Olympus is a pioneer of the live view DSLR, as it rolled out the technology on the E-330. The company has come a long way since then.

The Olympus E-620 has a 2.7-inch monitor that can fold outward and swivel, making it a great option for photographers who want to shoot at odd angles from a tripod. The swiveling LCD is an upgrade from the E-520, which has the same size screen but keeps it fixed onto the back of the camera body. The E-620’s live view is great on looks, but functionally is a bit lacking. It is slow to focus and even slower to take a picture. There are a few clicks and a lag that make it clunky to use.

The E-P1 has a 3-inch LCD, and the two cameras have the same 230,000 pixels on their LCD screens. The E-P1 eliminates the mirror box issue, so the live view operates the same as it does on a compact digital camera – a straight feed from the image sensor. It is much smoother and faster than the E-620.

Olympus E-P1 - Fixed LCD Screen	Olympus E-620 - Articulated LCD Screen

Both cameras have the live view function, although I’d say it’s more important on the E-P1 since it’s the main method of viewing. A viewfinder is optional on the E-P1, but is a standard feature on the E-620. Because the E-P1’s LCD is likely to be used more often, keep in mind that the battery life won’t stretch as far.