Product details
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The Olympus Pen: the 3rd generation
A small camera with big results. Building on the success of the E-P1 and E-P2 Digital Pen cameras, based on the original series design by Yoshihisa Maitani that sold over 17 million units worldwide, in the E-PL1 Olympus once again provides DSLR image quality in convenient compact size for anyone finding DSLRs too complicated.
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The future is mirror-less
The removal of the mirror box in the 21st century has brought the legendary Pen series back. Mirror-less construction is the foundation for the stunning design and remarkably compact size of the E-P1, voted EISA’s 2009/2010 ‘Best Camera of the Year’, the black bodied E-P2 and new, even more user friendly E-PL1.
Everyone will fall in love with the camera's irresistible retro looks. The E-PL1 remains reminiscent of the classic Olympus Pens, which were cherished for their compactness, usability, and affordable price. Five decades later, the E-PL1 continues to honour the memory of its famous forefathers and hails the beginning of the next generation of the digital era.
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In addition to the inherent advantages of Olympus imaging technology, the new ultra-compact hybrid device is able to record HD quality movies with sound and utilise the same stunning creative effects that can be applied to still photographs.
Miniature optics, maximum brilliance
Thanks to the mirror-less construction, the flange back is half the distance from the sensor when compared with standard Four Thirds cameras. As with its E-P1 and E-P2 siblings, this has enabled Olympus to make the E-PL1 significantly thinner and more compact.
Live Guide on-board instruction
Helping you to take your best ever photos is the new Live Guide feature, explaining in plain, easy to follow terms how to adjust the likes of depth of field. Creative choices can be monitored on the E-PL1’s 2.7 inch LCD, while a further aid is provided by i-Enhance that makes sure colours are depicted as rich and vivid. Coupled with this is iAuto mode that recognises the scene or subject before the lens and automatically selects the best setting for optimum results.
![]() A first for the Digital Pen range, the E-PL1 now adds the convenience of an integrated flash. View larger. |
Integral flash now included
In a first for the Digital Pen range, the user friendly E-PL1 now adds the convenience of integrated flash.
High ISO shooting: ISO 3200
The E-PL1's high ISO sensitivity allows you to capture low light subjects using available light without the need for a tripod (e.g. birthday parties and night scenes) due to the faster shutter speeds. Superior image quality is achievable even at this maximum setting thanks to the Olympus Pen E-PL1's state-of-the-art TruePic V engine.
Image Stabilisation
Regardless of which lens you use, the built-in IS system effectively counters camera shake. A gyro sensor detects the precise direction of the shake, and using the on-board Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD), the image sensor shifts to compensate for this movement. The maximum effectiveness of IS system is 3 EV (exposure value) steps.
High image quality
Producing clear images and rich colour the ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses continue the high performance of the ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses, while a newly developed TruePic V image processor realises the true potential of the system, delivering sharp images rich with colour. Now you too can realise the image quality of a DSLR in a compact and easy to use camera, plus discover the fun and expanded creative possibilities of using an interchangeable lens camera system.
Newly developed compact dust reduction system
Dust entering digital cameras with interchangeable lenses can cause damage to photos. The Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF) is a transparent filter located between the camera's shutter and sensor. It shakes off settled dust particles by generating a series of ultrasonic vibrations. Olympus was the first to incorporate dust protection.
Effortless handling and full control
The newly developed Live Control interface ensures effortless operation: it is incredibly easy to use and the effects of selected functions can be viewed immediately on the 6.9 cm / 2.7 inch HyperCrystal LCD. In addition to easy focusing for sharp and crisp shots, there’s the scene or subject recognising i-Auto, e-Portrait, a practical option that smooths away wrinkles and eliminates imperfections and blemishes, plus new colour-boosting i-Enhance function. SD card compatibility eliminates concerns about storage by providing ample space for recorded images and movies as well as convenient file storage and picture transfer.
Creative Magic: Art Filters
Turn your memories into works of art. A choice of six Art Filters, including new Diorama and Gentle Sepia options, are available to instantly give both your images and movies a unique look and feel. Just select the desired Art Filter before taking a picture or shooting a movie, the effect is then shown directly on the LCD in Live View Mode.
Diorama: Accessible in both still and HD movie mode, the Diorama Art Filter can be used to take photos that give the viewer the illusion that they're looking at the world in miniature, as if part of a model village.
Gentle Sepia: Providing your images with a touch of retro class courtesy of a muted soft tone with a dark edge.
