I have been using E-P2 (with M.Zuiko 14-42mm and Lumix G 45-200mm lenses) for more than a month now, and still have some mixed feelings about it.
I like the relatively small size given the quality and the number of features packed in. The selection of both prime and zoom lenses is now decent, and sensor-based image stabilization of this model means that you don't need to worry whether the lens you are buying has image stabilization or not. The camera feels sturdy and the image quality is close to what I expected for the price I paid: the noise is low, and the resolution is good.
One of the big reasons for getting the E-P2 was the ability to connect an external microphone for high-quality stereo sound recording. Unfortunately, the length of a sound memo is limited to 1 minute, so you will be forced to record a movie even if you are just interested in sound recording. Furthermore, the external microphone connects to the camera through an optional microphone adapter that plugs into the hot shoe (which is then not available for the viewfinder or flash). A simple dedicated microphone jack would have been a more elegant solution. It would also be nice to have manual control over sound level when recording.
The main dial for camera control is of size which is most appropriate for kids' fingers, and I find it very touchy.
The user interface leaves much to be desired, even after a month of getting used to it. The menus are convoluted, and naming of functions is often confusing. A typical example is the macro photography: there are "macro" and "nature macro" modes available, and neither the camera menu nor the user manual explain the difference (assuming there is any). The menu comment defines nature macro as "best for close ups of small objects," which leads me to a bizarre conclusion that "macro" setting is for close ups of large objects.
Even though the user manual specifies that in the spot-metering mode the "spot-metering area mark" indicates the position of the spot, this mark is not visible on the screen when shooting. Sure, it is in the center of the screen, but it would be helpful if it were visible. Similarly, the manual states that setting the focal length of the lens in the image stabilizer menu is disabled for micro-four third lenses, yet I am able to change this value with the micro-four thirds lens attached. I find this detail worrisome and can only hope that it is simply a glitch in the firmware.
The external electronic viewfinder offers an impressive image quality, but it is also an external piece of gear: something that makes your camera more bulky and adds complexity to handling, something you need to remember to pack with you, and make sure not to lose. I would be much happier if all the engineering and manufacturing efforts related to the viewfinder were used to upgrade the built-in LCD screen which right now offers mediocre quality and resolution.
The self timer only offers 2 or 12 second delays and a single shot, without custom settings or at least an option for multiple shots. Furthermore, there is no intervalometer.
The bracketing feature as far as I was able to tell requires the shutter button to be pressed for each of the shots - this can be a problem if you are trying to get series of perfectly registered images for later HDR processing. An option to have the complete bracketing sequence triggered by the timer would be a great plus.
For some reason, "OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" is forced as the image caption in EXIF data which I have to manually remove (or waste time writing a script) when uploading pictures to online albums to avoid this all-caps self-promotion showing up as the title of the photograph. The EXIF fields for the camera manufacturer and the model already contain the information, thank you.
All in all, I am fairly happy with the physical design and quality, while most of the shortcomings are related to the software design. I hope that at least some of the issues will be addressed in firmware updates.Get more detail about
Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder.
