Olympus PEN E-PL1
The Olympus E-PL1 is the first camera in the Olympus PEN series with a built-in pop-up flash that makes it easy to illuminate low-light subjects, reduce red-eye and fill in dark areas. The Olympus PL1 is also compatible with a range of optional external flashes, including the Olympus FL-36R and FL-50R, which can be controlled wirelessly by the E-PL1 so you can dynamically control lighting as your photography skills grow.
The Olympus E-PL1 Pen camera has simple design and easy interface enable consumers to easily create amazing images never dreamt possible. The Olympus PL1 delivers DSLR image quality and HD video.
The Olympus E-PL1 equals an affordable and powerfully simple all-in-one package that travels with you to capture life in the high quality that your memories deserve. “Many of today’s consumers want a camera with the professional still image quality of a DSLR and HD video in a compact body that’s as easy to use as a point-and-shoot,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR , Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Thanks in part to an image sensor that’s approximately eight times larger in size than what’s inside the average point-and-shoot camera, the Olympus E-PL1 delivers outstanding high-quality images. Add the flexibility of high-quality interchangeable lenses, the convenience of a built-in pop-up flash, in-camera creative features and technology designed to produce images effortlessly, and the Olympus E-PL1 is the total consumer-friendly, multimedia package.”
This third generation of the Olympus PEN series combines powerful features in an easy-to-use package that will make capturing your life more fun. The new direct record button makes taking videos easier than ever and the new Live Guide functionality makes it simple to learn photography techniques without requiring the skills of a pro shooter. Recording HD movies with the Olympus E-PL1 is simple, thanks to an easy-to-reach red “direct button” (red record button) on the back of the camera body. If you’re about to snap a photo and you realize a video would capture the spirit of the scene even better, simply press the record button and instantly you’re capturing videos! Easily toggle back and forth between capturing stills and videos by using your index finger to press the shutter button or your thumb to press the red record button. Having the ability to shoot still images and videos opens up a world of imaging possibilities.
The Olympus E-PL1’s new Live Guide interface simplifies great photography and gets the results you desire at the touch of a button. Want more vivid or muted color in your shot? Want warmer or cooler color? Want a brighter or darker subject, or a sharper or softer background? Or maybe you want to capture the fast-moving action of your subject with a little artistic blur, or perhaps freeze the action? Simply select Live Guide and press the up and down arrows on the back of the camera to slide through numerous photographic effects. Make adjustments and watch the LCD as the effects are made live – before the image is captured! Don’t worry about learning technical things like f-stops, shutter speed and white balance; jump right in by composing, adjusting exposure and more before the shot is taken. Seeing the results before snapping the image ensures you are getting the shots you want, and it will change the way you photograph. Shooting Tips are also included with Live Guide, so you can leave the manual at home.
The Olympus E-PL1 is the first camera in the Olympus PEN series with a built-in pop-up flash that makes it easy to illuminate low-light subjects, reduce red-eye and fill in dark areas. The camera is also compatible with a range of optional external flashes, including the Olympus FL-36R and FL-50R, which can be controlled wirelessly by the E-PL1 so you can dynamically control lighting as your photography skills grow. How do professional photographers capture the stunning images you see in the pages of glossy magazines and coffee-table books? Talent matters, of course, but you also need the right equipment. Rest assured that the Olympus E-PL1 has everything you need to produce vibrant, professional-quality images: a large image sensor, in-body Image Stabilization, Imager Autofocus, the proven Olympus Dust Reduction System and the TruePic V Image Processor.
Express yourself with in-camera creative features. Professional images are rarely unedited images. Video and still image pros use computer-editing software to render their images with effects that set their shots apart from the pack. Olympus appreciates that you may not have hours to spend retouching your images at the computer, so the Olympus E-PL1 incorporates editing effects inside the camera to save you time. Whether you apply in-camera creative effects while shooting an image, or apply them later to images captured without the effects, all are inside the Olympus E-PL1, so you can achieve dramatic results on the go without a computer or editing software. The Olympus E-PL1 has six in-camera Art Filters, including a new filter called Gentle Sepia. This filter gives your images and videos a soft, warm sepia cast similar to historical images from the early days of photography. The sepia tones are softer and the blacks are a true black, unlike traditional sepia images. The new filter joins Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pin Hole, Grainy Film and Diorama (the filter that makes everything look as small as the E-PL1).
