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Gallery: First produced in 1959, the Olympus Pen has had a makeover
Creative Review
Olympus has very kindly donated a new Olympus Pen e-p1 camera (worth £700) for this month’s Gallery prize.
Olympus Pen E-P1 (1 of 4)
Olympus has very kindly donated a new Olympus Pen e-p1 camera (worth £700) for this month’s Gallery prize
Olympus has revisited an old classic from its past, the Olympus Pen from 1959, and brought it bang up to date. Over 17 million of the various original models were sold between 1959 and the mid-80s, many used by professional photographers as a second camera.
While purists might argue that the new Pen lacks the original’s mid-century aesthetic charm (as well as a viewfinder), the new camera boasts a host of impressive features that should keep most camera lovers happy. The Pen is more compact than most digital slrs on the market yet boasts 12 mega-pixels, an impressive three-inch screen and the ability to shoot hd film with stereo sound. A set of six ‘art filters’ and a ‘multi exposure’ setting allow you to experiment with images on the fly, or to add effects to pictures after you’ve taken them. Add to this two interchangeable lenses and a detachable flash and that’s a lot of photographic flexibility.
Olympus has very kindly donated a new Olympus Pen e-p1 camera (worth £700) for this month’s Gallery prize. To enter our competition to win it, simply tell us the name of the legendary designer of the original 1959 Olympus Pen. You can enter here. Terms and conditions on request.
9 Comments
A wonderful system. But I struggle with it's £700 price, since possibly the finest quality compact in the world right now being the Sigma DP2, beating even the Leica ones is selling for £500.
I'll still be trying one out though, if it's as hot as promised, I'll save up the extra sure...
2009-08-28 14:34:02
It's great to see attention finally being given to the quality of compact cameras in the form of this, the DP2, M8 etc etc, but the digital re-release I'd love to see would be of the Olympus XA. A fully functioning rangefinder with a fixed fast lens in the smallest size possible, they achieved more with that than the Pen series. I still use my XA alongside my DSLR, whilst my F3's sit gathering dust.
Must admit I'd love to have a go with the E-P1 though, especially with the 17mm lens.
2009-08-28 14:52:33
and we enter the Gallery how?
2009-09-01 14:52:09
The most important feature is the "Micro 4/3" symbol on the bottom right. Meaning it's extremely compact and you can inter-change lenses. That's what makes it special rather than any 'art filters'. Other manufacturers should follow, Canon are you listening?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system
2009-09-01 14:58:32
Looks fantastic, performs even better. I took the plunge and it's given my photography a whole new lease of life!
2009-09-01 15:12:48
I've had the Pen EP-1 for a week, borrowed from a friend not a review camera (my normal thing). My first modern camera, at 15, was a Pen D - a very compact model with superb f/1.9 lens. 72 shots per roll was great for my budget, and working with half frame taught me darkroom skills and tight composition. It forced me into a technical skills advantage (processing and printing) I never lost until digital arrived!
But apart from the exceptional sound quality in video mode compared to the Nikon D5000, Canon 50D, etc I didn't get on as well as the initial 'wow!' reaction on handling it suggested. Quite simply, I really want a body in this style to have a viewfinder, no matter how good the rear screen is. I kept lifting it to my eye simply because the whole shape and feel of the EP-1 reminded me of my Leica CL/Minola CLE kit I used for several years in place of SLRs.
I love small cameras but will have to wait to see what Olympus do next. The image quality is excellent and the lenses (17mm f/2.8 pancake and 14-42mm kit zoom) up the usual Olympus mark - almost perfect.
2009-09-08 15:08:57
Love the retro styling!
2009-09-09 06:58:29
But it actually looks terrible! on not a scrap on the PEN e-p1...
surely not worth £700 - if your buying a camera for this much your not buying it for its technically capabilities are you. your clearly going for the design which i think Olympus has missed the boat here!
i may be wrong.
Thoughts?
kp
http://www.theopenconsultancy.com
2009-09-09 10:02:48
First reaction was: Looks Promising! but where's the viewfinder? Read the rest of the press release: That will be coming next!
Crazy. Dangle the thing in front of us and expect us to buy this one and hope we'll buy the next model as well.
I don't think so!
Will Samsung beat you to it with their compact APS-C sized sensor with electronic viewfinder?
2009-09-11 18:51:28
