Oly E-P2 owners a Question

<p>Have any of you Ep-2P owners used your Camera with a Manual focus lens via an adapter? And if you have does the in body IS work? or does it ONLY work with a dedicated AF lens?<br>

Also does anyone know how the Electronic viewfinder on the E-P2 compare to any of the Panasonic EVF's?<br>

Been waiting for an in camera IS Micro 4/3</p>

<p>Also since the Oly flash is not much to write home about does anyone else make a dedicated flash with some power? Or would a guy be stuck with a thyrster type flash or Manual?</p>

<p>Mark - I've been looking at the EP-2 to use with my Leica M and Canon FD lenses, but haven't yet bought one. I've found the comments on the following forum quite helpful: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=146<br>

And to answer your first 2 questions, the in body IS does work with manual lenses via adapters according to users, and the general concensus is the EVF of the EP-2 is significantly better than the Panasonic, but the LCD screen on the rear has a lower resolution than the Pnasonics.<br>

I'm holding out, I guess, primarily because I would like to see if the next iteration of the Olys in the EP line has a built in EVF, which I would find much more convenient and aesthetically pleasing. There are some interesting rumors out there.</p>

<p>The Olympus E-P1/E-P2/E-PL1 all work fine with adapted manual lenses. The IBIS system works fine for adapted lenses ... you set the focal length manually and it does its job. </p>

<p>The E-P2/E-PL1 optional EVF is approximately equivalent in quality to the Panasonic G1/GH1/G2 built-in EVF. It has slightly lower magnification, approximately equal resolution ... it is a different technology and looks a little different, that's all. Some like it more, some prefer the Panasonic.</p>

<p>The Panasonic GF1's optional EVF is a lower resolution, slower refresh rate device, compared to either of the other two, but it is still quite useable. </p>

<p>If you want IBIS and the top notch EVF, the E-P2 or E-PL1 are both good choices. </p>

<p>Thanks Guys I to am watching the new models as they appear maybe one of them will hit that magic point where it has what I need to buy. The Newest Panasonics are also interesting based on the very nice pricing.<br>

I maybe looking for a digital telephoto only body. Something to work with my 200mm+ lenses and to be able to use my LTM mount lenses on a digital body. The OLY E-P2 is getting damn close. to bad my 25mm f3.5 Canon black and chrome is only a f3.5 lens other wise it would make an ideal std. lens for the Micro 4/3 format</p>

 

<p>Mark - if your concern re the Canon 25/f3.5 is that brightness might be a problem, my understanding is that the EVF compensates (so, for instance you could focus stopped down) so that you have a reasonably bright image to focus with.</p>

<p>No I was more looking at the DOF compared to a faster lens.</p>

<p>It's been an interesting day reading maybe 30 pages on the various M/3 bodies on the market. And interestingly enough they come so close to what I want but just off the mark.<br>

The thing with the E-P2 that has me stumped is it appears near worthless for flash and has a hard time with indoor lighting (I'm used to my S3-IS and it's near perfect white balance choices) If you didn't have a choice between EVF or flash then I would just buy one of the two mid powered flashes that Oly has but as far as flash assisted nature shots not with the small guide numbers. And since I don't see a PC socket even running with one of my big manual flashes appears N/A <br>

I love the Pen FT styling ( I did a lot of work for a college graphic arts dept back in the day with an FT) not keen about no swivel on the LCD (the rotating EVF helps)</p>

<p>The G-1 and descendants with only lens based IS is a big deal killer.<br>

The E-PL1 is close to the mark but the lighter weigh construction and Mono Audio is a knock But at least it has a small built in Flash.</p>

<p>I guess what I want is the E-P3<br>

Starting from a E-P2 add a Pop up flash with 28mm coverage and at least a 15 foot range. Ad a PC socket. Add a swivel LCD (I'm willing to add 7-8mm to the thickness of the body for that. An accessory grip with a storage for a second battery and 2 SD cards. A stronger lens mount (they can always be stronger) Add a Tripod mode to the IS (if it's not there already)<br>

Or take a Panasonic GH-1 and add in body IS and stronger lens mount and PC socket and improve the EFV.<br>

I have hope for the next new models past the ones about to appear on the market the G10 and G2? I think. Granted they aren't likely to switch to IBIS. So My hopes are on the Pen.</p>

 

<p>Mark, don't take this the wrong way...but the "perfect" camera doesn't exsist. Any and every camera made involve some compromises. If you plan on waiting for the "perfect" camera to come along, you will most likely be waiting forever. The E-P2 is a wonderful camera and it would be a shame if you sat on the fence and missed all those wonderful photographic opportunities :)</p>

<p>Mark I use the G1 with Canon FD lenses - it would be nice to have IS but I would find better high ISO performance equally useful. It would be great if Olympus released a M4/3 body with IS, a viewfinder and capable of taking good shots at ISO 800. This is the kind of upgrade that will get me to change from the G1. As you are almost certainly aware for handheld use with FD lenses I find the viewfinder essential as i have problems focusing and keeping the camera steady using just the rear LCD. It has to be said that I have never really got on with the LCD approach to shooting except on a tripod. I am sure that the cameras will continue to evolve but any of the model you have mentioned should work fine. I find the G1 swivel LCD really only useful for Macro work (they work great with the FD100 F4)</p>

<p>Wait for the May11 announcement of the Sony NEX-3, -5 with APS-C sensors. Even if you're not gonna get one, the Olympus prices will fall to compete.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, use the cameras you already have.</p>

<p>Philip one of the "things" I do is forest floor photography. Tiny flowers,mushrooms, even such odd things as worm holes and tiny patterns in fir and pine tree needles. So the swivel LCD would be invaluable to not twisting this old guy into weird shapes to see the subject.</p>

<p>Mark for that type of application the LCD is invaluable. I spent many years shooting Macro with a New F1 using either the speedfinder or the Waist Level finders. Using the old 100 F4 lens on the G1 with the Swivel LCD is much easier than the F1. Shooting with an EOS digital body and a macro lens is much harder than with the swivel screen G1 style body - especially on a tripod with a focusing rail.</p>

Sounds like what I was gonna suggest. G1 plus tripod is great for this sort of work.

<p>Godfrey,<br>

Sorry, I am new to the E-P2, but what is IBIS?</p>

 

<p>IBIS: short for "In-Body Image Stabilization" (as opposed to OIS: "Optical [in-Lens] Image Stabilization"). </p>