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
| Product | Product type | Interchangeable Lens Type Live View Digital Camera |
| Memory | SD Memory Card(SDHC compatible) Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting | |
| Screen size | 17.3 mm (H) x 13.0 mm (V) | |
| Lens mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | |
| Effective pixels number | Effective Pixels number | 12.3 million pixels |
| Image Pick-up Unit | Product type | High speed Live MOS Sensor |
| Total no. of pixels | Approx. 13.1 million pixels | |
| Aspect ratio | 1.33 (4:3) | |
| Filter array | Primary color filter (RGB) | |
| Dust reduction | Supersonic Wave Filter (dust reduction system for image sensor) | |
| Recording (Still) | Recording format | DCF, DPOF compatible/Exif, PRINT Image Matching III |
| File format | RAW (12-bit lossless compression), JPEG, RAW+JPEG | |
| Recording image size | [RAW] 4032 x 3024 pixels | |
| [JPEG] 4032 x 3024 pixels – 640 x 480 pixels | ||
| File Size | RAW: 4032(H)x3042(V) (approx. 1/1.5 lossless compressed) Approx. 13.9MB | |
| Set1(LF): 4032(H)x3042(V) (1/4 compressed) Approx. 5.7MB | ||
| Set2(LN): 4032(H)x3042(V) (1/8 compressed) Approx. 2.7MB | ||
| Set3(MN): 2560(H)x1920(V) (1/8 compressed) Approx. 1.1MB | ||
| Set4(SN): 1024(H)x768(V) (1/8 compressed) Approx. 0.3MB | ||
| Large: 4032 x 3024 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 8.2MB | ||
| 4032 x 3024 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 5.7MB | ||
| 4032 x 3024 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 2.7MB | ||
| 4032 x 3024 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 1.8MB | ||
| Middle 3200 x 2400 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 5.4MB | ||
| 3200 x 2400 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 3.4MB | ||
| 3200 x 2400 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 1.7MB | ||
| 3200 x 2400 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 1.2MB | ||
| 2560 x 1920 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 3.2MB | ||
| 2560 x 1920 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 2.2MB | ||
| 2560 x 1920 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 1.1MB | ||
| 2560 x 1920 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 0.8MB | ||
| Small 1600 x 1200 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 1.3MB | ||
| 1600 x 1200 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 0.9MB | ||
| 1600 x 1200 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 0.5MB | ||
| 1600 x 1200 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 0.4MB | ||
| 1280 x 960 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 0.9MB | ||
| 1280 x 960 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 0.6MB | ||
| 1280 x 960 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 0.3MB | ||
| 1280 x 960 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 0.3MB | ||
| 1024 x 768 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 0.6MB | ||
| 1024 x 768 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 0.4MB | ||
| 1024 x 768 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 0.3MB | ||
| 1024 x 768 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 0.2MB | ||
| 640 x 480 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 0.3MB | ||
| 640 x 480 Fine (1/4 compressed) Approx. 0.2MB | ||
| 640 x 480 Normal (1/8 compressed) Approx. 0.1MB | ||
| 640 x 480 Basic (1/12 compressed) Approx. 0.1MB | ||
| Recording Movie | Recording format | AVI Motion JPEG(30fps) |
| Movie Mode | HD: 1280(H)x720(V) Aspect 16:9 SD: 640(H)x480(V) Aspect 4:3(VGA) |
|
| Compression Ratio | 1/12(HD), 1/8(SD) | |
| File Size | Max 2GB(limited by AVI format) | |
| Maximum Recording Time | HD: 7min, SD: 14min | |
| Recording Sound | Recording format | Wave Format Base Stereo PCM/16bit, 44.1kHz |
| Maximum Recording Time | Picture with Sound: 30sec Movie: depend on Movie Recording Time |
|
| Mic/Speaker | Mono/Mono | |
| Live View | Type | Image Sensor(High Speed Live MOS) type |
| Field of view | 100% | |
| Display Mode | Normal Mode | |
| Grid Line Mode | ||
| Histogram Mode(3 types) | ||
| Magnified View Mode | ||
| Comparable View Mode | ||
| OFF Mode (for OVF user) | ||
| Magnification Ratio | x7, x10, x14 | |
| View finder 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 Flash Mode, Flash Status, Flash intensity Control, Super FP |
|
| Display of Face Detection | Max 8 frames of face detection can be displayed | |
| AF | High speed imager AF | |
| Image stabilizer | System | Built in (Imager shift image stabilizer) |
| Mode | 3 modes (IS1:2 dimensional activation, IS2:1 dimensional activation in landscape frame to vertical direction moving, IS3:1dimensional activation in portrait frame to vertical direction moving ), OFF | |
