Can Olympus E-p2 Camera Use Om1 Lenses?
Imaging Resource rating
4.5 out of 5.0
Olympus E-P2 Overview
Reviewed by Shawn Barnett, Mike Tomkins, and Zig Weidelich
Review Posted: 04/19/2010
In the summer of 2009, Olympus announced the beginning of a new era of small, interchangeable-lens digital cameras, every bit the company debuted its first Micro 4 Thirds-system camera, the Olympus East-P1. Less than five months later, the visitor introduced the P1's sibling -- the Olympus E-P2 -- retaining many of its predecessor's features, but with a variety of important differences. The company is standing to align its Olympus E-P serial cameras with the old PEN system of film cameras, dating dorsum to 1959, and like the previous model , the E-P2'south style reflects that heritage.
The Olympus E-P2 uses the same 12.3-megapixel sensor from the Eastward-P1, capable of both however and Hd video capture. Body styling is also largely unchanged, with the biggest difference being a change in torso color and finish. Where the P1 was offered in either silver with black trim, or a white with tan trim express edition, the P2 gets a new color scheme. The body itself is still stainless steel, simply now has a thin layer of black paint nether a clear coat, giving a translucent black finish, accompanied by blackness trim panels. Looking a little closer, the other main departure is the addition of a new accompaniment port reminiscent of that in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GF1. As with the Panasonic GF1, the Olympus E-P2's accompaniment port allows employ of a hot shoe-mounted external electronic viewfinder, the VF-ii. Olympus's external EVF has a rather higher specification than that from Panasonic, though, and the company is also using the port to let for external microphone use via an optional adapter.
| E-P2 announced: Dave Etchells talks with Sally Smith Clemens of Olympus about the new Due east-P2. |
The Olympus E-P2 likewise has tweaks in a number of other areas. The camera's autofocus system now has field of study tracking capability in both yet and movie modes, and the focus assist function has been changed to automatically center its 7x / 10x zoom around the selected AF bespeak, useful for fine-tuning focus of an off-centre field of study manually.
In that location's also a new i-Enhance shooting mode that tweaks image color to emphasize the master subject, and two new Art filters on top of the six from the Eastward-P1. Video enthusiasts volition be pleased to notice manual control of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity during motion picture capture. At that place's also support for manufacture-standard remote control over the HDMI connexion, when using compatible equipment in the Olympus E-P2'due south Playback fashion.
Every bit well equally the existing xiv-42mm f/three.5-v.6 and 17mm f/2.8 lenses which shipped alongside the Eastward-P1, Olympus has also announced two new lenses with the E-P2. Due in the kickoff one-half of 2010, these are the 9-18mm f/four-5.six and 14-150mm f/4-5.6. A small wink is besides currently available for the Olympus Eastward-P series cameras.
Aircraft as of December 2009, the Olympus E-P2 is available in 3 configurations. With the ED 14-42mm f/3.five-5.vi zoom lens and VF-2 viewfinder, the price is Us$one,099.99; and with the 17mm f/2.8 and the VF-2 electronic viewfinder, the price is Us$i,099.99. Before this year, the VF-two was removed from many kits, bringing the prices of both the 17mm and 14-42mm kit down to $899.99.
Olympus E-P2 Review
by Shawn Barnett and Mike Tomkins
Only a few short months after introducing the E-P1 "Digital Pen," Olympus launched another version of the small, interchangeable lens SLD digital camera. Most of the guts are the same, as are the body features. Much of what was added came from very early feedback from reviewers, including the black body, requested generally by males, co-ordinate to an Olympus representative. Others insisted on an electronic viewfinder.
The Olympus E-P2 user experience is very like to that of the E-P1, except for the addition of the VF-2 electronic viewfinder -- which really does modify the feel quite a bit.
Await and feel. The new black trunk still has some chrome accents, and the 17mm lens is all the same silver. Both silver and black 14-42mm lenses are available for the E-P1, with silvery shipping on the white camera and black shipping with the silver camera. Only the black lens ships with the Olympus E-P2. Kits are available both with, and without the large electronic viewfinder. Naturally, when attached to the camera this adds to the overall size and weight. The skillful news is that y'all forget about the actress bulk when you put the viewfinder upwards to your centre and have in the big, bright 800 x 600 pixel image it gives y'all. Note likewise that the hot shoe is elevated past 0.18 inches (4.6mm) compared to the E-P1, whose top deck is almost flat.
One major feature I prefer over the Panasonic GF1 is the larger grip area that's offered by the Olympus E-P2 and Due east-P1. The large rubber pad helps get a better purchase on the camera, and the thumbgrip on the dorsum too makes a more secure hold. Functionally the Olympus Eastward-P2 is identical to the Due east-P1, and then existing users will experience correct at home.
Most of the remaining controls tin exist seen from this angle, starting from the left. The mode dial peeks out from its porthole on the top deck, and is set via the knurl on the back. The focal plane indicator is stamped between that and the flash hot shoe, which has the tilting VF-2 electronic viewfinder in place. As with the E-P1, in that location is no built-in flash on the Olympus E-P2. The blue Super Sonic Wave Filter lamp is adjacent, followed by the power switch, whose outer ring glows green when the power is on. The shutter release button is now black instead of silvery, ringed by a smooth bit of argent metal. The EV adjustment push button is last. While it's piece of cake to forget while you're shooting, information technology's well-placed for like shooting fish in a barrel adjustment with your thumb on the back.
