One of my favorite cameras of all time is the Olympus Stylus Epic, a fixed 35mm point-and-shoot. It’s small, produces shockingly sharp images and is unassuming — basically, it’s tailor-made for street photography. Flash forward a couple decades later and Olympus is still crushing it when it comes to packing a potent punch in a compact point-and-shoot, albeit with a few modern day updates.
With the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and my trusty sidekick in tow, I strolled the neighborhood on a glorious Seattle spring day to test out the latest offering from Olympus, the PEN E-PL9.
One can’t help but notice the undeniably vintage and stylish feel of the body. The E-PL9 comes in three colors: Onyx Black, Honey Brown and Pearl White. Right off the bat, the body feels surprisingly solid in the hands, with a shutter mechanism that brings to mind the tangible feel of a camera you might find in a completely different price bracket. With super fast focusing and a crisp 3” inch malleable LCD screen, the E-PL9 gives you instant results. And while we’re on the topic of instant gratification, the built in bluetooth and Wi-Fi makes it a cinch to seamlessly share the way you see things with the world, meaning if you’re an avid Instagrammer but want a little more control, this is the camera for you.
Whether you’re trying to take a selfie or a top-down shot, the screen bends and follows the action so you can compose your shot just the way you want it. This makes it great for video, which the camera handles magnificently with its 4k video capture. The body is super light, at just .8 lbs, which makes it perfect for hanging around your neck or living discreetly in your pocket until you’re ready to bring it into play.
The camera boasts 16 megapixels and features in-body 3-axis image stabilization, so even with the macchiato jitters, you’ll get a tack sharp shot every time. I was really impressed by the image quality, even in slightly backlit situations.
A new setting within the camera (SCN) accounts for various scenarios like nightscapes, scenery, closeups, motion and more and completely takes the legwork out of shooting and leaves you to snap your photo and take in the moment. For the uninitiated but aspiring photographer, the Olympus Pen might quite simply be one of the best beginner cameras out there.
There are a number of fun in-camera effects accessible in the ART setting for that classic film look, though personally, I prefer to play around with that aspect of things after shooting. I will add however that the partial color filter was pretty fun to play around with in camera.
Spin the wheel around a little more and you’ll find the advanced photo mode, or AP option, that allows you to explore options (nine to be exact) like live compositing, panorama, HDR, multiple exposures, and more. If you’re trying to be incognito, the silent mode can come in mighty handy.
For a beginner looking to upgrade from the iPhone or even a professional looking for a pocketable grab-and-go camera with highly intuitive controls, this camera is just the ticket. Clocking in at $599.99, the price is right to boot. What comes in the package? The camera body, micro-b USB cable, strap, manual, warranty card, BLS-50 Li-Ion battery, BCS-5 charger, a quick tip card, and quick start guide.
While not a drastic departure from the E-PL8, all in all, the E-PL9 is a great walk-around camera with my only complaint being that the buttons are a little small. I guess that’s what you get when the LCD takes up so much real estate! I was, however, a big fan of the intuitive touch AF — one quick tap of the screen locks your focus and nabs the shot.
We’re all just gathering empirical data at the end of the day right? This camera makes it super easy and fun.
Key features:
- 16 MP Live MOS Sensor
- TruePic™ VIII Image Processor
- 3 Inch 180° Flip Down Touch Screen
- In-Body 3-Axis Image Stabilization
- Intuitive Touch AF Shutter focuses and shoots with a single touch of the screen. Camera automatically switches to Selfie Mode when screen is flipped down for both stills and video.
- Built-In Flash
- New Graphical User Interface includes Intuitive Scene Modes
- 16 Art Filters with new Instant Film filter
- AP Mode: Choose from 9 different Advanced Photo Modes (Live Composite, Live Time, Multiple Exposure, HDR, Silent, Sweep Panorama, Digital Shift, AE Bracket, AF Bracket).
- High-Speed 8.6 frames/second Sequential Shooting
- 4K Video & Still Image Capture from 4K Video
- Built-In Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