| Manual Function | input focal length 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 24, 28, 30, 35, 40, 48, 50, 55, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 100, 105, 120, 135, 150, 180, 200, 210, 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000 | |
| Effective compensation range | Approx.3EV steps (in maximum effect with 50mm lens) | |
| Shutter speed range | 2 – 1/2000 sec. (Not available when Bulb is selected) | |
| IS for Movie | Shifting electronic image (so called Digital IS) | |
| Monitor | Product type | HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating |
| Size | 2.7 inches | |
| Total no. of pixels | Approx. 230,000 dots | |
| Playback field of view | 100% | |
| Brightness control | +7 levels and -7 levels | |
| Colour balance | +7 levels and -7 levels | |
| Focusing | AF system | Imager Contrast Detection AF system When non High-speed imager AF compatible lens is used, it works as AF assist. |
| Focus mode | Single AF (S-AF) / Continuous AF (C-AF) / Manual Focus (MF) / S-AF + MF / AF tracking (C-AF + TR) | |
| Focusing point | 11-area multiple AF with the contrast detection system (Auto, selectable in option) | |
| Focusing point selection | Auto from all 11 area, Single area from 11 area Auto from almost all area when Face detection is ON Free selection (from 225points) when Magnified View Mode is selected |
|
| AF illuminator | Not available | |
| AF lock | Locked at first position of Shutter button in Single AF mode | |
| Focus tracking | Available | |
| Manual Focus Assist | When rotation of focus ring is detected under S-AF+MF or MF mode, LV is magnified automatically | |
| Exposure Control | Metering system | TTL Image Sensor metering system |
| (1) Digital ESP metering (324-area multi pattern metering) (2) Center weighted average metering | ||
| (3) Spot metering (approx. 1% for the viewfinder screen. Highlight / shadow bases are available) | ||
| Metering range | EV 0 – 18 (Digital ESP metering, Centre weighted average metering, Spot metering) | |
| (At normal temperature, 50mm f2, ISO 100) | ||
| Exposure mode | (1) i Auto (2) P: Program AE (Program shift can be performed) (3) A: Aperture priority AE | |
| (4) S: Shutter priority AE (5) M: Manual (6) Scene select AE (7) Art Filter | ||
| Scene select AE | Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Macro, Sport, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Children, High Key, | |
| Low Key, DIS mode, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Document, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach & Snow | ||
| ISO sensitivity | AUTO: ISO 200 – 3200(customizable, Default 200-1600) / Manual ISO 100 – 3200, 1/3 or 1 EV steps | |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 EV in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps selectable | |
| AE lock | Available | |
| Exposure bracketing | 3 frames in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1EV steps selectable | |
| Metering standard value adjustment | 1/6 EV step, +/- 1EV range | |
| White Balance | Auto WB system | High speed Live MOS sensor |
| Preset white balance | 8 settings (3000K – 7500K) Lamp (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), Daylight (5300K), Flash (5500K), Cloudy (6000K), Shade (7500K) |
|
| White balance compensation | ±7 steps in each A-B/G-M axis (in Auto WB / Preset WB mode / One touch WB) | |
| CWB (Kelvin setting) | 1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K – 14000K) | |
| One-touch white balance | 1 custom setting can be registered | |
| White balance bracketing | 3 frames in 2, 4, 6 steps selectable in each A-B/G-M axis. | |
| Color Mode | Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Picture Mode | Mode | i-Enhance, Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone |
| Adjustment parameter | Contrast, Sharpness and Saturation level available in 5 steps for i-Enhance, Vivid, Natural, Portrait and Muted | |
| Contrast and Sharpness level available in 5 steps for Monotone. 3 effect levels are available in i-Enhance |
||
| Filter effect | Yellow, Orange, Red or Green filter available for Monotone | |
| Picture tone | Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green tone available for Monotone | |
| Gradation | 4 levels (Auto, High key, Normal, Low key) | |
| Shutter | Product type | Computerized focal-plane shutter |
| Shutter speed | 60 – 1/2000 sec. | |
| Bulb: up to 30 min. (selectable longest time in the menu. Default: 8 min) | ||
| 1/3, 1/2, or 1EV steps selectable. | ||
| Self-timer | Operation time: 12 sec., 2 sec. (cancel available) | |
| Remote cable release | Not Available | |
| Wireless remote control | Not Available | |
| Drive | Drive mode | Single-frame shooting, Sequential shooting, Self-timer |
| Sequential shooting speed | Approx. 3 frames/sec. in sequential shooting | |
| Max. recordable pictures | RAW mode: Max. 10 frames. | |
