Olympus digital SLR cameras. Key Features Design and Control

25.05.2020

05.02.2011 5272 Tests and reviews 0

Olympus has announced a new professional SLR camera Olympus E-5. Key features include: a new 12-megapixel sensor, a new TruPic V image processor, 720p video recording with sound possible, ten built-in filters, ISO 6400, a new redesigned camera menu, CF and SD memory card slots, a new BLM-5 battery pack. Olympus E-5, like the previous flagship of the E-3 system, is available in a rugged case.

Main characteristics:
- Matrix 12.3 MP; 4032x3024; system format 4/3 (17.3x13.0 mm)
- 4/3 system lenses. Focal length factor 2x.
- Media Compact Flash and SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards
- Monitor 3.0", 920000 points, swivel in two planes
- File format - RAW (ORF), JPEG, RAW+JPEG; video - Motion JPEG (AVI) up to 1280x720p at 30 fps, with mono sound (there is a connector for an external stereo microphone)
- Connectivity - combo AV-out / USB, mini HDMI, external power input, stereo microphone input, wired remote control, PC Sync flash control socket, wireless flash control, IR remote control (optional)
- Dimensions - 143x117x95 mm (body without lens, overall dimensions)

The main differences between the Olympus E-5 and the E-3 are as follows:

Matrix resolution increased to 12 megapixels (compared to 10 megapixels).
The monitor remained swivel, but its size and resolution grew (3" and 920,000 dots versus 2.7" and 230,000 dots).
Bracketing series can now have 2, 3, 5 or 7 frames (previously only 3).
The sensitivity range has expanded to ISO 6400 (against ISO 3200).
Art filters have been added to the color modes (influenced by the mirrorless PEN line).
HD 720p video recording appeared (there was no video in the E-3, nor in 4/3 DSLRs at all).
In the "live view" mode, contrast autofocus has been added.
An electronic level appeared (on two coordinates, as in the E-30 model).
There was a face recognition function, multiple exposure, various aspect ratios of the frame.
A third image stabilizer mode has been added (for vertical tracking).
There was a fine adjustment of autofocus for different lenses (as in the E-30 model).
Now you can add copyright information.
There was an HDMI output and a connector for a stereo microphone (which could not have been before, since there was no video recording).
Instead of xD format memory cards, SD is now supported (with the second slot for Compact Flash retained).
New BLM-5 battery with increased capacity (maintains compatibility with BLM-1).

There have been changes in ergonomics (the set and arrangement of buttons on the rear panel), the menu has been improved.

With about three years between the release of the E-3 and E-5 models, many were expecting a more impressive jump in specifications. The resolution of the matrix, which is 12 megapixels, is subjected to the greatest criticism - by today's standards, this parameter looks somewhat insufficient. Recall that the mirror models of competitors that are currently being released are mainly equipped with matrices of 14-18 megapixels.

However, not everything is determined by megapixels. Moreover, according to Olympus' leading developers, the company does not attach paramount importance to the number of megapixels at all. The main thing is the final quality of the picture (it's hard to disagree with this). There needs to be an optimal balance between optics, sensor and processor (see our interview with Toshiyuki Terada (SLR Product Planning Department) and Yukihita Sugita (General Manager of SLR Product Planning Department) in September 2010).

Design and management

Although the 4/3 system was originally conceived by Olympus as potentially suitable for creating relatively small cameras, Olympus mirror flagships (formerly E-3, and now E-5) are not such and approximately correspond both in size and weight to models of a similar level built on APS-C format matrices (the same Canon 7D, or Nikon D300s ). However, the Olympus E-5 feels extremely comfortable in the hand and is not difficult to work with. Of course, the assessment of ergonomics is always largely subjective, but in my opinion, the E-5 is one of the most convenient and thoughtful devices in terms of control.

There are two dials, or wheels, control. The front one is located under the shutter button (it is convenient to rotate it with the middle finger without removing the index finger from the shutter button), the back one is just under the thumb. The turning force is optimal, not too hard, but not loose either - clear clicks, well perceived even with gloves.

Less obvious at first glance, but it is very noticeable to the touch that the navigation pad button block (four arrows and the central OK button) has also moved - to the right and lower. Now, in order to reach them, the thumb of the right hand must be pulled much further from its original state, and the brush has to be twisted more strongly.

In addition, the lock of the memory card compartment cover has disappeared, now the cover can be opened by simply sliding it to the side. It looks less solid and reliable, although, by the way, this is exactly what the Canon 7D did.

There is no mode dial on the top panel - this approach is generally typical for older DSLRs. To switch modes, the same principle is used as to control other parameters - pressing a button while turning the command dials.

Modes, functions, menus

The Olympus E-5 has three focus area options - multi (all 11 points are used), one point, or a peculiar option in which one priority point is set, however, if the camera cannot focus on it, it uses one of three or four neighboring ones (in the lower illustration they are indicated not by a solid square, but by a frame).

