Olympus E-P1 'digital Pen' gets official, so does our lust

It's official, Olympus' first MIcro Four Thirds camera is up and dancing upon the global stage. Dubbed, E-P1 "digital Pen" (reflecting the camera's Olympus Pen-series heritage) this MFT shooter aligns with the looks and specs that came our way yesterday in leaked format. In other words, we're looking at an image stabilized (sensor-shift) 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor with TruePic V image processing, ISO 100-6400 sensitivity, a 3-inch LCD, 20 shooting modes (5 exposure, i-Auto, and 14 automatic scenes), an SDHC slot, and HDMI TV-out for playback of 720p (1280x720 pixel) recorded video at 30fps. The 14-42 lens kit retracts into the barrel when not in use and Olympus' Supersonic Wave Filter helps keep dust under control when swapping-out the lens for Micro Four Thirds, Four Thirds, or OM lenses. A few advanced previews of the E-P1 are already available -- peep those in the read links below if you can't wait for the July launch or the full-blown reviews due in a few weeks.

Update: Priced at $749 (body only), $799 (with 14-42mm lens), and $899 (with 17mm pancake lens and viewfinder). Honestly, those prices are better than we had hoped for especially in a camera measuring just 121 x 70 x 36-mm (4.7 x 2.7 x 1.4-inches) playing host to a DSLR-sized sensor.

Gallery: Olympus E-P1 'digital pen' gets official, so does our lust

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Read -- LetsGoDigital
Read -- DPReview
Read -- Photography Blog
Read -- Official E-P1 product page

[ddub @ Jun 16th 2009 1:37AM]

Any word on price?
Or did I miss something?

[Eric @ Jun 16th 2009 1:44AM]

$750 Body Only, $800 with kit zoom lens, $900 with the 17mm + optical view finder. All in all cheaper then I was expecting.

I was hoping for a hot shoe mount EVF though. Oh well, planned obsolescence was expected.

[chispito @ Jun 16th 2009 2:49AM]

That must be one hot little prime to fetch that much more than the zoom. It sure looks the part on that camera body.

I'm a little sad I am so invested in EOS glass, as this looks like an ideal balance between digicam size and unobtrusiveness, with DSLR quality and versatility.

[Robert @ Jun 16th 2009 3:01AM]

12.3 Megapixels? Why can't we have a 6 Megapixel camera? Can't olympus be realistic with a x2 crop?

[Ypoknons @ Jun 16th 2009 3:29AM]

Still, a shame for people who can only afford one camera and want to take interior shots when there's no other choice. Olympus needs a better compact external flash too, maybe something that can bounce like the new Canon 270EX and Sony flashes.

[Ypoknons @ Jun 16th 2009 3:33AM]

My apologies for the above comment; wrong reply. The analogue viewfinder helps a lot with battery life though, and part of the demographic are rangefinder lovers looking for a $1000 competitor to the M8 with adapters for OM and M-mount coming soon. A EVF would come in handy for the zoom though.

[Shinigami @ Jun 16th 2009 9:01AM]

$800.
Expensive.
MUST.... RESIST....

[terry chay @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:24AM]

The reason the prime is $100 more is because that kit comes with the viewfinder ($100 retail). Both lenses retail for $300, so the kit savings is $150.

BTW, that price for a glass viewfinder is typical to low. 3rd party viewfinders are around $150-$200 (for albeit a wider angle) and name brand (Leica, Zeiss) viewfinders in the rangefinder world START at $300.

[Toco @ Jun 16th 2009 1:38AM]

i want it!!! . i need a new camra for the shop to cause my casio died. how big is this thing?

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 1:49AM]

According to DPR it's 126 x 70 x 36.4 mm [with the 17mm f2.8 lens].

[mijonju @ Jun 16th 2009 1:55AM]

a little bit bigger then LX-3 lumix

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 3:37AM]

Sorry, my previous measures should be *without* the lens. Said lens apparently adds about 20mm to the overall depth.

[Miles @ Jun 16th 2009 1:48AM]

$900 FOR A CAMERA!?
No thanks, that's overpriced.

[teslanaut @ Jun 16th 2009 2:17AM]

What isn't overpriced nowadays?

Desu.

