Olympus has an great mix of compact PEN EVIL cameras, stylish point and shoot cameras, and "tough" cameras in its digital camera lineup. These cameras have been released in the past 18 months, and they represent the best new cameras from Olympus, both in its Stylus point and shoot camera lineup, in its Stylus Tough lineup, and in its PEN lineup.
1. Olympus PEN E-P1 DIL
Olympus
The PEN E-P1 EVIL camera from Olympus has won several awards for innovation. The PEN E-P1 uses a Micro Four Thirds lens mount for its interchangeable lenses. The PEN E-P1 offers 12.3 megapixels of resolution, can shoot in RAW and JPEG, can shoot 720p HD video, and has a 3.0-inch LCD. The camera measures only 1.43 inches in thickness, and ts compact size and mirror-less design makes it an interesting interchangeable lens model that, technically, is not a DSLR camera. (Some people refer to these cameras as DIL cameras.)
Look for the PEN E-P1 to be available in a variety of configurations, some with starter lenses and some without.
2. Olympus PEN E-P2 DIL
Olympus
The PEN E-P2 from Olympus is available both with a starter lens and without a starter lens. If you already own Micro Four Thirds lenses, you can use them with your PEN E-P2. With the large image sensor found with all of the PEN cameras, the PEN E-P2 can shoot some very sharp, vibrant photos, with much better image quality than you'll find from the small image sensor found in a point and shoot camera.
The PEN E-P2 includes 12.3 megapixels of resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD, and a 720p HD video mode. The PEN E-P2 is a compact interchangeable lens EVIL camera, measuring only 1.37 inches in thickness.
In addition, the PEN E-P2 includes an "accessory port," through which you can add several hardware features, such as a microphone or a detachable EVF.
3. Olympus PEN E-PL1 DIL
Olympus
The PEN family of EVIL cameras offers a retro-looking, compact camera body, which is a lot of fun to use. The PEN E-PL1 has the large image sensor found with advanced cameras that creates such sharp, vibrant images, despite its small body size. The PEN E-PL1 measures 4.51 by 2.84 inches, and it is only 1.63 inches in thickness.
With 12.3 megapixels of resolution, a 2.7-inch LCD, and 720p HD video, the PEN E-PL1 is a very nice entry-level EVIL camera.
Unlike the other PEN models from Olympus, the PEN E-PL1 is available in more than one body color: Slate blue, champagne gold, or black, and it made my list of the best cameras for 2010.
4. Olympus PEN E-PL3 "Lite" DIL
Olympus
The Olympus PEN E-PL3 digital interchangeable lens camera attempts to bring advanced photography options into a camera body more similar to a point and shoot model.
The E-PL3, which sometimes is called the PEN Lite, includes a tiltable 3-inch LCD, which is handy for shooting odd-angle photos. It offers 12.3 megapixels of resolution with a CMOS image sensor, and it can shoot at up to five frames per second. The PEN Lite will be available in a variety of body colors, depending on where it's sold in the world.
5. Olympus PEN E-PM1 "Mini" DIL
Olympus
Olympus has created what it calls the world's smallest and lightest PEN camera, which, considering the history of the PEN family of cameras, makes it one of the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens cameras from any manufacturer. The PEN E-PM1 is a fun camera, and it may be the most colorful DIL camera, too, as Olympus is offering it in brown, black, pink, purple, white, or silver camera bodies.
The PEN E-PM1 offers some really nice features, too, including 12.3 megapixels of resolution with a CMOS image sensor, full 1080p HD video, and a 3.0-inch LCD. It measures only 1.33 inches in thickness (before you attach the lens) and it weighs only 7.65 ounces for the camera body.
6. Olympus Stylus 7010
Olympus
With a sub-$200 price, the Olympus Stylus 7010 includes an impressive 7X optical zoom lens. The other Stylus 7010 features include 12 megapixels of resolution, a 2.7-inch LCD, and AVI movie capabilities. With its 23 scene modes, the Stylus 7010 is easy to use.
The Stylus 7010, which is trimmed in silver and measures 1.0 inch in thickness, is available in red, pink, dark gray, and silver.
7. Olympus Stylus Tough 6000
Olympus
The Stylus Tough 6000 works in shallow water, low temperatures, and other harsh conditions.
The Stylus Tough 6000 doesn't quite have the response times or overall image quality of some other cameras in its price range, but its drawbacks are minimal and its "tough" features more than make up for any drawbacks.
If you have no need for shooting in extreme conditions, then you'll probably want to skip the Stylus Tough 6000. However, if you need occasionally to shoot in cold weather or underwater, this camera is a strong contender.
8. Olympus SP-610UZ
Olympus
Olympus announced the new SP-610UZ at CES 2011, and its optical zoom lens is 22X (28-616mm).
The SP-610UZ can shoot HD video at 720p, offers 14MP of resolution, and features a 3.0-inch LCD screen. It even can shoot "3D" images by collecting the same scene from two slightly different angles and then merging the photos into an .MPO file. The SP-610UZ is available in silver or black. It is an upgrade to the SP-600UZ.
9. Olympus SZ-10
Olympus
Olympus has packed plenty of features into a sub-$200 camera with its 14MP SZ-10 digital camera. The SZ-10 offers an 18X optical zoom lens, which is nice to find in a camera in which Olympus recently dropped the suggested price by more than 10%. You'll also find a high-resolution 3.0-inch LCD with the SZ-10.
OIympus has included the ability to shoot 720p HD video, to use WiFi to connect to a computer, and to shoot in a 3D photo mode, all of which are impressive features for this price range.
10. Olympus XZ-1
Olympus
For the first time, Olympus has included a built-in f/1.8-2.5 Zuiko lens with a compact camera with its award-winning Olympus XZ-1, and it should provide high-quality images. Additionally, the XZ-1 includes a larger CCD image sensor than you'll find with other compact cameras, which will improve performance in low light. These high-end features should give the XZ-1 improved performance and image quality.
With its larger, 1/1.63-inch image sensor, the XZ-1's 10 megapixels of resolution will still provide high-quality images. Additionally, the XZ-1 includes 720p HD video capabilities, a 3.0-inch OLED screen, and a 4X optical zoom. The XZ-1 is available now in either black or white.
11. Olympus E-5 DSLR
Olympus
Olympus has just announced its latest DSLR camera, the E-5, which carries some very interesting features, such as:
- A 12.3 megapixel live MOS image sensor, which allows high-speed autofocus.
- A 3.0-inch high-resolution LCD that can swivel away from the E-5.
- Various art filter options in all shooting modes.
- 720p HD video capabilities.
12. Olympus E-620 DSLR
Olympus
You'll find a nice entry level DSLR camera with the Olympus E-620. as it offers several easy-to-use features for those new to the world of interchangeable lenses and manual control settings.
The E-620 has 12.3 megapixels of resolution, and it can shoot in both RAW and JPEG. The 2.7-inch LCD can swivel away from the camera body, which measures 5.11 by 3.7 inches, and it is 2.36 inches thick.
