Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus SH-50

Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus SH-50: A Hands-On Comparison from an Experienced Eye

If you’re diving into the Olympus universe looking for a camera that fits your photography style, budget, and expectations, you’ve landed in the right spot. Today, I’m pitting two very different cameras from Olympus - the Olympus PEN E-P2, a classic entry-level mirrorless camera from 2010, against the 2013 Olympus SH-50, a small sensor superzoom compact. Both carry Olympus’s design ethos but serve wildly different users and purposes. Having spent years testing cameras in the field and the lab, I’ll guide you through the key features, real-world performance, and where each camera shines or falters. Let’s pull back the curtain.

Size, Feel, and Handling: Does the E-P2 or SH-50 Fit in Your Hand and Bag?

When considering a camera, how it feels - physically and ergonomically - is a big part of the puzzle. The Olympus PEN E-P2 offers a traditional rangefinder-style mirrorless body. At 121x70x36 mm and 355 grams, it feels substantial but manageable. The SH-50, by comparison, is a compact superzoom at 112x63x42 mm and notably lighter, tipping the scales at 269 grams.

In practical terms, the E-P2’s bulkier frame provides more clubs-for-thumbs style controls - wheels, dials, and a grip you can lock onto. It’s tailored for enthusiasts who want full manual control without lugging around a DSLR. The SH-50 streamlines this into a pocketable design that’s more about ease and zoom reach.

The SH-50’s rounded corners and compactness make it sneaky and street-friendly, while the E-P2 demands a bit more respect and presence. If you travel light but crave versatility, the SH-50 wins. If you’re willing to carry a club but want serious creative control, the E-P2 edges ahead.

Top Controls and User Interface: Which Layout Plays Nice with Your Workflow?

Flip both cameras over and peek at their top plates, and you’ll see a design story unfold. The Olympus E-P2 sports a clean, manual-focused setup with dedicated exposure compensation and shutter speed dials. The SH-50 opts for a minimalist, mostly auto-driven interface without traditional exposure modes (no Shutter or Aperture Priority modes, for example).

For the E-P2, this means you get to tweak aperture, shutter speed, and ISO with precision - ideal for budding pros or enthusiasts craving deliberate exposure control. On the SH-50, manual options do exist but require jumping through more menu hoops. It’s made for shooters who favor quick autofocus and zoom rather than exposure tinkering.

If fine control rings your bell, the E-P2’s physical layout is a breath of fresh air. The SH-50 is content to automate and serve you a nice JPEG at the push of a button.

Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality That Counts

Here’s where things get technical but crucial: sensor performance critically affects image quality, dynamic range, and low-light prowess. The E-P2 sports a Four Thirds 12MP CMOS sensor measuring 17.3x13mm, with an anti-aliasing filter, offering a 2.1x crop factor. On the other hand, the SH-50’s sensor is a much smaller 1/2.3" 16MP BSI-CMOS (6.17x4.55mm) with a whopping 5.8x crop factor.

I’ve tested both under controlled and real-world lighting, and the Four Thirds sensor consistently delivers cleaner images with better dynamic range and color depth. For example, DxOMark rates the E-P2’s dynamic range at 10.4 EV, a color depth of 21.5 bits, and usable low-light ISO up to 505. The SH-50, lacking official DxO measurements, physically can’t match this due to its sensor size.

What does this mean practically? Portraits shot on the E-P2 exhibit smoother skin tones and better highlight-to-shadow retention, critical when photographing tricky lighting or capturing subtle textures. The SH-50’s small sensor means more noise creeping in at higher ISO, and the images lack the depth and clarity demanding photographers crave.

Eye on the Prize: Autofocus Systems and Shooting Responsiveness

Autofocus (AF) performance is a make-or-break factor - especially when shooting sports, wildlife, or children on the move. The Olympus E-P2 offers contrast-detection AF with 11 selectable points and face detection. Continuous AF and manual focus pep up its versatility, but it lacks advanced tracking technology like animal eye detection.

The SH-50 has an AF system tuned for its superzoom reach, offering single AF with face detection and continuous tracking (albeit limited). It also features touch-to-focus on the LCD - a nod toward modern compact usability.

In practice, the E-P2’s AF response is solid but not blinding fast by today’s standards - it’s reliable in decent light but occasionally lags in dim conditions or with fast runners. The SH-50 can keep up quickly for a superzoom compact, especially with ample light, but the smaller sensor and slower lens aperture limit its low-light focusing.

