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I need some help ...

Started Sep 27, 2016 | Discussions thread
Michael Meissner
Michael Meissner Forum Pro • Posts: 28,013
Think fixed lens camera

It really depends on your needs, and the size of your pockets (both for carrying the camera and figuratively for the cost of the camera). But in general, I tend to think of the smaller fixed lens cameras. Sure, you won't get those ultra low light/no flash shots, but it gives you the flexibility and it hides in the background.

I tend to go with my Stylus-1 for a pocketable camera rather than a small micro 4/3rds (E-PM2 in my case) with a small lens (Panasonic 20mm f/1.7). The pluses are:

  • It will easily fit in my jacket pocket;
  • it is unobtrusive when it is worn on the shoulder;
  • it has a built-in pop-up flash (no FL-LM2/LM3 that adds to the height), but with a hot-shoe and remote RC flash for when you need it;
  • it has an equivalent of 28-300mm f/2.8 lens (I have taken shots indoors with it without flash, while they are not noise free, they are certainly usable -- the f/2.8 lens helps compared to other compacts with a smaller sensor and f/3.5-5.6 lenses);
  • It is more advanced than many of the old Olympus compact cameras, and has the same menu structure (there are a few places where I wished it had some features that are in the Pens/OM-Ds);
  • If you have Pens, it takes the same BLS-1/BLS-5/BLS-52 battery;
  • It uses the RM-UC1 shutter release cord, and works with the Olympus OIShare smartphone wifi app for remote control;
  • It has a 1/1.7" sensor, and I've found it is acceptable to ISO 800 for normal shots, and ISO 1600 if you are willing to push it a bit;
  • It has an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which makes it taller, but it very useful when shooting in the sun (it is roughly the same EVF as the E-M5 mark 1);
  • It shoots RAW;
  • There was an updated model Stylus-1S that updated a lot of things, and except for the material on the grip, there was a firmware release that gave most of the 1S features. Until they started to close it out, the 1S wasn't sold in the USA.

However there are some disadvantages:

  • Unfortunately, Olympus stopped selling it last year, when they got out of the whole compact camera market except for the Tough line. There is an entry for it at the Olympus outlet store, they are currently sold out (perhaps they have some more and will restock -- otherwise you would need to used);
  • It is not weather sealed (at times I go with the E-M5 and 14-150mm II lens, which gives the same range, and is weather sealed, but it is bigger);
  • When it was sold, it was fairly expensive (I think I paid $800 for it), and so not a lot where sold. My salesman says it was primarily bought by people with a big DSLR or mirrorless setup, who wanted a small carry most places camera.

Other than the Stylus-1, perhaps look at the Panasonic DMC-LX100: https://www.dpreview.com/products/panasonic/compacts/panasonic_dmclx100/specifications

 Michael Meissner's gear list:Michael Meissner's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Olympus TG-5 Olympus E-M5 III OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 +13 more
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