E-P4 series rangefinder / bauhaus look and pocketability

[Peter Nelson]

I like the smaller physical size of my E-P1 and the rest of the E-P series camera bodies. I take off the lens and put on body and lens caps and in this way my E-P1 is truly a pocketable camera as are my Leica lenses that I use with it. Camera in one pocket and lens in another. In this way I can go out and about with my prefered camera and lens combination.

My Panasonic G1 is still just a little to large to fit into my pockets without a lens mounted. That's because of their implimentation of the EFV. So following this logic I am sad to say the new Olympus OMD EM-% may also be to large to fit into my pockets sans lens. From the images I have seen, it is smaller in frount to back dimention and perhaps it may fit. However the EVF hump may preclude this.

What I have been waiting for is an E-P body with a built in EVF like the new Sony Nex 7 (EVF) and my Leica M5 (optical) but smaller, like a Leica M2 etc..

So for me the new Oly OMD EM-5 as good as it, is may be passed up. I will wait and see. When I get the chance I will remove the lens and see how pocketable the OMD really is. If it fit's then I am satisfied and would be willing to make the purchase. If it does not fit I will continue to wait for an E-P with built in EVF and if it fit's in my pockets without a lens mounted then that would happlily be my next camera purchase.

If the E-P1 could use the VF-2 then I would already be there! I am dismaid at the prospect of purchasing the E-Pl1 or any newer E-P cameras because I must factor in another $200 for the VF-2 as well as another Oly camera, when the E-P1 that I have is so very usefull.

In the end I may just come to the conclusion that a removable VF-2 placed in yet another pocket is the way to go, so I may end up with an E-P2 or E-Pl1 and VF-2. One advantage of a removable EVF is that the camera body itself can remain small. There is no getting around the fact for me at least that a small, pocketable camera kit is what I think best serves my photography. But I dislike the idea that now I need to purchase both a new Olympus E-P camera and a VF-2. Money does not grow on trees around where I live!

BTW, I am so happy with a pocketable kit, that I am seriously neglecting my many DSLR's. Sigh, what a waste of money. All those cameras and lenses and now I disdane using them because of their larg size and heavy weight. I know my 1DsMkII and 6 remaining "L" series lenses and my Kodak SLR/n and Nikon D1H are great cameras and the FF lenses are terrific. But they are just so large and heavy. No way to bring them along in my pockets, no way at all. I carried them around for years, yes, carried them in my hand if I wanted to bring them along with me. I got a lot of god images, but now I am spoiled by my E-P1 because with it I have both hands free all the time and I never accidently knock the camera against a door as I egrees in and out of buildings-because it's in my pocket. I can put gas in my car without worring about a valuable camera and lens left alone unatended on my car seat. Small size doea for me have many conviences and the Olympus E-P series is there for me.
-Peter

-Peter
--
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visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
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[juiciness]

I also like the NEX body type with built in EVF to the side but I wonder how Olympus would create such a thing if the hump in the OM-D houses the motion sensor for IBIS...

 

[Peter Nelson]

I'm not sure how Olympus would do this either. But that's why we pay them the big bucks!

I'm still really tempted by all the Olympus E-P series cameras and a VF-2, so maybe for me this is becoming a moot point. Perhaps this is how Olympus see's it as well.

Still, it would be nice to have a Pen E-P series with a built in EVF and no increase in girth.
-Peter

I also like the NEX body type with built in EVF to the side but I wonder how Olympus would create such a thing if the hump in the OM-D houses the motion sensor for IBIS...

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[baxters]

(The number "4" is considered to be bad luck by many Chinese. Japan marketing types respect that. )

However, they just did the VF3, so I think Olympus marketing will want to amortize the design and start up costs over a few more generations of PEN's yet. Nonetheless. I also hope a PEN with integrated EVF appears down the road.

By the way, keeping a VF2 in your pockets is somewhat risky. What if it falls out, and it's not that robust that it couldn't get broken somehow.

.

 

[Paul Amyes]

Om4, Om4 Ti, Om 40, c4040. Olympus has no aversion to the number 4.

