Dirt Cheap Cameras Reviews

The new Olympus E-P2 features a port for a new high resolution electronic viewfinder (or external microphone), two new Art filters and a pearlescent black finish. It also gains AF tracking and includes a new i-Enhance ‘colour boosting’ function.

The Olympus E-P2  will be available from January 2010.

gizmodo reviews the Olympus E-P2 and writes:
“The Olympus E-P2 is less a sequel to the E-P1 micro four thirds camera and more a refinement of the original idea. It’s basically the same size as the E-P1 (a hair taller, actually), and snaps shots with the same 12.3MP sensor.”

cnet reviews the Olympus E-P2 and writes:
“The E-P2 also features two new art filters, bringing the total to eight — the additions are “Diorama” (or tilt-shift) and “Cross Process”, the latter of which, we’ve been told, produces a similar effect to that when cross-processing E-6 slide film in C-41 chemicals.”

The Olympus E-P2 – main features:

Small & stylish design

* Extremely small and light-weight Micro Four Thirds System
* Stylish design with black metal finish
* Accessory port to clip-on electronic viewfinder and microphone adapter

SLR image quality

* 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor
* TruePic V image processor
* Built-in IS with max. 4 EV steps efficiency
* Adapter for all ZUIKO DIGITAL & OM lenses

Easy operation

* Live Control GUI for intuitive handling & real-time views of effects
* Automatic recognition of common scenes possible with i-Auto
* i-Enhance function to boost colours
* Clear skin with e-Portrait
* AF Tracking
* Two dials for easy handling
* Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology
* 20 shooting modes (5 exposure, i-Auto, 14 scene modes)

Creativity & HD Movie

* HD Movie with stereo sound featuring depth of field and Art Filters now available in M-mode
* 8 Art Filters, Multi-Aspect ratios
* Multi Exposure function
* Art Filters can be applied to previously taken RAW images in the camera and with Olympus software
* Enhanced creativity with special lenses e.g. fisheye is available via Four Thirds lens adapter

Specifications:

Sensor:
• 4/3″ Hi-Speed Live MOS sensor
• 17.3 x 13.0 mm active area
• 13.1 million total pixels
• 12.3 million effective pixels
• RGB (Primary) color filter array
• Fixed low pass filter (anti-alias filter)

Dust suppression:
•Supersonic Wave Filter

Image stabilization:
• “Supersonic Wave Drive” (in-body sensor shift)
• Three modes: Horizontal+Vertical, Vertical only, Horizontal only
• Up to 4 EV Compensation (claimed)

Image processor:
• TruePic V

Image sizes (Still):
• 4032 x 3024
• 3200 x 2400
• 2560 x 1920
• 1600 x 1200
• 1280 x 960
• 1024 x 768
• 640 x 480

Image sizes (Movie):
• 1280 x 720 (HD)
• 640 x 480

Aspect Ratio:
• 4:3(Default), 3:2, 16:9, 6:6

File formats:
• RAW
• RAW + JPEG
• JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
• AVI Motion JPEG

Lenses:
• Micro Four Thirds Mount
• Range of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses available
• Multiply focal length by 2 for 35 mm equiv. FOV
• Compatible with standard Four Thirds lenses via adapter.

Auto focus:
• Imager Contrast Detection AF system
• 11-area multiple AF
• When non High-speed imager AF compatible lens is used, it works as AF assist.
• AF Tracking

Focus Area Selectable:
• Automatic
• Manual
• Auto from all 11 area, Single area from 11 area
• Auto from 25 area when Face detection is ON
• Free selection (from 225points) when Magnified View Mode is selected

Focus modes:
• Single shot AF (S- AF)
• Continuous AF (C-AF)
• Manual focus (MF)
• Single + Continous (S-AF+ MF)

Manual focus:
• Focus by wire

AF assist lamp:
• No

Exposure modes:
• Auto
• Program AE (with shift)
• Aperture priority AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Manual
• Art Filter
• Scene select

Scene modes:
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Macro
• Sport
• Night + Portrait
• Children
• High Key
• Low Key
• DIS mode
• Nature Macro
• Candle
• Documents
• Panorama
• Beach & Snow

Art Filter:
• Pop art
• Soft focus
• Pale & light color
• Light tone
• Grainy film
• Pin hole
• Diorama
• Cross-Process

Sensitivity:
• Auto : ISO 200 – 3200 (customizable, Default 200-800)
• Manual ISO 100 – 6400, 1/3 or 1 EV steps

Metering system:
• TTL Image Sensor metering system
• 49-zone multi-pattern

Metering modes:
• Digital ESP
• Center-Weighted Average
• Spot (2%)
• Highlight based spot
• Shadow based spot