To manually select a zone, you can use either the navigation pad buttons or the two control dials. The front disk moves the point left and right, and the back disk moves it up and down. When going beyond the edge, all 11 zones flash, and then a dot appears on the opposite side. However, the nuances of the algorithm can be adjusted in the menu, as well as many other details of the camera's functioning. Olympus devices are generally distinguished by great flexible configuration, and the E-5 is no exception in this sense - to put it mildly. As for autofocus, it is fast and very accurate.

To navigate the menu, not only the navigation pad buttons are used, but also, again, the control dials, and with the same ideology - with the rear dial we move up and down the menu items (or change the parameter values), and with the front dial we move left and right (when this automatically move deeper into the menu tree or, conversely, to the root). It may sound a little vague, but in practice, if you get used to it, the movement is extremely fast. The dual disc system is the best I know for menu navigation. Unfortunately, selecting a parameter requires a confirmation press of the OK button - which, in fact, is not necessary at all.

In addition, the Olympus E-5 uses Art Filters - processor processing algorithms typical of recent cameras from this manufacturer. What is interesting here is not that there are a lot of them (10 pieces), and not even that the set is good. The main thing is that the Art Filters are not independent "story programs" in the E-5, where almost no settings are available; Art filters are implemented in the same row as color schemes, so all camera settings continue to work (white balance, exposure compensation, etc.).

The Fn button located in the right thumb area can be assigned one of the following functions: Face Detection, Aperture Repeater, One-touch Balancing, Base (Instantly switching the AF area between the current position and a preset position is a very useful function) , Manual Focus, Enable RAW (or RAW+JPEG), Choice P-A-S-M(by turning the dial), Test Shot without Saving, My Settings 1-2-3-4, Underwater, Level Indicator, Enlarge Image, Stabilizer Mode, Disabled.

Note the noise reduction intensity setting, there are four levels - Disabled, Weak, Standard, Strong.

The Olympus E-5 allows you to adjust the metering system, namely, to enter an exposure shift, in steps of 1/6 EV, and independently for each of the three basic types of metering. I can’t say that such an adjustment is necessary, but the possibility itself is impressive.

Conclusions and assessments

pros

Excellent workmanship, magnesium alloy chassis.
Dust and moisture-proof design, allowing the use of the device in adverse weather conditions.
Effective system for cleaning the matrix from dust.
Built-in sensor-shift optical image stabilization system, with which any installed lens becomes stabilized.
Excellent optical viewfinder - large, bright.
High resolution monitor 920,000 dots.
The monitor is rotatable along two axes - which is useful for shooting from unusual angles, from a tripod, etc.
High-quality pictures (however, at high ISO values, they are inferior to the class leaders).
The presence of bracketing for white balance, ISO, flash.
Fine tuning of white balance, separately for each preset.
Metering adjustment, separately for each of the three types.
Fast autofocus and high responsiveness of the camera as a whole.
Enough high speed continuous shooting - 5 frames / sec.
Customizable Color Modes and Art Filters.
SAT (Shadow Adjustment Technology) function with adjustable intensity.
In-camera processing of RAW files.
Ability to save copyright information in EXIF.
Excellent camera configurability, definition of many nuances of operation.
A good implementation of the "live view" mode (although the contrast autofocus is slow).
An electronic level function that allows you to ensure that the camera is strictly horizontal.
HD video recording (however, not Full HD, but [email protected]).
Connector for connecting an external stereo microphone when recording video.
AF micro-adjustment for different lenses.
Wireless control of external flashes.
Support for two formats of memory cards - CF and SD (the unpopular xD format was abandoned).
Long battery life.
Adjustment of information about the degree of charge of the battery.
Optional battery grip HLD-4.

Minuses

There is no sensor to turn off the screen when bringing the face to the viewfinder.
In the "live view" mode - slow autofocus.
During movie shooting - only mono sound recording (although there is a stereo microphone jack).
The two memory card slots cannot work in copy mode or auto jump when full.
In comparison with the E-3, the IS button is gone, as well as the memory card compartment latch.

Ergonomics 10/10
The device is extremely convenient. Actively used two control dials speed up the work. The logic is thought out everywhere, the voluminous menu is well structured. Rich configuration options allow you to define many nuances of the camera and adjust them to your preferences. In terms of ergonomics, the Olympus E-5 is one of the best models we've ever tested.

Functionality 9/10
The feature set is wide and varied. In one model, the functions of an "amateur" nature and truly professional capabilities are successfully combined. However, in quantitative terms, some parameters look rather weak for the flagship of the system. Continuous shooting 5 fps - not bad, but it could be faster; 11 autofocus points - usually enough, but more could be. good camera, is not obliged to shoot a video, but if there is video filming, why not Full HD? ..

Image quality 10/10
An innovative approach to imaging - a thin AA filter and improved processor algorithms - has borne fruit. The picture is extremely detailed, the contours seem to be emphasized, the contrast at the micro level is unusually high. However, the unpleasant oversharp effect does not occur. Although the Olympus E-5, like other 4/3 devices, uses a smaller physical sensor than APS-C, we can say that the E-5 is not inferior to competitors in image detail.

