It's a micro four thirds camera. So four third sized sensor = quality like four third sized DSLRs.

You can change lenses but having multiple lenses defeats the purpose of having a compact. Although the lenses are smaller in size it is no less cumbersome to pack multiple lenses.

One disadvantage is that the camera is unable to mount current four thirds lenses without the use of an adapter so you are basically starting off with a new system and have its own lenses to collect.

I think at best it's gonna be a niche market appealing to techy gearheads rather than true photo enthusiast.

Whichever way you look at it, it will still be a niche market.

PnS users will still stick to their PnS, especially if they do not want the hassle of changing lenses.

Pro users will ask why buy a micro four thirds when you already have a full fledged DSLR?

Which leaves the niche market for pro users who just want to use it with the pancake lens on - that's the only time it's really compact in size - and for gear heads who like the novelty.

Mounting it with normal four thirds telephoto lenses with an adapter will make the camera feels really off balance in weight. And how will you hold it? The weight will be on the lens weighing it down towards the front. It's compact size will make it hard to grip steadily plus it has no viewfinder so you have to hold it at arms length to see the LCD to compose - all of which makes for a really strange pose.

That's what I say ler... pro with DSLR will only get the E-P1 with a pancake lens for portability and convenience. To stand in for their compacts. Other lenses and accessories are non-priority items. It not like they are gonna get another system or replace their existing DSLR. It's like "I'm going to a party/clubbing and I don't wanna lug my DSLR around so the E-P1 (with pancake lens) will do as I can carry it in my pocket." kinda thing. Not like - "I am into landscape/sports/wedding photography and I don't like big DSLR... so I am gonna get the E-P1 instead!"

If the market is that large, the G1 and the GH1 would have exploded ler before the E-P1. The G1 is the first micro-four thirds system camera in the market and it has an electronic viewfinder too, which the E-P1 lacks. Not to mention a fully articulating LCD!

This post has been edited by shootkk: Jun 19 2009, 02:29 PM

Ya lor... the market appeals to people who thinks the same as you. I am not saying that this is wrong. It's prefectly ok but truth is how many people will have the same kind of thinking? Niche market lor.

You're looking for better IQ because you have been exposed to the DSLR IQ range before and can never go back to PnS.

For the average PnS user, most of them don't care that much about IQ. You see them talking about size lah, megapixels lah, how many times zoom lah, design lah and what not. So given the price range of the EP-1, it will only appeal to a subset of these PnS users as the price is on the high side compared even to entry level DSLR.

I won't be the least bit surprised if a typical AhBeng PnS user goes like:

PnS user : Wah! This E-P1 very nice leh. How many times zoom ar, this camera?
Shopkeeper : This kit lens is 14-40mm so about 3x zoom.
PnS user : Wahlau! So big lens only 3x zoom ar? Other camera with so big lens can go 18x zoom leh!
Shopkeeper : You can get a telephoto lens if you want to zoom further. Can change lenses one, this camera!
PnS user : Wah! Now the view is zoomed in. How to get back to the wide view?
Shopkeeper : That one have to change lens again..
PnS user : Hah?! Change again ar... why so mafan one? Better I buy the other camera...

Nah! If I remember correctly, Olympus has an 8mm ultrawide lens so with the 2x crop it becomes 16mm. So 14-42 is actually 28-84mm lah.

When I went to check out the G1 with the 14-42mm kit lens, I don't remember it being ultrawide in any sense so I guess the E-P1 is the same.

Oh, and welcome back, Uncle Ian!!!