So, if you read any of the same blogs I do, you’ll have already read about this many times by now, but for those of you who haven’t, or just really want my input on the matter, Oly announced a third sibling in the PEN line-up today.
This new one, the E-PL1, is already being billed as “the affordable PEN,” although in fact it’s the most mainstream of the three that sets it apart. It adds a pop-up flash, and retains the E-P2′s wonderful support for that hot shoe-mounted EVF. The core specs remain in the usual ballpark: 12.3 megapixels on a 4/3 sensor, in-body IS, art filters, and 720p HD video (now with a dedicated record button. Ooh, shiny).
The major changes really are in the design, which doesn’t really sacrifice anything to looks (although a Mr Charlie Sorrel over at Wired seems to be of quite the opposite opinion), with this camera clearly being the true entry-level PEN we’ve been waiting to see ever since it became clear the E-P1 wasn’t gunning for a pro market.
How can I tell? It’s the controls on the rear here. Gone are the “advanced” jog wheels, and enter a few buttons which leave it looking…. yup, like a modern point and shoot. Go ahead, click the image there to see them large. Again, and maybe it’s just my familiarity and love of the E-3 (itself widely known for having a friggin lot of buttons), but I’ll have to disagree with Mr. Sorrel’s assessment of this being a button-heavy mess here too. It’s controls are clearly designed to provide a smooth transition from high-end point and shoots.
Anyway, we’ll have more to come on this shooter soon, but, if you don’t need jog wheels and have been eyeing the Pen system waiting for a cheaper option, it looks like your time is finally coming.
The winners of Olympus’ recent E-PL1 contest have been announced. 6 finalists are getting a free Olympus E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds camera and five grand to flesh their video proposals into real projects. Then, one of those six will be chosen as the grand winner and the creative staff sent to the Olympus-sponsored US Open Tennis Championships, where their work will be aired on the giant video board at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Not too shabby.
Olympus has pre-announced (seriously, guys, what’s up with pre-announcing firmware these days? How’s that even work) new firmware for the entire Pen system due out one hot week from today (that’d be April 22, don’t say I ever made you do math on a weekday).
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