jalywol
Forum Pro
I think this is really interesting, actually, since it really illustrates what we all bring to the table in terms of what we need most from the cameras we get and what compromises are acceptable and what are not....
I came to M43 from a similar background but different path.....I had (still have, actually) a Pentax MX...full manual fim camera and a few lenses. However, over the years, I started using simple snapshot cameras for everyday stuff instead of the Pentax, for three reasons:
1) I am not, nor have I ever been, a speedy manual focuser. It is not one of my talents and never will be, unfortunately.
2) I did not have the money to buy a flash for the Pentax, and I found that I was limited in my indoor photography endeavors because of that.
3) It was a pain in the rear end to carry around a big bag of camera gear.
So, from about 1989-1999, I primarily used a P&S nikon 35 mm for my primary camera, and I did very little other than just snapshot photography at that point.
In 1999, I got a Nikon N80 film camera; nice SLR with autofocus and an on camera flash, and I never really got into it that much, in part due to some other things that were happening in my life at the time.
In 2002, I got my first digicam, a 2 MP Toshiba (of all things), and it was a revelation. It was as slow as molasses, but for the first time I could take as many photos as I wanted and work on my technique, and see my results instantly, without having to come up with serious cash for film developing, too. I have a few images from that camera that I still really like, too...
A series of cameras of increasing capabilities ensued; Sony F717 (nice camera but kind of large for a compact, and I just could not get the kind of detail out of it that I wanted), Sony P52 P&S to carry around; then a Canon S60 (finally, a portable with Aperture priority, but OH MY was that slow to focus!).
Finally, it dawned on me that for the kind of image quality and flexibility I was searching for, I probably had to look into a DSLR (this was just around when the price of these things was starting to come down to less than the cost of a used car). In 2006 I found myself in a position to finally buy one, and got a Nikon D200 with the kit lens, which was supposed to be quite good.
I think I was a bit disappointed in it initially; sharpness and vibrance of the images were not great out-of-camera, and I had to do the whole learning curve thing about the medium again. I realized that the kit lens, which had great reviews BTW, did not give me a pleasing color balance, and I sold it and got the cheaper kit lens (which I think has fabulous color, oddly enough
)HOWEVER....as I continued to grow and learn the medium again, I found that I was having difficulty carting around the D200 since it was just plain HEAVY. My S60 was the go with camera that I ended up using more (until it fell about a foot to the floor and messed up the lens....and I replaced it with a Canon SD870IS (which is about the size of your S90, but without the manual capabilites.)
Fast forward to 2009.....I sold the D200 and bought a D90, and was thrilled with its IQ. I really preferred it to the IQ of the D200, and wonder of wonders. my wrist and neck did not hurt from carrying it around. Still, for everyday use, it was simply JUST TOO BIG. I wanted a camera that gave me close to that IQ without the size.
I thought long about getting a G11 or G12, and also the S90 or S95, but that felt like going backwards again. I still had my tiny Canon P&S, and I could not see getting another tiny sensor camera, even if it was improved and greatly adjustable, since it would not give me DOF control or low noise in darker situations.
So, when I first read about the proposed M43 format, I got very excited...here potentially was a camera that could give me the flexibility, portability AND IQ that I had been looking for in one package!
Of course, the first ones that came out were not exactly what I was looking for.....The first PEN camera was gorgeous, but I knew I wanted an on-camera flash (been there, done that with the Pentax and knew I had to have one...), and the first Panasonic seemed too DSLR-like in style, so I waited.
The EPL1 had all the features I wanted in a smaller body and with IBIS and the on-camera flash, AND it was in the budget, so that was the one I went with.
I am sure that I would have seriously considered the EP2 except for that darned on-camera flash thing, too...but the EPL1 fits my needs, fiddly buttons and all, because of the features it has and what can do image wise.
I am hoping that they continue to improve this format camera, since I think it has just huge potential. It solves so many of the portability issues with the DSLRs and yet has IQ that rivals them. If they can get their sensor technology up, and work on the autofocus technology, I can see M43 being just a major, major player in the photographic arena for a very long time to come. (Have I mentioned yet that I am happy with it?
)-Janet