On the small shelf behind the Olympus Eastward-P2'south top deck, Olympus has engraved the words, "OLYMPUS PEN Since 1959 East-P2." It'due south a shame that they didn't only revive the name PEN and call it the PEN F1 or something, because E-P2 is hardly tricky, and also a pain to type.
The 3-inch LCD is all the same express to 230,000 pixels, though information technology is big, vibrant, and good outdoors thanks to its HyperCrystal technology. The lower resolution makes Manual focus a picayune more than hard than it was on the recently-reviewed Panasonic GF1, fifty-fifty with the 7x or 10x zoom choice.
On the back you can see the speaker and the unique horizontal curl wheel, used for zooming and changing menu items. Iv buttons run down the right side of the LCD, and a Function and Info button flank the navigation deejay/wheel. The disk and wheel combination is small, but works surprisingly well. The cycle works ameliorate than virtually manufacturers' designs, a pleasant surprise. I'm not crazy well-nigh the layout of the rest of the buttons, though. It might be that the Olympus East-P2 is so curt that the controls are only harder to reach than I'one thousand used to. Reaching the button on the VF-two is not easy either, and I typically utilize my left hand instead of trying to stretch my pollex. In the lower right corner you lot can see the card write lamp.
Note also the camera strap loops, which unfortunately crave the annoying D-rings to work with most strap systems. These have get more of a brunt cheers to the Olympus E-P2's movie manner, as every motility of the D-rings is recorded every bit the sound travels dutifully downwardly the camera's lovely metal skin, quickly arriving at the microphone openings. Peradventure you lot tin sense my irritation with this unnecessary metal-to-metallic connection when textile-to-metal is mostly standard on modern digital cameras and even camcorders. Since I don't like neck straps, I solved the problem past but keeping the photographic camera strapless and ringless, save for a tertiary party wrist strap with a toggle lock for security.
LCD. As I mentioned, the 3-inch LCD is large, but low-resolution, and its viewing angle is 176 degrees. Fortunately it's not the only style to frame images with the E-P2, thanks to the VF-ii electronic viewfinder, which has SVGA resolution.
The Olympus E-P2 has many display screens, which you select by pressing the Info button, but I'm agape none of them meets my needs all on ane screen. Though I like the leveling characteristic, that screen doesn't tell y'all what aperture or shutter speed you have gear up, which is pretty important on a camera like the Olympus E-P2. If you want the histogram or exposure info, you have to lose the leveling feature. I found myself hitting the Info push button style too oftentimes when using the Olympus Due east-P2.
And if you shoot in the Art Filters style and accept the eye-AF point screen up, you lot can't zoom in to focus, because the Set button both zooms and changes the Fine art Filter. Guess which wins?
Function. The Olympus Due east-P2 includes a Office menu that works a lot like the Function menu on Canon PowerShots, only the E-P2 has ii unique dials at its disposal for easy navigation.
Press the OK button in the center, and it brings up a menu matrix that'southward identical to the translucent screens seen on recent Olympus digital SLRs. Information technology's a good system either way, but I prefer the panel shown above, considering it shows more of the bachelor options in each category without having to go to a different screen.
Optical viewfinder. The VF-one optical viewfinder, available for $99, is non included with the Due east-P2'due south 17mm f/2.eight kit, something that does come up with the Due east-P1's 17mm kit. The one I have has a faint silverish frame inside, but neither this line nor the viewfinder itself represents the actual image captured by the 17mm lens, which is noticeably wider; and naturally there's also some meaning parallax fault between this viewfinder lens and the capture lens.
For some reason I accidentally touch the front end or rear optic too often, and I complaining that the back of the viewfinder has no rubber baby-sit to protect my spectacles. Of course, with this big, square, nostalgic novelty mounted, nosotros brainstorm to arroyo the size and shape limitations institute in the smaller SLRs, and the one place to mount a flash is occupied. The reward, though, is that yous get a tertiary bespeak of contact with your body (your face), offering inherently greater stability than y'all get while belongings the Olympus Due east-P2 out in front of yous to encounter the LCD.
Electronic viewfinder. The new VF-ii electronic viewfinder is noticeably larger than the one bachelor for the Panasonic GF1, and it's also higher resolution. It attaches the same fashion, though, via the new Accessory port on the back beneath the hot shoe, which ways that it won't work on the Eastward-P1. It's a friction fit, unfortunately, which means that you tin can accidentally nudge information technology off if you're non careful. In that location'due south a springloaded pin that slips into the hot shoe's locking hole for some security, but information technology still manages to loosen a fleck in a bag if I'k not careful. I'd prefer a more than positive locking mechanism.
Functionally, though, information technology's really dainty. The rubber ring around the viewfinder optic protects your spectacles, unlike the back of the VF-one with its difficult plastic. Amend yet, it doubles as the diopter adjustment mechanism, which you can turn to focus the viewfinder. It manages to accommodate my -3 vision just fine.