[spyker @ Jun 16th 2009 1:52AM]

What kind of camera do you use? :P

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 1:55AM]

If you think that's overpriced I'd hate to hear your opinion on the Nikon D3x.

In any event the US pricing should be a fair bit less than what the exchange rate would indicate. In fact most sites are saying $750 for the body, $800 for the basic zoom kit.

[Miles @ Jun 16th 2009 1:55AM]

I just use my iPhone's camera.

[Kitty! @ Jun 16th 2009 1:57AM]

your iphone is overpriced.

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 2:04AM]

And you honestly believe that your iPhone's camera can even remotely compare to this one?

[danhogman @ Jun 16th 2009 3:54AM]

The disappointing iPhone camera is the reason I want this camera.

[xValentine @ Jun 16th 2009 2:36AM]

Your avatar speaks for yourself.

[Awjvail @ Jun 20th 2009 10:50PM]

I don't do photography so it would be way overpriced for me but I'm sure anybody who has any inkling of wanting to do anything other than point and shoot wouldn't think that.

I use my env2 camera way too much. Lol.

[trevaftw @ Jun 16th 2009 1:49AM]

japanese pricing =/= american pricing

[spyker @ Jun 16th 2009 1:53AM]

Yup, see the second comment for official pricing. There is a press release at the bottom of this page. It also has a long preview.

http://www.dcresource.com/news/newsitem.php?id=3945

[mijonju @ Jun 16th 2009 1:51AM]

Ill definitely buy this for sure!!

[Dummy00001 @ Jun 16th 2009 7:28AM]

No test shots with 17mm f/2.8... I'll wait a bit for more reviews/test shots.

[runrom @ Jun 16th 2009 1:55AM]

Ah yes, the Olympus pen camera has Image Stabilization built in.
That would make it the Olympus PEN IS camera.

[Maeztro @ Jun 16th 2009 7:54AM]

I'll take THE PENIS MIGHTIER for 200 please, Alek...

[mijonju @ Jun 16th 2009 1:54AM]

oh man this is so cool!! the thing ive been waiting for!! now we will just have to see the quality.. even though this is out i never regret getting the Dp2 last month...

[TK @ Jun 16th 2009 1:55AM]

Would lack of build-in flash = dealbreaker?

[Eric @ Jun 16th 2009 2:02AM]

Nope. They're pretty much worthless unless your name is Terry Richardson. 99% of pics of taken while messing with on camera flashes turn out to be crap. I suppose they're fine for snap shots, but I really don't care about snap shots. A $200 P&S can take snaps just fine. Some people like to use the for fill flash or as a remote strobe trigger, but I personally prefer RF triggers. Just mount a wireless trigger on top, go to strobist.com to learn what you're doing, and go make great pics.

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 2:08AM]

Considering how crappy the flash would likely have been to be able to fit it into this body anyways, not really.

And to be honest I never use the on board flash on my dSLR anyways.

[spyker @ Jun 16th 2009 2:09AM]

I rarely use my Olympus E-510's built in flash... Especially since it causes shadows with large lenses.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 16th 2009 2:17AM]

It is for me.

A flash on this would be limited by how close it would have to be to the lens mount, the lens would cast shadows with anything but a pancake lens.

It should have a flash that flips up the back so it can stick up past the entire body and work with most lenses. Barring that, at least a low-profile flash that can be clipped to the camera strap when not in use would be okay.

[Ypoknons @ Jun 16th 2009 3:35AM]

Still, a shame for people who can only afford one camera and want to take interior shots when there's no other choice (or even a party, like a ball, not a drunken East Village rampage I hope!). Olympus needs a better compact external flash too, maybe something that can bounce like the new Canon 270EX and Sony flashes.

[Dummy00001 @ Jun 16th 2009 7:33AM]

> ... something that can bounce like the new Canon 270EX and Sony flashes.

That would be Oly's FL-36R.

Probably later we would see also reviews of the non-bounce-able, made especially for the camera FL-14. But well, it can't bounce.

[spyker @ Jun 16th 2009 2:11AM]

Oh! Olympus America has an official page up, it even has sample video.

