Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black)

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

I decided to return a Fuji X10 due to the uncertainty over the 'orbs' issue - really liked having a small, carry-around camera with high image quality, but decided it was too expensive for the possible image issues. Still wanted a smaller camera (vs. my 5D Mark II), and my search led me to the E-PM1 as the best option. I'd already started building a micro-four-thirds system in preparation for the E-M5, so I had a few lenses and a recently-purchased Panasonic GH2 to act as a backup/video body to the E-M5, so it seemed like a win/win.

Little did I suspect that I would find the little Olympus much nicer to use than the GH2 - the ultimate image quality (particularly at higher ISOs) may not be up to the GH2's level, but the E-PM1 feels much nicer in the hand, especially if you add a 3rd-party grip. The physical quality is really amazing - even the tiny little dial on the back, which you automatically feel might be a little fiddly, is really nice in actual use. In fact, I enjoyed using the E-PM1 so much, I ended up returning the GH2 as well - I just never loved the camera, before or after purchase, and there was no question of which camera I wanted to use on a regular basis.

While the exterior buttons have been pared to the absolute minimum, the camera is still very configurable, to the point where the lack of buttons isn't much of an issue (though I still want just one more configurable button). The shutter has a very solid, mechanical sound, and the camera works very well with the very nice VF-2 electronic viewfinder on sunny days.

Amongst current cameras, the E-PM1 is the biggest bargain in the compact interchangeable lens camera market - you get most of the features of the almost-twice-the-price E-P3, and once you configure everything the way you want it, you may not even miss the external controls. Paired with one of the many high-quality micro-4/3 prime lenses (Panasonic 20 1.7, Olympus 45 1.8, etc), it makes for any amazingly high-quality, extremely portable camera system for a very attractive price. It makes an excellent "always with you" camera if you already have something larger for more deliberate shooting, or a great step up from a point-and-shoot.

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

The pictures the camera makes are top quality. Its software can produce a raw photo or modified with wonderful effects that can be set very quickly so you are not missing a photo. The lens autofocus is lightening speed. And the body and lens are nice and compact so that you can always have this unit with you and ready for action. Adding some lens accessories makes this extremely versatile. Though I'm an intermediate photgrapher (casual with a good eye), the photos I've taken with this in my first month of use have been published in circulated journals and magazines. It will take you to the next level or two immediately and you will enjoy the process. It's the type of camera that you actually enjoy the experience of using it. It is intuitive and will not get in the way of your photo goals, it will help you achieve them. I've used a wide variety of medium format, SLR, PAS etc. The EPM1 will replace a lot of cameras in your cabinet, but I doubt you will be able to replace this. I actually bought the white version and I love it. At first, I thought "maybe silver or black", but the white one doesn't attract heat and stays cleaner. It also looks cool. Not that it's important, but people check it out with interest and respect. Suit your fancy!

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

I've been thinking of jumping to micro 4/3 for a long time. I debated which of the many cameras to buy and finally landed on this one. It was a last minute decision really, and I've been extremely pleased with my decision. The camera is great. Really small. Excellent customizable features. There are a few weird/annoying things that my Canon s95 does better, but the image quality is far superior with e-pm1. I have been using it with a bunch of legacy Canon FD lenses (with a Novoflex adapter) and it has performed beautifully. There is zoom in feature to focus manually that works great. I have yet to attached the flash, and the low light performance is admirable. Probably not good enough for professions, but a huge step up from p&s. The price to value of this camera is great. I do wish that you could buy the body only - I have since purchased the olympus 17mm f/2.8, which I prefer to the kit lens.

I am hopefully that sigma or the like will jump in the game and produce a 14-35mm f/2.8. With a lens like that I think this would be an almost perfect camera.

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

My foray into the M43 zone started last year when I got the Oly E-PL1, since I was looking for a small camera with image quality better than a standard PS, while also offering manual controls. At that time, I was very disappointed, not with the image quality, but with the performance of the camera. The AF performance was miserably slow, and the camera would just roll over when the photons were scant. Other than that, I liked the image quality, the customizability, and not to mention the fact that I also got myself an adapter mount that allowed me to mount all my Nikon-mount lenses. The camera metered in both A and M modes, and the jpegs had a very warm, appealing look to them, albeit with slightly compromised dynamic range than I was used to with my D90. I tried shooting raw, but had to rely on Olympus' raw conversion software, which I thought was absolutely miserable. Also, one could hear the supplied kit lens grinding as it focused in any video that I shot. I returned the E-PL1, but could not return the mount adapter that I had
purchased with the camera since I had thrown away the packaging. Maybe that was a sign.