The view is really large, offer a 100% view of the scene, with 1.15x magnification. It's a overnice view, to be sure. I can't tell you how many times I brought the E-P1 up to my eye earlier remembering in that location is no optical viewfinder congenital in. It just feels similar an SLR. Now if you demand to, you lot can shoot the East-P2 like it is one. I find myself shooting happily with the VF-2, especially out in sunlight, simply I still pull the camera from my centre to run across the playback. With the original firmware, this doesn't work, considering the playback prototype appears in the electronic viewfinder until I turn it off. Thankfully, Olympus was listening, and has tweaked the firmware in a new version due in late April 2010, allowing the viewfinder and LCD to remain active at the same time. (This will of course come at the expense of battery life when enabled, since the camera must power both displays at once).
The only drawbacks are the fact that you lot can't apply the EVF in combination with other accessories (such equally a wink or the microphone jack adapter), and how much bigger it makes the East-P2 -- which is the aforementioned reason I generally go out the VF-ane off the East-P1. At least the VF-ii is more versatile, able to evidence the true epitome even with a zoom lens, or a nearby subject. It's also a little amend for manual focusing, given the higher resolution.
The EVF's brightness and hue tin can also exist adjusted independently via a menu item that shows the last image captured as a sample.
Accessory port. The new port tin likewise exist used for an External Microphone Jack, into which you can plug a microphone similar the Olympus ME51S, ME31, or many other third political party microphones, a feature missing from the E-P1. Unfortunately, the microphone jack adapter lacks a dummy hot shoe or mounting point on which to attach small microphones, necessitating a bracket attached to the tripod mount, should 1 desire camera and microphone together.
Lenses. The primary kit lens designed for the Olympus E-P2 is the fourteen-42mm f/3.five-5.6. Information technology's a shortened version of the standard kit lens shipped with so many digital cameras, equivalent to a 28-84mm zoom in this example. It does a not bad trick, though, when you lot twist information technology from its resting position: it pops out to its full operating length.
At that place's an unlock switch on the left of the barrel, merely this actually unlocks the mechanism that keeps the lens from retracting back to its stowed position, so opening the lens is just a simple twist to the correct. Encounter the video at left for a visual demonstration using the E-P1. What the locking mechanism doesn't do is prevent the lens from extending. I occasionally noticed that I'd already partially extended the lens while removing the photographic camera from its bag, causing me some worry that I might possibly damage the mechanism over time.
Though I appreciated the endeavour Olympus made to keep this lens from being a gigantic nuisance, making this small camera a lot larger, it took me some time to like this lens; and in the cease, I don't like it at all. While slightly faster than on the P1, our sample was yet unbearably slow to focus on the P2, and is a little too big for me fifty-fifty when tucked away. According to our tests, the 14-42mm took 0.96 seconds to focus and fire at wide-bending, and 0.91 seconds at telephoto. That'south very wearisome, and when one adds the motion blur introduced at certain shutter speeds (see below), the picture is complete. Olympus has announced a new firmware update due in late April 2010 aimed at reducing autofocus delay, but nosotros tin can't be sure by how much this will improve until we can test an updated P2.
My favorite of the two lenses is the 17mm f/2.8, the merely other Olympus lens available specifically for Micro Four Thirds as of this writing. Its depression barrel distortion made shooting with this pancake pattern a sincere pleasure, and its faster autofocus made me return to it again and once again. Chromatic aberration is a trivial high, unfortunately, but that can be dealt with. While out shooting with the Olympus East-P2, I had to remind myself a few times to get the xiv-42mm lens mounted for a few shots; and later I got too frustrated with the autofocus, I returned to the 17.
Tiny caps. The ii kit lenses accept very small caps, both of which seem virtually the same size. The problem is, they're not. The 17mm's cap measures 37mm, and the 14-42's measures 40.5mm. They're like shooting fish in a barrel to lose, if inexpensive to supersede, only serve their purpose just fine.
Lenses and adapters. With merely moments before they were due to ship back, we took the liberty of trying the Olympus E-P2 with the rather aristocracy lenses that came with our Panasonic GH1, the second Micro Four Thirds digital photographic camera. They both fit and worked well. About impressive was Panasonic'south 7-14mm on such a small body.
The Lumix Four Thirds lens adapter too allowed u.s.a. to attach some of the more interesting Iv Thirds lenses in house, including the 150mm f/ii.0 monster lens. Olympus's equivalent is the MMF-ane, a silver 4 Thirds adapter. Focusing is a lot slower with this adapter for well-nigh of the lenses we tried, so though information technology's possible, it'due south not entirely desirable to utilize Four Thirds lenses with the Olympus E-P2.
Sweetening the deal for OM-system lens owners like me is the MF-2 OM Adapter, which allows attachment of some really fine lenses. We tested my 50mm f/1.8 lens and posted the results on SLRgear.com. Information technology's not good plenty that I recommend everyone go out and snap up OM lenses to apply with the East-P2, but it's however usable if you lot accept the time to focus manually, and don't mind limiting yourself to f/4 or higher. Focusing is a piffling more than hard to do on the East-P2 than on the OM-ane, because you have to press the Info button to navigate to the MF screen, and so the OK push button to zoom in on the scene, and if you're paw-holding the Olympus E-P2, the zoomed view can be shaky.