(The number "4" is considered to be bad luck by many Chinese. Japan marketing types respect that. )

However, they just did the VF3, so I think Olympus marketing will want to amortize the design and start up costs over a few more generations of PEN's yet. Nonetheless. I also hope a PEN with integrated EVF appears down the road.

By the way, keeping a VF2 in your pockets is somewhat risky. What if it falls out, and it's not that robust that it couldn't get broken somehow.

.

 

[Hen3ry]

...including a poor implementation of IBIS and lack of built-in flash, I have come to enjoy it enormously.

It's that small size and pocketability that do the trick! I transport it with lens attached -- the Panasonic 14mm or the Olympus 17mm. I also have optical viewfinders for both. I also have the VF-3 for shooting with other lenses.

I am impressed by the specifications of the EM-5 but not the shape. Like you, I want an EVF built into the E-Px body plus the new sensor and the new IBIS. That would represent an increase in size and weight for me compared with the E-PL3 body, but I would be willing t put up with that for my ideal camera.

I would not liken such a camera to the NEX 7, I would call it something that truly followed in the Olympus PEN tradition -- in this case, the PEN F, which had the body shape the E-Px cameras mimic. It was an SLR without a hump.

So I would like to see such a camera called the PEN Fe (perhaps!).

There are those who will deride such a design proposal on the grounds that there would be problems with the placement of various elements. To them, I say "Rubbish!". With the thicker E-Px body -- the E-M5 loses a lot of volume because of the slimming of the body and the faux mirror box lens mount, like the slimming of the E-PM1 and E-PL3 bodies which go too far, then require a lens mount that stands proud -- there would be plenty of room for everything including the pitch sensors placed on the horizonal lens axis instead of the vertical one.

When in full photo mode, I carrying my E-PL3 in the zip-up pockets of a fishing vest. Here's my kit before I switched from the E-PM1 to the E-PL3 with essentially the same dimensions.









And here are a couple of pix I took thus outfitted and garbed:













Cheers, geoff
--
Geoffrey Heard
http://pngtimetraveller.blogspot.com/2011/10/return-to-karai-komana_31.html

 

[Brian Mosley]

Maybe not the prettiest solution, but I like your inventiveness!

Thanks for sharing

Brian
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[Anthony Cheh]

The large grip for the E-P3 is fantastic. It transforms the camera handling and looks quite nice too : )

I also prefer the Pen form factor, even without EVF.

Tony

 

[s_grins]

The cornerstone rule of Bauhaus school of design is functionality first.

I understand, that different folks have different folks have different understanding of functionality
For some functionality means GPS inside
For others it is a title/ EXIF editor

Many guys think "pocketability" is the main feature (for some reasons I misspell this word every time I type it)

I'm a portly person, so pocketability is not my option. I carry camera in my hands, for me functionality means that camera fits in my hands like a glove, I like "good grip" with " good battery" inside, and I like EVF to be aligned with lens mount.

Current shape of G/GH with " hump" is the Top of Bauhaus for me.
And I'm open to talk about Bauhaus, I know what it is
--
I’m surprised how much Wikipedia contributes to the forum.

 

[Louis_Dobson]

(The number "4" is considered to be bad luck by many Chinese. Japan marketing types respect that. )

However, they just did the VF3, so I think Olympus marketing will want to amortize the design and start up costs over a few more generations of PEN's yet. Nonetheless. I also hope a PEN with integrated EVF appears down the road.

By the way, keeping a VF2 in your pockets is somewhat risky. What if it falls out, and it's not that robust that it couldn't get broken somehow.

.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acam
http://thegentlemansnapper.blogspot.com

 

[Louis_Dobson]

Look at it this way - you can buy the VF2 once, and keep upgrading the cameras.

Also, once the OM-D comes out, a lot of E-P3 users will upgrade, and there is a fair bet you will see a load of VF2s on ebay. Buying camera kit that has been out a few years new is a mug's game.

You might care to pick up an E-P3 at the same time.

I like the removable EVF. It suits my way of working well.

I like the smaller physical size of my E-P1 and the rest of the E-P series camera bodies. I take off the lens and put on body and lens caps and in this way my E-P1 is truly a pocketable camera as are my Leica lenses that I use with it. Camera in one pocket and lens in another. In this way I can go out and about with my prefered camera and lens combination.

