And yes, there are certainly photographers who do not need it: Those who take pictures only with very good light and letting the camera all settings. So if you are of a Pen expected nothing more than an automatic clippers with interchangeable lenses. No, I do not mean negative, I know that there is a, not the number of those who think so small. These people should save the money rather.
And who needs the viewfinder now? All pictures of the macro, the wish to focus manually, using long telephoto lenses, which will judge the picture before triggering in direct sunlight, will leave not on the partly gruesome screen (depending on model).
Why not directly in the camera? Well, who the (ugly) Nikon V1 looks will soon discover that such a built-in viewfinder enlarges the camera considerably. One can also imagine if you can see the dimensions of the viewfinder. The concept of a pen but is designed for compactness and so it was decided to outsource the viewfinder. I think it's good, but you can decide for themselves whether to grow it or not.
Built-seekers are not also pivoted and usually not solve so high on.
Unfortunately, so is the hot shoe is so that you can use any external flashes and the viewfinder at the same time. After all, for example, the E-PL1 operate the built-in flashes properly when plugged viewfinder. And this is quite flash to trigger other lightning able. Be it via photocell or contact an Olympus dedicated flash.
The viewfinder image is certainly beyond doubt (light and highly detailed) and it will transfer all the information there to see on the display. It can be pivoted and has a diopter adjustment. In addition, one can make it with a little switch on the back, as needed to on or off. With me (E-PL1) he also sits firmly.
On the whole, I judge so: power = 5 star, Handling = 5 stars, price = 4 stars
Greeting Lieve-Jong