However, this is true for low sensitivity values. As the ISO grows, the Olympus E-5 begins to lose ground, and this despite the fact that its ISO range is not record wide either.

Price/quality 7/10
The high cost is perhaps the main drawback of the Olympus E-5. Perhaps it is adequate to the professional level of all-weather protection of this camera, a rich set of functions and ease of use. However, everything is known in comparison, and competitors can offer competitive models at a lower price.

If Olympus finds ways to significantly reduce the cost of the E-5, then the attractiveness of the device could increase dramatically, and our Overall rating turns into a ten. The current price might be intimidating. a large number of potential buyers.

Overall rating 9/10
Of course, the Olympus E-5 is best camera systems 4/3. It contains all the best, all the nuances are perfected, all the details are brought to mind. A worthy upgrade for the owner of any Olympus SLR camera, including the previous flagship E-3. A device that matches the high level of Zuiko Digital lenses.

Remark: periodically I encounter Nikon , but somehow there was no need to dig deeper. Probably (I will say sedition!), There is not such a difference between two sworn friends, Kenon and Nikon. But Olympus is different. Not worse, not better, just different.

E - system

System 4/3 (aka E - system ): the first digital SLR camera system designed from the ground up. Competitors - in one way or another - "docked" digital SLR cameras with existing lines of lenses and accessories. The E-system was developed practically from scratch. Cameras are listed in chronological order.

E-1

At the end of 2003, Olympus introduced its first digital SLR camera - Olympus E -one. The model is the result joint work Olympus and Kodak in the area of digital technologies which was announced in February 2001. Olympus E The -1 was also the company's first SLR since the collapse of the OM system in 2000/2002. Fans of the brand greeted the model coolly: a camera with a higher resolution matrix was expected. The model was equipped CCD production matrix Kodak , size 18 * 13.5 mm and a resolution of 4.9 megapixels. The E-1 is distinguished by interesting design findings and technical innovations. Magnesium alloy body, the camera is dust and moisture resistant, applied efficient system cleaning the matrix from dust SSWF . Display 1.8 inches. Dimensions 141*104*81 and weight 735 grams.

And your line on what's in digital photography the quality of lenses is more important than the multi-pixel matrix, Olympus oppresses to this day.

E-300 (a.k.a. EVOLT E-300)

Criticism of "small pixels" intensified in 2004. It is clear that fans of the brand should not be disappointed and Olympus announced the release at the end of the year Olympus E-300 equipped CCD matrix from Kodak with an effective resolution of 8 megapixels. Reassured by the new pixel count, critics turned to the model's vague design: a flat top that was attributed to the use of the system's viewfinder. Porro (instead of the usual pentaprism, the image was transmitted to the viewfinder through a system of 4 mirrors). More pixels, however, does not mean that the E-300 is a device of the same class as E-1: The model marked the beginning of the Olympus line of amateur digital SLR cameras. aluminum body, ISO only 100-400 (though "expandable" to 800 and 1600). Size 147*85*64, weight with battery 624 grams, without - 580 grams.

E-500 (EVOLT E-500)

A year later, Olympus surprised fans by releasing a new model of a digital SLR in September: Olympus E -500. And not the long-awaited continuation of the "first" series, but the replacement E -300, with a more traditional design. Specifications have remained virtually unchanged, but the E-500 is starting to compete with entry-level models from Canon and Nikon . Size 130*95*66, weight - 479 grams.

E-330

In the spring of 2006, Olympus announces a new camera model E-systems: Olympus E -330. It is the world's first DSLR to feature the "Live-View" or Live Preview system so familiar to all owners of compact digital cameras. News, except for the system live view , in the E-330 steel a new matrix LiveMOS by Panasonic with 7.5 effective megapixels, a 2.5-inch flip-out display with a resolution of 215,000 pixels, a new 49-zone exposure meter. Remained unchanged viewfinder system Porro and ISO 100-400. Dimensions 140*87*72. Weight with battery 617 grams, without - 539. Shown 4/3rds of cooperation it is equipped with 7.4 MP Live-MOS images from Panasonic, its new partner.

E-400

In the fall of 2006, everyone was waiting for a replacement Olympus E -one. Olympus also announced the release of the most compact and lightweight digital SLR camera in the world - Olympus E -400. The E-400 opened the Olympus line of "entry level" digital SLR cameras. The firm began to take advantage of the 4/3 system to make miniature cameras. Matrix Kodak, CCD 10 Mp . Size 130*91*53, weight 435 grams with batteries, 375 without. For unknown reasons, the model was not officially delivered to the USA.

E-410 (EVOLT E-410)

Announced in the spring of 2007 - six months after the release of its predecessor. Almost repeats the characteristics Olympus E -400 but uses a 10 megapixel sensor LiveMOS by Panasonic.

E-510

successor Olympus E -500 announced at the same time Olympus E -410 in March 2007, the E-510 is a camera designed to streamline the line of digital SLR cameras from Olympus: the 4th series is entry-level cameras, the 5th series is for advanced amateurs. The characteristics are similar to both the E-410 and the E-500. Identical with Olympus E -410 mode matrix live view , display 2.5 inches. The main innovation and difference is the in-camera image stabilization system, which makes all lenses stabilized. The camera differs from the “younger brother” in size and weight: 136*92*68, 535 grams with batteries, 460 without.

