Test: Olympus E-P1 (Part 2) 
The "German Corner in Koblenz, Germany 2010
After minor delays, I want you now no longer in suspense, and here to Part 1 and Part 1a my test report to Olympus E-P1 finally the promised second Part of follow up. Meanwhile, there is also another place in a competent English-depth review at dpreview.com with which I agree but not fully. The following are therefore now my personal criticisms of the PL1.
Part 2: A few bad things about the Olympus E-P1 or
: Something to complain there are more!
The most important thing for me first: The auto focus of the PL1 could really be even faster. Although the firmware update has already brought some, but of course, the PL1 keep up with their contrast AF still not with the conventional digital SLR cameras that use a phase-AF. After all, the AF is fast enough to do with a little practice, even photos of pets and small children, but sometimes I wish for in such situations, even a bit more speed. And also has an AF-assist lamp as the Panasonic GF1, would not hurt, but I miss the little, when I with a bright Panasonic Pancake 20mm/F1.7 work.
Another wish for the next PEN would be a folding screen, as for example in the new FT-models from Olympus E-30 and E-620 standard. I wonder anyway, why not every manufacturer of this feature has long been in the program! I'd rather not do without it, even if the monitor is good enough to PL1. But if we ever are in the design, then we obviously have already ascertained that the PL1 occupies the top spot in the point "design." To this end it just seems a bit clunky, as you can see in the pictures in the first parts of my tests. Especially the accompanying picture shows the least successful side of the PL1, namely the rear. The protruding frame around the monitor does not spray just before and elegance would be so not even necessary when the screen would just be a little larger. But this would naturally lead back to higher power consumption and also more expensive the camera more. I agree with me personally in doubt with the present version of the PL1 happy because my camera is supposed to finally make good photos and function properly, and not win a design award or look good in the cabinet. Nonetheless, I moan again about the appearance: For my taste, the camera would love to be able to be completely black, the remote parts silver frame up / down / left / right not to speak to me so much.
What is the situation with more important things, such as with the handling? The lack of dials I had already mentioned in Part 1 of my test and it even slightly positive reclaimed, since once accidentally dials easily be served and thus lead to a wrong setting failed photos. Nevertheless, many photographers will likely change the aperture and shutter speed on such a small wheel easily from the hand over the keys. Olympus should not use any marketing moves just to a supposedly necessary separation of "upper class PENS and "entry-PENS make.
Another small design Macke I found when removing the SD memory card. Since that is the cover of the compartment for SD card and battery is not far enough (or in the wrong direction), opens the removal of the card from the PL1 designed unnecessarily fiddly. This may change in the next Olympus camera models easily. However, I work with 8-GB cards that I need not change as often as they can take well over 400 RAW images, so I do not consider this problem as so tragic.
Now we come to film mode, but rather represents for me a nice addition, but which is still part of the overall package and as Such certainly deserves attention. It does indeed have fun from time to film a small movie. Unfortunately, the PL1, however how many cameras do not film in Germany with the usual 25 fps (frames per second "=" fps ") will start, but only 30 fps. So if you want to bring the movies to a DVD in the European PAL standard, you must convert the frame rate, which usually leads to ugly jerkiness. Moreover, the films look from the PL1 a little "greasy", that smudge the frames of the film something together, which can be seen especially during camera pans. Some people call it the "soap effect" because we recognize him in the pre-finite television soap operas can (even if it is perceived by many did not or did not receive changes as disturbing). And finally, the refocusing leads within a movie (tapping the photo-shutter mode S-AF) to the fact that often a short stuttering appears in the film, if then after a short time the new focus point is found. So you see, the movie mode is a nice addition, and I like to use, it makes me a lot of fun, but for "serious" recordings, he is hardly useful. The PL1 is far from the camcorder to replace ... But still could make improvements at the Olympus listed criticisms of me quite easily, perhaps even by new firmware? But let's be realistic, this will probably not happen as quickly.
