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The Olympus Digital Pen

In 1998 I purchased a vintage Olympus Pen camera for $30 at a camera show in Santa Monica, CA. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Sure, the meter didn’t work, but this camera was unlike any other I’d ever seen. It was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, simple enough to operate (with basic distance focusing settings and manual aperture controls) and it produced great photos with minimal effort. Did I mention its most unique quality? It was a half-frame camera, delivering 72 photographs on a normal 36-exposure roll of 35mm film. In those pre-digital days, 72 exposures on a single roll was a very freeing experience. But the best part of the whole thing was how liberating it was to carry a camera almost all the time. It was practically pocket sized, so it was simple and fun. But it also made nice photographs—so it was in fact a practical camera too. If only there was some digital equivalent. Turns out, there is. In fact, it’s a brand new “Digital Pen” from Olympus. It won’t have the charm of half-frame film exposures, but based on early feedback and countless blogosphere discussions, this eagerly anticipated camera may just put some much needed fun back into camera-carrying. Even if it isn’t the most versatile or the most powerful camera you can own, there’s a lot to be said for using a camera that is enjoyable. Even more important, using a camera that you’ll want to have with you all the time. Maybe this new “Digital Pen” is it? Look for the E-P1 on store shelves next month. Meanwhile, read more about it at Olympus.
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1461

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