet's face. Create an "identical twin" of yourself. Put the moon in the sky at noon. Your ability to manipulate space and time makes this new creative multimedia device a veritable time machine.

Frame Your Works of Art Inside the PEN
You can often achieve greater photographic expression by framing a scene in a unique way. The E-P2 provides four aspect ratios that serve as masks to frame your image to the desired proportions, including: the standard 4:3 aspect ratio that is suited to an 8 x 10-inch enlargement; the 16:9 aspect ratio that will display your images beautifully on a widescreen television; and other popular aspect ratios such as 3:2 and 6:6. The Multi-Aspect Shooting further expresses your creative vision when combined with Art Filters and multiple exposures. What will you create?

Stereo Audio Sounds As Good As the PEN Images Look
Like the innovative Olympus LS-11 portable audio recording device that puts the power of a recording studio in your pocket, the E-P2 features uncompressed CD-quality 16 bit/44.1kHz Linear PCM stereo recording capability to capture the rich sound quality of your scene. When you shoot with the E-P2, it's like having a sound technician built into your camera to capture the nuances of the audio happening all around you. It has the versatility to record and play back in the WAV format and can record with its built-in stereo microphone. Whether recording audio while shooting a video or adding audio by recording a narration to your still images, the E-P2's audio sounds as great as its images look. Now, with the new stereo microphone adapter, there is new freedom in audio capture with the PEN.

Create Your Own Multimedia Slideshows with Stills, Video and Audio Inside E-P2
Content is king, and with the E-P2 you have your own portable kingdom of still images, HD video, and audio to remix at your command. In playback mode you can seamlessly mix stills and movies inside the camera to create a multimedia slideshow; dub in one of five built-in dramatic background music options to provide a soundtrack for your cinematic creation. Plug the E-P2 into any HD television with an HDMI cable and show off your masterpieces to your audience before your DVD arrives in stores!

As Easy to Use as a Point-and-Shoot with SLR-Quality Technologies
The E-P2 is equipped with 19 scene-select modes for effortless picture taking. Standard scene modes like Night-Scene, Portrait and Landscape are easy-to-use solutions for everyday shooting. Capturing beautiful portraits is easy with the new ePortrait Mode. It enables you to smooth your subject's skin--all in the camera and before capture! Additionally, edits can be made post-capture using the ePortrait mode.

Shooting scenes with both highlights and shadows can often be a challenge because of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-P2 addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that adjusts for extreme light variations and maintains visible detail in both the shadow and highlight areas of the scene. Now users can see and preview the gradation on the Live View LCD and capture images showing the shadow detail they saw. This feature is also accessible in the Edit menu after the shot has been taken.

The E-P2's Face Detection reduces the chance of blurred subjects in images by recognizing up to eight people's faces and the background, tracking the faces within the image area, even if people are moving, and automatically focusing and optimizing exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures (ideal for large family or party group photos).

Don't like changing camera settings for each shooting situation? The E-P2's Intelligent Auto Mode automatically identifies what you're shooting (Portrait, Landscape, Night + Portrait, Macro, Sports) and adjusts settings to capture the best result depending on the situation. First-time users will enjoy this quick and hassle-free feature, which does the thinking for them and produces incredible images like a pro.

The E-P2 offers ease-of-use and flexibility to meet your shooting style. Choose the Live Control technology, an advanced control panel system that incorporates the use of the sub dial and enables you to see the image and the menu controls all at the same time on the LCD. As a result, you can use the main and sub dials to select modes and adjust settings without having to take your eyes off the subject. Or if you prefer, shoot with the Super Control Panel, which is familiar to any serious shooter. These options along with the camera's intuitive button layout make the camera simple to use. The E-P2 records to SDHC media cards to accommodate large files including videos with In-Camera Creative Features and uncompressed audio.

Digital Leveler
The E-P2 is equipped with an internal Digital Level Sensor that detects the camera's pitch and roll and indicates it on the control panel. This Digital Leveler is a tremendous benefit when capturing architecture and landscapes. Level the perfect coastline shot on your next tropical vacation without being tethered to a computer and editing software.

