Olympus PEN cameras

Think they were well regarded at launch, and would still be very good cameras now. Purists? Didn't David Bailey use an Olympus Trip? ;-)

Tony

David Bailey..? Who's he?

Am currently using a Panasonic GF1, and am really enjoying it, worth checking out the price of these as a 'replacement' the GF2 has recently been announced.

quote:

Originally posted by DelR:
Am currently using a Panasonic GF1, and am really enjoying it, worth checking out the price of these as a 'replacement' the GF2 has recently been announced.

Me too

This is micro four-thirds (MFT) camera & is more like a point & shoot with a bit more semi-automatic flexibility.
The only thing it does have that's really different from a point & shoot is interchangeable lenses.
Olympus are not the only mnft using four-thirds, but it doesn't seem to have caught on after a number of years, unlike the "chopped frame" APS-C DSLR systems which have the flexibility of interchanging lenses between chopped & full frame bodies

From reading some www reviews - a relative was thinking about it - it looks to fall short of the performance of a DSLR.
It does not appear to me to be a move closer to full DSLR, it just another camera system for people who are not photographers but maybe like new gadgets. Its a new camera & it does not look to be perfected, maybe better to wait, I am sure the Panasonic version might do it better. Or spend the considerable money it costs on a better point & shoot or just be brave & jump to DSLR

Have a good read at this
Olympus PEN Review

I have an Oly DSLR at present. I was looking for something a bit smaller for day to day use plus the idea of being able to use the lenses I have on it seemed like a good idea. Would the Oly lenses work on the Lumix with the 4/3 / m4/3 adaptor or would you lose some functionality?

If it's important to you, the Pen is one of those cameras without a viewfinder, only a screen.

I noticed that too, however I think the PEN 2 has an attached electronic viewfinder which goes on the hot shoe. Downside is you lose the flash option if you use it. It looks like that is the same with the GF-1 as well I think?

Mike

Having only recently purchased my GF1 [waited for GF2 then decided it was not for me] in my limited experience of it, I find the image quality far better than my previous compact [Panny LX2]. No, it is not any where near as good as my DSLR but then again, I didn't expect it to be.

The GF1 is a nice compromise between a compact and DSLR in size, weight, facilities and performance.

Julian

I've had a Panasonic G1 for a year or so and it's the best all round camera I've owned by a long chalk. Image quality is at least as good as my previous entry level DSLR, a Nikon D40, and the Panny is much easier to use (more intuitive controls and menus) and easier to carry around and handle because of its compact size.

Only downside I've found is the screen can be a bit pixellated in low light, but I prefer to use the viewfinder anyway, which seems to gather the available light better, so no real problem.

Currently have the 14-45 zoom, been ogling the 20mm pancake but it seems a bit expensive at the moment.

The GF1 with the 20mm pancake lens is the one I've had my eye on. A viewfinder is available.

Chris