Continuous burst shooting also separates these cameras: the E-P2 manages 3 frames per second, while the SH-50 boasts a sportier 12 frames per second, perfect for capturing fleeting moments, though with some compromise on autofocus responsiveness during bursts.

Portraits and Bokeh: Who Wins the Skin Tone and Background Blur Battle?

When portraiture is your game, rendering natural skin tones and pleasant bokeh (background blur) is essential. Given the sensor sizes and lens options, the Olympus E-P2 pretty clearly dominates here.

You can mount fast prime lenses on the E-P2’s Micro Four Thirds mount - for instance, the popular 45mm f/1.8 - which enables smooth subject isolation by blurring backgrounds beautifully. The SH-50’s fixed lens maxes out at f/3.0–6.9, a lot slower and thinner on shallow depth-of-field control. Plus, the small sensor’s high crop factor makes true bokeh near impossible.

Face detection and exposure on the E-P2 are conducive for natural skin tone reproduction thanks to its manual white balance and advanced metering, whereas the SH-50 tends to lean a little towards punchy JPEGs with less nuanced tonality due to its compact-oriented processing.

If soulful portraits are part of your plan, the E-P2’s system and lens ecosystem makes it the clear choice.

A Walk in the Wilderness: Landscape, Wildlife, and Sports Photography

For landscapes, dynamic range and resolution matter deeply. Thanks to its Four Thirds sensor and ability to shoot RAW files, the E-P2 can reveal richer colors, fine details, and more latitude in post-processing. Its weather sealing? Non-existent, so outdoor photographers need some care in foul weather.

The SH-50’s superzoom lens covers an astounding 25–600 mm equivalent (24x zoom), a versatile all-in-one lens that’s fantastic for casual wildlife or long-distance nature shots. But the image quality gets softer at the extreme telephoto end, and fine detail won’t rival interchangeable lens cameras.

In burst mode, sports shooters will appreciate SH-50’s higher frame rate (12 fps vs 3 fps). Yet, the E-P2’s richer image files and manual exposure modes offer more creative control and results if you have a prime or tele zoom lens handy.

Here again, your priorities mold the choice: want versatility and long zoom on the fly? SH-50 is a trusty compact. Need image quality and control for serious landscapes or sports? E-P2 with lenses is better.

Macro and Close-Up Photography

If tiny details intrigue you, macro performance depends on lens and focusing finesse. The Olympus E-P2 supports a range of dedicated macro lenses with precise focusing, some even offering image stabilization (sensor-based on the E-P2).

The SH-50’s macro mode can focus as close as 5 cm, which is surprising given its fixed lens, but expect limited depth of field and less exquisite bokeh compared to specialist lenses on the E-P2.

If macro art is your jam, the E-P2’s system flexibility wins by a mile.

Night, Astro, and Low-Light Imaging

Night shots demand cameras thrive at high ISO while controlling noise. The E-P2’s Four Thirds sensor strikes a reasonable balance here, backed by sensor stabilization to help slow shutter speeds without blur. It performs well until ISO 1600, with usable images possible up to 3200 under gentle noise reduction.

The SH-50’s tiny sensor significantly limits low-light capability. Though it tops out at ISO 6400, noise becomes intrusive as you climb ISO tiers. The optical image stabilization helps but cannot fully compensate for sensor limitations.

For astro enthusiasts and night shooters, the E-P2 is the more trustworthy companion.

Video Capabilities: Getting Moving Shots Right

Video buffs will note that the SH-50 outshines the E-P2 in raw video specs. It records Full HD 1080p at 60fps using MPEG-4 and H.264 codecs, smooth and vibrant for casual movie making. The SH-50 also supports high frame rate modes for slow motion (up to 480fps, albeit at low resolution).

The E-P2 only shoots up to 720p at 30fps in Motion JPEG, showing its age here. It lacks microphone or headphone ports, limiting professional audio control, as does the SH-50.

Neither of these cameras meets the standards of current video-centric models, but the SH-50 is better suited for casual video given the higher resolution and frame rate.

Viewing and Interface: Do You Get a Window or a Touchscreen?

The rear LCDs tell an interesting story. The E-P2 sports a fixed 3-inch HyperCrystal LCD with anti-reflective coating at 230k dots - adequate for composition but dim and low-res by today’s standards. No touchscreen, and the lack of a built-in viewfinder means you must rely on an optional external EVF.

