For those who haven’t had enough of camera news over the past few days, here’s another tidbit – Olympus has flashed out the Pen E-PL1 under their Pen series of digital cameras. The device is a Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens system camera with a new Live Guide interface.
The camera boasts of a 4/3-inch, 12.3-megapixel high-speed Live MOS image sensor and TruePic V image processing engine for enhanced image quality. Its Live Guide user interface equips owners to intuitively adjust brightness, hue, background defocusing, and similar image parameters conveniently. The chassis hosts a dedicated Movie button that allows for instant activation of 720p HP movie recording.
Video recording may be carried out in widescreen and standard aspect ratios of 16:9 and 4:3, correspondingly. Embedded electronic image stabilization for movie shooting is effective with all Micro Four Thirds and Four Thirds System lenses as also other lenses. Manual controls and Art Filters may also be used when shooting videos. Audio is recorded in linear PCM format and after-the-fact audio and sound memos can be added to previously taken shots.
The Pen E-PL1 is attributed with in-built image stabilization that functions with all Micro Four Thirds System lenses, and Four Thirds System lenses, the latter requiring an optional MMF-1/2 Four Thirds Mount Adapter. Images may be captured 16:9, 6:6, 4:3 and 3:2 aspect ratios. Its Art Filters encompass Gentle Sepia, Pop Art, Grainy Film, Soft Focus, Diorama and Pin Hole. High-sensitivity shooting at levels of up to ISO 3200 are rendered by the device.
In iAuto mode, i-Enhence is applied as the default Picture mode to produce a heightened sense of realism in the final photograph. The camera lends support to a high-quality VF-2 Live viewfinder and Sema-1 stereo microphone set 1. Other features comprise of HDMI connectivity, 324-zone digital ESP metering, SSWF, Continuous-Tracking AF, Shadow Adjustment technology, MF Assist, one-touch Enlarge button and much more.
Olympus’s Pen E-PL1 digital camera will be available with M Zuiko Digital ED lenses as a kit in shades of white, champagne gold and black. The release date will fall some time in March 2010 while the pricing is anticipated to read at around $599 (approx. Rs.27,664).
