Olympus Stylus Replacement?

<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>I am a large format film photographer and have been out of the loop in the digital world for many years . . .so I am clueless on the new stuff.</p>

<p>Back in the 200s, or ages ago in digital years, we had an Olympus Stylus pocket camera that we liked. It was higher end in its line at the time with something like 5-8 MP, and consumer features. We liked it because it was really convenient to use, easily fit in pocket or purse, and made high quality images. I have sold several 11x14 prints of a light bulb for $250+ made with that camera.<br>

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<em><strong>What is the current equivalent Olympus offering ?</strong></em></p>

<p>Although Olympus makes some very nice interchangeable lens cameras, but it has not kept up with the best of the point-and-shoot models. Look at the Sony RX100, version III or IV, and at the Panasonic LX100. The Sony is smaller. The Panasonic will only fit in a jacket pocket, but it handles more nicely than the Sony.</p>

<p>The Stylus line was a nice little series of cameras, of which the higher-end models that were easily pocketable was the Stylus Verve (tiny and in multiple colors). The clamshell Stylus digital cameras with zooms were all pretty much mid-range models. Even the higher-spec stuff came nowhere near what really high-end models of today like the Sony RX100 and Panny LX100 costs.<br /> Here are a couple of models that could interest you if the higher-end prices of the above two mentioned models does not appeal..</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/products/olympus/compacts/oly_sh3</p>

<p>I took a class a year or two ago specific to the Olympus E-M1, but the instructor showed us some images he had captured with the previous SH-2 model. They were pretty darn good.</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/products/olympus/compacts/oly_tg4</p>

<p>Olympus still makes Stylus-branded cameras as their enthusiast compact line. the problem is they all have small (1 2/3" or 1 1/7") sensors, at price points where larger sensors are available. at base and low ISOs, they are capable of decent IQ, but at ISOs above 800, they'll have higher noise than their larger-sensored peers, especially at large print sizes. you can get an RX100 v.1 for about the same price as an SH2, and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V3RJETC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00FZEJ3XG&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0VZDQSEAGKN67TSV5P11">Stylus 1s</a> edges into entry-level DSLR/mirrorless ILC territory. the plus of the 1s would be a high-mag zoom with a constant 2.8 aperture out to 300m--which might help keep the ISO low, in a compact size. With Nikon and Canon joining Sony in using 1" sensors, you have to wonder, though, how much longer this line can maintain its price point. If you have a personal connection with Olympus cameras, the Stylii could be a good match, but... if you can hold off on buying now, the price may drop toward the end of the year. </p>