When you read my notes in previous posts on the Olympus E-PL2, you will see I really like the latest incarnation of the PEN series. It is the first time I believe Olympus did not really know, how to position a new camera model. The E-PL2 body is not as unique and detailed as the E-P2. What really makes the E-PL2 different is its great functionality. It also gives us a window into what we might see from Olympus in the future especially on m4/3 cameras.

Olympus is the market leader introducing new functions and technologies in the world of photography. Having said that, it is also true that Olympus often stop just that little to soon when thinking of new ideas and functions. To take a basic example, lets look at the popular ART filters which Olympus pioneered into pro type SLR cameras, like the E30 and later the E5. The media made fun of the new Olympus ART filters, the forum guru said NO and the filter followers group would not tell when they used it. Olympus persisted by growing the ART filter pallet and today I see large review sites commenting increasingly positive on the Olympus ART filters. Today we have 12 or 14 odd ART filters and they scattered between 5 or 6 different camera models. Personally I find no logic behind the criteria Olympus used to group these filters including what filter should go into what camera. The question is, Mr Olympus why not create an ART Filter Databank which the Olympus user can use to select that filter selection the user prefer.

From this Olympus User Databank the Olympus user could get access to all the different ART filters plus if you really want to be bold Mr Olympus, you could add more functionality to the "Filter Databank". To explain, lets take one more example:- Why has the E-P2 an auto rotate ability and the E-PL2 not? Why did Olympus go and change the excellent histogram on the E-P2? If these functions were available in an Olympus User Databank, Olympus will not only have great access to realtime user preferences, Olympus will also develop more brand loyalty plus cementing your customer base.

Why did Olympus find it necessary to design the E-PL2?

One more reason for the last 12MP PEN is new technology and/or functions the manufacturer likes to introduce and test. The E-PL2 is literally packed with interesting additions not available in the more advanced E-P2. With the E-PL2 one can really see how Olympus is moving away from the SLR type camera and how the new niche camera really develops. The first small but significant example is the well known SAT function build into the most recent SLR's and more advanced compacts from Olympus. The E-PL2 has the next incarnation of the SAT function. Like SAT its based on the well known Curves adjustment one find in software like Adobe Photoshop. The difference is the new function gives the user much more control and therefore the results are better. The most significant improvement is in terms of shadow noise, the new curves function has much better results and with less noise in the shadows. Another example is the well known ART filters. The ART filters are now adjustable plus in some cases its possible to include frames or other small details to the final output of the image. It will be really interesting to see what the full functionality of these new functions will look like. Another significant improvement is the different focussing options one has with the E-PL2.

What are these changes like in use?

The build-in flash on the E-PL2 is a winner. Not only can it help out in many situations, it can also control external Olympus flash units. If you once worked with the Olympus RC Flash control on the Olympus SLR cameras then you always want that functionality in other cameras. Remote flash control enables endless creative opportunities and it is a real pleasure to use. I always wondered why Olympus did not build the RC function into the E-P2. It must be possible to activate this functionality when the PEN flash unit is mounted. Adding this functionality to the E-PL2, moved the E-PL2 into a different league all together.

The E-P2 also has a few aspects making it a winner. One of them are the leveling indicators build into the live view of the E-P2. I was taking HDR pictures and I had the E-P2 mounted on my tripod which is fitted with a ball head. It was such a pleasure having this leveling function on the E-P2 while taking the HDR images. It is these basic but great functions that makes it difficult for me to decide me in favor for the E-PL2 only. If Olympus had the user database in place then all I had to do was to log-in, download the App and my E-PL2 would have had the leveling function ready. The next function the E-P2 does better than the E-PL2 is the auto rotation of images. I cannot think how Olympus decided not to add the orientation sensor in the E-PL2 when they were looking for ways to save cost.