The Micro Four Thirds lens arrangement is continuing to abound, cheers to Panasonic's introduction of another new lens, the 14-42mm f/.5-5.six. Olympus also has two new Micro Four Thirds zooms nearing the market place -- the ix-18mm f/4-5.6 and xiv-150mm f/4-5.six. The starting time third-party Micro Four Thirds lens has also been appear by a new startup, admitting a repurposed fully manual CCTV lens design. A broad range of bachelor adapters further broaden the possibilities. Below are photos of the lenses, with links to their respective pages on SLRgear.com , where we have already reviewed many of these lenses.
| Micro Four Thirds lenses | |
| | |
| Olympus M.Zuiko fourteen-42mm f/3.v-5.6 | Panasonic Lumix G 14-42mm f/3.v-5.half dozen |
| | |
| Olympus M. Zuiko 17mm f/2.eight | Panasonic Lumix 1000 20mm f/1.7 |
| | |
| Olympus M.Zuiko 9-18mm f/four-5.6 | Panasonic Lumix G 7-14mm f/4 |
| | |
| Olympus M.Zuiko 14-150mm f/4-v.6 | Panasonic Lumix G 14-140mm f/4-v.8 |
| | |
| Panasonic Lumix Yard 45-200mm f/iv-5.vi | Panasonic Lumix G fourteen-45mm f/3.5-five.6 |
| | |
| Panasonic 45mm f/two.8 DG Macro | Noktor 50mm f/0.95 |
| Micro Four Thirds Adapters | |
| Olympus 4 Thirds MMF-one | Panasonic Four Thirds DMW-MA1 |
| Olympus Four Thirds MMF-2 | Panasonic Thou-Mount DMW-MA2M |
| Olympus OM Adapter MF-2 | Panasonic R-Mountain DMW-MA3R |
| Cosina Voigtlander VM mount | Cosina Voigtlander F mount |
| Cosina Voigtlander K mountain | |
With the 17mm f/two.eight fastened, the Olympus E-P2 does indeed fit into the front pocket of my slacks, and with some effort I managed to go it into my back jeans pocket when I didn't desire to go out it in the car on a hot mean solar day. It's an easy fit into a sportcoat pocket, if you can handle a pound of camera gently tugging at your shoulder. Olympus materials even prove someone putting the E-P1 into a cargo pocket on some shorts. That really works well if the pocket is mounted higher on the hip, just the lower pockets allow the camera to swing a little too much, causing bruising at best, photographic camera damage at worst.
Where's the Flash? The Olympus E-P2 is the second non-pro photographic camera to ship without some kind of built-in wink (the first was the Eastward-P1). It's either a courageous or a crazy move, simply given the poor performance of most congenital-in flashes on small cameras, I don't think an available-low-cal photographer like me will miss it. Those who do can opt for the Olympus FL-fourteen flash, available for $199.99. The FL-14 lacks a bounce feature, though, and mounts quite low and close to the lens, and so its usefulness is limited. FL-36R and FL-50R flashes are also compatible with the Olympus E-P2, merely the flashes are not capable of remote controlling other strobes via the camera's TTL wink exposure system. Of course y'all as well can't use the VF-2 with the flash mounted, so there's that limitation as well.
The Olympus FL-14 slips into a soft handbag for storage and mounts in a snap. It's also pretty unproblematic to use, defaulting to TTL-Auto mode, which allows the Due east-P2 to have full through-the-lens exposure control. It has a tendency to overexpose, though, and doesn't back off of exposures when specular highlights are detected, something I'g used to from other wink systems. Hence faces tin be a little also bright and shiny in photos, and near objects are too oft overexposed. I adopt using the Olympus E-P2 without flash. The Olympus E-P2 does quite well at loftier ISO, then the lack of a congenital-in flash is a message from Olympus that you won't need it.
Motion picture modes. The Olympus E-P2 records AVI movies at 1,280 10 720 or 640 ten 480 pixels, both at 30 frames per 2nd. Maximum file size is 2GB, and the maximum recording fourth dimension is vii minutes in Hard disk drive fashion, or xiv minutes in Standard Def (VGA). You can likewise apply the ART filters to express event. Some of the filters slow the frame charge per unit so much that I doubt near would want to use them. These include the Pinhole and Grainy Film modes. The Diorama filter goes every bit far every bit to disable sound recording and plays back at roughly 15x realtime speed. See our Video tab for more.
New to the Eastward-P2 is complete Transmission command over exposure while recording, including ISO sensitivity, while the E-P1 only offered Program or Discontinuity priority control modes. Shutter speed ranges from 1/30 to one/4,000 second.
A new autofocus mode also applies to Pic mode, chosen C-AF+TR, which means continuous AF and tracking. Lock the autofocus organisation on the master subject and the autofocus target will follow the subject as it moves around the frame.
HDMI plus CEC. The HDMI port is not new to the Olympus E-P2, only CEC control is. That's where yous can remote control the photographic camera through your television remote control, provided it offers CEC compatibility. Usually in that location are four colored buttons on the bottom of the remote.
