goodbye to a favorite camera (with picture)

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

i was just thinking that ive owned a LOT of cameras! probably over two to three dozen film and 12-15 digital, including the 5d and leica digilux 2. but today i sent out perhaps my favorite, and certainly the only one i will actually miss, to a forum member--my olly ep2.

certainly this was not the 'best' camera ive ever used, nor did it produce the 'best' images i ve gotten from a camera. but it was a trend-setter, the first 'throwback' conceived to mimic a cult classic film cam. and it was so very well done: it is so solid, so small yet so weighty, so very good looking and good 'feeling', that i bonded with it in a way i have not with any other camera ive ever used. now my new fuji x100 is small, and takes far better pictures, especially in low light, but it doesnt have anywhere near the 'significant' solid feel that the olly had. i love the X for what it does, but its not my 'friend', for lack of a better term, it doesnt 'feel just right', or that it will easily survive a bounce on the ground like my ep2 felt. (dont worry eugene, i never ACTUALLY bounced it on the ground, but it felt like i could! Laughing

)

anyway, my head told me the new olly om-d was a significant upgrade--new 16mp sensor, great high iso ability, 5 axis IBIS--a first--whose effect is visible through the VF--another first, live bulb feature-another first, all weather proof with a kit zoom that goes from 24-100mm--two more firsts. so i couldnt resist. and while i do believe i will get much better results from the omd, i dont think its going to feel the way that ol' ep2 did...

so anyway, it just didnt seem right to send the old girl off without some kind of acknowledgement. i know she's in good hands. so long ol' friend, i'll miss ya'!
tony

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

You can comfort yourself with the thought that you can always get another one if you keep missing it.

I really like your post, we always talk about gear but rarely from a sentimental standpoint, too often on the basis of dry measurements or absolute qualities, while I think a camera should in a way be an extension of yourself to allow you to take pictures at your full potential.

I had the same feelings towards the Digilux 2 I briefly owned and passed on to Carsten, a camera that fit my hands like a glove, and gave me the feeling I had always owned it. I still regret selling it, especially since I will never find another one at an affordable price, and I consider myself lucky to have experienced one.

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

thanks ludoo, appreciate it. thought i'd add one of my last pix with this cam, and the really fabulous panny 20/1.7. shot in color, desaturated except for red, and cropped.

#1

bhargav · Expire: 2014-11-24

Tony, after receiving my E-P2 I can understand your feeling. It really feels great in your hand. I knew that my NEX5 was superior in terms of technical abilities but still bought an E-P2 as it felt right in the hand and had other positives. I'm sure you'll enjoy the new OM-D and as ludoo says, you can always buy one later if you want to.

Jesito · Expire: 2015-01-07

Hi Tony,

Sometimes those little cams pick a place near us like if they were a pet. I felt something similar with the Oly E-1, and I finally had to ger another one, Wink

(As the time goes by, the old friend has come back much cheaper than the one that left first, all are advantages).

I'll track closely your comments on the OM-D, I'm yet unsure if the OM-D is a marketing bluff or if it really does perform much better than the PENs.

Regards.
Jes.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

I never fall in love with a camera
I am in love with lenses and with my swiss army knife
but I agree that the om-d is very sexy and I will wait to enjoy the pics

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

thanks guys! very nice of you all to comiserate with me! i understand that olly will be shipping the omd's out later this week, and hopefully i will have my chrome kit some time next week.

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1827 Location: Bulgaria

I know what you feel. When i sold my silver E-P1 to get a Sony Nex i was regretting it for a full year.
The Pen was lot more camera than the Sony, despite of the sensor qualities and i was missing it a lot.
And next year i got E-P2. Now looking at E-P3 i see that it became more plastic - let's hope the OM-D will bring back the quality touch and good look and feel to the camera.

ramcewan · Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 198 Location: New England, USA

I agree the PENs have a really wonderful feel in hand. I love the way my E-PL2 fits my hands and holding it feels very natural. The hand grip is a little thing that the E-PL2 and E-2 have in common and it makes a huge difference IMHO in the ergonomics of the camera. Obviously the E-2 is a step above the E-PL2 but they both have the same retro look.

The OM-D looks very much like it took the best of the PENs and took it to the next level.

I really like the built in view finder as I kind of think the VF-2 diminishes the clean look of the PENs. Making the viewfinder a part of the body makes the OM-D look really nice but I fear that the fact it can no longer be tilted will prove to be a gripe for people. I know I often times use the VF-2 at a nearly 90 degree angle, especially when the camera is on a tripod, being able to look down into the view finder seems really convenient and natural.

Having just gotten my E-PL2 a few months ago I am not ready for an upgrade just yet, but if I was I think the OM-D would be my choice over the Panasonic, Sony or Samsung simply because of the ergonomics. Congratulations and I will poor a little out for your E-2 Smile

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

So there is more people waiting for the E-M5 Very Happy

I posted a poll about who had ordered it yeasterday! Silver or black?
I`m keeping my E-p1! Wink