The SH-50 offers a 3-inch touchscreen LCD at 460k dots, making it easier to frame, adjust focus, and navigate menus quickly - even though it lacks any viewfinder. Touch response is smooth but limited by the camera’s menu design.

If you hate fumbling with buttons, the SH-50’s touchscreen and clearer display provide a better user experience, especially in bright daylight.

Sample Images: Seeing Is Believing

I shot a variety of scenes with both cameras, from landscapes and portraits to macro flowers and urban street setups. The difference in image quality and color fidelity is immediately visible.

Olympus E P2 front Olympus E P2 screen back Olympus SH 50 front Olympus SH 50 screen back

The E-P2 delivers richer textures, better shadows, and more natural skin color, especially when shot in RAW and tweaked in post. The SH-50’s JPEGs are punchier straight out of camera, but finer details and color subtleties are sacrificed.

Powering Your Shoot: Battery Life and Storage

The E-P2’s battery (BLS-1) delivers around 300 shots per charge - typical for mirrorless models of the era but modest by today’s standards.

The SH-50 is slightly more efficient due to a simpler sensor and processor, though exact battery life data is scarce. Both use SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, with a single slot.

If you plan on extended shooting, the E-P2 needs a spare battery, especially under continuous live view or electronic use.

Connectivity and Modern Conveniences

Connectivity is Spartan on both, a sign of their vintage. The E-P2 has no wireless options; the SH-50 does have built-in Wi-Fi for easy sharing - an advantage if instant image upload matters.

Both have HDMI and USB 2.0 ports but lack microphone and headphone jacks. No GPS on either.

Worth What You Pay? Price-to-Performance Perspective

At their respective launch prices - around $799 for the E-P2 and $299 for the SH-50 - each appealed to different budgets and needs.

The E-P2 remains a capable entry point to interchangeable lens photography with access to Olympus’s extensive Micro Four Thirds lens lineup. Its reliable image quality and manual control justify its premium for serious users.

The SH-50 is a well-rounded all-in-one for travelers, families, or casual shooters who want a big zoom and decent results without fuss.

Tailored to Your Photo Style: Genre-Specific Scores

Breaking down their strengths by photography type gives us a clearer recommendation:

• Portraits: Olympus E-P2 excels with lens flexibility and better sensor.
• Landscape: E-P2’s dynamic range and RAW capture beat the SH-50.
• Wildlife/Sports: SH-50’s zoom and fast burst rates outpace the E-P2.
• Street: SH-50’s compactness and quiet operation suit urban shooting.
• Macro: E-P2 with dedicated lenses is best.
• Night/Astro: E-P2's larger sensor and stabilization.
• Video: SH-50 has better specs, but both are basic.
• Travel: SH-50’s zoom and size edges out E-P2 bulk.
• Professional Use: E-P2 wins on file formats and manual control.

The Final Word: Who Should Buy Which?

Here’s my candid take from years of hands-on experience:

Choose Olympus PEN E-P2 if:

• You want a genuine entry to interchangeable lens photography with manual controls.
• Image quality, RAW shooting, and lens versatility matter most.
• You shoot portraits, macro, landscapes, or night scenes seriously.
• Carrying a slightly heavier system isn’t a deal breaker.
• You can pick up used bodies and lenses at reasonable prices to build your arsenal.

Choose Olympus SH-50 if:

• You want a no-hassle, pocketable superzoom with decent image quality.
• Travel convenience and zoom range trump sensor size or RAW files.
• You’re mostly shooting JPEGs for social media or family albums.
• Video recording at 1080p/60fps and touchscreen ease are priorities.
• You have a tighter budget and want a one-lens-does-all solution.

Both cameras reflect Olympus’s thoughtful design but cater to different philosophies: E-P2 invites you to grow as a photographer with manual control and better image quality; SH-50 delivers ready-to-go simplicity and zoom versatility at bargain prices.

Closing Tips: Beating the Specs Sheet in Real Life

Remember that specs and numbers only tell part of the story. Over thousands of hours testing, I’ve learned that how a camera feels in your hands, how its autofocus ‘clicks’ with your style, and how much you enjoy its workflow, are as important as megapixels or frame rates.

If you want flexibility and quality, the E-P2 remains a respectable vintage mirrorless. For casual convenience and zoom oomph, the SH-50 still packs a punch.

Feel free to ask more about lenses, shooting tips, or workflow integration - I’m happy to help you tailor your next camera purchase!