Audio engineering. Olympus is besides touting the sound technology they've congenital into the Olympus E-P2's Picture mode, which they say is equally adept as their all-time audio recorders. It'south described as Wave Format Base of operations Stereo PCM/ 16-bit at 44.1kHz. Unfortunately, that's simply for pic recording or for attaching audio to a photograph; at that place is no audio-only recording mode, as we've seen on some other cameras. That's a shame, because I'd honey to take advantage of that kind of high-end audio capability. As with the E-P1, the only way to record audio with the Due east-P2 is with the stereo mic on the front of the camera, only left and correct of the Olympus logo. That is, unless yous purchase the new external microphone jack mentioned above, and a microphone.
Music congenital in. Also built into the Olympus E-P2 are five ambient tunes to utilize with slideshows and videos, created by Daishi Dance, a famous Japanese musician.
Metering. Olympus's older ESP metering system has been updated with a new 18 x 18 matrix metering organization, sampling 324 separate areas. You can also choose centre-weighted and spot metering modes.
Many other features have become then mutual information technology's a lilliputian much to go along nigh. Face detection for case: The Olympus East-P2 can recognize upwards to eight faces in a scene, even when people are moving; it then sets exposure to ensure abrupt, well-exposed pictures. There's also sensor-shift prototype stabilization, a good characteristic for a camera without an onboard flash; and Olympus'south SuperSonic Moving ridge Filter for dust reduction.
Accessorized. Cameras like the E-P2 are made for the enthusiast who likes to accessorize, with i of those accessories included in the parcel. Shawn thought his Gordy's Camera Strap completed the look. See his gallery for an example of the trend toward gadgety goodness.
Sensor and processor. Olympus hasn't told us much almost the 12.3-megapixel LIVE-MOS sensor, except that information technology's like to the ones in the Due east-xxx and Eastward-620, and identical to the sensor in the E-P1.
Multiple exposures. You tin too overlay images correct in the Olympus E-P2 with the Multiple Exposure tools, first seen on the Olympus E-30 digital SLR.
Aspect ratios. You can choose multiple attribute ratios to shoot with the East-P2, including the sensor'southward 4:iii, merely also three:2 (more common among SLRs), 16:9 (better for Hard disk drive idiot box display), and six:6 (which is of course the same every bit 1:i -- a square paradigm).
Exposure modes. The Olympus E-P2 includes the iv standard modes, Program, Aperture, Shutter, and Manual exposure modes, merely likewise includes an Intelligent Motorcar mode that analyses the scene and chooses amid Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sport and Macro modes. Movie fashion is of course for movies, and Scene mode avails you of xix Scene modes, including Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Sport, Night Scene, Nighttime + Portrait, Children, Loftier Key, Low Key, DIS Mode, Macro, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Documents, Panorama, Fireworks, and Beach & Snow.
iEnhance. A new moving-picture show mode called iEnhance picks out a dominant colour in a scene, and boosts that one color so it stands out more, enhancing scenes like sunsets, autumn leafage, etc.
In-photographic camera editing. Also carried over to the Olympus E-P2 is the power to develop RAW images in-photographic camera, including the ability to use Art Filters to RAW images. JPEGs tin accept Red-eye fixes, trimming, shadow adjustment, resizing operations, and even sepia and saturation adjustments practical.
Storage and battery. Like the P1 earlier it, the Olympus Eastward-P2 uses SD cards exclusively for storage, with nary an xD-Picture Card in sight. This was important for the company's Micro Four Thirds camera line to gain widespread credence, so information technology was a practiced move. As with near digital cameras capable of recording in HD, the Olympus East-P2 requires a Class 6 or better SDHC carte du jour to capture 1,280 x 720p video.
For a battery, Olympus chose the BLS-1 lithium-ion bombardment, also used in the Olympus E-620. It'southward rated at 300 shots per charge in the Eastward-P2. That'southward not a lot for an SLD, and nosotros were just able to shoot for about a day while on vacation at that charge per unit, so consider a spare.
Shooting with the Olympus E-P2
by Mike Tomkins
With Micro Iv Thirds yet being a relatively young format, I found myself rather caught between a rock and a hard place shooting with the Due east-P2. I didn't have the opportunity to attempt any of Panasonic's lenses in my time with the P2, and while I appreciated the quality of Olympus' 17mm f/2.8 lens, I generally don't notice myself reaching for prime number lenses very frequently. My personal fashion is to shoot with a zoom, framing with the lens rather than my feet -- and my simply option was hence Olympus' 14-42mm lens, whose issues with blurring we covered in-depth in our Olympus P1 review. The trouble yet remains when used in concert with the P2. The good news is that Olympus volition exist shipping two more Micro Four Thirds lenses inside the next few months, and Panasonic is also continuing to increment its Micro Four Thirds offerings. In the meantime, I just had to try and recollect to shoot around the shortcomings of the fourteen-42mm lens, avoiding shutter speeds between 1/100 and 1/200 2nd.
