BH photo video classifies the pen e-p1 as a rangefinder

[g-man1]

<p>at least it lists it alongside the M8 in the "Digital rangefinder" category. Nonsense!</p>

[john tonai]

<p>Probably because it would actually be a category of three right now. If they break up the website into too many categories it would become unmanageable. Since I would guess that many of the people who are interested in this camera are rangefinder users, it makes sense to me.</p>

[ray .]

<p>Ha.. KEH classifies the M8 as a 'Digital SLR.'</p>

[joshroot]

<p>In terms of marketing, that's where I would put it as well. In terms of perfectly accurate classification, of course it isn't an RF.</p>

[sitemistic]

<p>Good marketing. It'll make the average dad shooting snaps of his kids feel like he's channeling HCB every time he shoots a T-Ball game. ;)</p>

[charles_stobbs3]

Maybe a rangefinder plus because it finds the range while setting the lens.

[doug herr]

<p>It's an EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) P&S camera.</p>

[vivek iyer]

<blockquote>

<p>It's an EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) P&S camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Doug, It is not EVIL . It does not have an electronic viewfinder. So, it belongs to a brand new class:</p>

<p><strong>IL</strong> (<strong></strong> <strong>i</strong> nterchangeable <strong>l</strong> ens) P&S camera. :)</p>

 

[Brad_]

It's interesting and very very clever that Olympus in their marketing strategy associate the E-P1 with the Pen F of the 60's.

The Pen was a technologically advanced camera (rotating shutter, compact reflex viewing implemented with mirrors, etc)

with little in terms of compromise. Not quite so with the E-P1.

[christopher_m]

<p>A rangefinder isn't necessarily limited to a split coincident type.</p>

[doug herr]

<p>A traditional rangefinder focusses by triangulation. This camera focusses by contrast detection.</p>

[rui_lebreiro]

<p>Getting close, but still not what i want</p>

[bobtodrick]

<p>And in 1974 Ford advertised their Maverick as the North American 'Volvo'.<br>

Yeahhhh!!</p>

[dan_b.4]

<p>It remains to be seen whether it really is a smart move to associate it with the Pen F camera. I don't know how many people these days remember the Pen Fs beyond a very few hard-core photography enthusiasts. I've known literally dozens of amateur and professional photographers over the past 35 years and not one of them had heard of the Pen F until I mentioned it or they saw me using one. The funny thing is how many of those photographers have asked me, "Is that a rangefinder?"</p>

[ilkka]

<p>What is the definition of P&S? Why a small well made camera that has all manual controls and is meant for serious photogrtaphers (and I am not only talking about the E-P1) is a P&S and a similar sized low end DSLR is not, even if it has less controls? Show me one camera that you don't need to point at the subject before shooting?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>What would be the appropriate categorization for a camera like the Bessa L with accessory viewfinder and zone focusing? Olympus XA3 with three-position zone focusing? Konica Hexar?</p>

[Richard Williams]

<p>Contax G1/G2?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I have an old Rowi accessory shoe rangefinder. When I put it on my old guess-focus Agfa Isolette, does it become a rangefinder? Or does the lens have to be coupled to the finder to be a rangefinder?</p>

[larry_kincaid2]

<p>You're right. I knew nothing about the Pen F camera system. I was a Pentax guy in those days. Lo and behold, my wife pops up and says that she bought a Pen F camera in Hong Kong on her way to the US! Where is it, says I? [i really would like to have it.] "Oh, I gave it away to a relative a long time ago." Never give a camera away. Now I not only know what it is, I just bought a used 100mm f3.5 lens from the Pen F system to use on my G1 as a 200mm telephoto manual focus lens. Still waiting for the adapter or I'd share a photo. The other Pen F lenses look great as well. The electronic "zoom" manual focusing feature on the G1 (Does the e-p1 have this too?) is very useful. I could focus my 75mm summilux on the edge of my wife's glasses without any trouble. So, I for one am glad to hear about the Pen F camera system. I'd be tempted to buy another Pen F lens, but the prices have gone up higher now than when they were new. </p>

[robert lee]

<p>Not a bad classification by B&H actually. This new Oly is certainly lots closer in conception and design to a traditional film RF camera than it is to a SLR.</p>

<p>The camera, 17mm prime. and accessory finder kit looks absolutely, yummily, scrumptious.</p>

[jtk]

<p>Leitz markets digital non-split rangefinders for various purposes...such as archery.</p>

[Brian]

<p>I see the B&H classification as based on what it isn't rather than what it is. It's an interchangeable lens camera but it isn't an SLR. Ergo it must be a rangefinder.<br>

I think the placing works well enough in terms of marketing, so why worry?</p>

[nzdavid]

<p>The ads used to call all viewfinder cameras rangefinder cameras, too. And occasionally they would call point and shoots rangefinders as well. I don't think here is such a thing as a P/S now, though -- they are all far too complex. </p>