E-3

Long awaited replacement Olympus E-1 appeared only 4 years later: E-3 was announced in October 2007. For digital photography, the term is very considerable. E-3 in line Olympus occupied the top position and at the time of exit competed with Canon 40 D and Nikon D 300. Matrix 10.1 Mp, live view , in-camera image stabilizer, magnesium housing, dust and moisture protection, ISO 100-3200, 2.5 inch movable display - very good performance. Marketers also drew consumer attention to the new 11-point autofocus system, viewfinder with 100% coverage, shutter speeds up to 1/8000 and 5 frames per second in continuous shooting. Surprisingly, there is no autofocus backlight - the built-in flash is used, as in the younger models. Size 142*116*75, weight 800 grams.

E-420

Olympus E -420 appeared a year after the E-410, in March 2008. The cameras are almost identical except for some minor changes, the most notable of which was a slightly larger (2.7-inch) display. Dimensions 129.5 * 91 * 53, weight with battery 445 grams, without - 380 grams.

E-520

Announced 2 months after Olympus E -420 - in May 2008. Traditionally for Olympus there are practically no changes compared to its predecessor. Slightly larger display (2.7 inches), slightly better system stabilization, the menu system has been changed (as in the E-420). The rest is unchanged.

E-30

Released in December 2008 and took an intermediate position in the line Olympus position between the "top" E-3 and the amateur 5th series. Two-digit Olympus is designed to compete Canon 50 D, Nikon D 3000 and Sony A -700. Compared to the E-3, there is no dust and moisture protection, the body is made of plastic, and the viewfinder is smaller (98%). However, the display is larger (2.7 inches), there is an in-camera autofocus adjustment function (up to 20 lenses), built-in digital level, and most importantly: a new 12.3 megapixel LiveMOS matrix from Panasonic . Size 142 * 108 * 75 mm, weight - 695 grams without battery, 768 grams - with battery.

E-620

Announced in March 2009. Probably, the 6th series came to replace the 5th - in order to increase the gap from the entry-level cameras of the 4th series. Closer in size to entry-level cameras, but in terms of functionality - to the two-digit series. Viewfinder with 95% coverage, 7-point autofocus, movable 2.7" LCD, ISO 100-3200. Size 130*94*60, weight with batteries 521 grams.

E-450

March 2009 - another variation of the 4th series from Olympus . Almost identical to the E-420, except that a new processor is used. An attempt to extend the life of a very successful model.

E-600

Stripped down model T -620, officially supplied only to America. Announced in September 2009.

E-5

Announced on September 14, 2010. Claimed (compared to Olympus E -3) about the new processor, new 12.4 megapixel matrix, 3-inch 921,000-dot movable display, video recording function, ISO 6400 and using memory cards SD and CF . Size 142*116*75, weight - 813 grams.

Artem Kashkanov, 2019

After a long sabbatical, I continue a series of articles on photographic equipment. This time it will be a review of the Olympus Pen E-PM2 mirrorless camera, which I recently got into my hands, and has remained so, taking root as a “second camera” (the main one is Canon EOS 5D). To be honest, I haven’t bought anything from photographic equipment for a long time, because the set of equipment that I had completely satisfied my needs - if I needed quality, I took a DSLR for shooting, if I needed a “photo recorder”, until recently I performed its functions Sony TX10 soap dish. However, during the last trip to rest, Sonya died a long time, in connection with this, the problem arose of finding something else that could replace it (carrying a Canon 5D weight with you is a dubious pleasure).

Why mirrorless?

I outlined my thoughts on the advisability of buying a mirrorless camera compared to a top-end compact in an article. Having carried out simple calculations, I came to the conclusion that a mirrorless camera with a whale lens does not have any significant advantages over a top-end soap dish, with the exception of expansion capabilities. At the beginning, I wanted to buy an advanced soap dish. Considered Panasonic LX7 or Fujifilm X20, but both options disappeared. Panasonic did not fit well in the hand - due to the fact that the screen almost covered the entire rear panel and, holding the device with one hand, I covered a good third of the screen with my right thumb - I did not like it. Fujifilm lay in the hand much better, but confused the battery the size of mobile phone, despite the fact that the dimensions of the device were immodest for a compact class (and the cost too). Reviews on the Internet confirmed the fear - the charge is enough for a maximum of one day of active filming. I choked on this with the previous device, I wanted the battery to be more tenacious.

Why Olympus?

