The first generation of this revolutionary camera created buzz, then complaints. Now Olympus quickly introduced the second generation E-P2. Have they been listening?
When it was introduced this spring, the Olympus E-P1 came with more pre-launch anticipation than I've seen for any camera in a very long time. And rightly so: The retro look, the first pocket-sized Micro Four Thirds camera helped build the buzz with its alluring looks and promise. Then the sample camera came in to review and while it had (and still has) a lot going for it (unprecedented image quality for a camera its size, HD video, a full line of interchangeable lenses, world's first compact interchangeable-lens digital camera), the Micro Four Thirds camera also had serious flaws.
Countless reviews pointed out the E-P1's flaws first, and many ignored the camera's benefits but no matter: Olympus clearly got the message, and the E-P2, announced today, clearly addresses the complaints and concerns expressed over the first-generation version. This time, there was no buzz, no anticipation...it was a secret surprise that was sprung upon us under top-secret conditions a couple of weeks ago, but now we can tell all.
Read our news coverage of the Olympus E-P2 announcement with full specs.
Let's look at the complaints about the E-P1, and how Olympus responded with the E-P2.
1. "There's no electronic viewfinder."
Joining the Panasonic GF-1 and Ricoh GX-200, the E-P2 adds an optional electronic viewfinder that is purchased separately. And it's a beaut. In a brief hands-on session, Jack Howard and I found the finder resolution to be outstanding, with very smooth panning even in the moderately diminished light of the New York Javits center. The VF-2 Electronic View Finder fits in the hot shoe, rotates up to 90 degrees for waist-level viewing, and a small data transfer port connects just below.
2. "It's not available in black"
Now it is. And it's gorgeous.
3. "Nice HD video, but needs an external microphone jack for better audio"
Olympus has further added to the versatility of the hot shoe and data port by offering yet another gadget that you can plug in: an external microphone adapter EMA-1. It has a stereo external microphone jack. The only problem is that when the hot shoe is occupied by this adapter, you can't use both it and the viewfinder at the same time.
4. "Focus is sluggish and indecisive"
Clearly this performance issue was a deal-breaker for many potential buyers. Its pokey focusing and resulting long lag time had to be addressed. And it has. Although I only had a few minutes to play with the E-P2, I found a very noticeable improvement in AF performance. I found lag time to be minimal, and while more extensive field testing and a street photography stress test will give us a better sense of how well Olympus handled the issue, it became immediately obvious that the E-P2's lag time and focus speed is a major improvement over that of the E-P1. That's very good news.
The faster focusing is likely due to an upgraded Continuous Autofocus (C-AF) Tracking System tracks the subject across or back-and-forward through the frame. I look forward to testing this out in the near future.
In addition, Olympus has added two more "art" filters—Diorama and Cross Process—as well as full manual control when shooting HD Videos. iEnhance automatically adjusts color and contrast, while the camera now has HDMI control for playback using a TV set remote.
The E-P2 retains the design elements and most of the features of the E-P1, and will be priced about $100 more. If it holds up to testing and can deliver all that Olympus promises it will, then the E-P2 might be worthy of all the buzz and high expectations that surrounded the E-P1. Its availability turns the compeition with the Panasonic GF-1 into a real horse race.