Many people prefer the E-PL2 because it has the same Dramatic Tone filter first seen in the E5. At first people described it as a HDR filter and as people saw more images produced with this filter it became clear the Dramatic Tone filter can do much more. The filter does not have the typical static "one only look" which the other ART filters has, instead it is dynamic and it changes with every movement of the camera. The user therefor has a type of control over the filter , every movement of the camera creates stunning results.

Another result one can get with the E-PL2 that is not possible with any other PEN cameras to date is the above image. I saw this scene which typically will be death for the average forum Guru. Reason being the guru does not recognize any creative opportunities in photography, everything has be technically perfectly correct. The problem the above image presents to the camera sensor is that the DR (Dynamic Range) of the image is outside the sensor specification. The results are blown highlights and shadows without detail. As you know a dynamic range that exceeds that of the sensor will have the excess highlight detail turn into white and the excess shadow detail into black. Knowing what one can do with the new Olympus Viewer 2 software, the artist could decide to apply the steps described below the original of the above image.

The E-PL2 user could decide to use the build in curves function to adjust down the highlights and up the shadows prior to taking the image. That is if the user prefer a JPEG output. In case the user use RAW files, it is not always necessary to adjust curves in the camera because he or she could decide to use Viewer 2 to modify the image. When home I looked at the above image in Photoshop Bridge and thought, lets have fun with Viewer 2. First I applied the Pop Color Art Filter, then on top of that I applied the Pin Hole Art Filter, I added a unique white balance to the pin hole and finally I applied the Soft Focus Art Filter on top of all that. This sequence one can only do with E-PL2 RAW files. The above image shows the additional control available in Viewer with E-PL2 RAW files.

Studying the above image you will see that I was standing in a passage way pointing my camera towards to the outside. As I mentioned above, the exposure conditions were extreme having very bright light on the outside and having the danger of under exposing the area where I was standing. With the E-PL2 one can avoid that by selecting the build-in curves function to correct the exposure prior to taking the image. Using this curves function one can up the shadows and reduce the over exposure in the camera. In the image below you will see the curves function plus I added 4 more small images showing you the different adjustments one can make. The adjustments one can do, range in both bottom "curves" example or top "curves" example from +7 to -7. To access this curves function press the up arrow and then the Info button. Pressing the Info button a 2nd time will move the curves adjustment from bottom to top and vice versa.

There are much talk on the forums and the web lately about the different mirror-less cameras and which is the better model. The average Panasonic supporter are pushing hard for the Panasonic G1 to go down history as one of the best. In a similar way it is said the original 14 - 45 mm kit lens from Panasonic is a must-have. My first m4/3 camera was the G1 and I enjoyed it a lot. I sold it to finance my E-P2. Later I again bought another G1 for a bargain because it was said to be the best m4/3 rds body. Knowing my E-P2 well at that stage, I used the second G1 a few times and then decided to sell it again and I made a nice profit. The G1 is good but not better than a E-P2 in my mind. I kept the 14 - 45 mm lens because I like the look of it on the E-P2 and the E-PL2 plus I think it is good. Is it worth paying the normal listed price for one? Absolutely NO, that good it is not. If you find one secondhand in good condition then yes, my advice is get it. The two Panasonic lenses, the 14 - 45 mm plus the 45 - 200 mm, are excellent in movie mode. They are silent in operation, fast and a pleasure to work with.

There are many more differences between the E-P2 and the E-PL2 which I did not list in this article. Video operation is one, there are differences between multiple exposure or images operation between the two cameras, Olympus has added more focussing options to the E-PL2 and how one can use different focussing techniques to improve creative control over the image taken with the E-PL2. The build in flash opened the door for several more options, one being the great Olympus remote control of remote standing flash units. Olympus has three different lens adapters that can fit to the standard kit lens plus the macro adapter can also be used on the 14 - 150 mm or the 40 - 150 mm m4/3 lenses. I can hear purists cry, saying NO!..., the quality is not good and no do not buy those options. In the image below I try to show you what those nasty adapters really look like and what you need to go get if you think they not good. I will most definitely buy the kit including the three adapters once the wide angle is freely available here. They will be worth gold in Photoshop and the artist in me cannot wait to start using them. These adapters I believe are really showing us what to expect from these great cams in the future.