Wandering around downtown Knoxville shooting gallery photos, I definitely appreciated the compact size of the Eastward-P2's body. Much like Shawn, I preferred to use the P2 without the neck strap that I'd ordinarily consider a must when shooting with an SLR. With the prime lens fastened I could easily slip the camera in my coat pocket betwixt shots, and fifty-fifty with the fourteen-42mm lens attached it was fairly comfortable to simply carry the P2 in one hand for extended periods, using a wrist strap for a feeling of security. With my large hands -- I'k over 6 anxiety tall -- I didn't find the P2's body wildly comfortable to hold for single-handed shooting, however. I've been reviewing the PL1 alongside the P2, and institute its rather more than prominent grip made it much less tiring to shoot with, and noticeably easier to hold steady.
The P2'south bundled electronic viewfinder was a pleasure to shoot with, with its high resolution, generous 1.15x magnification and 100% field of view. I institute myself using it a lot more than I'd thought I would. Given that it's relatively bulky, I initially thought I'd end upwards leaving information technology in the camera bag (or at home), but instead I often ended upwardly using information technology when shooting with the PL1 as well. That said, if the P2's LCD display offered higher resolution, I'd probably have used the electronic viewfinder rather less oftentimes -- if only to relieve a little bulk and weight. The LCD proved easy to see in a good range of weather, even on a sunny spring afternoon in Tennessee. I've just grown somewhat spoiled by college-res displays, and find it a little uncomfortable returning to a lower-res type.
I did find Olympus' card design a lilliputian impuissant, although by and big I was able to avoid it thanks to the comprehensive Super Control Panel display. Nigh of the common adjustments I wanted to make could be institute and adjusted in this one display. When I wanted something that couldn't be found in the Super Command Panel though, it sometimes took a little digging, thanks to some counterintuitive design choices. For example, the choice to enable or disable confront detection -- which affects the camera'due south focusing and metering systems -- is nowhere to be found in the tabs related to focus or exposure. Instead, it's rather bizarrely located in a tab related to Display, Sound and PC settings, none of which seem to have anything to do with face up detection.
I was also caught out by the fact that the P2's Exposure Shift office (which allows 1 to fine-melody the different metering modes to their tastes in terms of exposure level) isn't reset by the Custom Reset role. This acquired me to have to discard much of a day's gallery shooting solely because all of the shots were underexposed by a setting I'd accidentally left behind while transcribing the P2's menu layout. (The shots could fairly easily have been salvaged, just our gallery shots are ever published only as created by the photographic camera, so this wasn't an option for me). Exposure Shift is a very useful role if one sets it intentionally, and as something that is omitted even by many semi-pro DSLRs, its presence in the P2 is impressive. Information technology's just a shame that nowhere does the camera or transmission warn i that a Custom Reset leaves certain settings like this one untouched. Perhaps a more complete reset function is called for as an extended choice, safely positioned behind a warning. At the least, the transmission should clearly state which functions aren't reset.
I also found that I frequently jumped around in the menus unintentionally, thanks to the fact that one control doubles both every bit the camera's main dial and four-style pointer pad. I didn't find the master dial particularly comfortable to employ with my large hands (and with the dial partially recessed in the thumb rest towards the right-hand end of the camera). Hence I seldom used information technology equally a dial, but found that when using it every bit an arrow pad information technology was far too piece of cake to plough the punch slightly at the same time, and jump upwardly or downward an choice or tab across the i I'd wanted. In that location's no manner to prepare the P2 to disable the master dial in menus and employ only the pointer buttons, or vice versa.
Those slight quirks aside though, I must admit I found the P2 rather fun to shoot with, and would definitely consider 1 every bit an accessory to a total-sized DSLR, rather than opting for a stock-still-lens compact with a much smaller sensor (and the image quality bug that would bring). Even when one has the time and energy to bring a DSLR, information technology'southward non always an pick. I'chiliad certain I'chiliad not alone in having been refused entry to public events when carrying my DSLR, even when seeing others gain access unhindered while carrying bridge cameras with similar telephoto achieve and resolution. Equally, a DSLR can concenter your subject's attending -- and rob the scene of spontaneity -- in a way that doesn't happen with a smaller and less obtrusive photographic camera. There's also something to exist said for the theory that no matter how good the camera, it'south substantially useless if one ends upwards leaving information technology at habitation because information technology's likewise much hassle to accept everywhere you go.
The Olympus East-P2 definitely avoided many of those pitfalls for me, and I was able to find plenty of enjoyment shooting with it. Information technology'south a relatively compact camera that forgoes the limitations of fixed lens models with postage-postage stamp sized sensors. For that, I establish myself relatively happy to live with its few quirks.
