Olympus announces latest camera

[Tracey]

from photography monthly magazine

http://www.photographymonthly.com/News-and-Reviews/2009/6/Olympus-reveals-its-latest

With a distinctly retro look, the E-P1 harks back to the Olympus Pen of the '60s and '70s. It shares the Pen's main principle – it's as easy to carry and use as a pen

Not sure I like this... the looks remind me of the old Olympus Trip from way-back-when. 

[Hedgehog]

An SLR doesn't have to look cool... tho' I think the E-P1 does with it's retro design... a 12.3mp live MOS sensor puts it up there with the big boys & appears to indicate that they've upped their sensor size (just for the fact that you'd struggle to get that many pixels on their current sensor)... I'll be interested to see the reviews.

[Hedgehog]

Fuller preview of the E-P1...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09061601olympusep1.asp

... & of course being a live sensor it's not an SLR... no mirror to flip out of the way... no hump un top of the camera... a changable lens compact!.. that can take HD-TV video!

Despite a shed-load of gimmicky shooting modes this is a seriously good camera... tho' it remains to be seen if it lives up to it's spec in the field.

[Tracey]

The main thing I dont like is the lack of real viewfinder. I still prefer to look through a viewfinder rather than rely on a little monitor.  But I do like the fact that it could use my lenses, making it very flexible

[Tracey]

Four-thirds user's hands on review, with photo gallery.

http://fourthirds-user.com/2009/06/olympus_pen_ep1_initial_handson_review.php

Initial Conclusion
Yes, there are niggles and the E-P1 is not the most practical of cameras, but it is undoubtedly a cool and stylish object to own and use, as well as being an effective and capable photographic, and video, tool.

As much as I've always been an Olympus person, I'm really not sure I'd spend that much on a "compact" even though it will accept my lenses

[Tracey]

Full review including samples of videos taken with the camera, and comparision photos at various ISOs.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EP1/EP1A.HTM

There seems to be a new sensor in this camera that produces some fantastic results. I hope they roll the sensor out in all their new cameras