Olympus E-PL1: first look

First Look of the Olympus E-PL1 from Deputy Editor, Mat Gallagher

The E-PL1 most importantly shows a broadening of the Micro FourThirds range, rather than just a progression. It offers a more affordable starting point to tempt people to upgrade from a standard compact.

The body of the camera is much squarer than we've seen in the previous models and generally slightly smaller in size. The back panel certainly looks simpler and is in part plastic as opposed to the full metal finish, though still feels very sturdy in construction.

The addition of a flash on this model is certainly welcome; it sits hidden inside the body, and pops out of the top panel, sitting extended at quite a height above the lens. Both the VF-2 electronic viewfinder and microphone adapter from the E-P2 are compatible with the E-PL1, as is the optical viewfinder accessory.

The Live Guide system is in keeping with this camera's focus towards users new to creative photography and names the modes by their effect rather than in photo terms. Switch out of the i-Auto mode and back into the creative modes, however, and this quick menu will revert to the regular controls, making it still appealing to the more advanced user.

Editor, Nigel Atherton with the new Olympus E-PL1