Some of you have probably been wondering what to do the input image to the post in the topic. Another photo from the PL1, well and good, but is now particularly well or particularly poorly, or why is this? Quite simply, it shows a flaw, just as occurs sometimes with very good resolution camera / lens combinations: Moire discoloration. The exact explanation you can read at Wikipedia
. The yellow-blue-tinted parts of the front stairs and the vertical stripes of the back stairs in the picture are cut such moiré patterns. They arise very very rarely regular structures in the photo, but only if the anti-aliasing filter is very thin before the chip of the camera (as in the PL1) and at the same time so mercilessly sharp lens like the Pansonic Pancake 20mm/F1.7 is used at optimum aperture (F4.0 here). I had to now since I have the exact PL1 at well over 1000 photos of this one, showing the moiré effect! It is not therefore a major problem, rather the reverse: This effect shows how much can dissolve the PL1 and what focus it is able. Compared to the first E-P1-P2 and E was made by Olympus of the anti-aliasing filter for the E-P1 obviously thinner. This PL1 is so good that it this little moiré problem even with the more than 5,000, - € jointly expensive Leica M9! A similar phenomenon also shows that is Michael Reichmann's review of the Leica M9
(Example in about the middle of the page). I love the way the extraordinary sharpness and detail of the PL1 and take it like every thousand times photos in a single purchase, showing moire somewhere! These color changes can be quite easily removed by a selective desaturation in an image editing program ... Whereas artificially generated by computer sharpness quickly afterwards for photos and artifacts produced unnatural acts. Also So when I here moiré model performances as criticism, one should not exaggerate, but Olympus praise rather that they allow this extra little bit of sharpness. Who does not like, you can simply buy the PEN E-P1-P2 or E, which have the thicker anti-aliasing filter.
What made me even more annoyed are the software programs that accompany the Olympus E-P1, as they did not recognize me at first the camera, but I wanted to test whether it might not be a firmware update. I then used instead
"Olympus Digital Camera Updater that can be found on Olympus
this page . But even this did not work on each of my computers through smoothly. I've also seen questions on Internet forums from users who had problems with the update. I think this is unnecessary in this day and age, there should urgently repair the Olympus.
Finally, I would like to express some minor wishes to Olympus (although probably none of them reads this test here, but whatever). First, I would like to be perfect camera quieter shutter, which should now be loose possible. Not that the shutter sound when PL1 would be particularly loud, no, it's similar-like a small DSLR, though of course lacking the typical mirror rattling. But that is why it should but go to build a mirror-free camera, which is inaudible as possible, because then you could shoot even more inconspicuous and less disturbing, what example would be for weddings or similar events is very important. Secondly, I would like a more detailed battery life indicator that indicates to me precisely how many photos I can still do well and what percentage to charge the battery still has. Many newer cameras show that goes better, and the three lines display the PL1 is there simply no longer up to date. Third, it would be great if even this small camera remote controlled by infrared remote control, but would be shot again because the Olympus product policy across, this Only more expensive models feature reserves.
So, now that was really nagging at high levels. Perhaps Olympus brings with it soon be a PEN model, which includes the benefits of PL1 and also weeds out some of my criticisms. For that I would be prepared a little deeper into their pockets, and I see my pain threshold at about 600 €. But this is the future, and until then I am, despite the grumbling very happy with my PEN E-P1 ... This is the annoying to the camera manufacturers: you know very well that they are selling fewer new cameras, the better they make the current models - they do not put your left over improvements which, although now would be a long time, but then installed later, so that we again have a reason to buy a new camera. And what do we make technology freaks? We buy it but then again ... yes!
not forget: Go out, take pictures and have fun with the camera. Do not waste so much time with the technical details of the camera, I've done here now for you. And in the last part of my testing, I shall just briefly on a direct comparison between the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic GF1, because this is certainly interested some of you.
write me your opinions on the Olympus E-P1 and to my criticisms in the comments, your view of me interested in helping out. And if you have questions, you can they also like. Do not care too much
about all the cons and complains that dpreview has about the PEN E-PL1. And do not care too much about my negative thoughts about the PL1 either! Have fun with this nice little camera and always remember: Take photos. Keep it simple. Tell the truth.
am So I have gone to work properly ironed, but I could still make up some positions and am at the end of the 27th have finished. 
Der Weg stimmt also, da bin ich sehr froh drüber...:-) 
