Olympus PEN E-PM2

379 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
performance (287)
portability (222)
image quality (163)
price (157)
usability (148)

Negative
flash (19)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 379 reviews of Olympus PEN E-PM2. The average rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras for all reviews. Comments about the image quality and price are on the whole positive. The usability and portability are also appreciated, but comments about the memory and durability are different. Many are less positive about the flash.

performance, portability, usability, price, image quality

flash

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Olympus PEN E-PM2 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 90/100 = Excellent quality.

See all Olympus Digital Cameras

Review analysis

(Based on 379 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(63% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (28% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (4% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews (3% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews (3% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

performance
Show positive (86%)Show negative (14%)(Show all)

portability
Show positive (91%)Show negative (9%)(Show all)

usability
Show positive (69%)Show negative (31%)(Show all)

price
Show positive (75%)Show negative (25%)(Show all)

image quality
Show positive (80%)Show negative (20%)(Show all)

More features

Showing 285 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

Disclaimer:

Below is a list of reviews for this or similar products. If you think this grouping is wrong please click here to flag.
Read more on our FAQ’s page.

Showing 1 - 268 of 285 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (90)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Olympus PEN E-PM2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 25 user reviews of Olympus PEN E-PM2 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.co.uk. Reviewers really like the performance and image quality. The lens and usability are also appreciated. There are some negative comments about the screen and durability. Reviews are divided on the focus.

portability, usability, lens, image quality, performance

durability, screen

92% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Olympus PEN E-PM2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 231 user reviews of Olympus PEN E-PM2 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.6/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.com. People really like the usability and image quality. The price and portability also get good opinions. There are some mixed comments about the memory and flash.

performance, portability, price, image quality, usability

96% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.ca)

Amazon.ca review summary for Olympus PEN E-PM2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 2 user reviews of Olympus PEN E-PM2 from Amazon.ca. The average user rating for this product is 5.0/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.ca. People are impressed by the usability. The performance also gets good feedback.

lens, performance, usability

100% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Expert review by : Enid Burns (digitaltrends.com)

Olympus PEN E-PM2 Review

The PEN E-PM2 costs less than the similar PEN E-PL5. Performance and features are near identical minus a few things.

Both cameras performed well and gave us crisp, focused photos. We were finding it difficult to justify the $100 to spring for the E-PL5 over the E-PM2. But then we started tilting the screen out to review photos or framing the best angle for a shot,...

Feb, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : Allison Johnson and dpreview.com (dpreview.com)

Olympus PEN E-PM2

Olympus introduced the first Pen 'Mini', the E-PM1 in late 2011. Where most interchangeable lens cameras fall somewhere on the spectrum between a point-and-shoot and a full-fledged DSLR, the E-PM1 skewed decidedly toward the compact camera side of the...

OM-D image quality in smaller, lighter, cheaper body ; Excellent JPEG color and exposure ; Suprising level of customizability with several user-assigned function buttons ; Raw shooting and in-camera processing ; Smallbut functional handgrip ; Flash...

Flash competes with other potential accessories for single accessory port ; Image on LCD is difficult to see in bright sunlight ; No external dials for exposure mode/shooting parameter setting ; Sparse controls and compact layout may be too cramped for...

The Olympus PEN-EPM2 is a point-and-shoot mirrorless camera which does exactly what a novice will need it to. For more adventurous users, there's a lot of functionality hidden beneath the skin (including the image quality of the OM-D) making the E-PM2...

May, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : Jim Fisher (pcmag.com)

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2

The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 is a capable little interchangeable-lens camera with a Live Guide mode for photographic novices, but for just $100 more you can get a better PEN.

Sharp kit lens. Good high ISO performance. Fast shot-to-shot time and focus. Live Guide mode. Optional EVF available. In-camera art filters.

Fixed rear display. No built-in flash.

There's no Wi-Fi here—if that's a must-have feature, consider the Samsung NX1000, it has the best Wi-Fi implementation we've seen in a mirrorless camera. Olympus recommends the use of a Toshiba FlashAir memory card, which is similar to an Eye-Fi card,...

Nov, 2012

Partner Source

Read the full review

Expert review by : Lori Grunin (cnet.com)

Olympus tweaks its entry-level interchangeable-lens camera

Despite a sensor and LCD upgrade, this doesn't seem like a major change from its predecessor.

Sep, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Richard Butler (dpreview.com)

Olympus PEN E-PL5 and PEN E-PM2 Hands-on Preview

Olympus was one of the instigators of the mirrorless uprising, having formulated the Micro Four Thirds standard with Panasonic. At first it looked like Olympus might be overshadowed by Panasonic's technical prowess but a combination of its...

Sep, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Kyle Schurman (steves-digicams.com)

Olympus PEN E-PM2 Review

The latest camera in the line of the ILC PEN family of cameras from Olympus, the PEN E-PM2 has a desirable combination of features and performance; at a good starting price. This is one of the better ILC models on the market, offering quite a few...

Outstanding image quality ; High-quality widescreen LCD is great ; Touch screen option on LCD is nice for beginners ; Various control buttons give you a second option if you choose not to use the touch screen ; Small camera design versus DSLRs is...

Menu structure can be a little tough to master ; Doesn't quite have the image quality you'd find in a DSLR camera ; May require investment in additional lenses in the future ; No built-in or popup flash option means you have to carry the included...

Feb, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : PhotographyBLOG (photographyblog.com)

Olympus E-PM2

Measuring 109.8 x 64.2 x 33.8mm and weighing 223g (body-only), the metal-bodied E-PM2 is marginally bigger and heavier than its predecessor, the E-PM1, but remains one of the smallest and lightest compact system cameras on the market.

Apr, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : Mike Tomkins (imaging-resource.com)

Olympus E-PM2 Review

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 may not boast a Mode dial or other advanced physical controls, but it produces surprisingly exceptional images that rival that of its star sibling -- the OM-D E-M5 -- at a much lower price. Small, lightweight, powerful and...

Super compact and lightweight; Excellent image and print quality that rivals much more expensive CSCs and DSLRs; Solid low-light (high ISO) performance; Touchscreen LCD responsive and useful once you get used to it; Speedy and accurate AF on still...

Maddening menu system; No physical Mode dial; Motion AF not quite up to par; Mediocre HD video quality; No built-in flash (but a small external flash is included)

The Olympus E-PM2 is an exceptional upgrade of the company's entry-level offering. And that's saying a lot, since we've been very pleased with the image quality and overall speedy performance of the Olympus PEN compact system camera line over the past...

May, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : Brendan Nystedt (reviewed.com)

Olympus PEN E-PM2

Fewer calories, same great Olympus taste.

One of the best introductory mirrorless options around.

Sep, 2013

Read the full review

Expert review by : jmeyer (digitalcameraworld.com)

Olympus E-PM2 review

Olympus launched the PEN Mini E-PM2 and the PEN Lite E-PL5 at Photokina 2012. Both PEN cameras share a lot of similarities, most notably the same 16.1 million pixel sensor and TruePic VI processor that have been taken from the highly acclaimed Olympus...

Feb, 2013

Read the full review