Sony NEX cameras have disappeared due to size and weight - after all, a compact device was needed. I didn’t want to take Samsung with an APS-C matrix, I don’t have confidence in cameras from this company. The next contenders were Olympus and Panasonic. These devices are of the same Micro 4/3 platform, have much in common and are very close in terms of technical characteristics. One of the decisive factors was appearance, in my opinion, the design of Olympus is prettier. I also read about the "branded Olympus" color reproduction, about the "cool" matrix from the older OM-D line, I wanted to check what it was all the same. Wandering around the shops, I suddenly found an interesting offer - Olympus Pen E-PM2 with a 14-42mm kit lens for 12880 rubles. As it turned out, it was a showcase sample, but after examining the device from all sides, I did not find anything to complain about. Specifications Olympus E-PM2 can be viewed on the official Olympus website. There is an older model - E-PL5, I also looked at it:

I found it inappropriate to overpay for those things. which I can easily do without. In addition, the metal body added weight, and the swivel screen added thickness. A light travel camera should be as light as possible! And at ISO200, the picture is not much different from ISO100 (in real conditions). The presence of RAW generally nullifies this difference.

First Impressions

Build quality

Despite the fact that the camera is made in China, there were no complaints about the build quality. The case is completely plastic, but assembled quite soundly - nothing creaks or crunches. A few physical controls - a joystick combined with a disk, a few buttons - everything is placed in its place, you get used to the location of the buttons very quickly.

The camera comes with two lenses - a regular whale zoom 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 and a "pancake" 15mm 1:8.0. With a "pancake" the camera has an extremely compact size and can easily fit in a shirt pocket, however, low aperture and manual focus of only two positions - 30 cm and infinity make the "pancake" very strange in terms of expediency (it would be better to have a lens hood or a protective filter included in the package). The kit lens 14-42mm in terms of full frame has a range of equivalent focal lengths of 28-84mm, which is quite enough for most amateur scenes. The lens has two positions - transport (compact) and working.

Sometimes this camera is also equipped with a 40-150 mm telephoto lens (equivalent to 80-300 mm), but this equipment is more expensive.

Screen

A significant part of the rear panel is occupied by a 3-inch touch screen with a resolution of 614,000 pixels. Despite the fact that the screen is touch-sensitive, the phone's menu is designed primarily for joystick navigation. The screen has the ability to embellish colors - a kind of marketing chip, which has recently been very popular with camera manufacturers. Buyers love bright things, and when they come to the store for a camera, they will certainly buy the one that will show the most beautiful picture. On my previous "second" camera (Sony TX10), the screen also showed a very bright and saturated picture, but on the PC screen, the colors often looked frankly faded. Olympus is the same. At first, I was amazed at how bright and saturated the picture it gives (judging by the screen), but on a computer screen, the color reproduction is noticeably calmer (but more on that later).

Governing bodies

The Olympus E-PM2 has a standard set of controls for its class. The vast majority of settings are made through the menu, navigation is carried out by a multifunctional joystick combined with a disk (on the rear panel).

There are three customizable buttons - joystick to the right, joystick to the left and on the top panel the Live Guide button - they can use arbitrary functions from a rather extensive list. The device's menu is organized quite logically, but it has a huge number of items, due to which, at first, working with it can cause difficulties. The purpose of all items is described in the user manual, which, fortunately, is presented in paper form, and not on a disk, as is often the case. There is also an advanced settings menu, through which you can customize the device "for yourself" in all subtleties. For example, in the autofocus settings menu, there are as many as 10 items. You can adjust the white balance correction individually for each mode, as well as for all at once. There is even an option - "Warm tones in automatic BB" (the notorious "signature Olympus color reproduction") - you can turn it on or off. In a word, to climb all the menus and figure out how and what is configured, you need to spend a lot of time. It is desirable, at the same time, to have an idea of what and how to configure, fortunately, the device has a system of pop-up hints (switchable).

Some menu items are translated into Russian incorrectly. I repeatedly read in reviews about "firmware glitches", which consist in incorrect work from the user's point of view. For example, during exposure compensation, the picture on the screen does not change, while the frame is recorded on the flash drive with the specified exposure compensation - lighter or darker than on the screen. This is not a glitch, this is also an option that can be set through the menu item "Monitor" - "Increase LV" (in my understanding, this should have enlarged the fragment with manual focusing, but this did not happen). It turns out that if the option is enabled, exposure compensation when shooting is not displayed on the screen. I suffered for a long time, remembering what and how I did with the settings before I found the cause of this problem! I hope that in the latest firmware versions the Russification of the menu will be implemented more correctly.

Olympus E-PM2 in action

Turning on the camera consists of three steps - remove the cap from the lens, move it to the working position by turning the zoom ring, press the power button on the top panel. All this involves two hands. I think it would not be difficult for manufacturers to combine the lens unlock function with auto power on (add such a setting to the menu).

At first, the menu interface was very unusual - the main menu is touch-sensitive, the settings menu is controlled by buttons and a disk. After some getting used to the specific interface, the camera does not bother at all with its "features".

Autofocus is fast and accurate (at least in good light), comparable in speed to DSLR phase-detection autofocus when working with a kit lens (not USM). However, when the lighting weakens, his work becomes less confident, however, after a couple of passes back and forth, he still clings to some more or less contrasting object. The shutter lag is small. There is a rather nice feature - focusing on touch and subsequent shooting. That is, we poke on the screen at the object that should be in focus, the device aims at it and immediately takes a photo. At first, it was the reason for the appearance of "brilliant" frames due to an accidental touch on the screen, but then I got used to this feature and there were no such random frames. This function can be turned off and photographed by pressing the shutter button.

