I'm coming around to the idea. It looks like it folds down and pops up. Does it pop up in automatic mode if the camera decides it needs it?
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
m4/3 on budget
- Thread starter jeffmo2
- Start date
Laszlo13
Leading Member
Don't get hung up about the flash. You must realize that flash is hardly to be used, especially with such sized sensors. When you do want to use it: (fill in flash in back lit situations, really dark areas where you're desperate - and your subject isn't far, or driving a remote off camera flash) - it's not an issue to put on and pop up.
I would say 95% of the time I see people using flash it's not needed, and makes things worse (like lighting up the bald guy's head that's in front you, while you try to take a picture of son/daughter playing sports 50 - 100 feet away). It's also not needed in normal indoor lighting - when taking pictures of family.
So I also vote for the E-PM1. Note that I have the E-P1, which doesn't even have a flash. I don't exactly recommend it, but will note that you wouldn't go wrong with just about any of the micro 4/3 cameras. Still, from a price / performance ratio perspective, the E-Pm1 is hard to beat.
Wellington100
Veteran Member
APS-C size sensor, cheap kits, great IQ and cheap pancake lenses, 20-50 kit lens is one of the best in the business
S100, S6500, S5, F300, F200, F70, F11, F31 (deceased), Z5, V10, D40, EX1
--
S100, S6500, S5, F300, F200, F70, F11, F31 (deceased), Z5, V10, D40, EX1
I have been quite happy with my E-PL1. I also got the Costco dual-zoom kit. The 40-150mm MSC focuses much faster than the kit lens and is quiet (for video). When outdoors I often carry it around instead of the kit lens.
You can always upgrade the body later if you decide you like m43...your investment in lenses won't be wasted.
Also, look into adapting old prime lenses. I bought a Minolta MD adapter for $20, and a 50mm 1.7 lens for $35. Works great in low-light and makes very nice portraits. Obviously you have to manual focus, but it has an aperture ring so autofocus is really the only thing you lose.
Joel
You can always upgrade the body later if you decide you like m43...your investment in lenses won't be wasted.
Also, look into adapting old prime lenses. I bought a Minolta MD adapter for $20, and a 50mm 1.7 lens for $35. Works great in low-light and makes very nice portraits. Obviously you have to manual focus, but it has an aperture ring so autofocus is really the only thing you lose.
Joel
One that I thought was out of my price range but I am now seeing deals on is the Panasonic GF3. According to the review, they improved on the GF2's main weaknesses which were low light/high iso, skin tone rendering, and jpeg image quality. It has the same speedy autofocus as the GF2 and built-in flash unlike the epm-1. I also like tht there is a dedicated button for automatic mode. Don't think the epm-1 has this. Any other thoughts? Thanks again.
LincolnB
Veteran Member
I hadn't heard too much about that camera. The kit price looks pretty good - $400 with teh 20-50mm lens on Amazon. Any extra lenses will blow the OP's budget though.
Does EPM1 (or any Olympus for that matter) have a button to choose automatic mode? Panasonic does, which is very nice if I want to manually adjust settings, but then give the camera to someone else who wants to use it as a P+S. From the review, it looks like you have to go into the menus and select auto mode, unless I program one of the other buttons (movie button?) to select auto mode. What happens if i turn the camera off and turn it back on? Does it go to the last mode selected?
Regarding the flash, I can see not needing it when using a pancake lens, but for the kit lens I'm expecting to still need it for indoor pics.
Liking the Panasonic GF3 due to the two above reasons and great autofocus performance. Low light and jpg quality is below Olympus but it seems Panasonic has greatly improved. Price is also about $100 less than EPM1.
Regarding the flash, I can see not needing it when using a pancake lens, but for the kit lens I'm expecting to still need it for indoor pics.
Liking the Panasonic GF3 due to the two above reasons and great autofocus performance. Low light and jpg quality is below Olympus but it seems Panasonic has greatly improved. Price is also about $100 less than EPM1.
The EPM1 doesn't have that. You have to press the "menu" button and then select auto mode from the top level. It's pretty easy to select it, but it's not available on a one-touch button. Or a dial like most higher-end cameras do. This is a case of Olympus removing a 25-cent dial from the camera in order to punish you for being too cheap to buy the E-PL3 or the E-P3. If you can get past the missing dial, the E-PM1 is a bargain price compared to the other models.
It's possible to get an old-stock EP-2 really cheap that will have all the dials and buttons a camera ought to have, and the only thing it's really lacking compared to the latest-model Olympus cameras is the super-fast focusing.
You can get a Panasonic G3 for just over $450 on amazon used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005058BTW/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1327081454&sr=8-1&condition=used
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005058BTW/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1327081454&sr=8-1&condition=used
tedolf
Forum Pro
the Samsung NX100 is a great value, and the Samsung lenses are pretty good too.
Unfortunately, like NEX 3/5 it is a fatally flawed camera. The lens registration distance is too long by just one RCH to allow adaptation of any rangefinder lenses.
Any.
