List price as of Dec 21, 2009:
S$1698
S$1698
Product Summary
Very good
The good: High-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) offers large view of shot; interesting new Art Filters; classic black color camera body; accessory port for other peripherals. 7.8
out of 10View score
The bad: Too similar to the E-P1; EVF saps battery fast; still no onboard flash; focusing can be faster.
The bottom line: Olympus second effort for Micro Four Thirds camera feels somewhat half-hearted, but users who wish to try their hands on this new format will find the E-P2 an attractive choice.
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CNET Asia Review
The Olympus E-P2 was announced five months after Olympus unveiled its first Micro Four Thirds camera, the E-P1. From the looks to the basic features, the E-P2 bears striking resemblance to the E-P1, with the exception of a black-only option for the camera body and few new tricks.
One of these is an external electronic viewfinder (EVF) that has a super high resolution like the one used in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1. For users who cannot get enough of Olympus' Art Filters, the E-P2 has two new effects which deliver some pretty neat shots without having to edit the images on a computer.
For this review, we won't be delving into the usual aspects such as design and image quality. This is because the E-P2 is very similar to the E-P1 in these areas so you can check those out here.
We will concentrate on the new features and how they performed.
1.44-megapixel EVF
One of the highlights of the E-P2 is its accessory port below the hotshoe that can accommodate peripherals. The VF-2 EVF is one of them. It is capable of showing 1.44 million dots, or a resolution of 1.44 megapixels. This makes the view through it sharper and much clearer than a conventional EVF. Compared to the Lumix DMC-GF1's EVF which has a resolution of only 0.23 megapixels, we much preferred the Olympus.)
Interestingly, the G1/GH1 uses the same high-resolution EVF (but built into the camera body) but we still liked the Olympus' better. This is because it provides a much larger view (according to the firm, it is as big as the viewfinder on the E-3 dSLR) and we don't have to squint our eyes using it.
The refresh rate is astonishingly fast and has minimal jitter, though we found the color reproduction slightly inaccurate. The VF-2 delivered tones that looked warmer than what was displayed on the rear LCD. While that wouldn't be a problem for most situations, it can be an issue when lighting conditions vary and white balance is critical.
If you're wondering whether you can use the VF-2 on the GF1, the answer is no. This is because the ports on both cameras are different and hence you cannot use the accessories interchangeably between the two shooters.
An interesting phenomenon we observed during our tests was that the VF-2 actually sapped more power from the battery than by using just the rear LCD to frame shots. Typically, EVFs consume less energy and shutterbugs would use them to eke out more shots from their cameras. When the EVF was in use, we managed to shoot about 180 pictures as compared to 270 shots using only the LCD. We didn't use any Art Filters for the duration of our tests, so the figure can vary depending on your usage.
Comparison shots between the E-P1, E-P2 and GF1. Click for larger images:
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New Art Filters, i-Enhance and autofocus tracking
The two new Art Filters in the E-P2 are Diorama and Cross Process. We had lots of fun using these two effects for our shots. Diorama mimics the look of tilt-shift lens by focusing on only a small portion of the image and blurring the rest, making it look as though the subjects are scale models. Cross Process is an effect you get when you develop slide film with the wrong chemicals and the colors turn out differently. Take a look below to see the images taken using these two filters.
Shot taken using the Diorama Art Filter. Notice how the people look like scale models. (Credit: Leonard Goh/CNET Asia)
Picture taken with Cross Process Art Filter. The hues look slightly warp in this shot. (Credit: Leonard Goh/CNET Asia)
Also, the new Art Filters can be employed when recording videos. In Diorama mode, the frame rate drops drastically but this makes the clip quite interesting because it looks like a stop motion film. However, no audio is captured for this setting. Movies shot using Cross Process are much smoother with sound.
Colors in photos taken with i-Enhance look more vibrant. (Credit: Leonard Goh/CNET Asia)
In Program mode, the tones were slightly muted. (Credit: Leonard Goh/CNET Asia)
The E-P2 has an autofocus tracking mode which is absent in the E-P1. It worked well when we tried it, but it also showed the difference in speed of focusing between Olympus and Panasonic, with the latter being faster. When the subject moved around within the frame, the E-P2 tended to hunt for the focus point a fair bit and was slightly slow.
Conclusion
In many ways, the E-P2 should have been what the E-P1 was. Many photographers have voiced their displeasure at Olympus for releasing the E-P2 so quickly after the E-P1 went on sale. But the company is trying to justify it by saying that the E-P2 is meant for a slightly more advanced audience looking to make use of the HD video-recording function more. This is backed up by the introduction of the SEMA-1, a microphone adapter that fits into the accessory port.)
If you're an E-P1 user now, we don't think it's worthwhile to upgrade to the E-P2. Price wise, the E-P1 costs S$1,298 (US$916.34) with the 14-42mm kit lens, while the same package for the E-P2 retails for S$1,698 (US$1,198.73). But shutterbugs looking to explore the world of Micro Four Thirds will find it a good option especially if you want a high-resolution EVF. Take note that the Panasonic GF1 offers faster focusing, so assess your needs before taking the plunge.
Tags: chemicals, microphone adapter, Olympus E-P2, VF-2 EVF, Diorama
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