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Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

Started 10 months ago | User reviews
Valentin G Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor
10

I just got the camera used after a search for around 10x zoom camera with a viewfinder and a bright lens. I don't know how I missed it when it was released, maybe it was out of my budget back in 2013. My compact high zoom w/ viewfinder camera since 2015 has been the Panasonic ZS50. That is a very good camera for the small size but it has always bugged me that the lens was very soft in the corners and the camera was not suitable for indoor use. The sensor in the Stylus is a little bigger than the one in the ZS50 and definitely less noisy with ISO 1600 and even higher usable when shooting RAW.

I've had the Stylus for a day and just took some test shots around the house and in the backyard but so far I like it a lot. Yes, it is a little quirky to find and change some settings but that does not bother me much. The super control panel is enough for most things once the camera is setup. There a small things that bother me in the user interface but I will get used to them.

The very good viewfinder, hot shoe, tilting screen and constant 2.8 aperture 28-300mm lens in such a small body are simply amazing to exist together. Oh, and a built-in ND filter! I plan this to be my traveling, hiking and backpacking camera. The last few backpacking trips I was lugging my m43 camera with a 14-140 lens that took great photos but it was getting heavier and bulkier with each passing day on the trail. This small gem should be perfect for backpacking.

The video is not as good as on the ZS50 but good enough when needed. I rarely take videos anyway.

I wish manufacturers continued this line of cameras. The new 1" sensor cameras provide better image quality but due to the larger sensor the fast lens cameras (2.8-4) are huge in size (Sony RX10, Panasonic FZ1000, 2500) and the small size 1" cameras have slow lenses like the ZS100/200 line.

The sensor in the Stylus 1 is the perfect compromise to allow small body with fast zoom lens and good image quality. If you find one in good shape for a good price - get it! You will not regret it. It has aged extremely well and it is an unique photography tool.

Here are some pictures.

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Valentin

 Valentin G's gear list:Valentin G's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82 Sony SLT-A57 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 +10 more
Olympus Stylus 1
12 megapixels • 3 screen • 28 – 300 mm (10.7×)
Announced: Oct 29, 2013
Valentin G's score
5.0
Average community score
4.2
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic FZ1000 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
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InkedMarie
InkedMarie Senior Member • Posts: 2,403
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

Very nice photos! It took me a long time to find my Stylus 1s and like you, I’m very happy with it. If mine breaks, I’ll be looking for a replacement. I too wish they had continued with the line.

Marie

 InkedMarie's gear list:InkedMarie's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1s Olympus OM-D E-M10 II Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4-5.6 R Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 7artisans 7.5mm F2.8 Fisheye
elliottnewcomb Forum Pro • Posts: 18,223
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

Hey, some nice flower photos, well done, you can keep your doggone cats.

took you long enough to find it. You probably got sidetracked, I see you have or had an RX10.

I bought the original RX10, too big, sold it, found the Stylus 1, promptly bought the 1.7x tele conversion lens, then a spare camera. that lens is awesome, bright, sharp, maintains f2.8 to 510mm optical; 1,020mm using 2X.

I had a rough time with Oly's menu, so I put this together

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4432542

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Elliott

 elliottnewcomb's gear list:elliottnewcomb's gear list
Sony RX1R Sony RX100 III Olympus Stylus 1s Sony RX100 VI Sony Xperia XZ +1 more
OP Valentin G Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

elliottnewcomb wrote:

Hey, some nice flower photos, well done, you can keep your doggone cats.

took you long enough to find it. You probably got sidetracked, I see you have or had an RX10.

I bought the original RX10, too big, sold it, found the Stylus 1, promptly bought the 1.7x tele conversion lens, then a spare camera. that lens is awesome, bright, sharp, maintains f2.8 to 510mm optical; 1,020mm using 2X.

I had a rough time with Oly's menu, so I put this together

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4432542

Thank you for the link, Elliott! Yes, the menus can be confusing but they are manageable.  My biggest issue is that the Fn1 button is very badly placed IMHO. I wish the Fn1 and the Movie recording buttons' positions were swapped. Fn1 is hard to reach while holding the camera without repositioning one's grip. I reprogrammed the Record button to be AE Lock, the Fn1 to focus point reset, Fn2 changes only Metering mode. I shoot RAW only so have no use for any of the JPEG specific features.

For when I need to shoot videos, I programmed C2 on the dial to restore movie functionality on the Rec button. This way I do not need to dig into the settings to allow movie recording. Flip the dial to C2, shoot movies, then flip the dial out of C2 and the Rec button becomes AE lock again.

I'm not sure I will get he tele and wide lenses since they defeat the compactness factor but who knows, I might if I find a good deal. Are the tele and wide lenses usable outside of their sweet spots - tele and wide respectively?

I've never had the RX10, I think the system automatically tagged it at the bottom of my review because I mentioned it.

Thanks again for the information!

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Valentin

 Valentin G's gear list:Valentin G's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82 Sony SLT-A57 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 +10 more
OP Valentin G Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor
1

InkedMarie wrote:

Very nice photos! It took me a long time to find my Stylus 1s and like you, I’m very happy with it. If mine breaks, I’ll be looking for a replacement. I too wish they had continued with the line.

Marie

Thanks for the comment, Marie. So far it looks that I will like it as well. I was lucky to have found one that looks practically new, the shutter count is only around 3500. I hope that it lasts a while. It is a pity indeed that the 1/1.7" sensor size was abandoned by all manufacturers and together with it the Stylus 1 type of cameras.

