I am not disappointed at all with the price/performance of the E-PM2. I got it from an Amazon Marketplace seller on sale for $499 and I sold the bundled lens on Ebay for $119 because I prefer prime lenses--new and latest generation, best image quality Olympus has to offer in a digital camera, for $380 net of sold lens.What I like about the new E-PM2
--Great low light abilities. Pics at ISO 3200 are still good.
--Touch screen controls are quick. I find I can work the controls on this camera faster than the E-PL3 I previously owned.
--Focuses better and faster than the previous generation PEN.
--Includes a little grip on the front. Makes handling camera much better.
I have previously owned Canon APS-C DLSR equipment and had purchased some high end L lenses.
I soon found that my favorite pics were using a 50mm f/1.2, shooting without flash, indoors and wide open most of the time.
I sold my Canon gear a couple years back and decided due to financial and social constraints, I needed a far less expensive camera that had to be small so it would not annoy people, and could still take beautiful pictures.
I read loads of great things about the new Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens, but was hesitant with micro 4/3's due to the sensors lagging behind their APS-C cousins. Not wanting to wait any longer, there were some crazy inexpensive deals on the Olympus E-PL3 during the summer. I sold the kit lens, which by the way is good, and started shooting with the 45mm attached. I got some great photos, but as many of the shots I take are in low light, I was often let down by the 12MP sensor on the E-PL3. The high ISO capabilities showed too much noise at anything higher than ISO 800.
I was very pleased when I saw the OMD E-5 hit the market cause I knew its lower priced siblings would soon be on their way.
Bottom line is the E-PM2 can take photographs that look like more than just snapshots, and deserve to be called portraits. Remember, it is not just the camera, but the lens you put on it that makes the whole package. While the $399 45mm f/1.8 lens is great, it is not in the same class as the $1,600 Canon 50mm f/1.2, but I cannot justify the $1201 difference. As for image quality, at 16mp of near perfection for the price, you would need an immensely more expensive full frame DSLR and/or professional quality full-frame DSLR lenses to substantially improve your photos.
If you want compact and quality, Micro 4/3's is a much better size over any APS-C format camera, and the Micro 4/3's camp have hands-down the best selection of lenses out there for mirror-less cameras.
For me, there is no other choice if you are looking for an inexpensive camera and interchangeable lens system. PEN E-PM2 gets 5 stars from me.
*****REVISION*****
I have been using the camera on-the-go lately. Have to say it is hard to get an in-focus shot of faster moving subjects--kids. Yes, I am using a thin-depth-of-field at f/1.8, but even my old crop-sensor 8mp Canon DSLR from 2007 did better in continuous focus. Still love the form factor. Look forward to further improvements in mirror-less camera focusing. Will still leave 5-stars because this camera is NOT a DSLR. if you need DSLR features, then, for now, it is still only a DLSR can that deliver.
I believe each of the PEN series cameras offer a remarkable balance of portability, automated/manual controls and high image quality. It can be confusing though sorting through all the different yet similar cameras which now is in its fourth generation
The first three generation PEN series cameras essentially use the same sensor. Consequently, the image quality is similar especially for the first two generations (E-P1, E-PL1 & E-P2, E-PL2). One of the problems with the first two generation PEN series cameras is the lack of a focus assist infrared beam; auto-focusing is slow (and sometimes non-existent) in dim lighting. Also, the LCDs on the E-P1 & E-PL1 are not great.
The E-PL1 & E-PL2 each have a built in flash; the E-P1 & E-P2 does not (nor does the 3rd generation E-PL3, E-PM1, nor 4th generation E-PL5 or E-PM2). The built in flash on the E-PL1 & E-PL2 have a great (undocumented) feature; the ability to 'bounce' the built in flash for a much nicer flash result similar to an (albeit weak) external flash.
The third generation PENs (E-PL3, E-PM1, E-P3) finally included an infrared focus beam greatly improving auto-focus in dim lighting. The third generation used the same sensor as in previous PENs. However, there was a definite improvement (to the already good) color reproduction including automatic white balance presumably due to an updated .jpg processing engine (the raw files show less improvement). The color reproduction and automatic white balance on these third generation PEN cameras (especially at ISO 1600 and below and when using an external bounce flash) is as good as any camera I have ever used including very expensive DSLRs. Only the E-P3 of this generation has a built in flash but flash bounce capabilities have inexplicably been disabled on this flash.
