  A partial wave analysis of pion photoproduction has been obtained in the
framework of fixed-t dispersion relations valid from threshold up to 500 MeV.
In the resonance region we have precisely determined the electromagnetic
properties of the \Delta(1232) resonance, in particular the E2/M1 ratio
R_{EM}=(-2.5 +- 0.1) %. For pion electroproduction recent experimental data
from Mainz, Bates and JLab for Q^2 up to 4.0 (GeV/c)^2 have been analyzed with
two different models, an isobar model (MAID) and a dynamical model. The E2/M1
ratios extracted with these two models show, starting from a small and negative
value at the real photon point, a clear tendency to cross zero, and become
positive with increasing Q^2. This is a possible indication of a very slow
approach toward the pQCD region. The C2/M1 ratio near the photon point is found
as R_{SM}(0)=(-6.5 +- 0.5) %. At high Q^2 the absolute value of the ratio is
strongly increasing, a further indication that pQCD is not yet reached.
