Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses Reviews: Digital Mirrorless Camera

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Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses Reviews: Digital Mirrorless Camera reviews

+ This digital camera scores high on image quality. - It has no outstanding negative points.

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9.3 out of 10 based on 23 reviews.

Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses: 12.3 MP (Megapixels), SD Card storage, Yes image stabiliser digital Mirrorless camera.

Alternative product:

Olympus PEN E-PM1 With 14 -42MM Lens

Score 9.1/10 Read 16 reviews

Olympus
Mirrorless

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Ease of use	8.7
Image quality	9.4
Features	9.1
Build Quality	9.1
Value for money	9.4
Overall rating	9.3

Some customer reviews of Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses

Most helpful reviews

Andrew, Liverpool Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Very easy to use in Auto mode, just point and take. But also excellent if you want to be more adventurous and creative in manual mode. Much lighter than DSLR but with comparable image quality and flexibility.
Bad points:: Lots of button pushing when using manual modes, I dislike using the LCD screen so purchased the EV2 electronic viewfinder (a bit pricey but well worth the investment).

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	7.0
Build Quality	7.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 28 Dec 2010

Janet, Sutton Coldfield Keen amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: I can shoot good photos simply on Auto setting... I'm so busy, this is a real bonus!
Bad points:: None! I just lack time to go through the book properly... but I'm on Flickr, and all the photographs I've uploaded since using the Olympus PEN E-PL1 have reached EXPLORE! This didn't happen much with my old 'point and shoot' camera!

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 23 Aug 2011

Confirmed purchaser

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Sharp pictures. Both lenses give excellent photo coverage and the range they reach is great.
Bad points:: I keep pressing the movie record button accidentally with my thumb, but that will be easier with time.

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 20 Nov 2011

James, Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Compact size of body an lenses, build quality and quality of images.
Bad points:: Would have preferred the 14-150 lens instead of two separate lenses but is is too expensive.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 15 Oct 2010

Brian, Grimsby Keen amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Easy for a novice moving up from a click and shoot - you can just leave it on auto setting if you want, but the "live guide" is easy to use to alter settings and this in turn leads you to experiment further with the other options. The camera has a nice solid feel to it and although compact it is not too small for man sized hands and fingers. At the current price it is excellent value.
Bad points:: Cannot fit your pocket when the lens is on. The 40-150mm lens extends a long way when in use and looks a bit silly on such a compact camera. I imagine that a wide angle pancake lens would be more to scale, be more pocketable and be more versatile.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 11 Oct 2011

Andrew, Yorkshire Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Fabulous image quality (only shot JPEG so far)
Very compact and easy to carry around
Bad points:: Body good but lenses a bit plasticky
Menus not as slick as other cameras I have used

Ease of use	7.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	8.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 05 Dec 2011

Michael, Larne Co Antrim Point & shoot

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: I havnt had the camera too long and I'm still getting used to it but I'm very pleased with the results, very clear lens reproduction.
Bad points:: Not come across any bad points yet.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 04 Dec 2010

Read all 23 customer reviews

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Product Features

Camera Type	Mirrorless
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	12.3

Screen size (Inches)	2.7
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Type of image stabiliser	Yes
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Colour	Black
The main colour of the product.
Colour	Silver
The main colour of the product.
Media format	SD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SDHC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video recorder	Yes
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	296
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	No
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/2000
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/60
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	No
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	Yes
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	114.6x72.2x41.5
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	Yes
Resolution (Pixels)	4032x3042
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Max. Aperture Lens 1	f3.5-5.6
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured. If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8. The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
Filter Diameter (mm) Lens 1	58
If you want to protect your camera or camcorder lens from getting scratched you will need a filter. A filter screws on to the front of the lens. The filter diameter is the distance across the lens.
Max. Aperture Lens 2	f4.0-5.6
Filter Diameter (mm) Lens 2	58
Release date	2010/02/01
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

Easiest operation with Live Guide and iEnhance # Ultra compact design in 4 different colours

HD Movie and HDMI Control
Art Filters, Multi Exposure, Multi-aspect
Accessory Port
High Speed 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS sensor
High-performance built-in image stabiliser
Comfortable Live View thanks to high speed contrast AF**
Real-time effect monitoring
Excellent variety of digital lenses
Unique dust reduction filter (SSWF) Itching to take professional pictures but intimidated by SLRs? Then look no further than the Olympus E-PL1. This camera has it all: high quality, point-and-shoot simplicity, and chic PEN design. Whether capturing an HD movie or snapping once-in-a-lifetime moments, its six special Art Filters let you paint the world from a new perspective. And with a 100% stabilised body for crisp shots with all lens types, an accessory port and a new integrated flash, the colourful E-PL1 really is ready for fun.

More info at Olympus's website

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