- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How it compares
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Olympus PEN E-PM1
- 12.2 MP
- Four Thirds CMOS
- 3" LCD
Released June, 2011
Conclusion Check out the Olympus PEN E-PM1
First reviewed December, 2011
Features Key features of the Olympus PEN E-PM1
12.2 MP
Four Thirds
megapixels
| 0 MP | 16 MP    | 20 MP |
PEN E-PM1 by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 12.3 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5.5Mb.
PEN E-PM1 by DPReview (Nov, 2011)Overall the E-PM1's results are very good for a 12MP sensor, but naturally it can't quite match the resolution offered by the likes of the 16 MP Sony NEX-5N.
sensor size
PEN E-PM1 by ZLew (Mar, 2013)I use this for freefall photography (skydiving) and it is a great mix of DSLR like features (no shutter delay, good sensor size, multiple lenses, good exposure controls) and weighs half of what my DSLR weights.
PEN E-PM1 by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)For a suggested price of £449.99 / $399.99 with lens the E-PM1 comes bundled with a distinctly plastic-y feeling M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II T lens (one of 20 available dedicated Micro Four Thirds lenses), with an interchangeable 'decoration ring' and the same sleek, chic retro styling we've come to expect from the PEN range.
body size
110 x 64 x 34 mm
124 x 97 x 74 mm
115 x 73 x 42 mm
PEN E-PM1 by David-Tenser* Extremely lightweight and small - I think I managed to shave off another 100 grams of total weight in my camera bag with this upgrade!
PEN E-PM1 by single-malt (May, 2012)All in all, it's great for a small camera to carry with you and take great stills under most circumstances.
focus points
| 0 | 35  | 200 |
PEN E-PM1 by DPReview (Nov, 2011)The E-PM1's AF speed, camera responsiveness, and of course 'large sensor' image quality will be revelations for these users.
PEN E-PM1 by Clever-Name-Goes-Here (Jan, 2012)Honestly though, with the advances in auto-focus accuracy, white balance metering, etc. etc., these cameras will be just fine when left on "P" mode (automatic settings), or just used with simple shutter or aperture priority modes, since they do a fine job at handling the technical stuff; you don't need to constantly fiddle with them to get excellent results.
Performance Real world tests of Olympus PEN E-PM1
DxOMark image quality
PEN E-PM1 by Patrick-JGThe image quality, color and sharpness are higher than what my Panasonic ZS7 is producing.
PEN E-PM1 by Brian (Aug, 2012)I highly recommend this as I have owned a number of cameras over the years and this is an excellent combination of small size yet excellent image quality.
DxOMark low light performance
PEN E-PM1 by Brian (Aug, 2012)The ability to handle noise in low light conditions will also be much better than any point and shoot camera.
PEN E-PM1 by single-malt (May, 2012)If I could, I would probably rate it 4.5 stars for the low light performance and vanilla video shooting, but the value overall is so high I can easily rounding it up.
shutter lag
| 0 ms | 434 ms | 300 ms |
PEN E-PM1 by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)Go on and take the shot and with no discernable shutter delay, a Fine quality JPEG and Raw file are committed to memory in two to three seconds, which is nothing to complain about.
PEN E-PM1 by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)The Olympus E-PM1 lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 60 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well for exposure times as long as 30 minutes, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography.
continuous shooting
PEN E-PM1 by c|net (Feb, 2012)It's very zippy for its class at continuous shooting, but without a viewfinder I find burst shooting awkward.
PEN E-PM1 by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)Sporting a slim, stylish and very small metal body, the EPM1 also features the world’s fastest auto-focus system, a high resolution 3 inch LCD screen, 5.5fps burst shooting, 1080i HD video recording, a maximum sensitivity of ISO12800, sensor-shift image stabilisation, a hot shoe and an accessory port.
battery life
330 photos
550 photos
230 photos
PEN E-PM1 by mypotbelly (Sep, 2011)It's been about a week and I took almost 900 photos with single battery charge(battery life is good).
PEN E-PM1 by alexandra-garrison (Apr, 2013)The only issue that I had was the fact that did not receive a battery charger with the camera that I ordered.
Our analysis How does it stack up against its top 10 competitors
pros
-
Contrast detection focusing system -
HD video -
Generic -
Sensor shift -
Create 3D photos to view on a 3D TV -
35 -
Stitches together multiple photos into a single ultra-wide view -
263 g -
110 x 64 x 34 mm -
34 mm
cons
-
52.0 -
460 k dots -
10.3 ev -
21.0 bits -
12.2 MP -
499 ISO -
The screen is fixed in place -
Jun, 2011 -
Use buttons to access features and menus -
Taking quality photos in low-light will require external hardware -
0 -
No automatic HDR -
Won't have that film look -
None -
79.16%
Reviews Word on the street
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|---|---|
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 | Rated by 47 users at amazon.com Rated 80% by by W.-Chan--book-nerd (May, 2012)   Rated 80% by by David-Tenser Rated 60% by by SmartShopper--SmartShopper |
Lens
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 80% by by Patrick-JGSony NEX line is said to have higher low light capabilities because of the bigger sensor, but I decided to go with the Olympus E-PM1 because it had a wider selection of lenses and the camera is just smaller and nicer with the 14-42mm lens than the Sony.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 80% by by Bleu (Oct, 2011)At first, I was hesitant to use a camera that didn't have individual wheels for shutter and aperture as well as a lack of other dedicated buttons, but I found the menu interface quite intuitive and I was able to change settings quite quickly.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)The Olympus PEN E-PM1 is available in brown, grey, pink, purple, white, or black for a retail price of £449.99 / $499.99 for the 14-42mm standard zoom lens and tiltable external flash.