Magnified Focus Assist
The E-P2 provides two optional methods to help the user focus: a Magnified Focus (MF) Assist Function and Magnification Display. When using manual focus, the MF Assist feature aids with critical focus by allowing you to zoom in on part of the image by simply turning the focusing ring on the front of the lens. The Magnification Display enables you to selectively enlarge the image on the LCD at the touch of a button. This mode works for both autofocus and manual focus. Both MF Assist methods provide up to a 10x magnification of a single point of the image for critical focus; perfect for macro or still-life photography.

18x18 Metering Modes
This mode divides the image area into an 18 x 18 grid, metering each of the 324 separate cells to obtain optimum exposure. In addition to 324-division ESP metering, center-weighted metering and spot metering modes are also available.

Olympus Master 2 Software
Use the included Olympus Master 2 software (Mac and PC) to easily download images and videos from the camera or other external device, such as a USB drive, and automatically organize them into albums and groups and by date. Develop high-quality RAW images, apply Art Filter effects, edit and print images. Also, apply the most common editing functions to your HD videos. Update camera and lens firmware through the software and download additional menu languages. A direct link makes uploading your images and videos to YouTube easier than ever.

Olympus Studio 2 (Trial Edition Included)
Extend the capability of Olympus Master 2 with Olympus Studio 2. In addition to the functions of Olympus Master 2, this software includes a lightbox mode and selection marks for comparing and sorting multiple images. RAW processing is enhanced with additional controls for finer adjustments. The trial edition can be used for 30 days after installation. After the trial period has expired, a license key is required for further use.

What's in the Box

• E-P2 Body
• VF-2 Electronic View Finder
• ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens
• USB Cable
• Video Cable
• Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1)
• Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1)
• Shoulder Strap
• Olympus Master 2 Software CD-ROM
• Manuals and Registration card

Product Description

OLYMPUS 262830 12.3 Megapixel E-P2 Pen Camera Kit (Includes M. Zuiko 14–42mm zoom)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

151 of 155 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a mildly flawed camera that is too good to get rid of., December 10, 2009

By 

Kirk Tuck "Kirk Tuck" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder (Electronics)

I got mine on Saturday from a camera store here in Austin. The camera is nice and small but feels very solid. I was interested in the EP1 but could never get my mind around the practice of viewing and focusing on the back LCD screen. I was interested in this product segment because I have a collection of the Pen F half frame film cameras that this one is based on. I was very happy to learn that several people are making adapters that will allow me to use those old Pen F lenses on the EP2. I am looking forward to using two of my old favorites, the 60mm f1.5 and the 70mm f2.

I took the EP2 and the kit zoom lens out for a three hour spin yesterday morning. It was 30 degrees outside and the first thing I discovered is that this is not a camera with an interface you can use with gloves on. The buttons are too small and require too much pressure with gloves.

In daylight I didn't notice any real problem with focusing. It was not as slow as I was led to believe. BUT, it does do this little "focus on either side of sharp" and then lock and shoot that takes a few tenths of a second each time you autofocus. The cure is to switch the focus on control to the fn button or the ael button and then you can focus once and shoot until the subject/camera distance changes. It's definitely not bad. I also tried a bunch of low light focusing later in the evening and, with 60 watt household lights in various fixtures the focus locked pretty well.

You would be unwise to buy this camera without the EVF (electronic viewfinder). In my opinion this is what makes this camera and cameras like the Panasonic GF1 special. It's a great finder. Almost as clear and clean as a great optical finder. Better than the optical finders on the Olympus e300 and e520 cameras that I also own.

Here's why I really love the camera. I spent years and years shooting with a Hasselblad and I love composing images as squares. Several DSLR's with "LIve View" are available that can be configured to shoot different aspect ratios in Jpeg. Including the square. But when shooting portraits those cameras go through too much time consuming labor to use it effectively and the effect can only be seen on the rear LCD screen. On the EP2 this is not the case. The exposure is relatively instantaneous. And the camera can be used in a square format which you can view through the EVF.. You basically wind up with a 6x6 camera that shoots 9 megapixel files (the crop of the 12 megapixel sensor to square) at three frames per second.

The color and sharpness, even with the kit lens, is superb. Out of camera jpegs are something Olympus is famous for and this camera is even better than it's predecessors. I've also processed a few raw files with Capture One 5.01 and they are great but not that much better than a well exposed Jpeg.

I wrote a little review of the shooting experience on my blog. [...]

At the end of the first paragraph is a link to a gallery of images. The image at the top of the blog is full size. Click on it to see just how sharp the files are.