The fourth (latest) generation (E-PM2, E-PL5, OM-D) uses a new(16mp)sensor providing better resolution and better/faster auto-focusing especially in dim lighting conditions. The real improvement is remarkably clean photos without much loss of detail at higher ISO settings. Although up until ISO 1600 the differences in noise levels are almost imperceptible, above ISO 1600 the E-PM2 (and O-MD) are in a class by themselves even compared to much more expensive cameras. It is truly amazing. Olympus includes incremental ISO settings between stops(ie ISO 2000) on all of their PEN models which is also helpful in not using a higher than needed ISO setting (Are you paying attention CANON & NIKON?).
However, the E-PM2 (and EPL-5 & OM-D) takes a step backwards from earlier PEN series cameras (especially the 3rd generation E-PM1, E-PL3 & E-P3) when comparing color reproduction and white balance (especially in good light/base ISO settings). Also, The E-PM2 and E-PL5 do not have a built in flash (its not clear why such small cameras would require the use of an external flash).
The included 14-42mm (28-84mm equiv) Kit lens is the same lens bundled with the 2nd and 3rd generation PEN series cameras and is similar (an ounce lighter) to the kit lens included in the first generation PEN series cameras. Other available kit lenses include the 17mm (34mm equiv) pancake prime lens and the 12-50mm (24-100mm equiv) lens included with the flagship O-MD.
The 12-50mm (24-100mm equiv) lens included on the O-MD and available separately is a very versatile lens especially at wide angle. But its image quality is no better than the other kit lenses and it is about the twice the weight. This heavier weight makes the lens unsuitable for the EPM-1 or E-PM2 cameras. The 17mm (34mm equiv) lens is really thin and light and turns any of these cameras (except the OM-D) into a true pocket camera. The f/2.8 aperture is very bright and well suited to the earlier PEN series cameras. Olympus consistently produces very sharp lenses capturing the finest details and each of these lenses are no exception.
Which one to buy? Any of the PEN series cameras will not disappoint. The answer really depends on your needs and budget; If color reproduction and automatic white balance is most important consider the E-P3, E-PL3 or E-PM1. If really quick autofocus, higher resolution and using high ISO settings are important then the E-PM2, E-PL5 or OM-D would be a good choice. If price and a built in bounce flash is important, the E-PL1 or E-PL2.
Buy Olympus E-PM2 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera White Now
The Olympus E-PM2 camera, which I ordered for $100 off on black friday arrived. First things first: The quality of raw images of E-PM2 rivals many APS-C cameras, and it's the best in mu4/3 realm. Plus the camera is tiny compared to a DSLR. Does it deliver on the promises? Some thoughts after a month of use:Pros:
* Low ISO images have certain depth and clarity that I only used to get with a DSLR (I've previously owned Canon DSLRs including Rebel Xti, 40D, 5dMkII).
* Colors & auto white balance of images are pretty good. Rich yet natural.
* Autofocus with Olympus 45mm f/1.8 is impressive. Initial acquisition is very fast in good light. Allows me to take pictures of our 1yr old toddler while he's on the move (mind you, he's not a sprinter).
* The camera is pretty fast in high speed mode. Shot-to-shot blackout time is short. Writing on SD card is quick.
* Touch-shutter works really well. I either use the center-point focus or touch shutter, both of which are fast and effective.
* The camera itself is good looking compared to most alternatives (I ordered the white one).
Cons:
* User interface has a long way to go to become photographer friendly.
-Changing the aperture in aperture-priority mode is inconvenient (dial only controls exposure compensation; changing aperture requires several button pushes).
-Small fonts are difficult to read (especially ISO).
-Settings like ISO, aperture, exposure time are not displayed in image preview, unless you go to the detailed view which shrinks the image to 1/4 size.
* In low light, camera is slow to focus with my favorite Panasonic 20mm f/1.7; AF tends to hunt (Panasonic GF3 doesn't do that).
* According to some web reviews & my experience, sensor-based image stabilization on E-PM2 is not effective. At best, gives half a stop to 1 stop improvement. Some says it's best to keep it off. That's what I do, after finding a few blurry images that shouldn't have been blurry based on shutter speed.
* Clip-on flash makes it inconvenient to pocket even with prime lenses---Panasonic GF3/GF5 are a lot more pocketable.
* JPGs at 100% view are disappointing in high ISO (very grainy). Raws are better.
* Colors on LCD screen are way too warm compared to what I see in actual images on my calibrated monitor.
The best features of E-PM2 are fast operation, fast AF in good light and best-in-class sensor. The images it produces are a notch above what I get from Panasonic GF3 in depth and clarity. On the down side, the user interface is clearly designed for the point-and-shoot user, not for the advanced amateur. Do I recommend E-PM2? If you get a good deal on the price (like how it sells these days---$450/$500 for the body/kit) and if you don't mind its other, relatively minor, shortcomings, I do recommend it.