Image stabilization is a wonderful addition to modern cameras and I almost always use IS. I wondered which is really better, the sensor based IS or that build into the lens. As mentioned above I have the two Panasonic lenses both with build in IS plus I have a number of Olympus m4/3 lenses. In use I prefer the lens system because it creates an illusion of stability. The sensor based system does not have that same stable feeling as the lens system because the IS only really activates when the image is taken. To test the two systems, I mounted the camera on a tripod, fitted the 45 - 200 mm Panasonic lens and then the 14 - 150 mm Olympus lens. I adjusted both to approximately 120 mm and then tapped slightly on the lens to create camera shake when the timer timed out. I realize it is not 100% scientific but what it showed me was that the Olympus sensor bases IS had sharper images out of a bunch of 10 test shots. The tap created a higher frequency type shake that would be typical of what happens when one press the shutter. It seems to me the sensor based "IS" is quicker to respond to rapid movements.

The last point I like to point out in terms of using these two cameras are the shutter sound or noise. The E-P2 has a lovely shutter sound, it feels solid, good quality and it creates confidence. Contrary to the E-P2, I find the E-PL2 has a noisy, vibrating type sound when the shutter operates. I am not sure if it comes from the cheaper, less solid camera body, or is the shutter mechanism in the E-PL2 of inferior quality. I had the new GF2 from Panasonic in my hand and I immediately noticed it has that same shutter sound as the E-P2. That is while the GF2 body is really tiny compared to the E-PL2. The Panasonic kit lens looked huge on the GF2.

The final difference I like to briefly touch on, is the option port on the E-P2, the E-PL1 and the E-PL2. The E-PL2 sadly uses a version 2 port which is not 100% compatible with the older ports. Some of the new options will therefor not function on the older E-P2 camera. That is unfortunately a hardware issue and something one should expect because research brings new possibilities. I have tried the awesome macro flash "cables" on my E-P2 and it works perfectly. The E-PL2 uses a new battery that has a better life time I read. It looks the same as the older battery, only the color differs. To test, I inserted the older battery at one stage into the E-PL2 and it worked well until it used up approximately 5 to 10% of its capacity. Then the E-PL2 started to malfunction. Inserting the new battery again made the E-PL2 function correctly again......

Conclusion

Siegfried

One can look at this question in a few different ways. Most basic scenario is, should I sell my existing E-P2 and then "upgrade" to the new E-PL2. It could also happen that a person says he or she likes the E-P2 and only like to upgrade the kit lens to the new 14 - 42mm MKII lens. I think the new MKII lens is good, apart from only looking at the image quality the lens deliver, I think it has some interesting features with the added macro and wide angle options. Personally I will not be surprised if the first kit lens ends up the better when tested, what makes the new interesting is its design plus the options one can add.

That said I decided to take the E-P2 with me on a recent business travel. The lenses I took with was the 14 - 150 mm super zoom plus the new 14 - 42 kit lens. During the moments I had free I took a few pictures and I was pleasantly surprised.

The E-P1 was the first PEN series camera and it still today is an excellent camera. I recently saw them in a shop selling at really low prices new. I think if people knew what they can get with this camera then no regular compact will leave the shop, especially at the prices the E-P1 is selling at.

With the E-P2 Olympus added a number of advanced features plus they tweaked the image quality. Having had the chance to see the E-PL2 pictures for myself and having had a closer look at those I took over the last few days with the E-P2 the differences seem small, if any, to me. In fact I start to think its mainly the handling on the latter plus the flexibility it offers that makes the latter the better choice for the advanced creative person.

From a pure photographic point of view the E-P2 has all the advanced technology like iEnhance included, it only has less adjustments available to the user. On the other hand it has other functions plus filters that again does not appear in the E-PL2. One is the image automatically rotate, the water level function, the "silent" shutter and a view more.

