Olympus E-PL1 Preview, February 2010
by Richard Butler

Preview based on a production Olympus E-PL1 with firmware v0.9

The mirrorless interchangeable lens camera was a long time in coming but has fairly quickly established itself as a viable alternative both to compact cameras and DSLRs. However, while manufacturers regularly talk to us about wanting to exploit the gap between these two established types of cameras, all the models released so far have tended towards the DSLR-end of that space. Indeed the first models from both Panasonic and Samsung have aped not only the functionality and handling but also the appearance of entry-level DLSRs. There have been small, rangefinder-styled MILCs (The E-P1 and GF1), but these have still behaved like DSLRs without mirrors, rather than compact cameras with large sensors.

Stepping in to fill this void is the Olympus E-PL1, a camera that brings a stripped-down body and simplified interface to the Micro Four Thirds format. That cost saving, which extends to a lower-cost, plastic mount version of the collapsible 14-42mm kit lens, means the E-PL1 comes to market with a suggested selling price some $200 (or €150) below that of the E-P1.

The body itself mixes styling cues from Olympus' E-P1 with hints of the company's fondly remembered 'C' series of high-end compacts. This means no control dials, and therefore an awful lot of button-pressing the further away from the automated exposure modes you venture. But it also entails a simple result-orientated 'Live Guide' interface to allow you take control of the i-Auto for people happier to point-and-shoot (sorry Mr Spacey).

Make no mistake - this isn't a camera that should add further confusion for people trying to decide between one of the existing E-PXs and Panasonic's GF1. Its simplified interface dictates that it'll be best suited to compact camera users who want to get better photos straight away and learn about things such as apertures in their own time. Experienced users who regularly want to take control of individual shooting parameters are likely to find themselves frustrated by the sheer amount of button-pressing induced by the loss of control dials. The I.S unit has also been simplified, with the company claiming only 3 stops of compensation, rather than the 4 ascribed to the E-P2.

However, it's would be a mistake to assume from this that the E-PL1's specification is commonplace - although the body, screen, lens and interface have been pared-back, there are a couple of areas in which this entry-level/beginners model trumps the more stylish, more expensive PEN mdoels. Most obvious is the addition of a built-in flash, which was one of the most glaring omissions from the E-P1 and EP-2. There's also a revised version of the TruePix V image processor, that's been tuned to take account of the lighter low-pass/anti-aliasing filter fitted in this model (ironically a feature most likely to be appreciated by high-end users). The L1 also features the EVF/accessory port under the flash hot-shoe - a feature it shares with the E-P2 but absent from the E-P1.

The E-PL1's design is consistent with the classic looks of the E-P1 and the latest EP-2 (seen here), but is simplified and less stylized than its more expensive cousins. It's also smaller than the previous PEN models, losing a bit of width and gaining a little height. The front panel is still metal but doesn't share the bigger PENs' polished finish.
The back of the E-PL1 is simpler than the E-P2 - with fewer buttons, no control dials, a smaller screen and cheaper-feeling plastic construction. But as well as these losses, it gains a dedicated movie REC button and, most significantly, a catch to release its pop-up flash.

The E-PL1 retains the ability to record 720p HD movies (in the space-hungry Motion JPEG format) and gains a dedicated red button for instant movie shooting, rather than having movie recording as a position on the mode dial. The L1 loses the E-Ps' stereo microphones, though, having to make do with a mono unit that is very prone to recording AF motor noise. The inclusion of the EVF/accessory port means the L1 can use the optional SEMA-1 stereo external mic and adapter unit, for keen videographers looking to overcome these limitations.

The E-PL1 will be available in a variety of colors, and benefits from the increasing availability of lenses for the Micro Four Thirds systems. Champagne Silver and Black will be available in all markets with other colors varying by region and country. US customers will also get a blue option, while different European countries may see white and red models on the shelves.
The the E-PL1's body has been well designed with a substantial enough ridge on the front of the camera and a thumb support around the movie REC button meaing it sits comfortably in the hand. Only the shutter, REC and magnify buttons are readily accessible from this position, so it's fine for pointing and shooting but anything more involved will require a change of grip while you adjust settings.

Micro Four Thirds

Olympus and Panasonic announced the new, mirrorless format / lens mount based on (and compatible with) Four Thirds in August 2008. The Micro Four Thirds system uses the same sensor size (18 x 13.5 mm) but allows slimmer cameras by removing the mirror box and optical viewfinder. The new format has three key technical differences: (1) roughly half the flange back distance (distance from mount to the sensor), (2) a smaller diameter lens mount (6 mm smaller) and (3) two additional contact points for lens-to-body communication (now 11 points).

Removing the mirror mechanism allows this shorter flange back distance, meaning lenses for the new mount can be considerably smaller than current Four Thirds designs. The format will require framing to be carried out using Live View on either the LCD monitor or an EVF.

Lens compatibility

Eleven lenses have now been formally launched for the Micro Four Thirds system, if you include the new, simplified version of the 14-42mm kit lens launched with the E-PL1. Lenses are available to cover ranges from 7-200mm (14-400mm equivalent), though only the 17, 20 and 45mm focal lengths are available at F2.8 or faster.

The newly announced 9-18mm F4-5.6, in its collapsed state for carrying	The 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 is coming in June (seen here in mock-up form)

There are also more than 30 lenses that have been made in the Four Thirds mount that can be used using the adapters available from Olympus or Panasonic. All of these can be focused by the E-LP1 but all are considerably larger than most Micro Four Thirds lenses and some can be very slow to operate, having not been designed for contrast detection AF (Olympus only classes the camera's action as focus assist, rather than AF with such lenses). As the Micro Four Thirds lens lineup expands, the advantage of this backwards-compatibilty diminishes for anyone who doesn't already own any Four Thirds lenses.

Beyond the Four Thirds lenses, Olympus makes an adapter to mount its manual focus OM lenses while Panasonic makes adapters for lenses using Leicas M and R-mounts. Third party manufacturers further extend the manual focus options to include everything from Contax to Pentax Auto 110 lenses.

	In addition to the MMF-1 adapter that allows all Four Thirds lenses to be mounted with full autofocus capability, Olympus also makes the MF-2 adapter that allows OM lenses to be used.

Foreword / notes

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