Camera Labs

I agree the built-in IS and hopefully good high ISO performance eliminate the need for a flash in many situations. I took some of my favourite portraits with an old Pentax MX 35mm SLR (with no flash) and Kodak P3200 film. The natural light looked good, and the subjects were always relaxed as they assumed I couldn't possibly grab a shot under those conditions without a flash.

But I'd still want one in a compact, not so much for dark conditions, but as a fill-in on bright days. It's still a serious ommission in my personal view, but I appreciate it may not bother others.

It still looks like an exciting camera though and I'm looking forward to testing a final production sample. (and don't ask, I don't know when!)

There's a lot of technology stuffed into the E-P1. The absence of a built in flash doesn't bother me. Although those brought up on p&s compacts will probably look for it. If you've got decent low light/high iso capability and image stabilization, that pretty much takes care of most situations, unless for some reason you'd want a Martin Parr'ish style of fill in. In which case a better flash would be preferable to a built in mini thing. Leica M series did without one, so I don't see what all the fuss is about.

This camera could develop into a massively flexible tool. There's all kinds of chat about adapters for fitting lenses from all manufacturers. I expect third party companies are all ready getting busy. And I've seen ideas for tilt/shift adapters.

As a long time user of an OM2 (now defunct) it's great that Olympus are back in the business of innovation. I've a Nikon DSLR, which is fine, but it's never captured my heart in the way my old OM2 did. If I'm going to fall for a hunk of metal, then the EP1 has all the right credentials.

AAA batteries are available everywhere and they fit in most AA chargers. Apart from that many remote controls use AAA batteries and they are not expensive.

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Olympus E-500, 12-60, 40-150, 70-300

argh I hate AAA batteries. They run out so much faster, and he has a legitimate point about having to buy AAA rechargeable. Most techies have AA RC batteries, but not AAAs...

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

The EP-1 looks like an awesome camera. I wouldn't mind buying one as a carry around tool as lugging about a DSLR may not always be the best option.

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PhilipGoh.com

The release/retail price of the EP-1 is sounding more competitive now. I was checking the prices of the Panny LX3 and Canon G10 yesterday, and they now have a street price of $500 or more. As of 12/2008, the G10 was $400 and the LX3 was $380. So much for the theory that prices go down as time passes! Well, at least as of now, and much to Oly's delight, enthusiast P&S users only have to fork out an additional $250-300 to get an EP-1 instead of a LX3 or G10.

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Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

Somebody wanted to know what a E-P1 with viewfinder woul look like. And this is what they came up with



designed like this, I would buy without thinking.

btw. I really think there are some similarities with the Voigtlander Bessa cameras.
The first Bessa (Bessa L) was a scale focus camera (no viewfinder or rangefinder). Because of the scale focus system only lenses of 35mm and wider could be used.
This is exact the type of shooting where the E-P1 excels. But the Lcd display and the AF system, make it possible to use longer lenses.
So now i'm hoping the next Oly m4/3, will be the equivalent of the Voigtlander Bessa R

For some reason, prices for more professional cameras all went up recently. As a general rule of thumb however the prices will drop pretty quickly after release.

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

I believe Olympus is releasing a larger micro-four-thirds with all the extraneous stuff like a viewfinder at the end of the year, aren't they? Olympus has previewed it at trade shows as an undefined shape hidden beneath a silk sheet. So there's no need for people to imagine a modified E-P1. Besides, whoever mocked up that E-P1 put the flash too close to the lens -- it would be red-eye every time.

Back on the topic of the REAL EP-1, seems like most reviewers got the silver one instead of the white. And I notice that BH is only taking pre-orders for ONE of the white models. I wonder if this means the white ones will be the most rare?

I know that of all the various body/lens combination kits, the white body with silver zoom is the one I want.

Can I mention the unofficial Facebook page for the E-P1? Granted, there's no reason to join it other than the way that when you join, all your Facebook friends will see the update and perhaps become intruiged, but, whoever said Facebook made any sense?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=192007810061

That shot of the E-P1 with the viewfinder looks like the Panasonic L-1/Leica Digilux 3.

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Graham
Flickr

In an interview here it is stated the E-P1 will have models above and below it.

Possible features for a higher (possibly bigger) model would be the EVF and body flash.

But what could they cut to make a lower model? The only thing I can think of right now is the stabilisation system in a parallel move to the E-4xx and E-5xx cameras. Might make it slightly smaller and cheaper, but the size will still be limited by the mount size.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Well...the posted videos on other sites look very good...better than the GH1 IMHO (actually, I have been less than impressed with the GH1).

However, it is recording MJPEG which is VERY old technology. In LAB Mode, the colors are clearly big sloppy bands. There was also edge sharping in several frames.

What is disappointing is they are recording over 30Mb/s for a 720p30 image. That is more bandwidth per image pixel than a Canon 5D Mark II. Unlike the Canon, it doesn't have Moire problems from row skipping. If they had recorded it in H.264 it may have been among the best images out there.

Second disappointment, but an expected disappoint, is that the HDMI doesn't operate in Live View/recording mode, only in playback. It operates in viewing/recording mode on nearly every camcorder from about $400 up but so far only on the D90 in Live View. And there, it is not the full image but the Live View image.

At its price point it competes against entry level 4/3rds and APS-C DSLRs where its small size is an advantage. And at this time it is the least expensive 4/3rds/APS-C/Full-Frame camera with HD video capability, all be it by very little under the Pentax K-7, Canon 500D/T1i, and Nikon D5000.

its got a nice leica feel to it, great for the back pocket when the DLSR is kept at home!

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Mark Osborne
My life through an iPhone

I have a stronger feeling that the white body with 17mm lens is not actually available in the United States. Some places list it, but most, such as Amazon and Mike's and J&R omit that particular configuration. Why???

The configurations are SUPPOSED to be:

• E-P1 Kit Silver/Black
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens black)

• E-P1 Kit Silver/Silver
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver)

• E-P1 Kit White/Silver
(E-P1 body white & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver)

• E-P1 Pancake Kit Silver
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver & VF-1)

• E-P1 Pancake Kit White (evidently not available in the United States???)
(E-P1 body white & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver & VF-1)

• E-P1 Double Lens Kit (confirmed as not available in the United States)
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver & VF-1)

Just a couple of comments about this situation:

this trend towards a smaller DSLR is a good one. there are those of us, myself included, who would like a compact sized digital AND the quality of a DSLR. so hopefully, the trend will catch on with some other companies. Sony, nudge, nudge, wink, wink .... so i have a vested interest in seeing Sony getting on the band wagon, since i have invested in some Minolta lenses to go with the A200.

anyway, back on topic. some of you say you would not miss the viewfinder, but it comes in really handy in bright light conditions when the LCD isn't so useful. Also about the flash ... some of us don't use flash that much, but who wants to carry around a flash that we may or may not use, but might regret leaving at home. (do enough of that with lenses!)