Why buy the Olympus PEN E-PL1?
I did a quick informal survey of 11 E-PL1 owners to see why they had bought the Olympus E-PL1. Here’s the results:
- Compact Size/weight 9/11
- Good Price 4/11
- HD Video 3/11
- Live View 2/11
- Interchangable Lenses 2/11
- Larger Sensor 1/11
- Image Quality 1/11
- High ISO 1/11
Here’s my own thoughts about these items:
- Size & weight – this is definitely a small and lightweight camera, no question there – which makes it much easier for travel, covering family events, etc. For serious photography I personally prefer the feel of a more substantial camera body for stabilization and framing, but there’s no questioning the appeal of small & light to many people. Of course, small is always better for underwater photography.
- Price – ($599 in the USA with the kit lens) This is one reason I don’t understand. Well, I’ve seen the price of some of those micro-four thirds lenses, they can be pricey. A used Nikon D80 + 18-55mm lens can be picked up inexpensively. So the price reason sort of surprised me. For more thoughts on the pricing, read our E-PL1 conclusions.
- Live View – I prefer the accuracy and clarity of a viewfinder, but I know some people prefer Live view.
- HD Video – I’m surprised more people didn’t mention the HD video with auto-focus, I think it’s one of the camera’s best features
- Interchangeable lenses – a great feature and I’m surprised more people didn’t mention it, which makes me wonder if many people moving up from a compact will even buy more lenses
- Sensor size – read our comparison to compacts and dSLRs for more info on the sensor size
- Image Quality – see our Olympus E-PL1 image tests
- High ISO – see our Olympus E-PL1 image tests
Back to the Olympus E-PL1 review
Olympus E-PL1 specifications