=====================
UPDATE:
After discovering the extensive menu system, I was able to solve my main gripes with the user interface. Now I can use dial for controlling aperture. I can control the degree of noise reduction. I can turn off warm auto white-balance. There are a thousand other customizations you can make, which makes shooting a lot more fun. I'm very impressed by what Olympus offers here. The camera is nearly as capable as OMD (the $500 more expensive, 'pro' model) in a much smaller package. As for slowness of 20mm f/1.7 AF, I'd suggest checking out Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 (mine is on the way). It reportedly focuses a lot faster.
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I am a photography amateur enthusiast. My other cameras are a Nikon D5100 and a D600 DSLRs with a range of lenses (prime and zooms). I've started shooting film back in early 90s on an old Nikon SLR.I also own a tiny pocket Canon ELPH HS300 point and shoot, which I wasn't really happy with. The pictures were rarely better than what I can take with my iPhone, at which point as small as the camera is, it's too big.
I wanted something compact that could still take the breathtaking pictures my DSLR is capable of, and I spent a long time researching the best option. The main contenders were mirrorless cameras with largish sensors (for the form factor).
Against a Fujifilm x100: I have to say Fujifilm's x100 (and the upcoming x100s) is a beautiful camera, I really like the retro look of it. It also features a great APS-C sized sensor on it, which makes for a great picture quality. The problem with this camera is the sluggish auto focus, which for a compact "walk around" camera is especially problematic (apparently the upcoming x100s is supposed to improve on this). It was also little pricey for what I wanted to spend.
Sony RX100: Is a great little camera, which can take great photos. But I wanted something with a little bigger sensor and interchangeable lenses. You see I want to be able to invest the bulk of my money into lenses as no doubt the camera bodies become somewhat outdated every 2-4 years.
And then I gave the Micro Four Thirds cameras a consideration. See the Micro Four Thirds is an open standard Olympus and Panasonic have created, where you can freely use all m4/3 lenses on any camera body. More companies are joining this alliance each month. As a result m4/3 cameras have the biggest selection of lenses of any mirorless camera competitor.
It's exactly what this industry has needed for a long time. For companies to put an open standard together. No more vendor lock in and price gauging on lenses. Also you can be sure there will be long term support for this system as there appears to be quite a surge in popularity. More and more wedding photographers for instance are switching to this system, because of the ergonomics offered by much smaller and lighter gear required for all day shooting, as well as the selection of some really outstanding lenses for a decent price.
Just on this alone, the choice for me was clear. All I had to do now is pick a micro four thirds camera.
I've never used an Olympus camera before, but I've met photographers who have praised these cameras in the past. I read some reviews and researched the specs. I wanted compactness, and no need for a swivel screen.
This narrowed the choice for me down to an E-PM2:
It uses the same sensor as the top of the line OM-D so technically capable of capturing the same quality images.
It is small and light.
I really wasn't into the design of the camera, at first look I thought it was quite ugly, a more retro look would have been better, but that's just my taste. I have to say the look of the camera is growing on me though.
I elected not to get the kit lens, and I went with the 20/1.7 LUMIX "pancake": Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras lens (immediately taking advantage of the open standard!)
So my first impressions after using this camera for a week (sorry for the long intro):
Wow! In fact I am so impressed that I am actually thinking about selling my DSLR gear completely. I was little concerned that maybe I wouldn't like the native 4:3 aspect over the 3:2, but it turns out 4:3 is actually much more suited for portraits. In portrait mode it gives you more flexibility. Where it might lack is certain landscapes, but those can often be cropped to 3:2 without much loss in quality. I can't tell a difference in picture quality between this camera and my DSLR.
Pros:
Autofocus. The speed at which this camera can auto focus and snap a photo is astounding. Way faster than my DSLR. In fact I thought the tap the screen to take a photo was a gimmick, but with such a fast AF, I find I am snapping twice as many photos than I normally do, and they are all in perfect focus. I was totally cough by surprise with how good snapping pictures feels with this camera, because of its responsiveness. There is a certain quality tactile feeling you get when you snap photos almost at the same time you touch the screen. A feature I didn't think I was going to use became my new favorite way of taking pictures. What's also great about it, if you're doing street photography, you don't even look like you're taking a photo. So your subjects are not distracted by it.
Image quality. I shoot raw. And I find photos have good dynamic range, which lets me do a lot with them when I post process in Lightroom. And I find even in low light I can take photos comparable to what I take with my DSLR.