While shooting, the camera allows you to forget about such things as shutter speed, aperture, ISO. The default ISO sensitivity is automatically selected from the range from 200 to 1600, the limits of the range can be set manually. You can also manually force a fixed ISO sensitivity up to 25600 units, however, it is most convenient to use Auto ISO - it works quite correctly, there is no tendency to overestimate the sensitivity.

The aperture when shooting is responsible for the depth of field, but given the small size of the matrix and, accordingly, small focal length, with a whale lens everything turns out sharp if the sharpness is induced further than 1.5-2 meters. For this reason, using aperture priority mode does not make much sense (unless you are using a fast lens, such as 45mm 1:1.8).

During shooting, you can (and should!) display a "live histogram" on the screen and use it to control the correct exposure. To make sure that there are no overexposed and underexposed areas in the frame and, if they appear, to introduce exposure compensation is almost the only task of a photographer shooting with the Olympus E-PM2. Of course, you can go into full manual mode and manually set shutter speed, aperture and ISO, but what's the point? If the camera itself perfectly copes with this task, why bother with it? Wouldn't it be better to concentrate instead on the artistic part of photography - perfecting the composition, looking for an interesting angle, lighting, yes, in the end - just walking and enjoying the walk light! Working in auto mode, in principle, does not cause any complaints, however, it is still better to use at least the program exposure mode (P), mainly in order to be able to enter exposure compensation and set the desired white balance (if shooting in Jpeg). also in P-A-S-M modes shooting in RAW is possible, which is also a weighty argument in favor of one of these modes.

The next two photos illustrate the difference between the "branded Olympus color reproduction" with warm colors from neutral ones. If the option "preserve warm colors in AWB" is enabled, the result will be:

The second option is with the option disabled:

So try to choose which is better? But if we omit the subjective perception of color reproduction (some people prefer the first option, others the second), I should note that the device has a remarkable dynamic range for its class. These photos have not undergone any processing other than downsizing. Usually in cloudy weather, the colors in the photographs turn out to be rather dull and I want to revive them a little, but in this case I did not want to change anything. The next photo was taken on the same day. The weather was very changeable, in the evening a downpour struck, and after it a rainbow appeared in the sky in the sunset light. I shot from under an umbrella, in some places raindrops are visible in the photo (I don’t like to remove objects from photos):

All settings on the machine, with the exception of a small negative exposure compensation - and just say that the warm white balance is not useful here! :) So, the color reproduction and dynamic range of the Olympus E-PM2 camera are very worthy. And how is it with the level of noise and detail? The Olympus E-PM2 has adjustable noise reduction. The rainbow photo was taken at ISO200 (1/500th of a second) with noise reduction turned off, so it doesn't look good at full scale:

If you turn on the noise reduction, the picture becomes smoother. Unfortunately, it is not possible to check the Olympus noise reduction specifically on this photo, so we apply noise reduction to it in the Lightroom program in order to assess whether the devil is as scary as he is painted.

It got a little better. It's tempting to make a comparison in terms of noise level with the Canon EOS 5D (which, having ISO 50, probably does not know at all that there can be noise in landscape photographs), but still, let's not forget that this camera is amateur and demand from she's not worth more.

The full potential of the camera is realized with high-quality optics. Unfortunately professional Micro lenses It was not possible to try 4/3 on this Olympus, but the full-frame Samyang 14mm 1: 2.8 (through an adapter) turned out to be a chic "landscape" on Olympus, fully revealing the potential of the camera:

If you compare with anything, then with top-end compacts, but here, I think the difference will not be in their favor. The maximum, in my opinion, working ISO for Olympus E-PM2 is 800 units for Jpeg, 1600 units for RAW. If you raise the ISO higher, the picture will gradually turn into a mess of pixels - you don’t even want to post this! Other photos - not very artistic, but full-sized, you can see on Yandex.Fotkah.

Post-processing and art filters

The Olympus E-PM2 camera offers quite extensive opportunities for artistic in-camera processing. To be honest, I didn’t really go into these subtleties, because I prefer to take pictures in RAW, and in this mode, no filters and “improvements” work. However, those who are not friends with Photoshop will most likely be satisfied. The device has the ability to select one of 12 art filters - from banal sepia to simulated soft focus, HDR, etc. Almost all of these filters have a set of settings - basically, adjust the hue, color saturation. Here are some of the filters:

There is an art-bracketing function - shooting one frame and applying the entire set of filters to it (each image is recorded as a separate file), while the camera cannot be used for shooting all the time. In my opinion, a dubious decision - it would be better if the filter could be applied when processing photos during viewing (while maintaining the source). Unused art filters can be disabled through the menu, leaving only the ones you need. Photo processing functions are as follows - lightening shadows, remove red eyes, crop, change proportions, b / w, sepia, saturation, resize, e-Portrait function (improving a portrait). All this, in my opinion, is much more convenient to do on a computer. However, the "resizing" function can help free up space on a clogged flash drive while traveling - you can not delete old, not very valuable frames, but compress them to web size (to post later on a social network), freeing up some space for new ones. The Olympus E-PM2 has HDR bracketing, but it cannot merge three images into one. Maybe it's even for the better - on a computer, this can most often be done much better.