My Panasonic G1 is still just a little to large to fit into my pockets without a lens mounted. That's because of their implimentation of the EFV. So following this logic I am sad to say the new Olympus OMD EM-% may also be to large to fit into my pockets sans lens. From the images I have seen, it is smaller in frount to back dimention and perhaps it may fit. However the EVF hump may preclude this.

What I have been waiting for is an E-P body with a built in EVF like the new Sony Nex 7 (EVF) and my Leica M5 (optical) but smaller, like a Leica M2 etc..

So for me the new Oly OMD EM-5 as good as it, is may be passed up. I will wait and see. When I get the chance I will remove the lens and see how pocketable the OMD really is. If it fit's then I am satisfied and would be willing to make the purchase. If it does not fit I will continue to wait for an E-P with built in EVF and if it fit's in my pockets without a lens mounted then that would happlily be my next camera purchase.

If the E-P1 could use the VF-2 then I would already be there! I am dismaid at the prospect of purchasing the E-Pl1 or any newer E-P cameras because I must factor in another $200 for the VF-2 as well as another Oly camera, when the E-P1 that I have is so very usefull.

In the end I may just come to the conclusion that a removable VF-2 placed in yet another pocket is the way to go, so I may end up with an E-P2 or E-Pl1 and VF-2. One advantage of a removable EVF is that the camera body itself can remain small. There is no getting around the fact for me at least that a small, pocketable camera kit is what I think best serves my photography. But I dislike the idea that now I need to purchase both a new Olympus E-P camera and a VF-2. Money does not grow on trees around where I live!

BTW, I am so happy with a pocketable kit, that I am seriously neglecting my many DSLR's. Sigh, what a waste of money. All those cameras and lenses and now I disdane using them because of their larg size and heavy weight. I know my 1DsMkII and 6 remaining "L" series lenses and my Kodak SLR/n and Nikon D1H are great cameras and the FF lenses are terrific. But they are just so large and heavy. No way to bring them along in my pockets, no way at all. I carried them around for years, yes, carried them in my hand if I wanted to bring them along with me. I got a lot of god images, but now I am spoiled by my E-P1 because with it I have both hands free all the time and I never accidently knock the camera against a door as I egrees in and out of buildings-because it's in my pocket. I can put gas in my car without worring about a valuable camera and lens left alone unatended on my car seat. Small size doea for me have many conviences and the Olympus E-P series is there for me.
-Peter

-Peter
--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acam
http://thegentlemansnapper.blogspot.com

 

[Bob Meyer]

Om4, Om4 Ti, Om 40, c4040. Olympus has no aversion to the number 4.

Nor does Nikon: F4, D4, Nikonos IV, 4004, and variations on them. Canon seems to have avoided the number '4', however.

--

Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of an image, or the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. Bokeh is not the same as depth of field (DOF).

 

[Peter Nelson]

baxter, I added the "4" at the last moment when I posted. So, really I do not care what they call the next E-P series m4/3 body.

My point is I like the small size of the E-Px series as without a lens they easily fit into my pockets.

My talk about an EVF like the FV-2 or VF3 ended up with my saying I could live with a removable EV and keep it in a pocket where it's safe. Just like I would be doing with the camera and any lenses brought along.
-Peter

(The number "4" is considered to be bad luck by many Chinese. Japan marketing types respect that. )

The above is completly off point in regards to my post. I am not the one who decides upon the name of any cameras. I was just using the "4" as a reference, to indicate a future E-P camera.

However, they just did the VF3, so I think Olympus marketing will want to amortize the design and start up costs over a few more generations of PEN's yet. Nonetheless. I also hope a PEN with integrated EVF appears down the road.

By the way, keeping a VF2 in your pockets is somewhat risky. What if it falls out, and it's not that robust that it couldn't get broken somehow.

I can't really remember having such a problem-ever.

.

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[Peter Nelson]

Thank you for your input.

(The number "4" is considered to be bad luck by many Chinese. Japan marketing types respect that. )

However, they just did the VF3, so I think Olympus marketing will want to amortize the design and start up costs over a few more generations of PEN's yet. Nonetheless. I also hope a PEN with integrated EVF appears down the road.