Pop Art: Enhances colours, making them stronger and more vivid to create high-impact pictures in the style of Pop Art.
Soft Focus: Creates a soft tone, which gives pictures an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere without obscuring details such as hair or flower petals.
Grainy Film: Recreates the effect of grainy, high-contrast monochrome pictures. The strong presence and dramatic atmosphere amplify the impact of the subject.
Pin Hole: Reduces the peripheral brightness like an image seen through a pinhole camera. Added to this is a unique colour tone and the results have an air of secrecy or otherworldliness.
Multi Aspect
Choose from four different aspect ratios that enable specific framing of scenes. These provide a new means of adding expression to shots and the selected ratio can be seen directly on the camera's LCD. The available aspect ratios are 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, and 6:6.
HD Movies
High-definition video (HD video) mode delivers high-quality movies with sound at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels (or standard definition 640x480) both at 30 frames per second. Also control depth of field and utilise Art Filters when shooting movies. An HDMI TV interface also allows the E-PL1 to be connected to your HD TV set for reviewing movies and slideshows.
Available in a choice of Black, White, Champagne or Red.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
100 of 102 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Olympus PL1 is indeed a great camera buy one,
By
This review is from: Olympus E-PL1 Compact System Camera - Black (14-42mm Black Lens Kit) (Electronics)
Like many others and perhaps like the reader of this review, I agonised over buying either a Sony NEX3 or 5 or a Lumix etc etc and went as far as to go and hold all of them, before choosing the Olympus. I am a professional photographer, so need a camera I can adjust and meddle with, I also own some other quality equipment, so the results a camera produces are important to me.
Well I can honestly say I am delighted with this camera. The quality out of the camera is very very good, it holds well in the hand, it is small enough to cart around and flexible enough to expand system wise. The downside of all thse new formats is the price of the lenses, and its what swayed me away from the Sony in the end, as the Sony telephoto is almost £1000 and that is an often neglected fact which is a killer as far as most will be concerned, apart from the fact that the NEX range is not at all small with anything other than the pancake lens on it. So there we are for a system camera flexible enough for the enthusiast, small enough to be carried, good enough to leave the big SLR's around ...... buy an Olympus PL1, don't take my word for it read DP review they like it to.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent piece of kit at a great price,
By
This review is from: Olympus E-PL1 Compact System Camera - Red (14-42mm Black Lens Kit) (Electronics)
I seriously love this camera. I had been using super-zooms (Panasonic Lumix TZ and Canon Powershots) before this so it was definitely a step up from those but i can't compare with DSL-Rs.
+ Great photo quality + quite portable with the standard lens + Excellent video capture + good battery life + excellent build quality - UI not too easy to get the hang of - I had to consult the manual just to figure out how to change to manual focus mode. - The lens cap is easy to misplace (just happened to me) as there is no string etc. to attach it to the lens. A new one will cost around 11 pounds.
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
All most of us will ever need,
By Mark Z "MZW" (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Olympus E-PL1 Compact System Camera - Black (14-42mm Black Lens Kit) (Electronics)
Having relied on basic compacts for many years, I discovered (or should I say "rediscovered", as I once had an SLR) an interest in photography after I started using my daughter's Canon G10. I wanted something with interchangeable lenses that could cover the full spectrum of creative photography without the bulk of a DSLR. Frankly, I would be embarrassed to be seen carrying about some of the monster kit that you see these days, particularly when much of it is only used for family snaps. The beauty of the E-PL1 is that gives virtually nothing away to mid-priced DSLR's in terms of image quality (read the review on "DP Review"), but it is understated and much easier to carry. The price is well within a "reasonable" budget for sensible amateurs, and upgrading can be achieved by tapping into the full range of Olympus lenses, although I will probably stick with the (currently somewhat limited) micro four-thirds range.
Compared to a full-size DSLR you sacrifice some convenience as many of the functions can only be accessed through the menu system, but everything is there if you need it. One thing I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND is to purchase a copy of "Olympus PEN E-PL1 for Dummies". This marvellous book has helped me to get comfortable will all the camera's features and to set it up to suit my preferences. After three months getting familiar with the camera's functionality, I am now starting to shoot in RAW and have recently downloaded the free Olympus Viewer 2 software to do the processing. Compared to the E-PL1's excellent built-in JPEG processing, shooting in RAW delivers small but worthwhile improvements. My next purchase will be the VF2 electronic viewfinder, which I have heard so many good things about.
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