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ePhotozine (Click here) compared the Olympus E-P2 and Fuji X100 image quality at ISO 100. What do you think? The X100 shows a very sharp and detailed image!
You can get the Fuji X100 at Adorama, Amazon UK and [shoplink 19929 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].
Olympus E-P2 at [shopcountry 14830].
Gianni Galassi (Click here) is a well known italian photographer and he started to use the [shoplink 14830]E-P2[/shoplink] instead of the [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink]: “The main reason of this purchase is the poor definition of my Panasonic GF1 electronic viewfinder. I tend to use bigger focal lengths lately, so I can’t risk to get motion-blurred photographs by holding the camera with my arms stretched out -which is a good way to frame with wide angles, on the other hand-. I need a “real” eyepiece so that I can push the unit onto my face and fine-tune my framing with no shake. And, most of all, with the capability to reliably manual-focus, when required.”
He likes the Olympus cameras a lot but there are some complains:
“-Why in the hell the live view system of the E-P2 cannot visualize the EV alterations set by the photographer? No matter how I tweak aperture values in manual mode, or exposure compensation in any mode, the displayed image remains the same and, worst of all, even the histogram doesn’t show any change (which makes the histogram display totally senseless). This function is implemented in most (and cheaper) compact cameras. Why E-P2 users aren’t entitled to it, whereas [shoplink 18844]E-PL2[/shoplink] (fortunately) are?
-Why in the hell the endless E-P2 and E-PL2 menus don’t allow users to configure live-view screen according to their needs? For example, I can not have the histogram and the grid shown in the same view, nor I can move the histogram wherever I’d like it to be. No, I’m obliged to toggle between different modes by countlessly pushing the “display” button: it’s crazy.
-Why in the hell the E-P2 histogram is so big it hides most of the framed image, whereas the E-PL2 one is so poorly outlined that I have to guess what it says?
-Why in the hell the button layout of the E-PL2 is so totally (and crazily) different from the E-P2? Do those cameras belong to different lineups? Perhaps Olympus designers have fun every time I mistake the “menu” button for the “info” button, or the “playback” button for the “trash can” button. Or maybe Olympus R&D department is outsourced (an euphemism for “subcontracted”) to anonymous (and different) external camera makers, with no coordination or briefing coming out of the brand’s management?
-Why in the hell the “Fn” button configurability is restricted to such a few options?
-Why in the hell the [shoplink 21035]VF-2 electronic viewfinder[/shoplink], notwithstanding its price, has got to be so flimsy and poorly built?
-Why in the hell the two cameras don’t share the same battery (and charger) notwithstanding their identical battery size?”
Read the full article at Gianni Galassi’s website (Click here).
What do you think?
Links to the discussed Micro Four Thirds products:
VF-2 electronic viewfinder at [shopcountry 21035].
Olympus E-P2 at [shopcountry 14830].
Olympus E-PL2 at [shopcountry 18844].
Panasonic GF1 at [shopcountry 14828].
What a nice Olympus XZ-1 review. I like that guy and I like the narrative style. In that video he compared the Olympux XZ-1 with the Canon S95. See the video to hear the conclusion!
You can get the XZ-1 at [shopcountry 19904] (Click on shop name to visit the direct product page).
For comparison. That’s the price of the Canon S95 at [shopcountry 21015].
For the first time I saw a Rollei lens tested ona Micro Four Thirds camera. You might be interested to see the results at DC.watch (Click here). They tested the [shoplink 21016 ebay]Rollei Planar 50mm f/1.4[/shoplink] on the new Olympus E-PL2. That’s what I like most of Micro Four Thirds, the fact that you use almost any existing lens. Canon seems to not understand that (See MirrorlessRumors.com).
See the [shoplink 21016 ebay]Rollei 50mm Planar lens on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Olympus E-PL2 price checks at [shopcountry 18844].
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Look at that crazy price people is going to pay for the first Fuji X100 camera listed on [shoplink 20939 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. The seller is probably becoming rich :)
The price went up to US $2,292.31 and there are still three days left! There are now two more X100 on sale on eBay from [shoplink 20999 ebay]Hong Kong (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 21000 ebay]Singapore (Click here)[/shoplink]. Those cameras will be sold for 2 or maybe 3 times the real price of the X100 which is 1199 Dollar/Euro (Check at [shopcountry 19929]).
What I am questioning now is WHY a camera can become that popular. It doesn’t take interchangeable lenses, it’s not cheap, it has not a particularly amazing sensor. A wonder what Olympus and Panasonic should learn from that X100!DO you have an idea?