How could they be so stupid!
Also, no microlenses like NEX 5n to fix corner sharpness issues.
Again-fatally flawed.
Too bad, otherwise a nice camera.
TEdolph
Jon Allison
Well-known member
I tested the water of µ43 in november by picking up an EP2 for a lowish price, (€499 with 17mm and VF2) great cam. I was thinking about a back-up cam, for my holiday next week, maybe the EPM1, nice and small, a few compromises but reasonably cheap. But then today I walked into FNAC (big electrical chain in France) and they are flogging their last few EPL2s off for €299. I prefered it to the EPM1 but it was €40 more expensive until today. No-brainer; I bought it. Fantastic bit of kit for a low price.
Ergonomically great, really customisable, I must try and read the manual (it's in French
and my French isn't too hot.) I'll download an English one soon.
Epl2, great, cheap bit of kit.
Ergonomically great, really customisable, I must try and read the manual (it's in French
and my French isn't too hot.) I'll download an English one soon.Epl2, great, cheap bit of kit.
Wellington100
Veteran Member
The flip side of that is that using my Nikon lenses (or any other DSLR lenses) with this camera is a pleasure because the adaptor is so much smaller than on m4/3
Lets face it, one is hardly going to buy this camera to use it with Leica lenses so "fatally flawed" for that reason, I am not so sure.
"stupid" - for not designing a budget camera with Leica in mind???
Corner sharpness is not such an issue with this camera in my experience, in no small part because the lens registration distance is further than it is with other mirrorless cameras. So much for "fatal flaws" heh heh heh.
Indeed, its a stunning camera once you take into consideration its IQ vs its price point, in fact its the bargain of the year.
--
S100, S6500, S5, F300, F200, F70, F11, F31 (deceased), Z5, V10, D40, EX1
mfbernstein
Veteran Member
Doesn't seem to be possible. It's not that difficult to change though. Menu button, left arrow button three times, and it's in iAuto. Menu and right arrow 3 times gets you back.
Yes. Whatever settings you have, mode included.
I guess, but don't expect it to do any better than the Rebel in that regard. Ditto the GF3.
Matter of taste on the JPEGs.
The E-PM1's 14-42 kit lens is also a bit smaller than the standard Panasonic 14-42.
But if the GF-3's limitations don't bother you (stabilization limited to lenses with OIS, no hotshoe for external flash or VF), it should be a good fit, especially for the price.
--
MFBernstein
'Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.' - Ed Abbey
mfbernstein
Veteran Member
I'm actually glad the mode dial is gone. The one my XZ-1 had an unfortunate habit of getting changed when I took out of the case, leading to not a few ruined images. Hardware controls are only good if they can be counted upon not to change on their own.
--
MFBernstein
'Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.' - Ed Abbey
tedolf
Forum Pro
Thomas Kachadurian
Veteran Member
Lot's of buy what I bought answers, but not all good advice.
If you want a viewfinder buy a G1 or G2. They go for $300ish with a lens on the used market. G2 is more refined, but the G1 is still good (but no video).
If you want viewfinderless go with the E-PL2. All the kinks worked out and with a lens NEW on ebay for under $400 is you look. Forget the crazy prices people as asking and look at what has sold. I just bought an e-pl2 body demo for $225. USed with a lens they are around $300 if you're patient.
That leaves you a little $$ for a 20mm f1.7 of 45f1.8, which you will love.
Tom
http://www.kachadurian.com
If you want a viewfinder buy a G1 or G2. They go for $300ish with a lens on the used market. G2 is more refined, but the G1 is still good (but no video).
If you want viewfinderless go with the E-PL2. All the kinks worked out and with a lens NEW on ebay for under $400 is you look. Forget the crazy prices people as asking and look at what has sold. I just bought an e-pl2 body demo for $225. USed with a lens they are around $300 if you're patient.
That leaves you a little $$ for a 20mm f1.7 of 45f1.8, which you will love.
Tom
http://www.kachadurian.com
Was able to test out the Panasonic GF3 yesterday. Kit lens seemed a little bulky relative to the body. Also, I was surprised that the flash didn't pop up automatically in auto mode as my Canon does.
Thinking again that EPL-2 may be the best overall compromise. Unfortunately there's no place to really look and try it out anymore. I Found a factory demo with 1 year store warranty for $369, or used no warranty for a little less. Does the EPL-2 flash pop up on its own in auto mode if the camera needs it?
Thanks
Thinking again that EPL-2 may be the best overall compromise. Unfortunately there's no place to really look and try it out anymore. I Found a factory demo with 1 year store warranty for $369, or used no warranty for a little less. Does the EPL-2 flash pop up on its own in auto mode if the camera needs it?
Thanks
I picked up a refurb'd E-PL1 for $239 with kit lens from Cameta and I love it. I plan on adding the Panny 20 1.7 or Olympus 17 2.8 to have a small carry around, since they are both pancake lenses (just need to make a decision). It has a built in flash that works well for close photos.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsvisions/
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsvisions/
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum