I was curious as to what DP Review would write in their examination of the Olympus E-PL1, a camera that I'm quite fond of. Overall, I think they're on target, especially their assessment of its image quality:
"The most important aspect of any camera is its image quality and it is, without question, the E-PL1's strongest point. By just about any measure, the E-PL1's image quality is very good indeed and, thanks to one the most capable JPEG engines we've come across, is easily accessible to everybody. The camera's metering is dependable, meaning that in most circumstances you get bright, punchy images that make the most of the camera's capability."
I don't completely agree with DP Review's view that the E-PL1 is better for those moving up from a compact rather than photographers looking for a second, more portable DSLR. I think it works for both audiences. But, after all, these are matters of personal taste, and every potential customer has to decide for him or herself.
I think most people will agree that for a price of $575 for an E-PL1 kit
-
I've been a bit hesitant to plunk my money down because of the many comments re "it's a good step up for point-and-shooters" but it consistently gets rave reviews on image quality and that's really the bottom line of why we buy a camera, so next payday I'm going to take the plunge and get one. I doubt I'll ever use the touch screen adjustments though, my LCDs get pretty smudged up without me purposely touching them.
-Ed
Just saw this link over at Enticing the Light blog. It's an Olympus commercial for the EPL-1 and was actually shot with the EPL-1.
Here's the link
http://enticingthelight.com/2010/05/18/shooting-a-commercial-use-an-olympus-e-pl1/
My feeling is, as reviewers, we can judge things like image quality and how the camera is put together. As for how it is used, my feeling is that's up to the individual photographer. If you do your homework, and base a decision upon what's right for you, then it really doesn't make any difference what any of us say.
For me, I like the E-PL1 best of all the PENs, I like its looks, the built in flash, the accessory port, and the image quality. I also like a lot of other cameras out there. This is a good time to be a photographer.