Olympus PEN E-P1

The Olympus PEN E-P1 arrived in 2009 as a mirrorless camera with a slim body. Measuring 121 x 70 x 36 mm and weighing 355 g, it takes up little room in a small bag.

It uses the Micro Four Thirds mount, which accepts interchangeable lenses, so the camera can be fitted with different optics for different subjects as needed.

Owning one means composing every shot on the 3-inch LCD, because there is no viewfinder. It suits photographers who value portability and unhurried shooting over speed and modern conveniences.

At the heart of the E-P1 sits a 12.3 megapixel NMOS sensor in the Micro Four Thirds format, with the TruePic V processor handling images. The Optics score of 45 is modest, and the camera sits in the bottom 15% of cameras in our database for Optics, marking it as a tool for relaxed, general photography rather than demanding work.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The low base suits bright daylight, while the ceiling is modest for dim interiors, so plan on wide apertures or added light when the sun goes down.

The standout optics feature is in-body stabilisation, which earned full marks in our scoring. It counters camera shake with any attached lens, so you can hold the camera steady at slower shutter speeds, though it does nothing for a moving subject.

Shooting pace is restrained. The maximum burst is three frames per second, eleven autofocus points are on offer, and the shutter stops at 1/4000s. That is enough for considered compositions, but fast action will stretch it.

The E-P1 does not record video in any mode. Whatever the subject, lighting or occasion, the camera produces still photographs only, so anyone who needs moving pictures alongside their photos will not find them here.

There is no built-in interval timer either, so the camera cannot automate timelapse capture on its own. Sequences taken at set intervals would need some other way of firing the shutter, because nothing inside the camera provides that timing.

For a purely stills photographer, these omissions cost nothing in daily use. Anyone who wants video clips, timelapse sequences or a hybrid workflow, though, will need a second camera or a different model entirely, because the E-P1 offers none of the three.

Composition and playback happen on a 3-inch LCD with 230,000 dots. Live view is available, so the display shows what the sensor sees, though the coarse resolution makes precise focus checking harder. The screen does not tilt or flip, and there is no touch control.

The Features score of 36 is limited, and the omissions shape daily use. There is no built-in flash, but the hot shoe accepts an external unit, so indoor light is available if you pack it.

No weather sealing means the body needs protection from rain and dust. There is no GPS, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so the camera offers neither location recording nor a built-in wireless link for image transfer or remote control.

The Storage & Battery score of 16 is limited, and the scored provisions explain it: a single card slot, a modest battery rating and no USB charging are the elements measured here.

A single slot accepts SD and SDHC cards. Because there is no second slot, the camera offers no in-camera backup or overflow arrangement, so long trips call for carrying several cards and swapping them in and out.

The BLS-1 battery carries a 300-shot rating, though such figures are not guarantees of real-world endurance. Because the camera offers no USB charging, a spare battery is worth keeping ready for longer shooting sessions.