E-PL1 How easy is to change settings

[steve_johnston9]

<p >I am looking to upgrade my compact. I use a Canon SLR on a regular basis, but want a smaller camera about the size of the E-PL1 for everyday use. </p>

<p >One of the frustrations I have with my current compact it that as I have to dig through two are three screens to change the shutter speed on it and the ISO setting. </p>

<p >Normally i ask for a demo but they don't seem to stock it in my local shops.</p>

<p >How quick/easy is it to change the Apeture/ISO/Shutter speed on the E-PL1?</p>

[adam_bliss]

<p>From what I remember of the EPL-1 and the shots of it on the Oly website you have to go into the menu to adjust those settings. I would take a look at the E-P2 for easy of use, it's not much bigger and on the dial on the back of the camera you can change ISO and when you set to manual mode you can change aperture and shutter speed via the dials on camera, no need to wade through the menu.<br>

Good luck<br>

Adam<br>

http://www.knowphoto.com</p>

[Greg M]

<p>If you check out the camera's various screens available somewhere like this page at DCResource, about 2/3rd's of the way down this page, you will see mention of the super control panel, which allows you to control everything about an exposure without having to go into any menu..</p>

<p><a href="http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/e_pl1-review/look-and-feel">http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/e_pl1-review/look-and-feel</a></p>

<p>There are no dedicated controls that allow you to simply twist and change a shutter speed or aperture setting, but pressing the "OK" button in the center of the 4 way control will then allow you to toggle to whatever setting you want to change without menu diving.</p>

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>Like a true dSLR, it does feature both Shutter and Aperture Priority modes which allow you to manually set either the Shutter speed or Aperture and then the camera automatically sets the other via the meter. Combine that with using the spot metering and you've basically go the same setup that many professional photographers use. In that mode you basically control the exposure with what area of the image you meter. You can also set the camera to do a burst of bracketed exposures to make sure you don't miss anything.</p>

[rdm]

<p>direct quote from <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/previews/olympusepl1/">dpreview.com</a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>Make no mistake - this isn't a camera that should add further confusion for people trying to decide between one of the existing E-PXs and Panasonic's GF1. Its simplified interface dictates that it'll be best suited to compact camera users who want to get better photos straight away and learn about things such as apertures in their own time. Experienced users who regularly want to take control of individual shooting parameters are likely to find themselves frustrated by the sheer amount of button-pressing induced by the loss of control dials. The I.S unit has also been simplified, with the company claiming only 3 stops of compensation, rather than the 4 ascribed to the E-P2.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Besides that the other main disadvantage of the E-PL1 from the E-P2 from what i can surmise is the Flash X-sync speed of 1/30 - 1/160 instead of 1/30 - 1/180 and a max shutter speed of 1/2000 instead of 1/4000 like on the other E-P models.</p>

 

[steven_f1]

<p>I just got the E-PL1. It doesn't have an dials for shutter or aperture control. Insead it uses the arrow keys and the OK/Select button in the center of the arrow button keypad. When the screen is on, in TV or Av mode, press the OK/Select button, the up arrow button (to activate the exposure control), and then use the up and down arrows to change the sutter speed (in Tv mode) or aperture (in Av mode). It's the same for full manual except the up and down arrows are for the shutter while the left and right are for aperture. It's very easy although not as fast as a dial. </p>

<p>For other exposure controls its a similar process. With the screen on, press the OK/Select, and then use the left, right, or down arrows to select white ballance, exposure meter, focus, ISO, or compensation. Press the OK/Select to select it and then use the left right arrows to sellect the setting and press OK/Select again. </p>

<p>I also have a DSLR with a good sellection of lenses. But I find it too heavy and big sometimes. I plan on using the E-PL1 for times when my DSLR is just to heavy or when its size is to inconvienent for business travel.</p>