Olympus' update to its "consumer"-oriented PEN line, the E-PL2, consists mostly of some cosmetic changes over the E-PL1 and enhancements to existing features, along with a bump to ISO 6,400.
The E-PL2 comes with a new kit lens; it's the same f3.5-5.6 14-42mm optics as the old lens, but uses an internal focus mechanism for quieter operation while autofocusing during video shooting.
2 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Body
While the body design and shape is fundamentally the same as the E-PL1, I like the E-PL2's all black a little better than the black with silver of its predecessor.
3 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Redesigned controls
Olympus changed the large buttons and four-way-navigation keys to smaller buttons and a dial for navigation. It looks a lot nicer and I like the dial, but the buttons may be small for some people. The movie record button is also recessed a bit more, to prevent accidental operation. This newer generation model also supports the more recent version of the accessory connector for an add-on EVF, the new PEN Pal Bluetooth module and the antenna-like macro light.
4 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Relatively compact
Though not the smallest of the various ILC options, the E-PL2 is still a good size; it's not so big that its onerous to carry, and not so small that it's onerous to operate.
5 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Mode dial
The grip is shallow, but enough to give you something to hang onto. For this model, Olympus has added a faux-HDR Art Filter and added some variations to existing ones. You can now use the Live Guide for adjusting settings for shooting video as well.
