Olympus announced their new camera the new Olympus Pen E-P1, lots of people are talking about it. Olympus does have a reputation for making smaller than normal cameras that are great like their SLRs, Olympus XA and the Olypmpus Pen cameras, For the E-P1, it uses the Micro Four Thirds format, so that means u get a bigger sensor than most point and shoot cameras out there (translate to better quality), it has interchangeable lens, 12 megapixels (more than enough for an A4 print), compact.

First impressions from pictures and blogs. The small size does appeal to many SLR cameras users who just don't want to bring out a big camera for a walkabout or their vacation, I got the Ricoh GX200 precisely for this purpose it's small compact with a good lens, although when the Panasonic LX3 came out i wished I got that instead.

The Micro Four Thirds sensor also means that you get better resultscompared with normal point and shoots with the same megapixel count.

They lens that are stated in the website includes a 17mm F2.8 and a 14-48mm F3.5-5.6, which translate to 35mm terms is 34mm and 28-84mm, suitable to cover most travel or walkabout scenarios (unless you shoot birds).

It's a pity there doesn't seemed to be an Electronic View Finder included like the Ricoh, it would definately improve the stablity of the camera when taking slow shutter speed shots or if they are going to have long lenses.

So What do I like ?

  • Small and Light
  • Interchangable Lens
  • Manual Functions (Aperture,Shutter and Manual)
  • Image stablization (For both camera and movie modes)
  • 17mm lens F2.8
What hope they will have for future models?
  • Electronic View Finder
  • MORE Lenses (Panasonic has 4, Olympus has 2, yes i know you can mount 4/3 lens via an adaptor but that's abit troubelsome)
Well for me the sad thing is that I probably won't be getting any new cameras, got a new baby on the way (Perhaps i can convince my wife that this is for the baby :p ). For those who are going to buy it will go on sale sometime starting in July i think. So if you get one, let me touch it ok?

Links
The Online Photographer
Olympus Official Site
dpreview.com