Video filming

Olympus E-PM2 has a video function. The maximum video resolution is 1920 * 1080, 30 frames per second - in this regard, it is inferior to many other devices that, at this resolution, provide a higher frame rate (this is important if you want to make a "slow motion" effect). Nevertheless, for household video sketches, these characteristics are quite enough. An example video can be downloaded from this link (if viewed through a browser, the quality will be poor, download on a PC).

Advantages - good color saturation and image detail. An ordinary household video camera gives more faded colors.

The disadvantages of the video - it feels like the contrast is artificially increased, because of which the lights and shadows are lost (there is not enough dynamic range in difficult conditions), noticeable compression artifacts when moving, if the image has a colorful texture (as in the above video). Autofocus often gets lost even in daylight shooting. Despite the presence of in-camera stabilization, the picture noticeably "jumps" when you turn or move the camera. Based on this, we can conclude that video recording is not main function device, but for shooting more or less static scenes from a tripod (for example, interviews), the device is quite suitable.

Should I buy Olympus Pen E-PM2?

updated 01/22/2019

The Olympus E-PM2 camera was positioned as an amateur entry-level camera, however, devices of a higher class can envy some of its capabilities. For 4 years of use, I have a stable positive impression of this camera, I can safely recommend it to those who are looking for a light and inexpensive camera for travel and trips, family amateur photography. With the advent of the E-PM2, I practically abandoned the Canon EOS 5D, leaving it only for occasional targeted "outings" and commercial shooting.

I liked the camera primarily for its color reproduction, but it worked well mainly in landscape photography - warm and pleasant colors, balanced levels, good dynamic range. Automatic WB has a separate "warm colors" setting. If you turn it off, the colors will be a little colder - for a portrait it is better to use them to avoid the "carrot" skin. The camera is very good in street photography - because of its soapy appearance, it does not attract attention at all, although in this genre a swivel or tilt screen would not hurt (it is in the E-PL series models).

For portrait photography with background blur, this unit is not very good, just like any other Micro 4/3 camera. For more or less good bokeh you need to fork out for a fast fix like Olympus 45mm 1: 1.8 (used costs about 15,000 rubles, new - more than 20). The use of Soviet non-autofocus optics is difficult through the adapter due to the lack of the "focus peaking" function (illumination of the edges of objects in focus), although you can refine yourself and set the Keyline image filter to the Fn button and get some kind of focus peaking, but it smacks of masochism :)

On the this moment the camera can only be found second-hand in commission shops and on private classified sites. In principle, for the price that it is sold (within 10 thousand rubles with a whale lens) this is a normal purchase. But given that its older brother E-PL5 is sold on average only 500 rubles more expensive, it is worth giving preference to it - if only because of the presence of a PASM disk and a folding screen. In all other characteristics and photo quality, they are absolutely the same.

And yet - when buying a used Olympus, you need to carefully look at the state of the controls. The weak point of the E-PM2 (and not only it) is the control dials. In my device, after 3 years of use, the dial on the rear panel stopped working as expected - instead of adjusting the exposure (or something else, depending on the mode), it just jumped back and forth between adjacent values. I observed a similar problem with the disk on the flagship model of that time - Olympus OM-D E-M1, there were problems with the disk on the top panel, it sometimes "missed" clicks. An attempt to repair this defect in the E-PM2 was unsuccessful, the master did not undertake it, because after looking at the design he assumed that the cost of repair would be comparable to the cost of the camera (although, perhaps, he was just too lazy to deal with it).

The Olympus Pen E-PL1 camera was announced on February 3, 2010. On November 16, 2010, a slightly upgraded version of the Olympus Pen E-PL1s was announced. The difference between the two models is basically doubling the maximum sensitivity (to ISO-6400) and switching to the new BLS-5 battery, while still being compatible with the old BLS-1 battery. The new BLS-5 battery complies with the stricter safety standard effective in Japan from November 2011. In my opinion, these innovations are not so significant as to make the review of the PL1 camera irrelevant. On January 6, 2011, the Olympus Pen E-PL2 camera was announced. This camera is closer to the E-P2 in terms of controls and is not officially a successor and replacement for the E-PL1.

The size of the camera depends on the size of the matrix, but if the camera has interchangeable lenses, then this dependence falls entirely on the lens, and the camera itself, even with a large matrix, can only slightly exceed the frame size. Comparing the Pen E-PL1 with the Sony NEX-5, you can see that despite the Sony model's matrix size being twice as large, this camera itself is much more compact.

In the working position, a longer focal length lens, with a similar optical design, is inevitably larger, but you can fight for the transport position.

The design of the standard lens M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42 mm 1:3.5-5.6 is interesting in that it has two positions: transport and working. When you turn the zoom ring, you move from the transport position to the working position, but to return back, park the lens, you need to depress the special lock.

