Oly E-P2 released

lithos · 11-05-2009, 02:51 AM

And it's about as exciting as a watching the paint dry on a lawn.

Olympus Updates PEN with EP-2, Still Chases Panasonic | Popular Science

Olympus E-P2: Flashier than the E-P1, But Still No Flash - olympus e-p2 - Gizmodo

It's black, it's got a VF, finally, and tracking AF, and an even bigger price tag than the original. The songs, along with the rest of the specs, remain the same.

Eruditass · 11-05-2009, 02:55 AM

When m43 first came out, I was real excited. I had been thinking about getting a DSLR for quite some time and then was even more indecisive.

I'm glad I didn't go m43. Paint on a lawn? whoa.

*k100d* · 11-05-2009, 06:55 AM

can someone remind us what was the point of the EP-1 that was released what? 3-4 months ago?

*pingflood* · 11-05-2009, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by k100d

can someone remind us what was the point of the EP-1 that was released what? 3-4 months ago?

5 months, and this isn't really a major update. Chances are the Panasonic camera with EVF coupled with the new EVF tech from Epson triggered this.

*k100d* · 11-05-2009, 10:08 AM

i think that also Olympus wanted to release to coincide with the Pen anniversary.
but still, doesn't seem like they thought out their plans very well, this has FAIL written all over it for Olympus.

the other issue for them is the legitimacy of the 4/3 SLR system and the amount of resources that they want to still devote to developing their SLRs.

but either way is no excuse for this lame rehash only a few months after without (what appears to be) improved AF or an improved LCD display that Panasonic has.

*ryno* · 11-05-2009, 08:01 PM

I was wishing the EP-2 would be a GF-1 with inbody IS. Doesn't look like it.
R

lithos · 11-06-2009, 02:14 AM

I've been pretty underwhelmed with this whole M43 deal. The Pen would've been an excellent camera...were it about four, maybe five hundred Aussie dollars cheaper. As it stands, it's expensive for what it is. There're few lenses - sure, you can use adaptors, but then that just negates the size advantage it had - no VF, only contrast AF, low FPS...

The Panasonic G-series adds a VF, a flash I really couldn't care about, and that's about it. And they're still 90% as big as the K-7...which has phase-detect AF, a decent VF, more MP, more lenses, higher-res LCD if you're into that sort of thing...etc, etc.

The GH-1's still SLR shaped - all those knobs and it's still got a hump. And it sells for more than the K-7.

I think it's telling that the lack of a built-in flash is what most people bitch about. It seems the Pens aren't really seen as enthusiast cams, just high-end consumer models. Granted, I'm getting these from the same websites that see HD video as a "must-have" in a stills camera, which is like saying "can drive underwater" is a must-have when it comes to cars. At the end of the day, the Pen's ultimate goal is to take photos of you and your mates shitfaced at some bar where the price of local beer has two digits in front of the decimal point.

So far, basically, they've managed to combine the problems of P&S and SLRs in slightly smaller packaging. Sure, you can use teles on a Pen, but how stable is a 100mm lens on that thing gonna be when held at arms' length? And I think Pentax has proven that you don't need to go EVF and mirrorless like Panasonic to make small cameras.

Ian Tokeo · 11-06-2009, 10:46 AM

I'm with Lithos. I think there's great potential in the micro four-thirds system for a nice portable camera to bridge the gap between point and shoot and SLR, but I just can't justify the price. What I'm looking for is something like a digital equivalent of a Yashica Electro 35 or Minolta Hi-Matic.