P.S:: You can see a dissembled X100 at Petapixel (Click here). And there is a first X100 review at Photographyblog (Click here).
Nice to wake-up in the morning and see that there are a dozen of new Panasonic/Olympus camera reviews. It will take a couple of hours to read them all :)
Digitalcamerainfo (Click here) posted a 21 page long Panasonic GF2: “With a simplified design, touchscreen operation, emphasis on its Intelligent Auto mode and—perhaps biggest of all—a debut price that is $300 cheaper than the GF1, the GF2 is aimed squarely at those consumers looking to step up from a point-and-shoot without losing portability.”
Camerguide (Click here) also posted a new GF2 review: “Smaller, lighter, and now touchscreen friendly, Panasonic has done its best to introduce a wider range of photographers to its “GF-series”. There’s no question that the changes do make the GF2 more appealing to photographers with less advanced skills, and nobody can fault Panasonic for trying to make the camera smaller, the question perhaps should be whether the touchscreen adds to the experience of using the GF2 for either set of photographers, be they more or less skilled.”
GF1 vs GF2 comparison at Mobile01 (Click here).
GF2 direct links to [shopcountry 17361].
Pdnonline (Click here) tested the Olympus E-PL2: “Though it may not be the prettiest PEN camera in Olympus’ line-up, the E-PL2 has so many picture-taking improvements from previous iterations, it’s clearly the best.”
Popphoto (Click here) tested the E-PL2: “In our opinion, the E-PL2 is one of the better ILCs on the market. It takes advantage of the now-wide array of lenses available for the Micro Four Thirds system while offering a compact and powerful body with the best features that Olympus has developed for this still-young format. ”
ThePhoBlographer (Click here) made a E-PL2 RAW File Test.
Focus Numerique (Click here) tested the Olympus E-PL2.
BHphoto (Click here) explains how it is using the Olympus EPL-2’s Art Filters To Shoot a Concert.
E-PL2 direct links to [shopcountry 18844].
There is a short Olympus E-5 review at Dpexpert (Click here): “Professionals who are satisfied with nothing less than a full frame sensor may not buy what is, in effect, a half-frame camera. But consider this: in terms of body integrity and features the E-5 at $2200 will stand comparison with a Nikon or Canon costing many thousands more. And Olympus lenses are superb.”
Panasonic GH2 tested at Optyczne (Click here).
Neocamera (Click here) posted an Olympus XZ-1 review: “The Olympus XZ-1 is a compelling entry into the advanced compact category with a rich feature set. The ultra-bright F/1.8 wide-angle lens combined with a relatively large CCD sensor lets this model produce some of the best images to come out of a compact digital camera for a given scene. Dual control-dials enable efficient use of manual controls which include manual focus, manual exposure, spot metering, bracketing, custom white-balance and white-balance fine-tuning. The dual-port hot-shoe supports an optional tiltable EVF to provide eye-level and waist-level shooting, as well as supporting external lighting.”
XZ-1 direct links to [shopcountry 19904].
That’s it!
[/shoplink]Almost 80% of my pictures have been taken with that cheap and unspectacular lens. It’s not as fast and as good as the [shoplink 14796]Panasonic 20mm f/1.7[/shoplink] but it’s cheaper, lighter, tinier and has a more interesting wider view angle (that’s just my personal opinion). I am glad that someone finally reviewed the lens. That “someone” is Photographyblog (Click here): “Its sharpness and resolving power are pretty good, especially in the centre of the frame, but they are hardly exceptional for a prime lens“…”Overall, we enjoyed shooting with the Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital 17mm f/2.8 a lot – there are few lenses out there that beat it on the portability front, while its angle of view and fast maximum aperture make it an excellent walk-around lens“.
Click those links to check the Olympus 17mm price at [shopcountry 14798].
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It looks like the most popular Olympus camera is not a PEN and not a the E-5 but the [shoplink 19904]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink]. As you know it features also a PEN-type accessory port that can use PEN system accessories, including the clip-on VF2 EVF or the FL-14 and FL-36R flash guns and the external stereo microphone adapter kit (SEMA-1): “Image files from the review camera were a cut above those from most other digicams we’ve reviewed, including those from Olympus. Files were clean and not over-processed and colour saturation was restrained for a small-sensor camera. Autofocusing was comparatively fast for a contrast-based TTL system and when face detection was engaged, the camera was able to pick up and track human faces almost instantaneously.”. The only real drawback is the video quality.
The camera gets an oveall score of 8.8/10 which is pretty high!
You can get the camera in Black or White at [shopcountry 19904] (Clcik on shop name to directly visit the XZ-1 product page).