Sensor
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 71% by by DPReview (Nov, 2011)The E-PM1's 12MP Micro Four Thirds sensor has been around for a while but it is still capable of very good low ISO output in both JPEG and raw mode.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 80% by by Bleu (Oct, 2011)I received the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 and am very pleased with the quality and sharpness of the images it's producing in conjunction with the new sensor.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 71% by by DPReview (Nov, 2011)The processed Raw (using a ACR 6.6 beta) likewise shows impressively fine resolution, and while there's a bit more color moiré, the narrower-radius sharpening we've applied results in a cleaner image without sharpening artifacts.
Screen
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 71% by by DPReview (Nov, 2011)The Custom D menu is quite extensive, with 15 submenus that define much of the user interaction with the LCD screen.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 80% by by Radical-Shadow (Aug, 2012)Other than the vulnerable LCD, the camera is great, but they've now made one better.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 71% by by DPReview (Nov, 2011)The upshot of this is that you simply can't display combinations of information on the same screen as you might take for granted on other cameras.
Image quality
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Oct, 2011)Olympus' Picture Modes are essentially pre-set combinations of saturation, contrast and sharpness, except for the i-Enhance mode that aims to optimise each photo individually.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 100% by by JunT (Dec, 2012)Like the compact size of it and image quality was great compared to other point and shoot cameras.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 100% by by Dive-Key-West (Oct, 2012)Farther more, the images I get are sharp with excellent color rendition.
Video
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 71% by by DPReview (Nov, 2011)Movie mode also allows previewing and composition in the correct aspect ratio for your movie (normally 16:9).
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 100% by by single-malt (May, 2012)I've taken a couple short videos at 1080p and it performs alright, although that feels more like an afterthought.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 | Rated 100% by by mypotbelly (Sep, 2011)Built-in image stabilization may not work perfectly for the video; it works well for still images.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Sony NEX C3 Best image quality as rated by DXOMark Sony NEX C3 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 |
 | 2 | Nikon D3100 Fastest to start up Nikon D3100 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 |
 | 3 | Nikon 1 J1 Fastest rapid fire mode Nikon 1 J1 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 |
 | 4 | Olympus PEN E-PM2 Highest ISO PEN E-PM2 vs PEN E-PM1 |
 | 5 | Samsung NX1000 Largest sensor Samsung NX1000 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 |
 | 6 | Olympus PEN E-PL2 4-way tie: Image stabilization PEN E-PL2 vs PEN E-PM1 |
 | 7 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 3-way tie: Has a touch screen Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 |
 | 8 | Olympus PEN E-P3 3-way tie: Has a touch screen E-P3 vs E-PM1 |
New duel?
Let the battle continue or dare to compare.
Popular Questions
May 14, 2012
I want to capture my young kids in good quality photos.
I am a beginner. My husband has a Nikon D7000 but I find it too bulky. Although the picture quality is great, it doesn't come in handy for taking picture for my young kids. I want to capture them...
Visitor
9
Answers May 2, 2012
Street and Landscape mainly - Some portrait but the holiday snap kind!
I am an expert beginner! I have been interested in photography all my life, with a parent who would say he is a hobbiest photographer. I have had no tuition but know my way around a camera that I...
Beginner I
8
Answers May 1, 2012
Camping, home pic's, flowers, insects, some video
Quality and a long lasting product are important. Ease of use of controls and functions, too. I take home pic's and camping shots mostly. Thank you :)
Visitor
1
Answers Unanswered Questions
- 1 discussions
- View more
June 24, 2012
Result of comparison
How can the sony hx20v beats the olympus e-pm1? Did you see the difference of the sensor's size? That means the sony produces better pictures than the olympus?
Visitor
0
Answers Community Find out what the Sortable community is saying about the Olympus PEN E-PM1
8
people have recommended the
Olympus PEN E-PM1Top Olympus PEN E-PM1 experts at Sortable
Willyepm 
Beginner II
Nikon 1 J1
- 10 MP
- Nikon CX CMOS
- 3" LCD
1 more Sortable user recommendeds the Olympus PEN E-PM1 over the Nikon 1 J1.
View all discussions | View comparison 
Beginner I
3
votes 4/3 lenses are more common. Most optically perfect m39 screw mount lenses can be used perfectly for very low amounts (like $10 for a Russian-made Jupiter 8 50 mm f/2 lens) and four thirds sensors...
- 0 comments
- May 14, 2012
- Reply to: I want to capture my young kids in good quality photos.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3
- 15.8 MP
- Four Thirds CMOS
- 3" LCD
1 more Sortable user recommendeds the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 over the Olympus PEN E-PM1.
View all discussions | View comparison 
Beginner II
1
vote GF1 or GX1 , because it is the best ;) I have one, beside of my 5D mkII.
- 1 comment
- May 2, 2012
- Reply to: Street and Landscape mainly - Some portrait but the holiday snap kind!