By the way, keeping a VF2 in your pockets is somewhat risky. What if it falls out, and it's not that robust that it couldn't get broken somehow.

.

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[Peter Nelson]

Hi Geoff,

I have read a few of your posts in this forum and I have noticed that you like the small size of the E-P series cameras. So you and I agree on this.

I have the Oly 17mm f/2.8 pancake but I prefere manual focusing and my favorite lens on my E-P1 is my Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux first version @ 1959. It's small and not heavy and real sharp at f/1.4. Being f1/4 I can usually get away without having to resort to using a flash which also say's me some effort and pocket space.

I also like my Leica 50mm f/2 Summitar in L39 screw mount because it's fast enough at f/2 and it is a collapsable lens so I do not have to take it off the camera. So the E-P1 and 50mm Summitar make a great carry along in one pocket kit. It's also sharp wide open, not as sharp as the Summilux though even at at f/1.4, but sharp enough.

My thoughts on the E-P1 with VF-1 (my kit) is that Olympus followed the original Leica I cameras which had no viewfinder at all. But they could be used with a Leica 50mm or 35mm FL optical shoe mount viewfinder. Following that Leica and also Olympus went with better viewfinders like the Leica M2 with built in optical viewfinder and the Olympus E-P2 and VF-2.

I have the unpopular Leica M5. It was not a sales success because it was "bigger" than any previous Leica. About the size of the current M8/M9. The M5 is a real difficult fit into a pocket even with no lens mounted. Sometimes it won't fit in any pocket except a jacket. In the summer I go without a jacket so that's a problem.

The entire reason why Oskar Barnack created the 35mm camera that Leica made world famous was for portability (he was an avid photographer but because he had asthma, carring the Large Format Wooden Box cameras of his day up and down hills and through dales was beyond his physical stamina. Hence he had a need for a more portable camera) and the E-P series are true to this size and overall set up ie, removable viewfinders to keep the body as small as possible.

The SLR's and DSLR's have gotten too big. They make great "Pro" cameras but lousy hobbiest cameras.
-Peter

...including a poor implementation of IBIS and lack of built-in flash, I have come to enjoy it enormously.

It's that small size and pocketability that do the trick! I transport it with lens attached -- the Panasonic 14mm or the Olympus 17mm. I also have optical viewfinders for both. I also have the VF-3 for shooting with other lenses.

I am impressed by the specifications of the EM-5 but not the shape. Like you, I want an EVF built into the E-Px body plus the new sensor and the new IBIS. That would represent an increase in size and weight for me compared with the E-PL3 body, but I would be willing t put up with that for my ideal camera.

I would not liken such a camera to the NEX 7, I would call it something that truly followed in the Olympus PEN tradition -- in this case, the PEN F, which had the body shape the E-Px cameras mimic. It was an SLR without a hump.

So I would like to see such a camera called the PEN Fe (perhaps!).

There are those who will deride such a design proposal on the grounds that there would be problems with the placement of various elements. To them, I say "Rubbish!". With the thicker E-Px body -- the E-M5 loses a lot of volume because of the slimming of the body and the faux mirror box lens mount, like the slimming of the E-PM1 and E-PL3 bodies which go too far, then require a lens mount that stands proud -- there would be plenty of room for everything including the pitch sensors placed on the horizonal lens axis instead of the vertical one.

When in full photo mode, I carrying my E-PL3 in the zip-up pockets of a fishing vest. Here's my kit before I switched from the E-PM1 to the E-PL3 with essentially the same dimensions.









And here are a couple of pix I took thus outfitted and garbed:













Cheers, geoff
--
Geoffrey Heard
http://pngtimetraveller.blogspot.com/2011/10/return-to-karai-komana_31.html

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[Peter Nelson]

Yes the small size is why the E-P series bodies fit into ouir pockets. Oskar Barnack who created the 35mm camera invented a camera that Leica put into production around 1929 and the E-P series are almost the same size, just a little bigger.

The large grip for the E-P3 is fantastic. It transforms the camera handling and looks quite nice too : )

I also prefer the Pen form factor, even without EVF.

