In my opinion the Pen E-PL2 is a beautifully designed and a very good looking camera in the black color version. With the 2,8/17mm pancake the camera is just thin enough to take the Pen in a pocket of my jacket or under my jacket. The Pen E-PL2 and the lenses are lightweigth and small compared to my Nikon and Olympus OM equipment although a flash and image stabilization is included in the body already. The build quality is very good, (on par with my Nikon D70). The LCD-Monitor is good enough for bright days. If you want you can pay for an optional viewfinder as I did. The AF speed is just average. Changing settings on the Pen is not bad, better than with compact cameras and on par with entry DSLR´s like the Canon 550D but not as easy as with my Nikon D300 nor as with my Nikon D70. The Pen has some functions I really enjoy using. First of all you can change the format from 4/3 into 3:2, 16:9 and 6:6. I like the diorama and the monochrom fim filter. The image stabilisation works great. I can take videos.
In summary the Pen is my camera for short trips and wanderings when taking photographs is not the main topic or in combination with my Olympus OM or Leica analog equipment.
Cons:
The dynamic range is worse than I exspected.
I miss some direct buttons for WB, ISO and Format (but you can customize some buttons to change function).
The optional viewfinder doesn´t meet my exspectations (regarding colors and resolution).
The AF speed is only average.
Missing some fast lenses with AF to optimalize DOF; a 0,95/25mm standard lens is betwenn a 1,8/50 and 2,0/50mm on a Nikon D700 (FX).
Pros:
Camera and lenses are lightweight and small. Espicially in package with the M.Zuiko 2,8/17mm the E-PL2 is an option to a compact camera;
Good build quality (camera);
Good lokking and designed;
Very good package (art-filters, image stabilization, flash included, video, face detection, sensor cleaning);
Optional viewfinder is avaible; the LCD monitor is much better than I expected;
I enjoy the possibility to change format settings from 16:9 to 4:3 to 6:6 to 3:2 before taking a photo;
Sensor cleaning and image stabilisation are working very well;
Use of third-party-lenses via adapter is possible.
It is replaced by a E-PL5 http://www.pbase.com/ltolksdorf/image/149182159