Size. The camera is small and easy to cary, it fits in a jacket pocket, or a small bag. I can also now put it in my laptop case, and bring it to work with me.
Great UI As someone new to Olympus cameras, this was a concern. But I felt right at home with the user interface only after a few days of using the camera. I assigned the 'fn' key to my ISO settings, I shoot in Aperture Priority mode. Obviously this camera has much less dedicated buttons than the top of the line cameras, but I find E-PM2's buttons are sufficient for Aperture Priority style of shooting I do.
m4/3 availability of great lenses, with more 3rd parties announcing new products each month, it's truly exciting. Even things like pro cinema Black Magic camera coming out this year will feature an m4/3 mount. The adapters can be purchased for all sorts of lenses. In fact you can get a $31 C adapter and a CCTV lens RainbowImaging 35MM F1.7 TV Movie Lens + Lens Adapter for MFT M4/3 camera, fits Panasonic G1 G2 G3 G10 GF1 GF2 GF3 GH2 GH1 GH2, Olympus E-P1 E-P2 E-P3 E-PL1 E-PL2 which can let you create some very interesting effects/pictures. I've used my Nikon lenses on this camera and it works great. But the lack of focus peeking feature Sony cameras offer hinders this advantage somewhat.
Cons:
None. Really, when it comes to price and what you get for it, I can't think of a single negative to say about this camera.
Would like to see improved:
Manual focus. I haven't yet found the best way to take photos with adapted manual lenses. I have re-assigned my Rec button to let me zoom in. But its not ideal. Though this really can't be counted against the camera of this price, it would still be nice if it offered something like 'focus peaking' Sony cameras have. I think there is a way to use one of the Art filters to help with focus but its not ideal.
It's not a pretty camera. This might be just me. But would love a more retro (rangefinder look) at this price range. Like the OM-D without the rangefinder bulge would be beautiful. I went with the silver version. I would have liked the white version better if it didn't have the weird colored tan grip pad.
Conclusion:
One of the best buys in the category. You are not only buying a great camera but investing into a great system with great lens selection. You are also supporting an open standard in an industry dominated by proprietary lock-ins and price gauging.
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This is a review for the E-PM2 with the 14-42 kit lensAmazing Auto-focus speed and accuracy. It feels like a camera commercial or something. In anything other than dim lights it's blazing.
Excellent image quality. Impressed with the dynamic range and color at high iso numbers especially.
Touch screen focusing is better than I thought it would be. Nothing about this camera feels gimmicky or poorly done.
Feels like a $500 camera in terms of build quality (in a good way). By this I mean everything seems tight and well constructed but it is clearly not an OM-D or a professional SLR. Nor should it be as this would raise the price.
Interface as a whole was a pleasant surprise and much better than my E-PL1. I do not miss the mode dial as the touch screen replaces that for me. In P/A/S modes the quick access panel (brought up by OK button) is great!!! Faster setting changes than my E-PL1 or a previous Pentax K-x DSLR.
Great Flash metering as well. This part seems much improved over the E-PL1 as well.
CONS:
It seems like Olympus could have put a soft AE-lock button on the screen. Another dial would be nice of course but probably outside of scope of the camera. No on camera flash but I am not sure there is room for one. Image stabilization good for about 1 stop (I am guessing) which is useful but something to consider when comparing this to its much more expensive brother the OM-D or even something like an RX100.
SUMMARY:
My first impression is a stunning upgrade from the E-PL1 to E-PM2. Looks larger in photos than it feels in my hands (almost too small). Compared to other cameras I have owned I think it has 90% of the image quality of a Pentax K-x and it blows away an E-PL1 (which I have taken excellent photos with). Focus speed is incredible. It felt more like a semi-pro DSLR with a fast prime lens than anything else. Kit lens is a little softer than the best glass I have owned (obviously) but not really a detriment to general photography. It is certainly a sharper kit lens than my Pentax 18-55 was.
I differ with some professional reviews and some other user reviews regarding usability. I thought given it's lack of physical controls and overall size it is very usable. The quick settings in P/A/S modes cover most everything you would commonly need to change on the fly. I was worried that it would be a glorified point and shoot (in terms of control and usability) and I now have a very different opinion. I also don't see how an EPL-5 is much of an upgrade unless you need an articulating screen.
Best camera body I have ever owned!! Not sure why some professional reviewers did not care for the camera much. True DSLR image quality in a tiny package with excellent performance. The biggest competitor in my mind is actually the RX100 which is much smaller with excellent image quality. I decided I wanted the ultimate image quality and flexibility of a this CSC and I have not regretted it once.
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