The E-PL2 was designed to offer users an easy entry to the world of system cameras. It offers the user-friendliness of the E-PL1’s (March 2010) simple interface, compact size, and light weight, as well as the excellent operability and design. The new E-PL2 also features new features that provide users with more ways than ever to enjoy photography itself, not only while shooting, but afterwards as well.
To make it easy even for novices to take full advantage of the photographic power of the SLR, the E-PL2 features a new user interface called "New Live Guide", an enhanced version of the Live Guide interface originally featured on the E-PL1. All the user has to do is follow the guidance provided by the New Live Guide interface. Right away, they will be able to take pictures that turn out exactly as desired by setting image brightness, hue and background defocusing with intuitive dial operation. The New Live Guide interface also works in movie shooting.
The highly acclaimed Art Filters have also been improved with selectable Art Filter variations that allow users to apply a variety of moods and effects to each filter and an Art Effect function that adds various composition effects to the Art Filters. With the addition of picture composition effects, users will be able to create truly unique images that express their individual creative vision. The Art Filters themselves now include the popular "Dramatic Tone" effect, first available on the E-5, which applies dramatic tones of light and shade based on local changes in contrast. All six Art Filter effects can also be applied in movie recording.
The E-PL2 is a true system camera. More extendable than previous entry-level cameras, the E-PL2 features a new Accessory Port 2 extension terminal that can accept the VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder, the SEMA-1 Stereo Microphone Set 1, or any one of the new accessories announced together with the E-PL2 such as the Olympus Penepal PP-1 Communication Unit*2 or the MAL-1 Macro Arm Light. The newly launched optional accessories also include three different lens converters including the FCON-P01 Fisheye Converter, the WCON-P01 Wide Converter and the MCON-P01 Macro Converter. When a lens converter is attached to the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II standard zoom lens and the scene modes exclusive to that converter are loaded in the camera, users will be able to take advantage of new photographic possibilities made possible by changing the angle of view.