Olympus PEN E-PM2 Pro Reviews

The E-PM2 is the entry-level model in the PEN range, but it still boasts some upmarket features. Its metal body houses the same 16-megapixel sensor that's used in Olympus's top-of-the-range Olympus OMD E-M5. Continuous shooting is at 8fps – double what most CSCs at this price manage and only a shade behind the E-M5's 9fps performance.

The Olympus E-PM2 is an exceptional upgrade of the company's entry-level offering. And that's saying a lot, since we've been very pleased with the image quality and overall speedy performance of the Olympus PEN compact system camera line over the past couple of years. Like the stepup PEN E-PL5, the PEN E-PM2 inherits the excellent 16-megapixel sensor from the groundbreaking OM-D E-M5, one of our all-time favorite cameras. Bolstered by this sensor and the TruePic VI image processor (also borrowed from the E-M5), the image quality we saw from the E-PM2 proved to be nothing less than stellar -- demonstrating accurate colors, an impressive dynamic range and tons of detail. When you consider the camera's entry-level status and price, such image quality is an outright amazing feat and rivals that of much higher-end CSCs and DSLRs. The E-PM2 also improves upon the quick operation of its predecessor, the E-PM1, providing blazing speed in terms of start up, mode switching, autofocus, single-shot cycle times and more. The camera's Continuous mode averaged 8 frames per second -- not too shabby -- but falls to a more pedestrian 3.5 fps when tracking AF is enabled. Overall, we found the FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) AF to be responsive and accurate in most situations, though it's not as great when tracking motion action or shooting video.

Both cameras performed well and gave us crisp, focused photos. We were finding it difficult to justify the $100 to spring for the E-PL5 over the E-PM2. But then we started tilting the screen out to review photos or framing the best angle for a shot, and it became a “must have” feature. We also like the settings dial, which is styled more like a DSLR camera; the E-PM2 functions more like more like a point-and-shoot cameras; that means a few extra steps to change from full auto to manual or art effects. Both cameras are good entries into the Micro Four Thirds category, and will serve new users well. The picture quality and ability to play with a number of settings make it a good choice for photographers who like to tweak shots and play around with different ISO and other settings. If you can live without the extra features, such as a tilting screen and settings dial, you can save a few dollars and go with the Pen Mini E-PM2. Our preference, if you’re going for this price point and feature set, is to spring for the extra features offered with E-PL5.

The Olympus E-PM2 is a much more intriguing camera than its entry-level price and bottom-of-the-range positioning in the Olympus compact system camera lineup would first suggest. Not many manufacturers offer the same image quality as their flagship camera throughout their entire range, but that's exactly what Olympus have done with the release of the E-PL5 and now the even smaller E-PM2. The new Olympus E-PM2 therefore comes Highly Recommended as the smallest, simplest to use and most affordable alternative to Olympus' best mirrorless camera...

If it's value you're looking for then the E-PM2 sure does lay out an attractive spread of features for its £500 asking price. Image quality is good, though the kit lens is a bit of a letdown - to get the very best from this Mini compact system camera we suggest looking to other lenses. The main qualm we have with the E-PM2 is how closely aligned it is to the E-PL5. The latter has better build quality, is easier to operate thanks to its mode dial, and the tilt-angle LCD screen is a nice touch too. We're definitely fans of the E-PM2, which is superior to its predecessor across the board, but for our money it's the E-PL5 which is the Pen model to take the prize.

The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 features an improved design, with better handling and controls than the previous Mini E-PM1, as well as a great 3 inch touch screen. The camera doesn't feature a panoramic mode, but does include a built in HDR bracketing mode, although unfortunately this doesn't auto-stitch the photos. The Live Time feature inherited from the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is an excellent feature. The camera's image quality is vastly improved over the previous PEN cameras, inheriting the 16 megapixel sensor from the Olympus OM-D E-M5, image quality is excellent with the 14-42mm MK II lens delivering sharp photos and excellent Olympus colour. Noise performance is the best it's ever been from a Micro Four Thirds camera, with usable ISO up to and including ISO6400. With the current offer on the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, where you can get a free FlashAir Wi-Fi card, the camera is very good value for money, and we are very happy to give this camera an Editor's Choice award. The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 is a camera that will suit the beginner looking for high quality photos and rapid performance, as well as the more advanced photographer looking for a compact mirrorless camera.

The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 is a capable little interchangeable-lens camera with a Live Guide mode for photographic novices, but for just $100 more you can get a better PEN.