Considering m4/3 cam - Oly E-P2

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

First thing messing in my mind is why this cam is more expensive than NEX-5?
Okay. I would like to ask users here about their experience with this cam. Mainly:
*in shooting with manual glass - then what about adaptors
*glass with c-mount is in my interest (thinking about some cheaper ones if I have such luck) then my few FD and couple of Nikkor lenses.
*in shooting with movie mode and about qualities
*regards movie - if there is some firmware update to make 25fps instead 30fps american ntsc

I would much appreciate any feedback whether samples with some lenses or personal experience with movie making. Also would like to read about some comparable mirrorless cams. My priority is to shoot video.
For shooting photos I have film stock. Cheers.

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

E-P2 was the upgrade of E-P1 and included the EVF socket.. and it's black Smile

Both cameras are almost identical .. some small changes in on screen menu. It's more expensive than Nex-es because nex-es are more recent. The m4/3 bodies were expensive in the beginning, and E-P2 was the top model of Olympus and still is and is still expensive. Very well build and beautiful camera.

The video is nice and has a in body stabilization which is a huge plus for video. if you get the EVF it will be lot of fun focusing with MF lenses. All the lenses you mention are compatible and have adapters from quite long time now .. they are not so expensive any more.

Regarding video options i don't think there is much in the current firmware. The big plus in the last version was increase in AF focus speed. I guess Panasonic's are better choice as there is a hacked firmware for them specifically for video with lots of options like bit rates.

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

Thanks std.

Yes that Oly ep2 looks like really great and supposedly capable nice results.

I try to seek some infos about that Panasonic. I don't know why but I trust them enough. I think that Olympus is better brand regards their camera production history but I can be wrong.

What I see as a big problem that is hard to find out serious or at least acceptable super wide angle for those 4/3.
Come to mind maybe Samyang 14/2.8 but it is only wide not real wide. It is nice to make long shots and that crop factor makes easy to capture details but I am also interested in capturing of interiors either as wide scenes.

Anybody has some advice about c-mount glass?

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

The kit zoom has 14mm (with 2x crop).
You will hardly find something wider and good enough at a good price. There is also 7-14 zoom from Panasonic.

That's for the video hack of GH1.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/GH1-hack.shtml
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/how-to-hack-panasonic-gh1-to-shoot-super-high-quality-24p-video-and-more/

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

The distortion of the kit zoom is hard to judje.
In m4/3 everything is corrected in the camera. Even the raw file is corrected - so no real issue here. What i didn't liked in the kit zoom was that the pictures were too sterile.

There is a special character in those old manual lenses which you do not see in the modern ones.

ylyad · Expire: 2013-12-05

At that focal length, barrel distortion is unavoidable. And you can assume that the kit lens is quite better handled and corrected than 3rd-party lenses. But yes, that's the main drawback with m4/3 cams - mirroring the advantage in using cine lenses Wink

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

i ahd ep1 and now have ep2--it is a great upgrade just for the evf, which i highly recommend. it is like a military tool in low light and helps focusing mf lenses tremendously. this alone vaults it over the sony imho.

vs panasonic, has in camera IS--an absolute must on these small cams, especially because they do not have the best low light capabilities.

c mount lenses are tricky. there is vignetting at 25mm (50mm on ff) and it gets worse as you widen FL. in truth, i would not buy anything wider than 25mm. i also would not spend more than maybe $300 for a cine lens, just not worth it. i just bought a zeiss tevidon for $265 and i think thats about the best IQ lens yiu can get. cosmicar are good and much less expensive. also i have a meopta openar 40/1.8 that i love--its 80mm FOV, can be used in low light, great color saturation, as good as you can get resolution and even a little 3d, and i got mine for $150. just be patient. btw do not be tempted to buy c mount zooms--they just dont work.

i also like m39 lenses because they are generally better quality and are usable on other cameras while still being very compact. i love the zeiss sonar t 135/4 (which i picked up for $50) and the jupiter 50/2 or 1.5 are both nice performers for cheap.

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

Thanks all.

I will wait in cogitation.
That Nex is really attractive option but Cine glassss.