Gift Tip 19: Olympus E-P1 Digital Camera

We wrote this gift tip before Olympus unveiled the E-P2. The new Olympus Pen E-P2 is available for pre-order but has not shipped yet. Since the E-P1 will continue to be available we'll keep the E-P1 as a gift tip in our top 10 camera gift tips of 2009. The Olympus E-P1 is for photographers who want to take photography to a new level. The Olympus E-P1 heralds the beginning of a new era of small, interchangeable-lens digital cameras. Panasonic shipped the first Micro Four Thirds cameras, but the Olympus E-P1 has stolen the show and wins the prize for the smallest of this new breed of digital cameras.

As the world’s smallest 12.3-megapixel interchangeable lens system camera, the Olympus E-P1 blends the high-quality still images of a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) with High Definition (HD) video, stereo Linear PCM audio recording and In-Camera Creativity all within an ultra-portable body. The easy-to-use Olympus E-P1 expands your creative horizons and its diverse multimedia features offer something for everyone. This great camera is built for today’s visual generation who lead active lives online and offline. The Olympus E-P1 will make you rethink what you can do with a camera.
The Olympus E-P1 is a healthy mixture of two new kit lenses (M. Zuiko 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 and 17mm F2.8 Pancake), TruePic V image processor, 3.0" LCD screen (fixed, 230k dot resolution) and HD movies (720p) with stereo sound. The linear PCM sound recording, 3.0 fps sequential shooting, Built-in Image Stabilization, 4 EV steps efficiency and optional adapters for all ZUIKO DIGITAL & OM lenses make it an absolutely outstanding combination of features and abilities.

The Olympus E-P1’s newly developed interface for easier operation via live control, and dual control dials make it very handy for photographers. Additionally, automatic recognition of common scenes is possible with i-Auto face detection and shadow adjustment that help the photographer to capture images the way he/she wants. Art filters, multi-aspect ratios, multi exposure and small stylish design make the Olympus E-P1 the best compact camera available today.

The all-new Olympus E-P1 has a sleek and solid body design. The 17mm f/2.8 lens, lovely shutter sound and sharp and responsive LCD screen are the key factors of this lovely device. Taking photos is fun with this little guy while the color is amazingly on point. On the down side, very slow autofocus speed will cause you to miss candid moments and image noise at ISO 800 and above is unacceptable. There is no built-in flash and no optical viewfinder.

Great Gift For
This Olympus E-P1 is an great gift for those who want to carry a lightweight camera but still want the flexibility of a DSLR.

Price and Where to Buy
The Olympus E-P1 is available for $799 at Amazon.com sliver and in white. The new Olympus EP-2 has a pre-order price of $1,099.
 

This gift tip is part of the I4U News Top 100 Holiday Gift Guide. Find many more hot tech gift recommendations across 10 categories and shopping tips now here.

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