The only unhappy note I have about the camera is that the BLS battery was "only" good for around 300 images. I always buy a spare battery when I buy a new camera so I had one in my pocket when the first battery became depleted. Keep in mind that it never got about 35degrees (f) while I was shooting and cold really messes with batteries. I presume you might be able to hit the 500 shot mark with warmer weather.

Finally, I am excited to shoot HD video with this camera. With adapters I'll be able to use some of the great lenses I've bought for my regular Olympus cameras.

Here is my con list:

1. The batteries could last longer....

2. The EVF plugs into a port under the hot shoe. It also takes over the hotshoe. This means that you can't use the hot shoe or even trigger a flash if the EVF is plugged in. This is a big deal. I wish the camera had a little pc terminal somewhere. Then I could use the EVF and still be able to trigger studio flashes.

3. Same thing for microphones. If you want to use an outboard mic for recording sound you'll need to use the same connection port. So you get to choose between EVF and microphone.

4. I wish there were more dedicated Olympus lenses for this format. I'd love a 20 or 25mm prime lens with a fast aperture. I think that would be sooooo cool. Maybe that's down the road.

All in all this is the camera I've wanted for a while. I am happy with it. It gets only four stars because of the multi-function port. On image quality it's five star. If they drop in price after the launch I will try to buy a second body. Have fun deciding between this and the Panasonic GF-1.

83 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT knockabout small camera, December 14, 2009

By 

R. Kaufmann (San Diego CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder (Electronics)

Bottom line: this camera represents a fantastic compromise between price, portability and picture quality. For those who can't take their big DSLRs everywhere they want to take pictures, this is the best camera I've found. Folks who are moving up from point and shoots should get a "real" DSLR as their move-up camera; this thing is really for those who already have DSLRs and looking for a great 2nd camera.

Likes:

Image quality, feel, size, weight. Really, you get great pictures up to ISO 400 (and I'm picky), and ISO 800 is completely usable. This is my replacement for a Canon G9, and this camera is just a little bit bigger and TONS better.

This is a system with multiple manufacturers. I'll be able to upgrade bodies and lenses from different companies without worrying about compatibility. Panasonic may make a better body a year or two from now -- no worries, I'll just buy it and know my lenses will just work.

The 14-42 lens is really sharp. I've ordered the 45-200 and pre-ordered the super-wide 7-14 zoom. They all weigh about a pound. I also have a Gitzo Traveler. My travel photo kit will be quite nice, small and light. Ahhhhh!

I synch external 3rd-party strobes at 1/320th of a second. Very, very nice.

The electronic viewfinder is bright and clear. I really like the diopter correction.

Just OK:

The autofocus isn't as good as my prime DSLR (a Canon 1ds iii, so you know from whence I speak!), but is a heck of a lot better than normal point & shoots. The autozoom function while manual focusing is a nice touch, but in moderated-to-low light is too noisy to get tack-sharp focus. A "preview" button would be a nice workaround, but only if it was just used to temporarily freeze the zoomed view and show a quick focus check.

Dislikes:

As *everyone* says, you have your choice of one option at a time: strobe, electronic viewfinder, or external microphone connection. Arghhh!

The USB connector is some darned combo AV / USB thing. It is NOT compatible with standard USB cables. My suggestion: don't take the cable with you on the road, but instead use a separate card reader to download pictures.

The battery it came with is lame. Get a higher capacity battery for $9. In fact, get two! Maximal Power DB OLY BLS-1 Replacement Battery for Olympus Digital Camera/Camcorder (Black)

I really wish they made a very little strobe for this other than the Olympus FL-14 Flash for Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera. The FL-14 is lame (no tilt or swivel, low power), but the FL-36R is too big. The ideal setup would be to just use a wireless trigger and move the strobe off-axis.

The user interface is a little weird. I actually had to read the manual. I suspect this is just because I'm a Canon-head, but be warned. I'm getting used to it, which mostly means going into the secret setup menu (you have to turn on the detailed setup menu) and customizing things. One strong suggestion: set Auto-ISO to 100-400. No real penalty in picture quality at ISO 400, and you won't mind if the camera swings between 100 and 400 as it pleases.

The user interface requires you to use the wheel often, e.g. to change the f-stop/shutter tradeoff in "P" mode. It's way too easy to push on the ring and accidentally change a setting (e.g. ISO 100 --> 6400!). This has happened to me a few times.