Getting to the question, should I upgrade? Personally I would advice wait for the next one, or if you a very creative type and you like to have the advanced creative freedom offered by the E-PL2 then yes it worth the upgrade.

As said above, I am more surprised the more I "test" this camera. Its small things as well as larger aspects like added functions that keep me selecting the E-PL2 and not the E-P2 when going for a walk. For example the dedicated record button makes a world of difference when using the camera to record movies. With the dedicated movie record button one can start a recording and while recording one can re-focus on a new or different subject in order to create different effects.

What I find even more significant is the additional flexibility or adjustments build into the E-PL2. This is the first camera I experienced with this level of control available to the user. On a later article I will give more detailed information, for now I will only list the key points:-

• On the fly one can adjust highlight / shadow adjustments using a curves type function and it works like a dream

• Most of the art filters are now adjustable.

• The E-PL2 has several focus options and some of them are so powerful

• In Picture Mode the E-PL2 has just so much more flexibility

• Olympus did not only meet expectation, they also exceeded it.

Siegfried

Paging over to the large forums I cannot help to notice that the question still remains, which one of the two is the best? Two generations later and still using the same sensor and Panasonic and Olympus continue to let the forum guru believe, one is better than the other. The reviewer made the guru believe its focus speed, then they were told its noise, then they build the case for the best JPEG engine and so it continued. Will it help if I say....guys they both incredibly capable? What is even better is that each has something the other does not have plus the common lens fitting makes it possible for the user to mix and match.

My personal choice is the Olympus system. I tried the Panasonic system but just did not like it enough to fill my camera bag with it. When the first PEN series came out I bought it, when the E-P2 were launched I gave the first to my son and bought the E-P2. Recently I added the E-PL2 to my camera bag, thinking I will keep the new kit lens and sell the body. I have had it now long enough to let it go again, but I made the decision to keep it. That said, the only PEN I did not really try was the E-PL1. Is it that much better than any of those I tried, including the Panasonic m4/3 bodies I tried? Believe me when I say NO, none of these cameras are that much different to one another that I can dare to say, rather take this one and not that one only based on image quality. That includes the so called focus speed differences between the Olympus and the Panasonic. If its important to have a 100 to 400th of a second difference in focus speed then yes I will agree.

When you see long lists of forum posts and heated discussions over a 400th of a second difference in focus speed then you cannot help to wonder how many of those "best" cameras are really even used on a weekly basis. I personally decided to fill up my bag with Olympus. I have been using it for years plus I love the look and feel of the PEN camera series. Lets discuss the question, is the E-PL2 better than the E-P2?

All images taken with the E-PL2, except where stated differently

In terms of image quality I think any difference between the two is that insignificant that it can easily be fixed in any basic or advanced photo editing tool. I started taking a few comparison pictures and quickly decided to stop waisting time. For example camera shake caused bigger differences than what the different cameras would produce. My advice is that for all practical reasons, they are basically the same and there are no reason to make a decision based on image quality differences. The real differences are in the materials used to build these two cameras plus the components used in the two different cameras. If for example the excellent iEnhance was only used in the latter then I would say yes, but both the E-P2 and the E-PL2 has the iEnhance function.

For example the E-P2 is by far the better camera in terms of higher quality materials used to build the product. It has a really strong and beautifully crafted metal body. The level of detail and care building the E-P1 and the E-P2 is just not equalled by any other competitive product today. That includes any of the m4/3 Panasonic bodies. The shutter mechanism on the E-P2 is also the best quality available I think. When you press down the shutter on the E-P2 then you discover a well balanced beautifully sounding shutter mechanism. When doing the same on the E-PL2 all you hear is a loud "clonk" plus a large magnitude vibration. I read an article where the guy was telling the reader that the E-P2 has this large vibration between 1/100th and 1/200th of a second and that the user should avoid these shutter speeds. Please guys....run away from articles like that, especially if the supporting data is not good....

