MPHOTOGBLOG

8 February 2010

Firstly, let me start off by saying that I am not in favour of one particular camera over the other. Those who know me can vouch that I am a avid user of all cameras and I do not stick with any particular brand or model. My hobby not only consists of taking pictures but also to personally review and play with all the equipment out there if I have the chance. The first M4/3 body that I came across was the EP-1, it had no flash and the auto-focus system was a tad slower when compared to the GF-1/20mm f1.7 combo. This was even after the firmware upgrade to version 1.2 on the EP-1. The looks of the retro looking EP-1 was appealing to me as both my EP-1 bodies had the leatherette applied. Maybe I am an old geezer or just sentimental, it just looks better to me somehow. 

After two days of handling both cameras side by side, I have come to the following conclusion. The EP-1 though with its fiddly menu, has in-body Image Stabilisation which does come in handy especially when you are using manual focus lenses. I managed to nail more shots with the EP-1 than the GF-1. 

 I must say that both cameras, although sporting the same sensor, is clearly targeted at a different market segment. The GF-1 with its modern looking front, is probably more for someone who wants to look updated. The EP-1 is completely the opposite in terms of styling and looks. 

Here is my summary of both bodies: 

 EP-1 Main Features

-  Retro styling

- In-body Image Stabilisation (IS)

-Art Filters

- High ISO 6400

-Stereo sound recording 

- Works well with manual lenses (surprisingly) 

GF-1 Main Features 

- Higher resolution LCD

- Able to mount EVF

-Built-in flash (not powerful but still handy)

-Good 20mm f1.7 pancake lens

-Modern Design

Now this was what I was looking for when I was purchasing a micro 4/3 body. I was looking for a larger sensor and compact body to bring along with me on a daily basis. I wasn't too keen to lug around my DSLR everyday cos it weighed a fair bit and was also larger in depth compared to the M4/3 bodies. I also wanted to have the option to mount my collection of manual focus lens. I know not many people are keen to focus manually these days, but I still do it occasionally. 

A lot of these old lenses still render beautiful pictures and they do not cost an arm and a leg. I regularly pick up these little jewels online and many of them are great. Here is what I found useful on the EP-1; the IS works and I was able to obtain greater number of  sharper images off these old lenses when compared to the GF-1. Although the GF-1 has a more superior LCD, it lacks the IS of the EP-1. So if you are planning to shoot with manual lenses, I would suggest that you take a look at the Olympus bodies. But if you only wish to use auto-focus lenses, then it's purely up to you. Panasonic has produced a nice 20mm f1.7 which is popular with m4/3 users. It's a fast lens and it has less Chromatic Aberration compared to the Olympus 17mm. The only downside is that it is thicker in depth compared to the Olympus 17mm. 

As a friend simply put it, a camera should yield great images. This was where it got tricky. Honestly I was not totally impressed with both cameras as the image noise was higher than my DSLR. This is where I find the Olympus edges out the Panny slightly. The jpegs produced by the Oly somehow seems richer and more of an eye-candy to me. But then again my eyes are getting old. It also has the Art Filters which are just fun to use.

Feature-wise, if you are looking at a camera that can truly replace your DSLR, then I guess the GF-1 would cut it with all its features. It has a higher resolution LCD, a flash, option for an EVF and a great 20mm lens. 

But until then, I am keeping the Olympus EP-1 for now. Let's see what the E-PL1 can do next.

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6 February 2010

Came across a Panasonic GF-1 which happens to be a direct strike at Olympus' Pen series. It has a built-in flash and sports a more modern design. I am currently evaluating the camera and shall post my opinion on this camera shortly.

Like many user looking at venturing into the micro 4/3 arena, I think the biggest dilemma would be to decide between the EP-1 and GF-1. Both cameras have their pros and cons. The GF-1 has a better LCD screen and also has a port to mount an electronic viewfinder. It also comes with a lovely and pretty well-rated 20mm f.17 lens. So far  many reviewers have given positive remarks about this lens, so much that many Pen users are changing their 17mm f2.8 in favour of the 20mm f1.7 by Panasonic. The GF-1 does however lack the in-body image stabilisation and Art Filters which the Olympus has. Six to be exact. 

Will update more information once I get more shots out of this body. Stay tuned. 

Shots taken with different ISO settings at F8.

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 27 January 2010

I managed to satisfy my curiosity over the Micro 4/3 system finally after I picked up the Olympus Pen 1 yesterday. Reviews from both reviewers and users alike had complained that the auto-focus was slow. That was my biggest worry and that even made me consider the Panasonic GF-1 over the Pen 1. Fortunately the copy I bought had the latest firmware(1.2) and it worked well. The hunting issues were more or less sorted out.

Personally I had a hands on with the Panasonic GF-1 with the 20mm f 1.7 lens and I was pretty impressed with the AF speed from that lens. I also read about the dinky flash it had but everyone was more or less raving over the speed of that body compared to the Olympus system. Even the salesman at one of the camera shops warned me about the poor AF results from the Olympus. But deep inside I knew I wanted something which I could just dump in my bag and shoot easily without fiddling around with any settings. The Olympus Pen 1 also has 6 Art Filters which the Panasonics lacked.  That was the clincher for me as I didn't want just another digital camera. I wanted something that could add some dimension to my shots. 

Here are more pictures of the body. I shall post more information about this after I settle down with it.

Sample shots taken with the Pen 1

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