Updated (January, 2011): Compare the Olympus PEN E-P1 vs Olympus PEN E-PL2

Olympus PEN E-P1

47

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-P1

Screen size
Large screen
3.0"
Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from
Olympus PEN E-PL1

44

Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-PL1

External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from
Built-in flash
Built-in flash
External flash not needed

differences

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-P1

Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 536 ISO vs 487 ISO
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The PEN E-P1 has a slight edge (0.1 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/2000s
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2x faster max shutter speed
Dynamic range More dynamic range 10.4 EV vs 10.1 EV
Help
0.3 f-stops more dynamic range
Size Smaller 121x70x36 mm vs 115x72x42 mm
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More than 10% smaller
Thickness Thinner 1.4" vs 1.7"
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More than 10% thinner
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $184.49 vs $259.99
Help
The best price we've seen is $76 cheaper (around 30% less)
Olympus PEN E-P1 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-P1

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL1

External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Color depth Better color depth 21.5 bits vs 21.4 bits
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Distinguishes 0.1 more bits of color
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
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A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Weight Slightly lighter 334 g vs 355 g
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Around 10% lighter
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-PL1
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent mirrorless cameras, and ignoring price

Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-P1
47 vs 44
Explain scores
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Olympus PEN E-P1.

advice

Need help deciding?

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I am considering either the PEN E-P1 or the PEN E-PL1,
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0
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by trixie-bird last week
Olympus PEN E-PL1 vs Panasonic DMC-GF2

Intermediate.  Want to take pictures or people and landscapes.

0
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by Emily-Bahne last month
Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus PEN E-PL1

I'm a beginner. I'm going to be traveling all over the world and I want a camera that is light and...

similarities

Compared to recent mirrorless cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Sensor shift
Lowest price Inexpensive Help
PEN E-P1:$184.49
PEN E-PL1:$259.99
Longest exposure Long exposures Help
60 seconds
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
3,200 ISO
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
12.2 MP
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Movie format Both shoot high resolution HD movies Help
720p @ 30fps
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Supports 24p No support for 24p Help
Missing that film look
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
PEN E-P1:10.4 EV
PEN E-PL1:10.1 EV
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
PEN E-P1:55.0
PEN E-PL1:54.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$485 with 14-42mm lens

Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$500 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$589 - $600 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Color depth Has slightly less color depth
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$376 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$547 with 10-30mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Longest exposure Significantly shorter exposures
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Olympus PEN E-P2

Olympus PEN E-P2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$480 with 17mm lens

Lowest price Is slightly more expensive

Olympus PEN E-P1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Olympus PEN E-P1.

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Olympus PEN E-PL1.

appearance

Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-PL1

discussion

Showing 2 comments

Yepee9 (3:28 PM, February 24, 2012)
how much difference in price ?
 
Coroon1 (1:21 PM, February 17, 2012)
Don't think twice - buy E-P1.
AF - same
H.ISO - E-P1 better ! iso 3200 looks like iso 1600 in E-PL1
LCD - E-P1 has bigger - in E-PL1 is smaller and hum like put inside in body (more deep)
BUTTONS - E-P1 has scroll ! and its better to configure. EP-1 looks faster in menu and buttons reaction than E-Pl1.
E-P1 is more heavy BUT u feel like U have great camera - E-PL1 is lighter and feels like more plastic or less quality aluminium.

Two cameras are great and produce great pictures but E-P1 is elder and in my opinion better to buy. Not always  NEW means BETTER - remember.