AE Lock:
• AE lock available
• AF lock with shutter release half-press in Single AF mode

AE Bracketing:
• 3 frames
• 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1.0 EV steps

Exposure compen.:
• -3.0 to +3.0 EV
• 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps

Shutter speed:
• 60-1/4000 sec

Flash X-sync speed:
• 1/30 – 1/180

White balance:
• Auto
• Cloudy
• Shade
• Flash
• Daylight
• Fluorescent 1
• Fluorescent 2
• Fluorescent 3
• Lamp
• 1 custom preset
• Kelvin (2000 – 14000 K)

WB fine tuning:
• Red – Blue: +/- 7 steps (2 mired each)
• Green – Magenta: +/- 7 steps (2 mired each)

WB Bracketing:
• 3 frames
• 2, 4 or 6 mired steps

Color space:
• sRGB
• Adobe RGB

Image parameters:
• Saturation – 5 levels (Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted)
• Sharpness – 5 levels (Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone)
• Contrast- 5 levels (Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone)
• B&W filter (Yellow, Orange, Red, Green)
• B&W/Sepia toning (Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green)
• Gradation (4 levels)

Drive modes:
• Single
• Sequential
• Self-timer

Continuous:
• 3.0 fps
• RAW: 10 frames maximum

Self-timer:
• 2 sec
• 12 sec

External Flash:
• Hot-Shoe
• Compatible with E-system Flash (FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-50, FL-36, FL-20, FL-14)
• External Flash Control : TTL Auto, Auto, Manual, FP-TTL-Auto, FP-Manual
• Modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Manual (1/4, 1/16, 1/64), Off.
• Flash power: Up to +/- 3EV in 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps

Super Control Panel information:
• Battery information
• Shooting mode
• Shutter speed
• Aperture value
• Exposure compensation value
• ISO sensitivity
• Exposure compensation indicator
• Exposure indicator
• Flash intensity compensation indicator
• Date
• Auto BKT setting
• NR setting, WB
• WB compensation value
• Record mode
• Flash Status
• Record mode
• Image size
• Drive mode
• Flash intensity compensation value
• Metering mode
• Recordable still image number
• Focusing mode
• Gradation
• IS activating mode
• Face detection
• My Mode
• Multi Exposure
• Aspect Ratio
• Super FP
• AF frame
• Colour space
• Sharpness
• Contrast
• Saturation
• Internal Temperature Warning

Orientation sensor:
• Yes

Electronic Viewfinder:
• External (included)

LCD monitor:
• 3.0″ HyperCrystal LCD with Anti-Reflective Coating
• 230,000 pixels
• 100% frame coverage
• 15 step brightness adjustment
• 15 step Color Balance adjustment (R-B, G-M)

Live View:
• 100% field of view
• Max 8 frames of face detection can be displayed
• AF operation
• 7x – 10x magnification

Live View Modes:
• Normal Mode
• Grid Line Mode
• Histogram Mode(3 types)
• Magnified View Mode
• Comparable View Mode
• OFF Mode (for OVF user)

Live View Information:
• Aperture value
• Shutter speed
• Auto Bracket
• AE Lock
• AF mode
• IS
• Shooting Mode
• Battery Check
• My Mode
• Internal Temperature Warning
• Face Detection
• Histogram
• Number of storable still pictures
• Record mode
• ISO
• Sequential shooting
• Self-timer
• White Balance
• Metering Mode
• AF confirmation mark
• Exposure Compensation Value
• Spot metering Area
• Only when E-system Flash attached : Flash Mode, Flash Status, Flash intensity Control, Super FP

Playback functions:
• Single-frame
• Information Display
• Index Display(4/9/16/25/49/100 frames, Calendar)
• Close-up (2 – 14X)
• Movie (w/sound, FF/REW/Pause)
• Picture rotation (auto mode available)
• Slideshow(Still/Movie/Still+Movie, Slide show w/BGM/BGM+Sound/Sound)

Editing:
• RAW development
• JPEG editing (B&W, Sepia, Red eye reduction, Color saturation, Resize, Shadow Adjustment Technology, Anti red-eye)

Storage:
• SD/SDHC

Connectivity:
• USB 2.0 (Hi Speed)
• Mini HDMI
• Video Out (NTSC / PAL)
• IR Remote control (optional)

Optional Accessories:
• Remote cable RM-UC1
• Flash FL-14
• Adaptor MF-2 for OM lenses
• Adaptor MMF-1 for four thirds lenses

Power:
• BLS-1 1150 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (supplied & charger)

Dimensions:
• 121mm (W) x 70mm (H) x 36mm (D) (excluding protrusions)
4.7″ x 2.7″ x 1.4″

Weight (no batt):
• 335g (0.7 lb)