Olympus E-P2 Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS
Camera makers have attempted, several times, over the past fifty years to combine the creative potential and flexibility of an interchangeable lens SLR camera with the convenience and usability of a pocket-sized Point and Shoot camera. Unfortunately, that's sort of like trying to combine a sports car with a minivan - it usually doesn't work. The new Olympus Pen E-P2 may be one of the few exceptions to that rule - it really does a very good job of merging the creative flexibility of a DSLR with the convenience and ease of use of a compact point and shoot.

The E-P2 and its predecessor the E-P1 were designed to meet the needs of a remarkably broad demographic. The E-P2 should appeal to pro and semi-pro shooters looking for a pocketable back-up camera with lots of creative potential, casual shooters looking for a stylish and easy to use camera with lots of automatic capability, and amateur photographers looking to move up from their consumer and prosumer point and shoots. The EP-2 is compact, unobtrusive, responsive, easy to use, and capable of consistently and dependably delivering "pro" quality images.

I had an Olympus Pen FT (with Zuiko Auto S f/1.4 40mm lens) for many years and I also had a Pen EE (fixed lens ultra-compact 35mm) for a while - I liked both of them, but I like the EP-2 more - it is a 21st century reincarnation of the "street" cameras of yore. After spending some quality time with the E-P2 I believe it is a first rate image making tool for adventurous shooters who want to channel the spirits of great street shooters like Henri Cartier-Bresson or compelling documentary photographers like Dorothea Lange.

Individual Ratings: *

Image/Video Quality 
Features 
Design/Ease of Use 
Performance 
Expandability 
* Ratings averaged to produce final score