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1461&cid=em_e-p1opr_09_06&li=im#/sample-video

[peterjohndean1 @ Jun 16th 2009 2:17AM]

Lacks a true wide angle, equivalent to 24mm or less on a 35mm SLR. (This should have been what the "pancake" lens offered). If standard OM lenses are used with an adaptor it amounts to doubling the focal length, which is no help.

[Eric @ Jun 16th 2009 2:26AM]

Panasonic already has a 7-14mm f/4 (14-28mm eqv) that should work fine on this camera without an adapter. Between Olympus & Panasonic I expect them to have most of the major lenses covered within a year; they already have all the lenses most travelers & soccer moms would want. They just need to make some fast primes for portraiture, possible a fast telephoto (although I think that will remain the realm of SLRs due to size), and something like a 12-30mm f/2-4.0 zoom for people that want something faster than the kit zooms ans they're set.

[paultakeda @ Jun 16th 2009 2:28AM]

The 9-18 4/3 lens gives you a decently priced, fully compatible wide angle zoom until the roadmap is filled out.

Meanwhile, having a standard zoom and a prime 35mm EFL lens in the 17mm mZD is not at all a bad place to start.

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 2:30AM]

That's not strictly true. First of all there is always the 7-14mm from Panny. Or if you're on a budget you can adapt the Olympus 9-18mm (though I suspect sooner or later Olympus will produce a native version of this lens).

The pancake has a more general purpose focal length. Which to me makes sense for an initial release.

[peterjohndean1 @ Jun 16th 2009 3:23AM]

OK, so wide angle lenses are available- but look at the size and price. An affordable compact wide angle would make this camera stand out from the competition. Only Lumix/Leica has a decent 24mm but it's not 4/3. I look at the "pancake" lens on my Pen-F and sigh.

[Plothole @ Jun 16th 2009 3:40AM]

Give it time. It hasn't even been a year since µ4:3 was officially announced.

[peterjohndean1 @ Jun 16th 2009 5:41AM]

With the format's inherent image quality, a 24mm f/2 (equivalent) fixed lens would still allow for selective enlargement up to about 80mm equivalent AND make flash unnecessary and that's plenty for most purposes. Plus the whole caboodle would be pocketable. Once a camera goes beyond being pocketable, it really doesn't matter much if it is smaller, lighter or whatever.

[chispito @ Jun 16th 2009 12:02PM]

Instead of the 17mm, it would have been nice to start out with either a 25mm or a 14mm. I love using primes, but 35mm equivalent is just not terribly appealing. I specifically hope a fast 14mm is next to market, because this is likely to be as good of a close up candid camera as photographers will get for a while, in terms of image quality versus stealth.

[chispito @ Jun 16th 2009 12:10PM]

I guess, put more simply: your subjects will definitely sit more willingly for you with a camera like this than if you're holding a 5D mkIII with a huge 90mm L series lens (or even a smaller WA) on the front. With the former, you look like you're a pro photog, likely to catch their blemishes and funny faces in stunning detail. With this, you look like Uncle Bob taking vacation photos.

[Al @ Jun 16th 2009 2:26AM]

I really want this, but alas I think I am going to wait to get one once E-P2 comes out, or this gets under $500 in price. Unless the competition can bring out a micro four thirds in about the same size, but improved quality(looking at you Leica/Panny).

[EricE @ Jun 16th 2009 2:31AM]

720P/30 = FAIL, Max 7 min recording time in HD because of AVI 2GB limit = FAIL x2. Why Olympus?
It's not like you have your own line of video cameras you're worrying about cannibalizing.

Make it 24P and AVCHD!

[solmar @ Jun 16th 2009 2:44AM]

You forget that this is the same company that, up until a scant year or so ago, produced fairly expensive digicams that could only record 10 *second* VGA movies.

Also, FYI, AVI does not have a 2GB limit. AVI is just a container ("audio-video-interleaved"). It can have a variety of codecs, from DV (which takes 12GB/hour) to Xvid to mpeg4 to Divx. The file system may have a file size limit, but for digicam memory cards these days, it's FAT32, which is limited to 4GB (FAT16 is 2GB).

What's ironic is that Olympus is dumping it's own crippled xD memory in favor of SDHC. I guess the xD's speed and capacity limitations were just too much for a camera like this.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 16th 2009 2:45AM]

I will take 30p over 24p any day, any time.