There's much to love about the new
Olympus E-P1, but the hip new thing for the DSLR market is video, and Panasonic has already demonstrated with the
Lumix DMC-GH1 that Micro Four Thirds cameras are in some ways even better suited to the demands of high quality point-and-shoot video. The folks at
Digital Photography Review have some samples up now of the E-P1's video performance, and while we'd like to see how the camera fares indoors as well, the outdoor samples they've posted are very promising. The colors seem just a touch washed out, but there's great motion and clarity, and solid manual controls. It is interesting to note that while the camera does include some built-in effects, most of them dramatically reduce the frame rate -- making them more or less useless.
Most unfortunate, however, is the fact that there's no auto focus in video mode, which is where the DMC-GH1 still reigns supreme in DSLR land. Hit up the read link for the videos, or if that's not your style check out the bemusing Blendtec advert for the E-P1 after the break -- it's a real viral meets meta mashup, or something like that.
[Thanks
Richard L.]
Update: We've heard conflicting word on auto focus. According to
Photography Review's preview, the camera doesn't have auto focus in video mode, but according to the Olympus press release, as Super Marxio pointed out in comments, there is auto focus during recording. Perhaps
Photography Review was looking at a non-final version of the camera. We do know that the camera does auto focus using contrast detection, like a regular compact camera, and while that's the same method used by the GH1,
DP Review claims it's slightly inferior -- though they did state they were working with a 0.9 firmware.
posted Jun 16th 2009 1:51PM
Such an ugly camera, but it sure does accomplish a lot.
It's one of the most beautiful cameras in recent memory.
Forget about the looks, what is will it blend doing here? Making me like boygeniusreport and leave engadget?
Looks very safari-like
"Not only does the cutting-edge video function allow the application of Art Filters, but it also includes the ability to vary depth of field, angle of view, and autofocus during recording. And of course, this can be done with all lenses."
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09061601olympusep1.asp
It does have autofocus during recording, at least according to the press release. Do you have other information?
The problem is that the E-P1's microphone picks up the noise of the autofocus operation, which is annoying. It needs the silent autofocus of the DMC-GH1.
@LondonConsultant
Since µ4:3 doesn't use a body motor, the how much noise is made during AF depends on the lens rather than the body which you use. (the E-P1 and GH1 of course being able to share lenses)
great rang-finder looking..suprisingly good video quality
f*&k f#$k f*@kitty f%$k f@&k!
I want this sexy little camera so bad it hurts, but I'm sorry, AF 720/60 is a must. Within another year the market will be swimming with u4/3 cameras capable of fantastic video capture and I refuse to plunk down the better part of a grand on something that doesn't! Damnit, I thought this was the one!
*doesn't... have AF.
But it does have AF, as far as I know. See link above.
I'm sure it has contrast-detect AF for stills. For video, I'm still confused. It could have something to do with the lens - DPReview used the Panasonic 14-140mm because that has continuous autofocus in video shooting, whilst the other lenses can't.
Also, I'm seeing a major problem with the camera: the autofocus isn't just "slightly slower" than the G1, DPReview says "it feels sluggish even compared to most compacts" - or at least, this early firmware. That can be a major hurdle for this camera, since image quality is nice but doesn't help if you miss the shot. I feel Panasonic should have just shared the technology with Olympus just so the u4/3 system can gain market share as fast as possible, even if it ate some G1 sales for lunch.
I'm still confused too. I'm pretty sure Olympus would be marketing the shit out of full-blown video AF if it existed in this camera. As it is now, it's fairly ambiguous, which doesn't bode well.
The Olympus press release is unambiguous about AF during video. I expect them to follow through.
As for speed, nobody has the final firmware yet. Let us hope that the end product is quick and accurate.
Well I can't tell based on those sample movies. I didn't watch them all but the ones I did watch didn't have much variable depth of focus.
Does anyone else think that movie with the girls walking looks a bit strange? I'm referring to the movement of their lower legs and how they appear to flash into place as they move back and forth. Is this a frame rate issue or something else?
The girls are photographed with panasonic gh-1. It looks like theres some pictures missing or something, not sure whats going on.
Theres only one video with olympus, some buildings from a train. That one looks pretty good.
It might look a bit ugly, but if I can get quality photos and videos in that form factor (and hopefully a good price in the UK), I'm all up for it.
Thanks for the mention, Paul.
That was weird.
Can't wait till that guy gets throat cancer from inhaling all those delightful heavy metals that make up most of our gadgets.