Olympus E-P2 Image Quality
Olympus E-P2 versus E-P1 at ISO 1,600
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| Olympus E-P2 at ISO 1,600 | Olympus East-P1 at ISO 1,600 |
| Looks like there'south slightly different framing between these two cameras, making the E-P2's image elements seem larger than the E-P1'south, but the functioning seems about the same between the E-P1 and Eastward-P2, cameras separated by mere months. The leaf pattern is the one identify where perhaps the Due east-P2 shows slightly more aggressive anti-dissonance processing, obliterating some of the foliage pattern detail more and so than you can see at correct in the E-P1's paradigm. | |
Olympus E-P2 versus Panasonic GH1 at ISO ane,600
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| Olympus E-P2 at ISO 1,600 | Panasonic GH1 at ISO ane,600 |
| Though I doubtable that the Panasonic LiveMOS sensor is the same in both the E-P2 and the GH1, the two companies accept taken a very different approach to image processing. Olympus's TruePic V may accept a little special sauce afterwards all. It's hard to compare these 2 images because of the exposure difference, merely yous tin become the general thought. The Olympus leaves a trivial more chroma noise in identify and sharpens a footling more than in low-contrast areas. The GH1 captures the Mosaic image a piddling improve. And the carmine foliage textile has a little less detail, just more vibrant color. Both are 12.iii-megapixel sensors. | |
Olympus E-P2 versus Canon T1i at ISO 1,600
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| Olympus Eastward-P2 at ISO 1,600 | Canon T1i at ISO 1,600 |
| Canon, besides, has come a long style with their noise suppression technology, and their 15.one-megapixel images are remarkably racket free at ISO 1,600. But remember this is a smaller Micro 4 Thirds sensor at 12.iii-megapixels going up against Catechism's 15-megapixel APS-C sensor. Both sensors take smaller pixel sizes than normal, but the T1i theoretically has more than resolving ability. Yet the E-P2 looks quite good against the T1i. | |
Olympus Due east-P2 versus Nikon D5000 at ISO 1,600
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| Olympus Due east-P2 at ISO i,600 | Nikon D5000 at ISO ane,600 |
| Chroma noise of various sizes is visible in both images, but the Nikon D5000 handles the Mosaic image a little better, every bit well as the leafage crop. But the bottle prototype is harder to call. There'south a mixture of luminance noise and blush dissonance in the Eastward-P2 paradigm that doesn't wait quite as smooth as the D5000 shot, but the Due east-P2 will likely wait more film-similar when it's printed large. The exception is the sharpening practical to the label, which is quite dramatic, making it pop from the groundwork a little too much. Nevertheless, the point here is that the Olympus E-P2 almost eliminates the reward that APS-C has had over Four Thirds. I could go dorsum and forth with quite a few more than cameras, but these really are the all-time performers under $ane,200. | |
Particular: Olympus E-P2 vs E-P1, Panasonic GH1, Canon T1i, and Nikon D5000
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| Olympus E-P2 | Olympus E-P1 | GH1 | Catechism T1i | Nikon D5000 |
| Particular comparison. An ISO ane,600 comparison is but so helpful. A camera's ISO 100 functioning is as well of value, so I've pitted the same set of cameras confronting each other in the high-contrast detail department. The 12.3-megapixel Olympus East-P1, Eastward-P2, and the 15.1-megapixel Canon T1i come out on peak, with the slight edge overall to the Canon T1i. All three prove evidence of edge enhancement around the letters, but as well have more detail to piece of work with overall. I also requite the slight edge to the T1i at ISO three,200. Though the image is hazier, it retains more of the color of the letters, and more salvageable separation betwixt the lines inside the letters, like inside the L in Lager. Behave in mind that the T1i also trounce the 12.1-megapixel full-frame Nikon D700, plus the APS-C Nikon D90, and Catechism XSi at this test equally well. Likewise consider that this test is not contained of lens quality, focus errors, and other variables, so again have this mostly as a comparing of what each camera was able to do with the all-time standardized optics nosotros can muster. The Olympus E-P1 and E-P2 used the rather excellent Olympus Digital Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro. The GH1 used its excellent14-140mm kit lens. The others used our laboratory-standard Sigma 70mm f/two.8 EX DG Macro lenses, which are very precipitous. | ||||
Olympus E-P2 Impress Quality
ISO 200 and 400 shots are also usable at 20x30 inches, but ISO 400 shots tighten up a scrap more to what nosotros'd call tack abrupt at 16x20.
ISO 800 shots are still reasonably practiced at 16x20, with only modest luminance noise.
ISO 1,600 shots are usable at 13x19 inches, only come dorsum to what we'd call sharp at 11x14 inches.
ISO 3,200 shots are grainy at 11x14, though still usable for wall display; for greater sharpness, though, stick to letter size or 8x10. Colour does fade a fleck at this size as well.
ISO 6,400 shots are a lilliputian too soft for 8x10, simply look quite adept at 5x7.
Overall, a very impressive performance from the Olympus E-P2.
Assay. Olympus has again produced a nice picayune SLD (Single Lens Direct-view) digital camera, i with personality and pretty darn skilful epitome quality. It's impressive that Olympus was able to reply so chop-chop to the desires of the press and its early users, calculation a few fundamental features that make a difference to the user experience and the Olympus E-P2'southward utility. To me the most important of those features is the new Accessory port, which allows attachment of the EVF and the external mic jack. The improver of total Manual exposure command to the Movie mode is also great for aspiring motion-picture show makers who don't want a devious flashlight beam to upset their exposure while making an X-Files fan picture show.
Initially, the Olympus E-P2 was but available in bundles with a lens and the VF-2 electronic viewfinder, making its price a little high. While it's nevertheless not available every bit a trunk-only package for those who've already purchased an Eastward-P1 and want the extra functionality, the P2 can at present be purchased without the viewfinder for those who desire to salvage a trivial expense. Despite the EVF'due south fantabulous quality, I'm not sure it's a must-take accompaniment; and and then information technology was a smart move on Olympus' part to recognize this and create additional choices for the product package.