The E-PL2 has a wonderful new high resolution screen and one immediate notice it when using the camera. The E-P2 also use a really good Hyper-crystal LCD screen. Interesting is that the E-P2's screen is not flash with the camera body, it is recessed by approximately 1mm. The E-PL2's screen is flash with the camera back and can therefor easily scratch when placed on a flat surface. Small but significant difference in terms of durability and the screen ability to resist scratches. The E-PL2 uses a "inexpensive" shutter release button I think. The reason is it does not have that distinct difference between the halfway position and the fully pressed position like with the E-P2. On the positive, its placement is way better than that of the E-P2. The E-PL2 shutter button is placed a little forward which makes it really comfortable when used. That combined with the real grip on the E-PL2 makes for a very practical and comfortable camera.

In terms of ease of use, the E-PL2 is by far the better one. The position of the shutter button, the better screen plus the excellent ergonomics, all adds up to make the E-PL2 a winner. I used a G1 from Panasonic for a while and even though it had the grip, the camera was just to tiny. The E-PL2 corrects that by offering a well sized body. Add to that the ability to remote control Olympus Flash Units, the build in flash, the new art filters and it could easily be considered in place off a complete E system SLR camera set. Unfortunately the E-P2 with its considerably better parts just cannot compete with the added attributes of the new E-PL2. The only reason I will hang onto the E-P2 is its classic shape, its awesome build quality plus the fact I will not get back what I paid for it.

Don't let any lazy reviewer tell you the E-PL2 has poor dynamic range, its too noisy or any popular line they often copy or repeat from other people's reviews. Any person who really had the camera in his or hers hand will notice the differences I listed above and will talk about them. For example the E-P2 has the digital level function that is just awesome in use, the E-PL2 does not have this. The E-PL2 will not automatically rotate an image like the E-P2 does. The older E-PL1 could only go up to a 1/2000th of a second shutter speed, the E-PL2 can now go up to a 1/4000th of a second, just like the E-P2.

The E-PL2 has 2 or 3 more "My Settings" memory spaces the user can use to save a specific user configuration. This is one of the most important differences of the Olympus PEN series. These cameras can be customized to a level unknown before with any "compact type" camera.

These m4/3 cameras are serious photographic tools. They are at no means beefed up compact cameras, these are full blown "SLR" type cameras. Any reviewer or shop owner that tells you these are small sensor and noisy cameras are uninformed. In the right hands and these cameras will deliver serious results. People ask on forums, should I use only the PEN series? With the control that is build into the E-PL2 there is no reason to get a full SLR sized body today. It's only if you do weddings that its important to have a large body E30 or E5 in your bag. The reason is not the camera, its the expectation of the client. People just cannot believe that a small body PEN can do a good job.

If I had to list only one reason for why I personally prefer the Olympus m4/3 camera to any of its rivals then I will say it is the incredible EVF. (Electronic View Finder) The typical forum guru is saying a lot about these units and their weaknesses. From somebody's point of view that regularly use the VF2, please allow me to tell you that the Olympus high resolution EVF is unequalled on the market. Only a tiny group of high end SLR optical view finders are better than that of the PEN, VF2 system. And while they optically better they still do not offer the user full histogram analysis in the view finder, the VF2 does.

In my next article I will talk about the differences between the three different kit lenses, the two from Olympus and the older 14 - 45mm kit lens from Panasonic. The images in this article was all taken with the E-PL2 and edited in CS4. Somebody wrote on a forum making a general statement, "HDR images are bad taste". I could not help to ask myself, what is then correct, the image out the camera, basic editing or more advanced editing? What are the limits and who decides the boundaries? I therefore placed images in this article that is not HDR but are different and something I personally like a lot.

I like to write the next report in two weeks.....

Siegfried

PS. All the images in the image sections are from my E-PL2. They are all edited plus you will see I was experimenting.