While I love my D90, I always went back and admired the very famous "Oly" look that was present in the images from the E-PL1 that I had saved. In time, I got myself Lightroom, which could read in and process the E-PL1 raw files (which I had also saved). I was very impressed with the way that the files processed, and the resultant output was much better than the jpegs from that camera. Olympus then released the current series of cameras - the E-PM1, the E-PL3 and the E-P3 that claimed to address all the gripes that I had with the E-PL1, plus the "processability" of the Oly raw files in a manner that I liked was proven with Lightroom, so I decided to take the plunge - the question was... which one? From the spec sheet, it seemed that the differences in the three models was mostly operational, with the image quality being the same across the board. The basic controls which I was interested in were present in all three cameras, so the Pen Mini became a strong contender on my list. And then Nikon threw in a curve ball with the Nikon 1 series. Impressive spec sheet, greater crop factor than the M43 sensor, and a mount that allowed compatibility with Nikon lenses (including AF). After making one decision, yet another decision stared me in the face. Then I looked in detail at the Nikon offerings. Non-standard hot shoe, a scant selection of native CX-mount lenses (look at the lens support for M43 in contrast), price-gouging for an accessory flash in the case of the Nikon 1 V1, as-yet unproven image quality (versus the Oly image quality that I knew I liked) and the exorbitant asking price made me think again. Also was the equation in my mind that larger sensor = larger dynamic range and lower noise, and one, in general, tends to ride the sensor size vs. noise/DR performance curve till a comfortable compromise point is found. From what I knew, the M43 sensor size was the limit at which I felt comfortable, so after much information crunching, I indulged myself on a promotion at a popular local store which threw in an Oly tele zoom for an irresistible price as a part of a package (actually, my wife indulged me - it was a birthday gift from her). And I do not regret my decision (thank you, wifey).

All the nice things I liked about the E-PL1 are still intact and then some. Focus speed is lightning fast (at least for S-AF). The output files have the signature Olympus look and color
that I can best describe as "delicious" (I believe that several people are of the opinion that Olympus is soldiering with what they describe as an "aging" sensor, but at the end of the day, for me, it is all about the image quality which is more than enough for my needs). The camera is blessed with a light anti-aliasing filter which pulls out very fine details, making for crisply rendered images. The metal body is a treat, as is the overall construction and tactile feel of all the switches and buttons. The supplied flash which slides into the accessory port is nifty, although I must admit that I would have liked a built-in flash a-la the E-P3. To be fair, however, the flash folds down neatly and is non-obtrusive. Also, I am glad that Olympus retained manual flash control, allowing for variable manual power down to 1/64th of full power. The AF illuminator that I sorely missed is a very welcome addition on the Pen Mini.

I have a lot of respect for the M43 system. It has reached a stage where it can be considered a very serious system, with a very broad range of lens offerings and other system accessories. The 2X crop factor provides a telephoto boost which is also useful for macro photography. Which brings me to the question, how do the files compare with APS cropped-sensor cameras (e.g. the D90)? The answer lies in the phrase "shot discipline". If you are careful about how you shoot and also depending on your subject, the images from the Oly come very close to those from the D90. There are some images that, if viewed at non-pixel-peeping distance, I cannot tell the camera used to capture them (except, of course, for the tell-tale difference in the aspect ratio). I must mention that I mostly shoot at the base ISO - bumping up the ISO results in the image quality dropping much quicker than the D90 at higher ISOs - so what else is new? Noise analysis and tests as such do provide valuable information about camera performance I agree, but there is the in-the-field aspect that transcends all tests. At the end of the day, it is all about the image and the skill of the photographer that captures it. In this sense, the Pen Mini does little to come in the way of capturing a great image, although I must say that the entry-level menu interface can be slowing down if one needs to change certain settings, but once configured to one's liking, the process of shooting is smooth and seamless. As such, the camera is feature-rich and very customizable, and Olympus did not skimp on any features on this one (they even have a feature that allows pixel-remapping in the event that one is bothered by dead pixels). Autofocus is fast and accurate with M43 lenses (manual focus with lenses via an adapter, of course). At the end of the day, if you are careful about your shooting conditions and do not push the files too hard in post-process, the Pen Mini is capable of rewarding you with very pleasing images.

The supplied kit lens is decent, and does a fine job of resolving sufficiently to the sensor, although I think that Olympus is price-gouging with the price of the lens if purchased alone, as I do not think that the performance of this lens is worth the asking price (so don't lose or damage the one you got with your camera). I have also used my 85mm f/1.8D, 35mm f/2 Ai, 105mm f/2.5 Ai and 200mm f/4 Ai lenses on this camera via a mount adapter with splendid results, only that I have to focus manually, which is fine by me. The camera is a superb macro device, greatly increasing the maximum magnification of any macro lens, allowing for the study of very finely detailed subjects. I am a big fan of the in-built image stabilization system, and I do believe it helps somewhat (I also believe that image stabilization is an aid to and not a substitute for proper shooting technique). Small, compact and portable, the camera with the basic M43 lens kit makes for a fine travel companion, which, if shot properly, could even give DSLRs a run for their money.

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

This camera is fairly compact for a travel. It takes assume photos and video. It's speed is unmatched in a small camera. This is by far the fastest small camera I own. I would recommend the high end 14-150mm lens as a all inclusive setup.

Comments about Olympus E-PM1 Digital Camera with 14-42mm II Lens (Black):

There are just size on 45mm F1.8 and 12mm F2.0. This combination is pretty good.