HDMI and USB/AV connectors

Camera control is done in style compact cameras, i.e. buttons rather than scroll wheels are used to select options. This is less efficient for those who are used to setting all the parameters themselves, but not critical for those who are used to relying on automation. And it is for them that this junior model. Two scroll wheels are present in the older P2 model, one is in the new E-PL2. However, the hierarchical menu is very rich and provides full access to settings. I note that the configuration options through the menu are much richer than those of the Sony NEX. And this once again confirms my thesis that the micro 4/3 camera is quite ready to compete with mid-level SLR cameras in terms of functionality.

The huge menu contains settings for all occasions. Accustomed, in the style of Kyiv-Nikon, to rotate the lens clockwise to aim at infinity - please. Used to, in the style of Zenith-Canon, in the opposite direction - again, please. The motor drive allows you to solve this problem through the menu without having to make two frames for one lens, as Samyang had to do for their 14 mm motorized lens. Settings for every taste, and probably no photographer will use them all. For supporters of the classical school, there are shutter speeds, aperture and stabilization mode settings. For lovers of modern computer miracles, there are scenarios that allow you to solve problems in one motion, to which I have devoted entire articles, such as, for example, "Shooting fireworks" and "From the life of bees, or About macro photography in nature". There are also a huge number of artistic filters that allow you to get something far from reality without resorting to graphics editor. However, all this, unlike soap dishes, is not annoying, since you can simply not enter these menus, but operate with the usual shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity. In my opinion, an extra menu with manual settings will not change the price of the soap dish and can be hidden so deep that those who like not to read the instructions will not find it, but this would make the soap dish not just a toy, but a developing toy, but for an experienced photographer, albeit not quickly , would allow him to get what he wants, and not the computer intelligence of the camera. You will probably have to admit that with intelligence the camera is often better than the photographer, but proper self-esteem is the way to improve :-)

A certain disappointment is the camera's LCD screen. The 2.7-inch screen with 230K dots is enough for the job. But today its picture seems too rough compared to competitors. On the other hand, those who want extra sharp pictures can buy the optional VF-2 electronic viewfinder, which connects to the camera via a connector located under the flash's hot shoe, and is one of the best interchangeable viewfinders available, providing an image of 800x600 pixels, with each pixel being created by a triad of three dots: blue, green, and red.

Another, in my opinion, a significant disadvantage of this model is the lack of any remote control. Neither wire nor infrared design is provided. This can be a significant argument against, from the point of view of those who like to engage in special types of photography. When shooting handheld, the camera is quite comfortable. If you install a fast lens Jupiter 3 (1: 1.5) on it, then with the stabilization turned on, you can shoot portraits indoors without additional lighting.

Unlike the older model, this camera has a built-in flash, so the problem of lack of illumination, even with a not very fast standard lens, is not worth it.

So far, my exposure to micro 4/3 cameras has been limited to Panasonic products. This model was the first Olympus camera that fell into my hands. The general impression is that the micro 4/3 standard, embodied in Panasonic and Olympus solutions, is by far the most feature-rich among non-SLR cameras with interchangeable optics. The main differences between the cameras of the two manufacturers lie in the field of taste of their potential buyers. However, there are several differences in design that can be a serious argument when choosing a camera. The fundamental difference between the Olympus Pen E-PL1 is that image stabilization is implemented by moving the matrix. Konica Minolta was the first to use such a system in its Dynax 7D camera. In an article dedicated to this model, I dwelled on its design in detail. Here I will only note that if you turn off the camera with the lens removed, you can see how the matrix shifts, and this shift is quite noticeable. If we compare Olympus and Panasonic cameras with standard lenses (Panasonic uses stabilization built into the lens), then, in my opinion, there is no fundamental difference for the consumer in how stabilization is implemented: the result will be similar. A significant difference will appear if we try to use interchangeable non-autofocus lenses. In this case, you can set their focal length in the menu, and the stabilizer will work relatively correctly with them. A similar solution is used by Pentax, and I wrote about this in an article on the Pentax K-7 camera.

When testing the Olympus Pen E-PL1 camera, I tried to qualitatively evaluate the effectiveness of stabilization in an extreme case. A Samyang 500mm F:8 lens was mounted on the camera, and I shot it handheld with manual focus, stabilization on and off.

A well-known mnemonic rule from the time of film cameras says that in order to get a picture without blur, you need to set the shutter speed numerically shorter than the focal length of the lens. Considering that the micro 4/3 standard matrix has a size of 17.3 × 13 mm, i.e. half the linear size of a film camera frame, for reliable shooting without blur, it would be necessary to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/1000 s or faster.

An analysis of 40 shots showed that at shutter speeds longer than 1/100 s, stabilization reduces the amount of blur, but does not completely eliminate it. With shutter speeds in the range of 1/100-1/200 s, there is a chance to get sharp shots both with stabilization turned off and on, and in the latter case this chance is higher. At shutter speeds shorter than 1/200 s, the inclusion of stabilization leads to a significant reduction in marriage.