Too excited ! Just got an E-P1

Despite all the advances that have been made in the ecosystem since the E-P1 was introduced nearly six years ago, it remains a very capable camera, and as good a starting point as any to the system. I haven't owned an E-P1, but I still shoot with my E-PL1 (which is essentially a hobbled version of the E-P1).

The first thing I would suggest with ANY Olympus camera is to turn on the Super Control Panel, which is a single screen which provides access to a vast array of settings. I'm not exactly sure what the process is in the E-P1, but you should be able to find it within the [GEAR] menu.

 

1) Super Control Panel.
2) Update firmware for body and lens (speeds up the 17mm f2.8 AF considerably).
3) Do you have the VF1 optical viewfinder? My kit came with that, it's a fun, different kind of experience. If you have it I recommend setting a function button to turn off the LCD, so you don't have to deal with bright light underneath where you're putting your eye.
4) Turn off noise filter, keep ISO low. ISO 100 actually puts out some beautiful, clean files the likes of which modern sensors don't replicate. However I do think DR is supposed to be lower at this setting.

 

Nice one. Great suggestions from the forum members too.

Look forward to seeing some posts in the E-P1 thread  
https://www.mu-43.com/posts/770445/

 

I have just gifted mine to my son along with a couple of 4/3 lenses and an adapter, still works very well and takes great pictures.
Still using my E-PL1 with a detachable EVF and recently added some photos to to the pool.
You won't be disappointed once you have it set up how you like it.

 

Don't believe everything you hear about the 17mm f2.8 lens. Some of my favorite shot were made with one.

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Please ket us know how yours works out, and post some photos with it.

And, echoing your thoughts, I've finally succumbed to the same temptation - and just bought an E-P1 + 17mm f/2.8 lens myself! Not sure if it's 5 years late to the party, or 6 - didn't they first come out back in 2009? Regardless, though, it's an elegant looking camera, still (!) - and blacknblack is right when he advises not to believe everything you hear about the lens: though it got a less-than-stellar reputation among some photographers, many others (myself included) found it to be a superb lens.

Have fun with yours! Maybe you should post a photo of it, as well....to make all the non-E-P1 owners green with envy  

 

The VF1 is great with the 17mm/EP1 combo too, looks classic and is big and bright. I'm selling mine along with the EP1, not out of any ill will, just slimming down my cameras to EM10 and GM1 as backup.

 

When the E-P1 came out in 2009, I lusted after it, but the US$900 price was out of reach. I have since bought and used an E-pm1 and OMD-EM10. Several months ago I took advantage of a super deal on Amazon for a new E-P1 kit with the 17/2.8 and vewfinder. It takes great pictures at ISO 1600 and below and I love the build quality. I got the Magic Lantern guide for it, which I highly recommend. These are US sources.

http://www.openisbn.com/price/1600596711/

Although the silver finish is beautiful, I added a black Aki-Asahi skin (removable) to make it look like a newer Pen.

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That skin does look very nice.

 

Beautiful shot, Roger.

Just out of curiosity, which Aki-Asahi skin did you buy? There are two of them listed on their website, one described as 'leatherette', the other one apparently real leather. Which is yours?

 

That's a great shot. My take on the 17/2.8 is that it is good in the centre wide open, and good everywhere at f/4 to f/8 especially. No reason to avoid it at all!

 

May I add that the 17 f2.8 has rendering characters (color and bokeh quality) quite different from all of the MFT lenses I currently own. I sold mine after updated to the f1.8 version. The f1.8 is mostly superior but I soon realize that I miss the old lens's rendering character.

 

That is my pocket camera.
The 17mm lens is nicely resistant to sun flare, I leave mine at f2.8 (wide open) at all times. It takes lovely photos.
The e-P1 is superb at blue skies and faces : I leave it on "Vivid"
but with a global whitebalance modification of +1 green (or is it minus 1 red?) then leave it to autoWhitebalance.
I use a burst of two frames every time : this gives me at least one very sharp shot.

 

You must have big pockets. The main reason I decided to replace my EP1 as backup camera is that, in size, it's basically the same as my EM10. Which is no bad thing, I actually like some heft and size to a camera, but I'm not as versatile when both of my cameras are the same size.

The 17mm does have some special magic to its rendering, even when it doesn't feel particularly sharp. I leave it at f2.8 unless I'm working on a landscape, then f4.5 or f5.6.

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Feels almost like the Leica experience in the mid 20th C might have.

 

I'm pretty sure I got the leatherette. Here is the link:

http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/html/E-P1/leatherette/Type1/EP1.php

 

Just got my 'new' (to me, anyway) E-P1 - here it is -

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the new E-P1 by Miguel Tejada-Flores, on Flickr

Another view -

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the new E-P1 #2 by Miguel Tejada-Flores, on Flickr

Damn, it's one nice-looking camera.

And the photos it produces aren't too shabby either - here's one of the first -

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Garden Glove by MiguelATF, on ipernity

 

Such a handsome camera! Also may I recommend the Olympus Auto Lens Cap for your 17mm. It completes the look.

 

The E-P1 saga continues - another photo taken with the 17mm pancake lens, which IMHO is seriously underrated -

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Wrecking Yard by MiguelATF, on ipernity