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Olympus E-PM2 Comparison Review

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was announced in September 2012 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.9 megapixel.

camera

Is the Olympus E-PM2 a good camera? The E-PM2 has a Camera Elo of 1622. This rating puts the E-PM2 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the E-PM2 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Olympus E-PM2 is more than 11 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2012.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-PM2
Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 100 - 25 600
Viewfinder optional
3.0 LCD, 460k dots
Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
360 shots per battery charge
110 x 64 x 34 mm, 269 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Olympus E-PM2 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Olympus E-PM2 vs credit card front
E-PM2 versus credit card top view
E-PM2 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Olympus E-PM2 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL3 110 mm 64 mm 37 mm 313 g 300 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PM1 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 265 g 330 n Jun 2011 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX850 107 mm 65 mm 33 mm 269 g 210 n Jan 2017 549ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Olympus E-PM2 was launched in the US market at a price of $499. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Olympus E-PM2 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Olympus E-PM2 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Olympus E-PM2 sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
3.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
9.
 
Olympus E-PL3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.910.349952
10.
 
Olympus E-PM1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i21.010.349952
11.
 
Panasonic GX850 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p23.213.358673
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The E-PM2 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the E-PM2 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PM2 and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
#   Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL3optional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PM1optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic GX850none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/500s 10.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One feature that differentiates the E-PM2 from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-PM2 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus PEN E-PM2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-PL3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-PM1Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic GX850-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
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Further information on the features and operation of the E-PM2 can be found in the free online Olympus E-PM2 Manual or on the Olympus support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the E-PM2 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 499ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL33/5+ +..72/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PM1..86/100..71/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2011 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX850..+..76/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2017 549ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Olympus E-PM2 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-PM2.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Olympus E-PM2?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-PM2 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Olympus equipped the E-PM2 with the TruePic VI image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-PM2?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600.

Can the Olympus E-PM2 be equipped with an optional viewfinder?

Yes, Olympus provides the VF-4 as an accessory (here on amazon) that can be mounted on the hotshoe.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus PEN E-PM2?

Olympus does not publish a shutter rating for the E-PM2. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-PM2?

Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-PM2 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-PM2 shutter count page.

Does the Olympus E-PM2 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-PM2 for flash photography?

The E-PM2's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Does the Olympus E-PM2 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Olympus E-PM2 use?

The camera gets its power from the BLS-5 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Olympus E-PM2
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date September 2012
    Launch Price USD 499
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 225 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 608 x 3 456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VI
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 72
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.7
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.2
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 932
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type BLS-5 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 110 x 64 x 34 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.3 in)
    Camera Weight 269 g (9.5 oz)

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