gordon_matassa

<p>You can do a side-by-side comparison of the E-P2 and E-PL1 on dpreview.com:<br>

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp</p>

<p>I compared the two before I purchased the E-P2 and the main differences I came across were:</p>

<p>E-PL1 does not have the electronic viewfinder, has a slightly smaller LCD screen (2.7" instead of 3"), it only has 6 art filters as opposed to 8, and there are less buttons on the back (thereby making it harder to change settings quickly - for me at least). BUT, the E-PL1 has a small flash that the EP-2 does not have (although I doubt it's really that wonderful of a flash).</p>

<p>If you can do without the electronic viewfinder and the other extra features, then get the E-PL1. You can always buy the viewfinder separately, but it will cost approx. $300. If you're going to do that, you might as well buy the E-P2 and get the extra features but forfeit the built-in flash.</p>

<p>Good luck! I hope you are happy with the m4/3 camera you end up buying.</p>

<p>I am not a professional photographer and I really do not know much about using a flash. I have an old T20 flash for my OM-2 and tried it out on my E-P2 with not so good results. The shot is typically either washed out or completely black. I know I must be doing something wrong within the settings on both the camera and the flash itself. Has anyone successfully used a T20 flash on an E-P2 (or E-P1)? What settings do you recommend for optimal results?<br>

I would also like to know what all of you recommend for a high quality yet economical flash unit that works well with the E-P2. Is the T20 even worth using or should I fork out more money and get one of the new ones? Thanks!</p>

<p>No need for an adapter for any m4/3 lenses to any m4/3 camera between Olympus and Panasonic. They are, thankfully, interchangeable. <br>

The Lumix 20mm on the Olympus E-P2 is a winning combination. I use both regularly and am extremely pleased with the results. I haven't noticed any focusing problems whatsoever, but I have only had the combination for a couple months now and haven't had as much time to play around with it as I would have liked. A person more experienced using the Panasonic 20mm with the Olympus E-P2 may have more to say on this subject. There are a lot of people on various forums (including photo.net) who have posted extensive reviews on this combination. </p>

If you want to rent in SF then try Adolph Gasser, Inc., in SOMA (www.gassers.com). I am not sure if they have Olympus

or Panasonic, but it would be worth checking out. They may be able to direct you to somewhere else in the area if they

don't.

In terms if choosing between Panasonic and Olympus, I'm definitely biased towards the E-P2. I have one and it's

absolutely amazing (the in-camera IS will come in very handy if you're out on Alcatraz or anywhere else that is windy).

Most people would recommend using the E-P2 with the Lumix 20mm lens as opposed to the Zuiko 17mm. I have the

Lumix on my E-P2 and am very impressed, although I tend to primarily use the Zuiko 14-42mm zoom at this point in time.

I'd recommend the E-P2 and several of the available lenses so you can get a good feel of what it can do.

What do you plan on shooting in SF? If you like landscapes then I would definitely recommend the top of Twin Peaks,

Dolores Park, Buena Vista Park (be weary of that place during non-daylight hours), and Baker Beach (watch out for the

"walruses," though - and by that I mean nudists). There's really a lot to photograph out here. You'd probably be doing

yourself a diservice by not shooting at least some of he weirdness that is everyday life here. For that I definitely

recommend a zoom lens so you don't have to get too close. That's what I do, but I live here and am beginning to become

immune to the eccentricities of this place.

Enjoy your trip!

<p>Very nice shots of a wonderful old house. It's a shame it's in such disrepair, but it sure made for great subject matter on which to shoot. I bet rent is cheap there =)</p>

<p>This makes me want to get my OM-2n out and wreak some photographic havoc. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>That's great news! The Best Buys in San Francisco still do not have any of the EPs or other m4/3 cameras (at least as of early March when I was last there). I would have loved to have had some hands-on experience with any m4/3 before I bought mine. (I was able to play with an extra large Canon dslr at Best Buy, though, and this helped convince me even more that I did not want something so big).</p>

<p>Luckily with the internet it's fairly easy to find out any information you'd ever want to know, although nothing is as useful as actually handling the camera in real life. I ended up buying my E-P2 online without ever actually handling one in real life. After so much internet research I knew it was exactly what I wanted and I am in no way disappointed with it at all.</p>

<p>I hope the m4/3 continues to grow in popularity and availability. I'm glad Best Buy is bringing them into their stores and not only selling them online anymore.</p>

<p>I had a feeling the answer was actually much easier to find than I thought it was. I just wasn't using the right search terms....whoops. <br>

Thanks for the info. I appreciate your help.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Does anyone know if the lenses for the Pen F and FT work on the new E-P2 (or other m4/3) with or without an adapter?<br>

I have an F. Zuiko 38mm lens from my Pen FT that I would like to possibly use on my new E-P2 when it arrives in the mail. After doing a heck of a lot of research on the digital Pens, I still cannot find any information about the compatibility of these lenses. Perhaps I'm just not looking hard enough?</p>

<p>It's hard to choose one, so I chose a few:<br>

Diane Arbus for her subject matter.<br>

Andreas Feininger for his work for Life magazine and style (and his books).<br>

Art Wolfe & Ian Parker for their natural landscapes.</p>