Resolution, noise and sensitivity
These images show 72ppi sections of images of a resolution chart, captured using matching 105mm macro lenses.
We show the section of the resolution chart where the camera starts to fail to reproduce the lines separately.
The higher the number visible in these images, the better the camera’s detail resolution is at the specified sensitivity setting.
Although the E-PL1 uses the same sensor as the E-P1 and E-P2, it employs a weaker anti-aliasing filter. Our resolution chart test shows that the weaker filter and the accompanying improved signal processing has a positive effect.
The 12.3-million-pixel sensor of the E-PL1 managed to reach around 25 on our test chart, which is slightly better than most 12-million-pixel DSLRs.
By default, as the ISO sensitivity increases the noise reduction starts to kick in. While this does reduce the amount of luminance noise that is visible in images, it also produces a slight blur that reduces the amount of detail.
At ISO 3200 with the JPEG noise reduction turned on, the E-PL1 can resolve to about 20 on our test chart, but with the noise reduction turned off it can still resolve up to 24, albeit with some reduction in image quality due to noise.
It is a similar story with the E-PL1’s raw files. Colour noise can quite easily be reduced, but luminance noise is more difficult if you wish to retain the high level of detail in your images.
I decided to leave raw images looking slightly ‘grainy’ by keeping luminance noise to a minimum, but reducing colour noise as much as possible.