| on sequential shooting | JPEG mode: Depends on compression ratio and no. of pixels (Large normal mode: approx. 18 with Toshiba Super High Speed type “Class 6? 4GB) |
|
| Flash | Built-in flash | Available |
| G.No | 10(Fno/m) at ISO200, 7(Fno/m) at ISO100 | |
| Mode | TTL-Auto, Manual(Full, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64) | |
| Color Temperature | 5500±400°K | |
| Wireless Flash Control | Available(4ch, 3Groups) | |
| Compatible external Flash | E-system Flash(FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-50, FL-36, FL-20, FL-14) | |
| External Flash control mode | TTL Auto, Auto, Manual, FP-TTL-AUTO, FP-MANUAL | |
| Flash mode of External Flash | Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Off. | |
| Synchronization speed | 1/30-1/160 Super FP 1/125-1/2000 |
|
| Flash intensity control | Up to ±3 EV in 0.3, 0.5, 1 EV steps | |
| Art Filter | Mode | Pop Art, Soft Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, Gentle Sepia |
| Multi Exposure | Number of picture | 2 frames |
| Functions | Auto gain, Live View, Exposing on Recorded picture | |
| Multi Aspect | Aspect Ratio | 4:3(Default)?3:2?16:9?6:6 |
| Process | RAW: Aspect ratio is recorded as Exif data, JPEG: JPEG image is produced based on the aspect ratio | |
| Level Gauge | Detection | Not Available |
| Super control panel | Information (shooting) | 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, AF frame, Color space, Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, Internal Temperature Warning Gradation, IS activating mode, Face detection, My Mode, Multi Exposure, Aspect Ratio, Super FP |
| Live Control | Information (shooting) | 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, Record mode, Flash Status, Image size, Drive mode, Flash intensity compensation value, Metering mode, Recordable still image number, Focusing mode, AF frame, Internal Temperature Warning, IS activating mode, Face detection, My Mode, Multi Exposure, Aspect Ratio |
| Live Guide | Setting Menu | 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, AF frame, Color space, Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, Internal Temperature Warning Gradation, IS activating mode, Face detection, My Mode, Multi Exposure, Aspect Ratio, Super FP |
| Playback | Playback mode | Single-frame |
| Information Display | ||
| Index Display(4/9/16/25/100 frames, Calendar) | ||
| Close-up (2 – 14X) | ||
| Movie (w/sound, FF/REW/Pause) | ||
| Slideshow(Still/Movie/Still+Movie, Slide show w/BGM/BGM+Sound/Sound) | ||
| Information display | Histogram (independent luminance / RGB available), Highlight / Shadow point warning, AF frame, Shooting information | |
| Menu | Languages | Japan: Japanese, English Others: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Croat, Slovenian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovakian, Turkish, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Indonesian |
| Reset & custom setting | My mode | 2 setting recordable |
| Image Editing | Erasing function | Single frame, All, Selected frames(from Index) |
| Protect function | Single frame, Selected frames, All Frames, Release protect (Single/All selected) | |
| RAW picture editing | RAW development based on settings of the camera(including Art Filter) | |
| JPEG editing | Shadow adjustment, Red-eye fix, Trimming, Monotone, Sepia, Saturation (colour depth), Resize (producing another file, 1280×960, 640×480, 320×240), e-portrait | |
| Image Overlay | Up to 3 RAW images | |
| Print function | Print reservation (DPOF), Direct print (PictBridge compatible) | |
| Input/Output | PC interface | USB 2.0 High Speed for storage and camera control through Multi-connector(MTP mode is available |
| TV interface | HDMI(HD/Mono or Stereo Sound), VIDEO-OUT(SD/Mono Sound) | |
| USB/Video connector | Dedicated multi-connector (Video: NTSC/PAL selectable, USB cable is available) | |
| HDMI | Mini HDMI type-C(1080i/720p/576p/480p) | |
| Flash attachment | Hot shoe | |
| DC-in | No | |
| Accessory attachment | Accessory port | |
| Power Requirements | Battery | BLS-1 Li-ion battery (included) |
| Sleep mode | Available (1, 3, 5, 10 min., off selectable) | |
| No. of recordable pictures (with 50% flash light) |
Approx. 290 shots (IS ON, CIPA test standard) (with BLS-1 and Toshiba Class 6 SDHC 4GB card under CIPA testing standard) |
|
| Power battery holder | Not Available | |
| Dimensions/Weight | Dimensions | 4.51 in (W) x 2.84 in (H) x 1.63 in (D) / 114.6 mm (W) x 72.2mm (H) x 41.5mm (D) (excluding protrusions) |
| Weight | 10.44 oz / 296g (body only), 12.13 oz. / 344g(including Battery and Memory card) | |
| Operating Environment | Temperature | 0 – 40? (operation) / -20 – 60? (storage) |
| Humidity | 30 – 90% (operation) / 10 – 90% (storage) | |
| Splash proof | No | |
| Box contents | Body, Li-ion battery BLS-1, Li-ion battery charger BCS-1, USB/Video Multi cable, Shoulder strap, ib CD-ROM, Instruction manual, Warranty card. | |