Conclusion:
The PEN E-PL2 met my expectations.
First things first: The image quality. I do not buy the camera because it fits comfortably in your hand, a lot of buttons, has a great feel has so for me no reason to buy (even if it is important) - but a camera is one thing in particular, take pictures and so good , as possible! I was taken aback when the first tests of the Color Photo (Issue 2-2011, page 125), as the PL1 at 100ASA should achieve a higher image quality than my 5DMKII - I could not believe it. In 100ASA (only PL1, PL2 start until 200ASA, test values for PL2 are not yet at Colorfoto before) received in the image quality, the PL1 60 points, which was rated at 100ASA with 59,5Punkten 5DMKII! The small PEN E-PL1 and PL2 (with the same chip) produce very sharp images with low noise at low ASA values. Supplement: In the current color photo (3/2011) the PL2 cuts in the image quality from not quite as good as the PL1. She was rushing from Olympus in favor of less adjusted differently and has poorer texture values so that they now more lands in the middle of the image quality. For the autofocus is faster and the noise, as expected, lower.
. Lens error (this is standard at 4/3, counted equally in the process out, so that the supplied standard lens has been amazed me Dpreview.com offers compared images, they look at that and you'll see - they can use the E- PL2 with Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony, etc. compare with the small 200ASA Real has a lot to offer. I am looking forward to the announced professional version of this model.
Until about 1.600ASA a very good noise behavior, you can run the PL2 to 6400ASA, but you do not, I would not. It makes more sense because the investment in high-speed lenses. The nice thing with 4/3 there are a huge numbers of lenses available via an adapter are also other brands (Minolta, Canon, Nikon, Leitz, etc.) can be connected. Especially the Micro 4/3 lenses from Panasonic with the 7-14mm / F4.0 and others are very interesting. Panasonic brings out soon the 12-50mm / 2.5-3.3 (24-100mm in accordance KB), a bright professional lens.
The new standard lens 14-42mmII has a much faster autofocus, it moves all very soft, no game, no sanding etc. noticeable, and it is almost silent - the optical performance is also very neat.
The optional Aufsetzsucher with 1.4 million. Pixels is a strong addition and particularly in bright ambient light very useful.
The PL2 comes quickly to the point, the auto focus is considerably faster than in the PL1. But reached no SLR level. For action photography the little girl is still a little too weak.
Even in the dark the autofocus makes relatively fast and secure his goal when contrast edges are present. We are talking about a contrast autofocus which operates differently from a phase autofocus of SLR - Kontrastautofokusse always need an edge with contrast, which means if a face by candlelight want to focus, and the person has no sharp edge on the face (for example, glasses) then it will be hard for the KonstrastAF. Here then helps the convenient manual setting for a good picture.
The condition and the other settings are uncritically for me essentially.
The only thing I miss, and I know from Nikon and Canon ago, is the store the last position of the menu. That would make the operation even improve a little if you do not always go through the same trees.
To operate:
The default settings are not that great for me, but if you read the manual, you can adjust the handling on their own needs and with many possibilities.
Clicking an image magnification is made to the 10- or 14-fold. A captured image can be deleted immediately (without annoying query if you want to).
Multiple exposures, and the entire automatic control are simple and comfortable. A manual white balance and a spot metering or AE lock memory can be freely assigned to keys. With a single push of a button, a manual white balance is set - awesome. 4 individual storage are available. 3 frames per second is not bad for the little girl. Autofocus makes within the face recognition focusing an eye - that's brilliant, sharp pupils look neater.
I have an old Minolta 1.4 / 50mm (= 100mm in KB) stated that then only works in aperture priority and manual focus - focus and bouquet are very appealing. Also there are very powerful and affordable lenses for the PEN with very high brightness of f = 0.95 / 25mm as the Nokton 25mm / 0.95.
However, the best during the manual focus is the setting aid - as soon as I turn on the distance ring of a MFT lens, increases the PEN image to 7 times and the manu. Focusing is a breeze - not a button has to be pressed.
The filter styles are varied and useful - see for yourself rainy afternoons with the drama-filter (a kind HDMR filters) simply exciting from.
The best thing is for me but the joy of the sharp images - just as I want it. We are not talking about a oversharpening by software, as it is produced with the aid of image processing software - but here I am talking of optical power and the right combination of optics, chip antialiasing filter and electronics, this is a big difference. In a magnification view at the PC can see the difference, the edges remain sharp, as opposed to an artificial over-sharpening by software where only the contrast is increased and the edges look pixelated.
Anyone who wants to can shoot by pressing a button, but I prefer the button has a more important function.
I prefer when PL2 setting the Auto ISO to 800ASA, then the noise stays below 2, which represents a very good value. I think it's great that you can even choose these settings freely.
Incidentally, you can set the camera so that the operator in manual mode, the speed and aperture pretending and PL2 automatically selects the appropriate ISO setting. If many Pentax models Although standard, but not with my Canon, which is why I mention this here.
The small flash is also useful because it can remotely control the large Biltzgeräte and is movable, so that can be flashed indirectly.
Not to mention the excellent 3 "display, which of course does not fill with 4/3 format the whole screen, but who wants to can switch to 3/2 format and then use the entire display.
Also not to be forgotten: the built-in image stabilizer, so that steady shots with the standard lens to 1/6 second from the hand are possible. Whereby the stability of professional models to be executed superior, according to the manufacturer of the Pen E-PL1 up. 3 f-stops, at the PEN E-P2 up to 4 - but I have not tested it myself. I think it is in any case good to have a stabilizer with all lenses.
The tracking Contious AF works equally in people who do not move too fast, pretty good. But too much should not be expected.
Anyway, I'm come closer to my goal and have found a good nightlife camera with smaller size for me that lots of manual controls, a quick operation and quick AF, high customizability and 1a image quality with an excellent weight and a wide range of excellent optics owns.
Now I'm looking forward to the further announced lenses for MFT and the professional version of the Olympus!
It is fun to work with this camera.
Olympus is a big hit.