In the Box
The Olympus E-P2 ships with the post-obit items in the box:
- Due east-P2 body
- VF-2 shoe-mountain electronic view finder
- 14-42mm or 17mm lens (if purchased equally a kit)
- Body cap
- Lens caps
- Lithium-ion bombardment BLS-1
- Bombardment charger BCS-ane
- Multi-cable
- Shoulder strap
- Olympus Main CD-ROM
- Instruction manual
- Warranty card
Olympus Eastward-P2 Determination
| Pro: | Con: |
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As an evolution of the E-P1, the Olympus Due east-P2 retains much of what is groovy about its predecessor, while edifice on feedback from the E-P1 to offer some important new features. Key among these features is the accessory port, whose design bears more than than a passing resemblance to that of the Panasonic GF1. Impressively, this has been added without any increase to the Olympus East-P2's weight versus that of the E-P1, and with a negligible difference in size. As with the GF1, the accessory port has an important disadvantage, though, in that prevents you from using a flash in the camera's hot shoe. This is fifty-fifty more of an issue for the Olympus E-P2 than for Panasonic's camera, given that the East-P2 lacks a built-in wink strobe, or any other form of external flash connectivity beyond the hot shoe itself. The Olympus East-P2'south accompaniment port does have a couple of distinct advantages over that of the Panasonic GF1, able to accept not simply an electronic viewfinder, but also an external stereo microphone adapter -- something which could prove useful to videographers shooting with the Olympus E-P2.
The Olympus E-P2'south viewfinder is a please to use, with a very high resolution, articulate image that makes manual focusing so much easier. It as well makes it somewhat easier to concur the photographic camera steady -- I definitely find information technology easier to get a sharp shot with the camera at my centre, rather than held at a distance from my body. The only significant downside to the EVF was its bulk. Information technology's similar in size to Panasonic's equivalent, but truth be told they're neither things of corking beauty. When connected to the camera, the EVF adds significantly to its size, and since information technology doesn't lock in identify I institute myself nervous about leaving it attached to the camera as I strolled between shooting locations. I establish myself wishing that the Olympus East-P2's LCD offered the same loftier resolution instead. The PEN series cameras are largely almost their compactness, after all, and the EVF detracted from that for me.
Unsurprisingly given its close relationship to the P1, the Olympus E-P2 offered similar image quality. There was maybe a touch more noise processing, merely the differences were by and large quite subtle. Like the E-P1 earlier information technology, I plant the E-P2 offered great color and saturation, and surprisingly good high ISO performance given its smaller sensor relative to most APS-C DSLRs. Unfortunately, when using the fourteen-42mm kit lens I did experience the same vibration mistiness issues Shawn previously discovered with the Eastward-P1. These can be worked around past using some other lens, or avoiding certain shutter speeds, just the afflicted shutter speeds are ones the camera will commonly pick by itself -- and I did detect a frustrating number of photos I'd shot in Program manner concluded up having slight blur issues. The E-P2 also has somewhat lesser dynamic range than nigh DSLRs, and defaults to a fairly contrasty look. I further noticed in my own shooting that I oft needed to dial in just a touch of negative exposure compensation.
The Olympus Eastward-P2 is yet rather inconsistent when it comes to speed. Sometimes it feels quite swift -- for example, in terms of prefocused shutter lag, or in continuous mode burst shooting. Unfortunately, power-on and autofocus both however felt rather sluggish compared to current DSLRs. That said, AF speed has improved somewhat since the E-P1. Olympus has as well announced -- simply not yet shipped, equally of this writing -- firmware which promises to further improve autofocus speed, for all current PEN-series cameras. It remains to be seen how much of an improvement this will bring for the E-P2, and whether this will have the side-effect of erasing the E-P2's slight speed edge over the Due east-P1.
A few other changes of note were in the addition of further scene modes and art filters. I'm not entirely sure that beginners actually take advantage of scene modes -- I get the distinct impression that "fix and forget" to Motorcar mode is probably a prevalent pick -- but if you're the kind to take reward of them, so an increased selection is likely a proficient thing. The new Cantankerous Procedure filter did yield some unusual, retro images, merely I found the Diorama filter to be rather frustrating. In even so image manner information technology reduced the live view framerate to the point where framing became awkward. In movie manner, it disabled sound recording altogether, and caused playback speeds so profoundly accelerated equally to make Diorama movies largely useless in near situations.
Quibbles aside though, I really did enjoy my time with the Olympus Eastward-P2. In my own personal shooting, I've largely forgone meaty cameras these days, being greatly disheartened past the ill furnishings of the megapixel state of war on image quality. My daily shooter is a digital SLR, but I must admit I've likewise ofttimes plant myself leaving it at home considering of its size. Shooting with the Olympus East-P2 reinforced for me the most important attribute of any camera -- that information technology'south not left sitting at home when you need it most. Olympus' design goal for the PEN series was to create a truly compact camera with much of the versatility of a DSLR, and I think the E-P2 fulfils that request pretty admirably, making information technology an easy Dave'south Pick.
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Source: https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EP2/EP2A.HTM
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