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Olympus Pen E-PM2
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Manufacturer: OlympusPrice as Reviewed:
£500.00With a good number of new features, including a 16.1-million-pixel sensor and a touch-sensitive screen, Olympus’s Pen Mini range may have grown up. Richard Sibley finds out just how good the diminutive E-PM2 really is. Read the Olympus Pen E-PM2 review...
Viewfinder, LCD and video
As the E-PM2 has the same accessory socket as the previous generation of Pen cameras, the optional electronic viewfinder can be used for those who require a viewfinder. Otherwise, by default, it is the rear 3in widescreen, 460,000-dot screen that is used to view images. This is bright and shows a reasonable level of detail, but it is noticeable that it doesn’t have as high a resolution as the 921,000-dot screens found on most DSLRs and some other CSCs. However, once again, for the intended market, it shouldn’t present a problem.
Video capture is fairly impressive, with full HD 1920×1080-pixel capture at 30fps, with MPEG4/H.264 compression at a 20Mbps data rate. Audio is captured in stereo using the internal microphone, which has a recording level and wind noise reduction functions.
- External mic: Optional via accessory port
- Video: Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 30p, 20Mbps
- White Balance: Auto, 7 presets, manual plus custom setting
- Built-in Flash: Yes – GN 10m @ ISO 200
- Memory Card: SD, SDHC, SDXC
- Shutter Type: Computerised focal-plane shutter
- Viewfinder Type: Yes, via accessory port – Olympus EVF2
- Output Size: 4608 x 3456 pixels
- Field of View: Approx 100%
- LCD: Fixed 3in touch screen LCD with 460,000 dots
- Focal Length Mag: 2x
- Max Flash Sync: 1/250sec (1/4000sec with Super FP mode)
- Sensor: 16-million-effective-pixel, Live MOS four thirds sensor
- White Balance Bracket: Yes, 3 exposures, 2,4,6 mired steps
- AF Points: 35-point on auto, or 800 manual magnified selection
- Exposure Modes: i-Auto, PASM plus 25 scene modes
- Colour Space: Adobe RGB, sRGB
- Drive Mode: 8fps in High Speed mode for 19 raw images, or 27 JPEG images. 3fps in Low Speed with IS on. Single-shot and self-timer
- Shutter Speeds: 30-1/4000sec in 1⁄3EV steps plus 30mins in bulb
- File Format: Raw, JPEG, raw + JPEG simultaneously
- Power: Rechargeable BLS-5 Li-Ion battery
- Weight: 269g (with battery and card)
- DoF Preview: No
- Dimensions: 109.8 x 64.2 x 33.8mm
- Connectivity / Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI
- Metering System: 324-zone multi-pattern evaluative metering, spot, centreweighted, highlight and shadow spot
- Compression: 2-stage JPEG
- Exposure Comp: ±5EV in 1⁄3EV steps
- RRP: £499 (with 14-42mm kit lens)
- ISO: 100-25,600
- Lens Mount: Micro four thirds mount
- Focusing Modes: Manual, single AF, continuous AF, single AF + MF, AF tracking, touch target and face detection
- Tested as: Very good