Olympus E-PL1?

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http://43rumors.com/e-pl1-leaked/

what is olympus doing? they created a lot of hype for their m4/3 concept, but when it comes to execution, the products have all been lame copies of each other. the EP-2 seemed almost like an unecessary release, and this "cheaper" E-PL1 seems to have better features than the EP-1 and EP-2.

it seems like they are too scared to make a solid product that will compete with their 4/3 SLR line. what is left for olympus if their 4/3 line is not meeting expectations and panasonic is doing better things with their m4/3 cameras?
 
What's Olympus doing???

What's Olympus doing???

Making fists full of money. That would certainly make me continue to do the same thing over and over.

The secret of franchising is to make a successful product and repeat. Over and over as long as it's profitable.

It's naive to think that any of the corporate moguls at any of these camera manufacturing companies care what consumers think as long as the "KaChing" thing keeps ringing the bell. It's all about the money, and Olympus has discovered a bell ringer.

OH yeah. Thirty years in Marketing. As the marketing manager told all the other department heads at a Board of Directors meeting. "You folks may all be fluffed up on self importance, but remember this.... nobody here makes a dime until somebody sells something."
 
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wow.. that's one of the ugliest cameras I've seen from olympus in a long time.

Edit: But really cheap - I'm sure heaps of people will like it.
Now olympus that you have that consumer crap out of the way, make some ****ing primes already.
 
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I think Olympus really has it together.

I think Olympus really has it together.

This camera looks like the true "stepping stone" for the amature photog wanting a higher quality point and shoot with interchangeable lenses. Sounds like it has less manual control and more automated functions at the surface. I think the real mistep was producing the e-p1 with no EVF option. So you either buy this camera or you buy an E-p2 in which you have to purchase the EVF. What's the word on RAW?
 
Great price, ugly camera... glad I bought a used E-P1 instead. A step back for Olympus regarding style, but I step in the right direction for u4/3 i.e. cheap interchangable lens cameras with bigger sensors.
 
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Well I'm thoroughly confused. I was an early adopter of the E-P1 (and love it) but cannot understand their strategy at this point. A few months later the E-P2 comes out which is essentially the same as the E-P1 + viewfinder, and now this thing, which seems to be a cheaply made E-P1 but with flash.

Could they have not released ONE camera with both the EVF add-on and built-in flash??? LOL!

I'll be waiting a while now to even think about another m4/3 camera... it's obvious olympus needs to work it's plan out.
 
apconan said:
Maybe I'm not reading carefully enough, but I couldn't see a price? How much is this going to retail for?
Click to expand...

Apparently $599 w/ 14-42 lens. If it has manual controls I'll really think about it. Right now I think the m4/3 cameras are overpriced.
 
DRabbit said:
...seems to be a cheaply made E-P1 but with flash.

Could they have not released ONE camera with both the EVF add-on and built-in flash??? ...
Click to expand...

1: No, its a stripped down E-P2 not E-P1

2: They have released, or are in the process of releasing, a camera with both a built-in flash and accessory eyelevel EVF. Its called the E-PL1.

3: The quick replacement of the E-P1 with the E-P2 shouldn't surprise or confuse anyone who's paying any attention. It wasn't possible to build an EVF as good as the the EV-1 at the time the E-P1 was introduced.

The evidence points to a situation similar to Apple's when they introduced the original Macintosh. Apple's issue was that the expected availability of new larger memory chips didn't happen when scheduled. They had to release the Mac as a 128k machine. Shortly afterward, the Mac was rev'd into the computer that they intended to release originally, the 512k Mac aka "the Fat Mac". Its often better to release the product and update is later than wait for some additional new piece and delay entering the market.

In Olympus case, they needed to release the camera. Panasonic had two models and getting ready to release a 3rd but Olympus hadn't released their first. The new generation of eyelevel EVF displays weren't ready yet. Oly was in a squeeze position and released the camera without the accessory EVF to get it on the market. When the new EVF displays became available they rev'd the camera into the E-P2. The fact that the E-PL1 also supports the EVF and the audio accessories supports the conclusion that this interface is a core compenent in the E-Pen series. Also, timing the E-P1's release to an anniversary of the release of the original Pen had its value.
 
