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Buyer's Guide Cameras SLRs Under $1,000 Olympus PEN E-P1
Buyer's Guide Cameras SLRs Under $1,000 Olympus PEN E-P1
 
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Olympus Pen E-P1ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $799 (w/14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 lens)No, it’s not technically a D-SLR, and it’s really a whole new category of digital camera. Olympus’ new E-P1—the company’s first Micro Four Thirds System model—offers a size and weight closer to that of a compact digital camera, but with the creative possibilities of interchangeable lenses. It’s a knockout design, and we see a lot of potential in this new format. To clear up any confusion about the new Micro Four Thirds models being introduced by Olympus and Panasonic, note that “Micro” doesn’t apply to the camera sensor. The 12.3-megapixel sensor used in the E-P1 is the same-sized sensor used in the Olympus Four Thirds System D-SLRs. The difference between the two systems is that Micro Four Thirds omits the mirror and pentaprism used in SLRs. The drawback is that there’s no optical viewfinder; the benefit is a much smaller body and smaller lenses.
As there’s no optical viewfinder, you’ll rely on the three-inch, live-view LCD for composition. It’s a beautiful display, and the anti-reflective coating is effective in most situations, though we did have some difficulty getting a good view in extremely bright outdoor conditions. The E-P1 can capture up to three frames per second, in bursts of up to 10 RAW images or about 12 JPEGs, depending on your resolution and compression settings. You can set the camera to capture both RAW and JPEG files simultaneously, too. In addition to still images, the E-P1 also records 720 HD video clips up to seven minutes in length and 14-minute standard-definition clips. There’s a built-in stereo mic, too. |
VERDICT: Sleek and compact, the E-P1 blends the portability of a point-and-shoot with the creative flexibility of interchangeable lenses.
 Olympus E-620If you’re not ready to give up your optical viewfinder, the E-620 offers many of the creative features of the E-P1, including multiple exposures and the Art Filters. It also offers faster AF performance by including phase-detection AF when not in Live View mode. The 12.3-megapixel E-620 has an estimated street price of $699 with a 14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 lens. |
 Olympus E-450For about the same price as the E-620 with one lens, you can pick up the E-450 with two lenses: a 14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 and a 40-150mm ƒ/4-5.6. The 10-megapixel E-450 is extremely light and compact for an SLR, includes Face Detection technology and can capture up to 3.5 frames per second. |
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