Fight Club - Micro Four Thirds

A whole new generation of cameras, these two Micro Four Thirds bring something new to the game. But just what separates the pair of them and which will come out victorious?

Olympus Pen E-P1		Panasonic Lumix GF1

£670 with 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens www.olympus.co.uk		£730 with 20mm pancake www.panasonic.co.uk
First impressions:
It's white and effortlessly cool. The Pen brings retro styles into the modern era and for that we can only give it the point.	WIN!!	LOSE!	It's the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera, but its looks are a touch more functional over the Pen's sheen.
In the ring:
Although it may look like a compact, this offers DSLR-quality. No gimmicks, just straightforward operation that nods to the days of old, with added contemporary flair.	LOSE!	WIN!!	Similar to its Olympus competitor, the GF1 has a much, much faster auto focus system that gives it the winning edge. However, its lack of in-camera stabilisation (20mm pancake lens also lacks stabilisation) is a bit of a blow.
Shot at the title:
Scraping an extra stop worth of sensitivity - at ISO 6400 - the E-P1 has a powerful spread. Images are usable throughout the range and the comprehensive noise reduction and noise filter provide comprehensive control.	WIN!!	LOSE!	Whilst ultimately extremely good, the GF1 tires more quickly then the E-P1. Its ISO 1600-3200 settings show more presence of colour noise and there are not as many user-defined controls to keep noise minimised.
Bookies favourite?
Where to tell them apart - the E-P1 is the Micro Four Thirds standard and has an array of lenses at its disposal. This kit will cost you just shy of £700.	DRAW	DRAW	A touch more expensive, the GF1 is also the Micro Four Thirds standard, making a whole range of lenses available - just like the Olympus does too.
Special move:
Noise reduction and noise filter keeps you in control at all times for the optimum finish.	LOSE!	WIN!!	Peripheral defocus. With that f/1.7 lens at your disposal you'll want pin-point accuracy in focusing. This mode has a user-defined movable cursor on screen to act as the focal point. Bang on.
Sensor:
12.3MP Live MOS sensor	WIN!!	LOSE!	12.1MP Live MOS sensor
ISO range:
100-6400	WIN!!	LOSE!	100-3200
LCD:
3in 230K-dot	LOSE!	WIN!!	3in 460k-dot
Continuous shooting:
3fps	DRAW	DRAW	3fps
AF-system:
Contrast detect, 11 point (25 with face detection)	LOSE!	WIN!!	Contrast detect, 23 points
Stabilisation:
Yes, sensor-based	WIN!!	LOSE!	No, unless from attached lenses
Viewfinder:
No, but optional optical viewfinder available	LOSE!	WIN!!	No, but optional electronic viewfinder (EVF) available
HD Video:
720p, 30fps, Motion-JPEG (M-JPEG) AVI. Stereo microphone.	LOSE!	WIN!!	720p at 50 pr 60fps (sensor output is 30fps), AVCHD Lite, H.264 codec AVI. Mono microphone.
Conclusion:
LOSE! Olympus Pen E-P1		WIN!! Panasonic Lumix GF1