Josel "Josel" Say: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
Very handy and better than average, 2011-02-15
This review is for: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
I bought this camera for its portability. The built-in stabilization is fantastic. I can shoot blur-free at 1/8 (I have a stable hand). Metering is average with highlight clipping almost all the time. Auto white balance is reliable (I find myself tinkering less on the color cast in PS Lightroom).Noise is very four-thirds. Wish Olympus would do improve on the noise and finally quench the eternal question of four-thirds noise.Movie mode is very good, albeit with some noise too.Although minimum ISO is 100, the Auto ISO's lowest range is only at 200.Selection of lenses is poor, or should I say negligible?Build quality is superb.4/3 to Micro 4/3 is expensive if you want to use main line Zuiko digital lenses.

fair review Say: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
This camera body is a hidden gem, 2012-04-19
This review is for: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
The Pen E-P1 may be older, but it is far from long-in-the-tooth. In fact, it is packed with features that a user can utilize and customize in ways that are surprisingly useful. For SLR and DSLR shooters wishing to sample the micro four thirds format, a cost effective way to do this may be to purchase a Pen E-P1 body from Amazon, and an adapter for the branded glass they already own. Granted, one would have to shoot in Aperture mode and focus manually (remember manual focus?), and the monitor may be less than stellar compared to more recent offerings, but this camera's focus assist feature eases the inconvenience. I mounting my older non-VR Nikon primes on this camera and the images are well worth the effort, particular since IS is in-body, which is seldom if ever the case for SLR and DSLR bodies. Shooting with older branded-primes in an IS body with outstanding sensor resolution and what appears to be an exceptional jpeg-engine for a little over $200? This will work....

Jack Gradda Say: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
Impressed, 2012-04-13
This review is for: Olympus PEN E-P1 123 Silver w Silver 14-42mm Lens sale
Okay, I am really surprised that no-one has really reviewed this camera yet, so here goes nothing:The camera looks really retro and really cool. This may depend on your preferences (hipster much?), but I've received several compliments about it. The next thing you immediately notice when you take the camera out its box is its weight. This is by far one of the most lightweight, compact SLR cameras on the market...and make no mistake, this is a SLR camera.The Micro-four thirds sensor is great and pictures come incredibly detailed and crisp in the right conditions. Most lenses that you'll buy for this are auto focused and the shutter release will probably be much quicker that what you're used to.If you going to be taking night shots, you will probably need a flash system that mounts on top of the camera. That will run you about $200, still less than the SLR flashes offered by Nikon/Sony/Canon...There is no built in flash and there is no viewfinder, so if you are used to a bulkier SLR, it may take some time to get used to.If you are looking for an expensive and quality point and shoot, this is probably not for you. If you are just getting into more professional photography and would like to experiment with different lenses and optics, this is a great entry-level SLR camera that is stylish and less bulky than its market competitors while still keeping most of the functionality.All in all, the Olympus E-P1 is a brilliant little device that looks even better. It is sturdy (not sure what it's made off, but it sure isn't your typical plastic), compact and fun.