Tony

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[Peter Nelson]

Who cares what they call it? Oskar Barnack the creator of 35mm film cameras and a Leica employee was an avid photographer who had asthma. So it was physically beyond his health and stamina to carry over hill and dale the Large Format Woodedn Box cameras of his day. Oskar had a real need for a smaller camera.

In his duties at Leitz he was a previewr of movie film. He invented a contraption that allowed him to view the frames in a half frame size. This size became 35mm. This contraption was modifies from 1914 through 1929 when Leits decided to put it into production. The worlds first 35mm film camera. It was a simple box with a fixed lens and no optical viewfinder. Later the Leica I came out with removable lenses. Later they added a shoe on top for the fitment of an optical viewfinder.

For me Olympus is following this evolution cloesly. The E-P1 (my camera) is like the model with Inter changable Lens but required an shoe mount optical viewfinder-removable. The E-P2 and VF-2 is a little like the later Leica M cameras.

Call it Bauhaus or call it a Barnack Camera. But if it's small enough to fit into my pocket then I can carry it with me.

I'm lucky as I have many Leica collapsible lebses, that collapse into my E-P1 body and then I can carry the camera with a lens mounted in one pocket.

So if you are talking "cornerstones" then for me pocketability is the cornerstone as it was for the entire world. Who can doubt the many years of success that the Leica cameras have had? Now The Olympus E-P series is in very much the same vein.

Do you carry your camera when you pump gas into your car, and when you enter a comercial store to shop and a restaurant? I did that for years with my Nikon D1H. I had to leave it on my car seat when I pumped gas. Also I did knock it hard a few times on metal doors to buildings as I was going through. With my E-P1 or Leica Ic camera with lens mounted in a pocket I am now a person with (2) Two free hands as I go about my day and I have yet to knock the camera while carring it as the only time I carry it in hand is when it's out and being used to take photo's...then it's back in the pocket.
-Peter

The cornerstone rule of Bauhaus school of design is functionality first.

I understand, that different folks have different folks have different understanding of functionality
For some functionality means GPS inside
For others it is a title/ EXIF editor

Many guys think "pocketability" is the main feature (for some reasons I misspell this word every time I type it)

I'm a portly person, so pocketability is not my option. I carry camera in my hands, for me functionality means that camera fits in my hands like a glove, I like "good grip" with " good battery" inside, and I like EVF to be aligned with lens mount.

Current shape of G/GH with " hump" is the Top of Bauhaus for me.
And I'm open to talk about Bauhaus, I know what it is
--
I’m surprised how much Wikipedia contributes to the forum.

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[Peter Nelson]

I agree with every word you wrote. See what I wrote starting with "In the end..."

Also, once the OM-D comes out, a lot of E-P3 users will upgrade, and there is a fair bet you will see a load of VF2s on ebay. Buying camera kit that has been out a few years new is a mug's game.

You might care to pick up an E-P3 at the same time.

I like the removable EVF. It suits my way of working well.

I like the smaller physical size of my E-P1 and the rest of the E-P series camera bodies. I take off the lens and put on body and lens caps and in this way my E-P1 is truly a pocketable camera as are my Leica lenses that I use with it. Camera in one pocket and lens in another. In this way I can go out and about with my prefered camera and lens combination.

My Panasonic G1 is still just a little to large to fit into my pockets without a lens mounted. That's because of their implimentation of the EFV. So following this logic I am sad to say the new Olympus OMD EM-% may also be to large to fit into my pockets sans lens. From the images I have seen, it is smaller in frount to back dimention and perhaps it may fit. However the EVF hump may preclude this.

What I have been waiting for is an E-P body with a built in EVF like the new Sony Nex 7 (EVF) and my Leica M5 (optical) but smaller, like a Leica M2 etc..

So for me the new Oly OMD EM-5 as good as it, is may be passed up. I will wait and see. When I get the chance I will remove the lens and see how pocketable the OMD really is. If it fit's then I am satisfied and would be willing to make the purchase. If it does not fit I will continue to wait for an E-P with built in EVF and if it fit's in my pockets without a lens mounted then that would happlily be my next camera purchase.

