We're pretty sure there are plenty of people out there who'd really love to be able to take photos like a pro, but at the same time are quite afraid of the volume of work, study, knowledge and experimentation professional photography requires. Practically, there's a very long way between a picture taken with a point-and-shoot digicam used on auto mode for taking relatively good-looking photos in a very quick and easy manner and the types of exquisite, art photos some of the world's best-known photographers are so famous for.

However, modern technology has rendered it a lot easier for would-be photographers to make the leap from their basic compacts to more advanced solutions, one of the most important developments in this field being the micro four-thirds format, which enables camera manufacturers to come up with certain products that can deliver DSLR-grade shots while having roughly the same size as an entry-level digicam.

As some of you might remember, the first solution of this type we've ever tested is Olympus' Pen E-P1 camera, one extremely elegant (yet expensive) product designed to double as a secondary camera for prosumers and professional photographers who wanted a camera that would enable them to exert their talent freely, while not carrying around those large photo bags filled with advanced lenses and other accessories.

From this point of view, the E-P1 (and its successor, the E-P2), managed to really rise to the task, but they still remained a bit exclusive, since mainstream users would typically be fended off by their extremely high price points (not only the body itself, but the accessories as well).

For this reason (and being fully aware of the huge potential provided by both micro four-thirds technology and the ultra-compact models), Olympus released earlier this year their E-PL1 mirror-less DSLR camera, which takes the PEN legacy to a whole new level by allowing it to provide enough features in order to meet the demands of a huge array of users, starting from those amateur photographers who want the best picture quality for their shots and ending with those advanced users seriously considering a secondary, smaller DSLR.

Naturally, we couldn't help but notice the significant effects this serious change in the design and concept approach had on the E-PL1, compared to its predecessor, with the overall look of the camera being one of the first victims, the enhanced versatility being probably the most important gain. But this is as far as we're willing to go for now, as you'll be able to find a whole lot more on the E-PL1 over the course of this review.