Camera test: Panasonic GH1 and Olympus E-P1

An interesting duel today on Digital Versus: the two most recent micro four thirds have passed through our hands. The Panasonic GH1 is a direct descendant of the G1, to which it adds video and a new 10x zoom. The Olympus Pen E-P1 is a dip into the past of a world of compacts with interchangeable lenses.

The Panasonic Lumix GH1 is a "mini-SLR", with a 12 Mpixel sensor (in fact a 14 Megapixel in which it resizes to give the same angle whatever the format of the shot), 1080p HD video, a quality stereo microphone and delivered with a big 14-140 mm zoom. All the advantages of the G1 remain, such as its LCoS viewfinder and rotating 460,000 pixel screen.

The Olympus Pen E-P1 is more of a "super-compact", with a 12 Megapixel sensor, 720p HD video and two lenses: a compact 14-42 mm zoom and a fixed 17 mm lens. No viewfinder, no flash and a fixed 230,000 pixel screen are its main limitations on paper.

Our product survey of Digital SLRs and Cameras with Interchangeable Lenses