Olympus E-P1- Almost a digital rangefinder...

It’s not a digital rangefinder, it’s also not a Nikon product, but I’m betting that most people arent’t going to worry about it too much– I’m certainly not. Olympus will be getting my money.

What they been able to do is squeeze a micro 4/3’s sensor into a tiny metal camera with a pleasant retro look with interchangeable lenses.

That last bit about changing lenses is the tipping point between “Matt keeps the money in the bank” and “Matt gets to explain why there’s another camera in the house.”

This one goes to 11.

Engadget China has a hands-on review here. See everything Engadget’s got here.

dpReview has a full review here and video from London here.

In a brilliant move that Nikon’s Ashton-Kutcher-loving marketing agency could learn from, you can watch it get destroyed in a blender here. Oh yeah- the Olympus engineers have thought of everything, even making sure it blends.

You can find the full specs in the dpReview or on the Olympus site, but the main items are:

• Max resolution: 4032 x 3024
• Max Video Res: 1280×720
• Has a full-manual mode
• ISO to 6400 (if you’re crazy, (I’m betting that it’s decent until 400 or so)
• There is a raw format
• Top shutter is 1/4000
• Weighs less than a pound without lens and battery
• $799 for the body and 14-42mm zuiko zoom.
• $899.99 for the body and 17mm pancake lens
• $749.99 for the body only (that zoom must be CHEAP!)
• Buy it all here.

The only thing missing is a built-in flash (there’s an accessory, hot shoe mounted flash) and I’d love to see a range-finder like viewfinder, but the liveview should handle it alright.

There are aftermarket adapters for Nikkor lenses, and maybe more interesting, there’re adapters for Leica M-mount right now.

Ship date? Julyish through September depending on what you’re trying to get.