(I mean, I wish him the best, but WEAR A FRIGGIN MASK already.)
If he wears a mask, we wouldn't get to see that goofy smile of his that is so endearing.
yeah, that's some pretty aweful stuff he's breathing in...
I don't say washed out - just low in saturation, going for the "film-like" look. I'm sure you can turn up the saturation in-camera, if not in post-processing. That said, there are so many things about this camera that scream "I'm targeting VERY SERIOUS photographers" - two dials, no flash, a bloody analogue viewfinder.
Thank you for the timely and honorable correction. Great work.
Auto video focus or no, I'm buying one.
The really disappointing thing about this is the 230,000 dot 3" display. Even Canon got over that stupid move a year ago. Putting some old manual focus Leica M-mount or old Zuikos on this thing would be great, but live-view focussing with those low-res screens is pretty hard compared to the Nikon style VGA monitors. Oh well, can't have everything.
Yo dawg I heard you like camera advertisements.. so I put a camera ad in your ad so you can advertise while you advertise..
A better camera, are you kidding me? *Goes off to calibrate my sarcasm meter*
You know what else it does really well?
Label you a tard.
Good day sir.
the GH1 is a DSLR? Could have fooled me.
Ok, Olympus, please give me in VIDEO mode the following, in this order:
1. Exposure compensation AND exposure LOCKING
2. Shutter control
3. Color/contrast/saturation/sharpness control (so I can emulate film looks).
4. 24p as an OPTION
5. [optional] ISO control.
Then, I would buy this with closed eyes.
Okay, we'll get right to it.
You use a LOT of CAPS.
So, close your eyes already and do it. AFAICT, it does all of them.
Sample photos and videos:
http://www.eprice.com.hk/dc/talk/?prod_id=464&tid=1741
Photography Review updated their preview:
I’ll add some detail to the review later. But I have to correct what I said about the auto focus with video. There is auto focus in the video mode and it works really well.
Really bummed about the lack of an electronic view finder. I don't think I can handle relying on the LCD. I wonder if an external EVF is possible in place of the optical view finder their offering now. Does the E-System hot shoe provide access to sensor data or it is pretty much just there to fire a flash?
That art deserved it. Although I think an artist beat him to doing it.
If you blend this, do you get all that stuff back?
An internet communications device??!?!?!? NO WAI!!! I MUSt hAV It!!
Have anybody checked the iphones radiation levels. These trolls sound like they've went through lobotomy.
idiot.
The inevitable comparison to the Lumix GH1 video performance will happen.
For the record, the GH1 site states:
Full-HD (1920 × 1080) movies are output by the image sensor at 24p (NTSC) / 25p (PAL), and recorded at 60i (NTSC) / 50i (PAL).
HD (1280 × 720) movies are output and recorded by the image sensor at 60p (NTSC) / 50p (PAL).
The Oly site on the EP-1:
Recording format AVI Motion JPEG (30 fps)
Movie mode HD: 1280 (H) x 720 (V) Aspect 16:9 SD: 640 (H) x 480 (V) Aspect 4:3 (VGA)
I assume that the fps is progressive for the Oly EP-1.
So clearly the EP-1 loses out on video performance at 720 compared to the GH1, but when most broadcast video is at 720p at 30fps, what does the 60p of the Lumix gain you at 720??? It only falls short of BluRay quality video in practicality.
For serious photographers, I can see the limitation (the GH1 video capability is unbelievable), but for the bulk of the intended target audience, who wishes to step up from a point and shoot, Olympus seems to be at the right moment and the right time.
The limiting factor with the camera on the surface seems not to be its video framerate; but actually it's LCD viewfinder's limited resolution, and the limit on video recording duration (which could be a firmware fix?). I will wait for the detailed reviews, but none of this seems a deal killer to me.
Makes you wonder what the second iteration of the EP-1 series will bring, and even wonder what Leica would do with the μ4/3 format?
WTF, video?? You are even better off buying this AND throwing in 400$ for a mid-range camcorder, if you care that much about capturing videos.... nice gimmick, if you want to carry only one device. But nothing to base your buying decision on.
Gimmick?
Hardly, especially when you see video capabilities of the Lumix GH-1 in the hands of a capable professional:
http://exposureroom.com/members/philipbloom.aspx/assets/80451d02941a4cd6b47303518104bd25/
http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/05/02/kauai-sunset-lumix-gh1-slow-motion/
So... release date anyone? I feel like I missed something.
That blending video was stupid.