Like the E-PL3 the PEN Mini is equipped with only six Art Effects but they are the most useful and the less quirky, producing some visually striking results that are creative enough to satisfy amateurs but not too overdone to look childish. The filters, which are applied before shooting to both photo and video mode, include Pin Hole, Pop Art, Diorama, Dramatic Tone, Grainy Film and Soft Focus. Another added bonus that blinks at amateurs is the 3D Photo Mode, which allows you to take superimposed picture for 3D effect just by panning the camera.
A good value snapper, so long as you don't mind menu fiddling for manual modes
The E-PM1 sports Full 1080p HD video recording in AVCHD format with a maximum video length of 29 minutes. Footage is sharp and smooth even in low-light, the sound provided by the stereo microphone crisp and videos take advantage of all manual controls and creative effects available to still pictures.
The quality of the images produced with the Olympus PEN Mini has no obvious differences to those of its bigger brothers. The Mini delivers equally beautiful, saturated, detailed, sharp images and handles noise extremely well. Noise does not start to appear before ISO 3200 and even at ISO 6400 is totally acceptable. The increased ISO sensitivity of 12800 is less useful, as noise certainly does show itself and is too visible for most uses.
Verdict
With the E-PM1 Olympus has released a sexy, versatile, pocketable camera that manages to bring increased ease-of-use to the PEN family without sacrificing the creative and technical performance of its more expensive models. This is a camera that will surely appeal to beginners and amateurs alike. Thanks to its fast performing Autofocus system and undiminished image quality, it has also the potential to serve more accomplished photographers too. ®
Catherine Monfils is a professional photographer specialising in portraiture, lifestyle and fashion.
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Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1
COMMENTS
My worry
Being a long term user of Olympus cameras, my OM-4 Ti is still going strong, I just hope Olympus can survive the financial mess it seems to be in at the moment.
The E450 like the E-PL1 mentioned above is an example of something that is common in the photographic market these days. When I first got into photography a camera model would last for years, my first proper camera was Pentax ME Super and they stayed in production for well over five years. These days you're lucky if a new model lasts for more than a year without being superceded. The thing is that the new model often isn't a significant improvement on the old one. Some are nothing more than a firmware upgrade and a new finish.
As a result retailers and manufacturers end up with stocks of the old model that that have to shift. Often the cameras remain current models until stocks are sufficiently depleted. List prices are usually much lower than the new model, but you have to dig around on the manufacturer's website to find them listed as current models.
The E-PL1, for example, is now two generations out of date. And sells for something like half the price of the latest E-PL3.
Just so long as you are not one of those fashion victims who has to have the absolute latest model this is a good thing as you can pick up some great kit at bargain prices, but brand new and with a full warranty. If you are one of those fashion victims of course this is doubly bad news. Not only do you have to buy a new camera at inflated prices every year, but the fact that the old model is still current and discounted means that your outgoing kit is worth a fraction of what you paid for it on the second hand market.
Sadly...
... I was going to bellyache about the travesty of using the venerable Pen name for this type of camera, especially as my Proper Pen still works, but actually what annoys me is the fact that I know that no matter what the equipment, I don't have the eye to see pics like the sample shots, which are just great.
The system is more about the mount than the sensor.
Anyhoo, why would Nikon one of the biggest and most successful camera makers in the world want to get into somebody else's system? Remember other companies have a habit of making Nikon compatible kit, not the other way round.