If the E-P1 could use the VF-2 then I would already be there! I am dismaid at the prospect of purchasing the E-Pl1 or any newer E-P cameras because I must factor in another $200 for the VF-2 as well as another Oly camera, when the E-P1 that I have is so very usefull.

In the end I may just come to the conclusion that a removable VF-2 placed in yet another pocket is the way to go, so I may end up with an E-P2 or E-Pl1 and VF-2. One advantage of a removable EVF is that the camera body itself can remain small. There is no getting around the fact for me at least that a small, pocketable camera kit is what I think best serves my photography. But I dislike the idea that now I need to purchase both a new Olympus E-P camera and a VF-2. Money does not grow on trees around where I live!

BTW, I am so happy with a pocketable kit, that I am seriously neglecting my many DSLR's. Sigh, what a waste of money. All those cameras and lenses and now I disdane using them because of their larg size and heavy weight. I know my 1DsMkII and 6 remaining "L" series lenses and my Kodak SLR/n and Nikon D1H are great cameras and the FF lenses are terrific. But they are just so large and heavy. No way to bring them along in my pockets, no way at all. I carried them around for years, yes, carried them in my hand if I wanted to bring them along with me. I got a lot of god images, but now I am spoiled by my E-P1 because with it I have both hands free all the time and I never accidently knock the camera against a door as I egrees in and out of buildings-because it's in my pocket. I can put gas in my car without worring about a valuable camera and lens left alone unatended on my car seat. Small size doea for me have many conviences and the Olympus E-P series is there for me.
-Peter

-Peter
--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acam
http://thegentlemansnapper.blogspot.com

--
Life as an artist has had some unusual times to say the least.
visit my web site http://www.flickr.com/photos/artist_eyes/
Remember to click on 'All Sizes' for better viewing.
Artist Eyes

 

[s_grins]

I'm not an alien to transformer cameras.

My first camera (35mm) had collapsible lens. My second camera (MF) had folding lens and was even more compact and "pocketable" than firs camera. I can't forgive myself for trashing her long time ago. BTW, this camera had VF in the middle to be aligned with lens. So, now you can trace the roots of some of my bad habits.





I grew up since.

And, yes, I do not carry camera when pumping gas in tank, there are some other public and private places I go without camera ( I use cellphone as emergency camera). Other words, I can't brag myself that I can't live without camera. Yes, I can!

And, another yes, my camera is bagless, I carry my camera in my hand (right hand) when I carry her. She celebrates me, and I celebrate her
--
I’m surprised how much Wikipedia contributes to the forum.

 

[amalric]

I enjoyed very much your comparison between the Barnack cameras and the Pens. Perhaps phylogenesis repeats itsself in technology too.

Clearly the OM-D looks like an interruption in the process. Leica went dSLR too, but to me it always looked like a travesty.

In my film life I split the cameras in two kinds, one a Praktica SLR for PJ work, and a compact for fun. Except a few times I was never able to bring the SLR on a trip, and as a result I have very few pictures of trips.

I think we won't have much to wait: Oly just announced new compacts for Spring, so an E-P4 (5) might be in the works.

I doubt that Oly can yet miniaturise the VF-2 or VF-3 inside a Pen, but it it did I would probably skip entirely the OM-D.

After all the main advantage of m4/3 is to have the resolution of a dSLR in a compact, and that is wasted in the present OM-D by the hump, which I am sure will get caught in any pocket.

Besides not only shape is important but weight too if you put an object in a pocket. I find the E-P2 just tolerable, and the E-PL3 perfect, weight wise. The OM-D would surely be too heavy.

Will Oly consider all this variables? Until three years ago, the Camera Division had 2 separate design teams, the P&S one, which designed the Pens, and the dSLR which might have been resurrected for the OM-D.

It they still exist they might want to promote different lines of product with the same sensors. I am happy with the 12 Mpx sensor, but I see no reason why the 16 Mpx one might not be fit for a Pen too - see the GX1.

For the EVF I hope that the Pen design team draws inspiration from the NEX7, although Sony might be ahead for miniaturisation by 1-2 yrs.

Am.
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