The bracketing feature is useless for HDRs. You only get to change by 1 EV; you need two or three.

(In response to an excellent comment, here's a follow-up...)

I agree that ISO 1600 is "really good," but in my opinion 400 is the highest ISO that maintains the best quality. In fact, there's really no noise to clean up -- even in solid red areas of the picture. 800 and above, you're trading off quality for sensitivity. I suspect we're really agreeing with each other, but I could have been more explicit. So, here goes: this thing has near-DSLR image quality in a very small, nice package. If you make huge prints, stick to 400 or lower (advice that's also relevant for all but the highest-end DSLRs); judicious use of Noise Ninja, et al, may allow you to push a bit past 400, but you're literally pushing your luck. ISO 1600 is fine for smaller prints, and more than fine for web pages, etc.

For the numerically inclined, here's the noise index from Noise Ninja:

ISO 100 11
ISO 200 14
ISO 400 20
ISO 800 28
ISO 1600 46
ISO 3200 99
ISO 6400 148

My rule of thumb: 20 and under is near-perfect, 20-30 is quite usable, and 40+ has issues.

And since I've written my original review, I've come to appreciate the auto-tracking continuous focus mode. I have my Fn key mapped to MF (manual focus), so I can bounce back and forth easily. I sure wish the camera had a few more mappable buttons, though. I'd really like to also get access to the white balance set command as well as the depth of field preview. Oh, well.

Also, I built a dual-illuminant DNG Color Profile for my E-P2. Amazing improvement! I was able to take a picture of the target on my LCD, bring the pic into Lightroom (where the profile is automatically applied), and then see that the colors of my displayed image exactly match the original. Nice stuff. Just google "dng color dual illuminant" to see how to do it.

As you can tell from the above, I also built some Noise Ninja profiles. Feel free to get them at [...]

Finally, the nice guy who runs epaperpress made ptlens work with the E-P2 about an hour after I asked him to. I highly suggest using ptlens from Photoshop to correct barrel distortion, etc.

67 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the pro photographer's point and shoot, December 10, 2009

By 

Tim M. Higdon "Stimmer" (Norman, Ok United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder (Electronics)

I've been shooting with SLR's for years now. The quality for me has always overridden the fact that the systems were bulky and cumbersome to shoot with. But I had felt that the "fun" had sort of been sucked out of my photography. It's hard to be spontaneous with a large SLR and large lenses. Luckily for me, those days are over. The fun is back.

The Olympus E-P2 is simply fantastic. You've got SLR quality in a near pocketable package, and the result has opened up avenues of photography that haven't been available to me in years.

I've missed countless opportunities to take pictures because of the sheer mass of my SLR system and not wanting to lug it around. This little camera will stay with me more frequently and just begs to be used. You get the convenience of the point and shoot, but the quality you crave in your pictures.

Pros of this camera:

High ISO is really good. Pretty clean all the way up to 3200, and certainly printable.
Movie mode is of very high quality. Somebody with good lenses and a creative mind can make some magic here.
Ability to use old lenses with an adapter. Very nice feature, and the manual focus mode is especially nice because it magifies what you are trying to focus on automatically.
Picture quality has amazing detail and color. Olympus color is in full force here.
Portability. (I recommend getting the nice Panasonic 20mm 1.7 lens. It takes the quality and portability up a notch, and gives you a top notch low light system)
Viewfinder is really top notch and large and bright. This allows for viewing of pictures and movies out in the sun(something you couldn't really do with any camera before now).
Built in image stabilization, which will work on even old lenses up to 4 stops.

Negatives:

Slightly slower focus than an SLR(and even the panny GF1). Not bad though and for a live view system it's pretty peppy.
No built in flash. Not a negative for me. Built in flash results are atrocious. I got the little FL-14 for flash in a pinch.
Cost. A little pricey for everyone, but it's actually worth the money for everything you get.

This is really a nice camera. If you have legacy 4/3 lenses you can attach and autofocus them. If you have other system lenses you can use them with an adapter and they work well. The obvious competitor, the Panny GF1 is also a nice camera. Both have strengths and weaknesses but in the end I'm really happy I got the Olympus E-P2. It's stylish, uber powerful, portable, and just downright cool. I still can't believe how small it is. Quite an amazing achievement to fit this technology in this small of a body.