Another annoyance is that when working with Auto ISO, the ISO selected by the camera is not displayed on the LCD or the viewfinder. Why not? The camera knows what it is. Why not display it? I want to know, because though there are shooting situations where I’m happy to allow the camera to set the ISO automatically, I may not agree with the choice. Like the original E-P1, the E-P2 is a little larger in the flesh than it looks in the photos. It’s certainly compact compared to a DSLR, but measuring 121x70x35mm for the body alone (without any lens mounted) and weighing 385g with battery and card, it’s definitely on the chunky side of the compact market. To be fair though, Panasonic’s Lumix GF1 is virtually the same size at 119x71x36mm, albeit a bit lighter at 341g including battery. Remember the E-P2 has built-in stabilisation though whereas the Panasonic relies on stabilised lenses to counteract wobbles. Good exposure and white balance on this interior hand-held panning shot, but the overall quality of E-PL2 video fails to match the high standard of its stills.

In terms of noise this is a very clean camera. It makes no attempt to follow the trend of ultra-high ISO values as found in some of the current DSLRs, but offers a relatively modest ISO200 – ISO1600 as its standard range. These values control noise very well indeed and although a rise in levels can be noticed even at ISO400, it is quite unobtrusive all the way through to ISO1600. The extended range of ISO3200 and ISO6400 does display high noise levels, but these are available if required and are better than most. It is I think much better to have a grainy (noisy) image than no image at all, so there is value in providing high ISO capability. Like the E-PL1, the Live Control menu allows you to shoot video in Program, Aperture Priority or fully manual modes or with any of the six Art Filters. As on other PEN models, though, shooting movies with the more intensive Art Filters will greatly reduce the frame rate with jerky results. It is unfortunate that no lens hood is provided, but fortunate that the lens is very resistant to flare. It is also commendably free of distortion. At wide angles there is little distortion and only very mild pincushion creeps in as we zoom towards the telephoto end. What distortion there is is not readily visible in most images, even architectural subjects.The LCD screen is bright enough in everything except direct sunlight, but as with that on the E-P1 is quite low res compared to much of the competition. Not to the point of being unpleasant, just not up to the current standard.

The flash has a quoted guide number of 10 at 200 ISO. Dividing that by the E-PL2 14-42mm kit lens’ maximum aperture of f3.5 gives a maximum flash distance of 2.82 metres. That may not seem like a hugely powerful flash, and it isn’t, but it is comparable with many recent compacts (manufacturers of which are fond of quoting maximum flash distances at higher ISO settings). It’s fine for reasonably close subjects and, of course, the E-PL2 has a hot shoe which means you can mount an external flash, or use the built-in one to remote trigger models such as the Olympus FL36R The extending lens barrel is equipped with a bayonet mount that accepts a lens hood or one of three adapter lenses for macro, fish eye and wide angle shooting. The wide angle adapter converts the 14-42mm range to 11-22mm (22-44mm equiv.) and the macro adapter brings the close focussing distance in to 24cm with a 0.28x magnification factor. If you’re a fan of circular polarisers you’ll be pleased to know that the front section of the lens has a 37mm filter thread and doesn’t rotate when focused. All the top panel controls are neatly positioned on the recessed right side. The surface then slopes upward, levelling off to accommodate the hot shoe and behind it the updated PEN accessory port which supports the optional viewfinders, the MAL-1 macro light and Penpal PP-1 Bluetooth transmitter. The mono mic is positioned to the right of the hotshoe, at the point where the top panel levels off. On the extreme left is the pop-up flash, activated by a mechanical switch on the rear. The top surface is finished in the same textured plastic as the hand grip and, like everything about the E-PL2, is evocative of the kind of quality that’s more often associated with the analogue era. ISO range is from ISO200 to ISO1600, but this is extendible to ISO6400. White Balance offers Auto plus a wide choice of pre-sets as well as custom setting. You'll also want to play with the new Art Filters Cross Process and Diorama if buying this camera, the latter for us producing the most striking results with a little experimentation. Generally the digital effects that worked the best were pop art, pinhole, diorama and grainy film; the others we rarely used.

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images (100% with Live View) with BLS-1 and Toshiba Class 6 SDHC 4GB card under CIPA testing standard I can now shoot infrared handheld, aided by the in body image stabilisation, with no need for tripods or long exposures. This has broadened the range of subjects and lighting conditions I can now shoot in infrared, from trees and woodland scenes to landscapes and seascapes and even street scenes and portraits. I liked the E-P2, notwithstanding some of my complaints. It’s an enjoyable photographic tool. Between it and the GF1, if it comes down to a choice between them, it’s a tough one, with neither camera offering a clear edge over the other. It will eventually come down to issues of flash, EVF quality, stabilization, and ease of use, all of which will vary from one person’s needs to another. Essentially if we take a DSLR, remove the optical viewfinder and mirror system and leave the Live View facility, we have the opportunity to reduce the size of the camera to the modest 317g body we have here, measuring only 115.4 x 72.7 x 42mm. Alternatively, slide the provided VF-2 EVF into the vacant hotshoe, whereupon its ‘male' attachment connects with the ‘female' port below and swap from use of the LCD to EVF with a press of the monitor button provided on the EVF unit. Though useful as a compositional aid in bright sun, or providing the ability to take shots at formerly awkward angles, such as from waist height, we actually preferred to rely in the main on the larger LCD. A more comfortable eye relief for the EVF wouldn't go amiss.