Photography Gear News

Photokina 2012: Olympus has unveiled the XZ-2 enthusiast compact camera with a 12MP 1/1.7" back-illumination CMOS sensor and touch-screen. The XZ-2 features the same 28-112mm equivalent F1.8-2.5 lens as the XZ-1 but adds a more modern sensor, screw-on hand grips, tilting touch-screen and a two-mode control dial around the lens. In one mode the dial features click-stops, allowing control over discrete features such as aperture or exposure compensation, but flip the switch on the front of the camera and the ring rotates smoothly, and switches to controlling zoom or manual focus. The XZ-2 will sell for around $599/£479.99.

Photokina 2012: Olympus has refreshed its PEN series with the PEN Lite E-PL5 and PEN Mini E-PM2 16MP touch-screen mirrorless cameras. Both models feature the 16MP sensor and TruePic VI image processor first seen in the OM-D E-M5. Both cameras also gain 460,000 dot, touch-sensitive rear LCDs, with the ability to focus and shoot by touching the screen. They can also shoot at 8 frames per second. The E-PL5 offers a mode dial, an extra button, flip-up LCD and E-P3-style screw-on front grip over the PEN Mini. The E-PL5 will cost $699 with the 14-42mm retractable zoom, while the E-PM2 will cost $599 with the same lens.

Click here to read our hands-on preview of the E-PL5 and E-PM2, including E-PL5 real-world samples