I hope they're still planning on a "PRO" version of this Pen series or something similar. This one pretty much has everything the ep1 does with the exception of good looks and metal body (supports EVF, In-body IS etc...)... not to mention a pop out flash!
 
Dwig said:
2: They have released, or are in the process of releasing, a camera with both a built-in flash and accessory eyelevel EVF. Its called the E-PL1.
Click to expand...

But as you already stated, stripped down. And pretty cheaply made.

Dwig said:
3: The quick replacement of the E-P1 with the E-P2 shouldn't surprise or confuse anyone who's paying any attention. It wasn't possible to build an EVF as good as the the EV-1 at the time the E-P1 was introduced.
Click to expand...

I can accept that they weren't ready with the EVF. What I can't accept is that they couldn't have included THE PORT for the EVF in the E-P1. It's not exactly new technology. Release the E-P1 WITH Port in July then release the add-on EVF in October... not a whole new camera.

You have to admit, it's not difficult to see how it's pretty darn annoying to people who bought the E-P1 in July (when it first came out) to have two new cameras -- with the features MOST complained about it missing -- come out in 3 and then 7 months later.

Personally, they SHOULD have...
Release the E-P1 in July with the port for the EVF (optimally, with built-in flash).
Released the add-on EVF and add-on flash in October... and...
Released the E-PL1 in time for holidays.
Released the "pro" version ... the E-PP1?... now.

Three distinct cameras with three different audiences.

Ultimately though, whatever. I like the E-P1... I'm just disappointed in Olympus as a company. It all comes across as really bad planning.
 
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A pro version would cost a good deal more - but I'd hope it have a focus lock button and dedicated ISO button, as well.

The E-PL1 will either rob sales from the previous released Micro 4/3rd cameras - or - attract a few fence sitters. Maybe both.

By the way - the E-PL1 does look good in black - plastic or not.
 
DRabbit said:
Ultimately though, whatever. I like the E-P1... I'm just disappointed in Olympus as a company. It all comes across as really bad planning.
Click to expand...

Heck if we know how the EVF business with Epson went down. Things like the interface to the EVF (which you'd have to know to have added the port to the E-P1) probably get finalized right near the end of development. It can't just be a dumb port to the camera's main board - it has to handle video rates reliably and has to get the video feed of the main board with all the processing applied and the EVF has to be able to accept these as input and get power (and those requirements are tight on cameras this size) and keep in sync and be detected on insertion or removal with a graceful change to the LCD and.....

These are still cameras, not general purpose computers so changing the specification after the design is done isn't exactly simple. Engineers are magicians but they aren't wizards ;-)

PMA is around the corner and CES just happened - they've been putting out a slew of compacts (most of which no one here will care about) and not a whole lot of DSLRs. There might be one at PMA but if there isn't then they don't have anything cool and new to show. This thing helps that a little.

What they really need are lenses...

Cheers,
-Gautham
 
this consumer grade body is good news. it means the pro grade must be next. doesn't it? DOESN'T IT? :(
 
This camera isn't meant for ppl like the RFF crowd. :)

Compared to the EP-1, this one does NOT have dials to control aperture and shutter speed. There is about as much manual control and over-ride as on any compact digicam. (Nikon Coolpix, Canon SD___, Panasonic FX etc)

It's lighter and smaller and more plasticky than the EP-1.

It's really meant for point & shooters who just want a point & shoot w/ better sensor.
 
So lets see, that is the EP1, EP2, EPL1, GF1, and G1 all using the same sensor now. Wow.......and we got for the most part three cameras that are exactly the same. Olympus must be following Sony's strategy of over saturation hoping something will stick.
 
why do you think it looks ugly? i think the grip seems better than the one used on e-p1.

and remember this is a forum where people voluntarily add a grip like that to their rf camera all the time.
 
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