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Valentin

 Valentin G's gear list:Valentin G's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82 Sony SLT-A57 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 +10 more
Bob A L Veteran Member • Posts: 7,071
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor
1

The Stylus 1 is a classic, that I don't think a direct replacement has been offered by any manufacturer yet. I believe it is the only camera that I own that I could not replace with some similar model if something would happen to it. I would just have to search for another. I recently bought a 1" sensor small camera thinking that it might take part  of the everyday carry duties of my Stylus and possibly be even better than my Stylus. But so far in my learning curve, it does not beat my Stylus 1.

OP Valentin G Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Some High ISO and Bounced Flash Samples
1

The more I test the Stylus 1, the more I like it. ISO 3200 is perfectly usable to me. ISO 6400 with some extra processing will be fine, too. Below are some shots at ISO 3200 and 6400. Processed from RAW in Lightroom with no luminance noise reduction applied. The 3rd photo is with a bounced flash. It is great to have a hot shoe - the small TTL flash that use on my m43 camera works perfectly on the Stylus 1.

All 3 photos are at max zoom 300mm.

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Valentin

 Valentin G's gear list:Valentin G's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82 Sony SLT-A57 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 +10 more
Isola Verde
Isola Verde Forum Pro • Posts: 10,626
Re: Some High ISO and Bounced Flash Samples

Looking good!

Peter

 Isola Verde's gear list:Isola Verde's gear list
Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Olympus PEN E-P7
(unknown member) Forum Pro • Posts: 12,354
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor
4

I've always been curious about this camera, and I have one of its original competitors, the Nikon P7800, which is excellent, but different in some significant ways. The Nikon is a bit flaky in terms of how the dials operate, and I suspect it may become unusable at some point, so I have been looking for something similar as a backup and possible replacement. I've just bought a Stylus 1 off ebay and am waiting its arrival. I'm familiar with the Olympus way of doing things, and I've seen some excellent high ISO results from this camera, so I am not expecting to be disappointed. I am also doing a lo-fi landscape project, and this camera is perfect for that. Your review was one of a number of sources I used to help make my mind up that this camera was worth trying, so thanks for that.

kcdogger Veteran Member • Posts: 4,334
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor
2

Yeah. I ignored this camera for years. Don't know why. but just got a used one. Took it for a try out walk, and I am very pleased with the result. The Stylus 1 is very easy to use and provides vey good results. I'm heavy into m4/3, but will reach for the Stylus 1 when I don't want to carry all the lenses and stuff for m4/3. Its a super and easy to use camera, granted in good light. Wishing now for a Stylus 2, but ......

Peace.

John

 kcdogger's gear list:kcdogger's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic ZS100 Sony RX100 VA Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 Olympus TG-6 +37 more
Likeitlooked New Member • Posts: 3
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

I couldn't agree more. Bought mine after a trip to China in 2014 with Pan Fz200 and now use the Stylus 1 most of the time. Most recently to Europe in 2019. I recently thought, er, fantasized that a 1inch sensor update would be nice but size still wins, so I'll stick with the current sensor. the two main things that I would change would be  a wider 24 or 25 zoom even if limited to 250 on the long end, and fully articulated screen. I have found that the "soft" image is not an issue once one understands the limitations of the sensor and learn how to work around those issues. I must admit bias as I owned an original OM-1.

LIL

elliottnewcomb Forum Pro • Posts: 18,223
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

Likeitlooked wrote:

I couldn't agree more. Bought mine after a trip to China in 2014 with Pan Fz200 and now use the Stylus 1 most of the time. Most recently to Europe in 2019. I recently thought, er, fantasized that a 1inch sensor update would be nice but size still wins, so I'll stick with the current sensor. the two main things that I would change would be a wider 24 or 25 zoom even if limited to 250 on the long end, and fully articulated screen. I have found that the "soft" image is not an issue once one understands the limitations of the sensor and learn how to work around those issues. I must admit bias as I owned an original OM-1.

LIL

I agree with everything you said/suggested. 24-250 would be wonderful. 2x 500, and 1.7x tele would be 425, 2x 900mm.

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Elliott

 elliottnewcomb's gear list:elliottnewcomb's gear list
Sony RX1R Sony RX100 III Olympus Stylus 1s Sony RX100 VI Sony Xperia XZ +1 more
Bob A L Veteran Member • Posts: 7,071
Re: Great Compact Camera with 2.8 Lens and Good Sensor

I think that this little camera could possibly still sell well today, especially given lack of similar ones available in current offerings across the board. It's sort of sick to see how many truly great cameras still in everyday use today are 7-10 years old. I just looked up some and realize that my newest camera came out 7 years ago and I do not feel outmoded in the least by anything released in recent years. And as to most recent years like the last 3 maybe, I have not seen a new release that I would trade my current cameras for. I still have a want list, but they are all at least 5 years old.  It's good for my bank account though.

OP Valentin G Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Size Comparison to Panasonic G7 + 14-140 Lens
2

I mentioned the G7 and 14-140 I've taken traveling and backpacking. Below are size comparison screenshots from https://camerasize.com/ and case comparison. The case fits the camera and lens, small TTL swivel flash MEIKE MK-320P, 2 extra batteries and charger. Yes, the m43 sensor provides better image quality but the equivalent zoom range lens is 2 stops slower at full zoom that negates the sensor advantage. I'm keeping my m43 gear but it looks like it will be used less in the future.

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Valentin

 Valentin G's gear list:Valentin G's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82 Sony SLT-A57 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 +10 more
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