Feedback wanted on E-PM1 and E-P1 v P2

[coralcruiser]

Need to get a new camera and have been looking at the E-PM1. Would like to hear from anyone that is using it.

Trying to decide if I should get it or look at the E-P1 or E-P2. Not sure I want to spend the extra money for the E-P3.

I will use it with my S-2000 and subsee +10.

Need to get something pretty soon so I can get used to a new system before I take off on my next trip in June.

 

[derway]

I don't think there are any cost effective housings for the ep1 or ep2.

The biggest issue with those cameras, for underwater, is the horribly slow Auto focus speed, compared to any panasonic or sony camera. But oly got it much better, in the 3rd generation - the epl3 and epm1 are much faster AF.

If money is less of a problem the newest oly omd em5 looks completely awesome as an underwater and land camera, and oly is making a housing for it.

But no, the housing probably will not be available in time for a june trip.

 

[PhilW]

I love the rapid AF on my E-PL3. It was a key reason for my upgrading from a Canon S90. Now I get fish actually in the frame of my photos rather than just their tails.

 

[coralcruiser]

Have heard that their AF is much faster than compact P+S since it's mirrorless... one of the reasons I've been looking at them.

Would love feedback on the E-MP1 since I can get it now for $425... just wish that nauticam or recsea made a housing for it... as opposed to the oly one.
Have heard that the AF is almost as fast as the E-P3 but can't seem to find anyone that is using it yet.

 

[chris196]

I don't have any direct experience for you with EPM-1.
But, if you read all the review sites (not underwater) they all say the focus speed of the epm1/epl3/ep3 is essentially identical. It has more to do with the lense being used.

But, for comparison, I use the epl2 in oly housing and it's quite fast itself. The epm1 is supposed to be faster.

Note that the epl2 is faster than the epl1/ep1/ep2 series of cameras.
I tried the epl1 in a store and was not happy with the speed. Felt about like my canon S95. The epl2 is much faster and depending on the DSLR being compared to, can be faster. It's faster than my old D50, but obviously not as fast as my D7000.

I don't know what your previous system was, but if P&S, the epm1 will feel great to you.
I came from the P&S world underwater to the epl2 and it feels like a cadillac to me. I also have the oly housing and really like it.
All the controls work well and it has excellent ergonomics. 40M is deeper than I'll ever take it, so that's not an issue for me.

 

[terson]

Geez you blokes,
I'm just about sick of reading all the crap about this camera is too slow or this one is much betterer coz it's point 6 milliseconds faster. . .
I really think that it's high time for you to get off your bloody couches and get into the water and start shooting. . .
Fish tails in your pics is an age-old excuse for poor shooting techniques! Nine times out of ten if you're getting fish tails it's because you are taking too long to decide about composition, picture your image before you go racing in and scaring the fish. If you think the pic looks right then take the shot, no amount of waiting, waiting and bloody waiting is going to make the pic look any better, just take the shot! What were the excuses back in the earlier days of flash bulbs and Box Brownie cameras? As I said, get into the water and learn to use your rig. Unless you're going down with a slate and crayon, I'm sure that you will get some great pics, but just STOP the constant whinging.
Other opinions might vary, of course.
Bruce

 

[Soakedlontra]

I have just bought an E-MP1, a ZEN dome port and an ED 9-18 mm lens. I haven't tried them yet. I have just found out that the 9-18 mm lens has a max aperture of F 4. I am fairly new to digital photography and, I guess, I keep thinking about film cameras and lenses so to me this lens doesn't seem to be bright enough. Considering its cost, I would have expected to have a max aperture of F 2.0. Now I have doubts that I have made the right decision in buying it. There is an ED 12 mm F 2.0 and I am wondering if I should have got that one instead or the brightness of the lens is digital cameras is not so important like in film cameras?

Coralcruiser did you end up buying the E-MP1?

 

[nikitich]

e-pl3 and e-pm1 AF is almost instant - same as DSLR. If you plan to use external flash there is simplyfied housing available for e-pm1 for $600 with old style port. But I should note that e-pl3 has better ergonomics (more buttons). I have hard time with deleting pics and enlarging them if a camera is in the housing (no access to the wheel)
What about 9-18 you really do not need a super fast lens for UW due to a very shallow DOF.

 

[Soakedlontra]

e-pl3 and e-pm1 AF is almost instant - same as DSLR. If you plan to use external flash there is simplyfied housing available for e-pm1 for $600 with old style port. But I should note that e-pl3 has better ergonomics (more buttons). I have hard time with deleting pics and enlarging them if a camera is in the housing (no access to the wheel)
What about 9-18 you really do not need a super fast lens for UW due to a very shallow DOF.

Regarding the E-PL3 I don't think that having more buttons to deal with is really a good think, actually I wish that manufacturers simplified things to the bare minimum. The E- MP1, like any other models, has so many features that I do not care for at all! It would be better to have a larger sensor and get rid of all the arty features junk.

I never think to mess with the pictures while the camera is still in the housing it's too much hassle.

My concern about the lens is that if does not let enough light you are forced to use a slower shutter speed while shooting with the available light and if you are not still enough you may end up with a bunch of blurry pictures.

Here is an example of semi-underwater shot that I took yesterday with the E-MP1 inside the Olympus housing with a Zen port and the 9-18 mm lens, manual settings:



I took some pictures with the automatic setting and I have to say I am a bit disappointed because it performs like my Canon S90. The pictures are always overexposed if there is a lot of light.

 

[cardog]

90% of the time you'll be shooting with a strobe (s) in the Puget Sound. When you are shooting with available light you'd be better off using a slightly higher aperture and bumping your iso a bit. If you're shooting at f 2.0 your depth dof is severely limited, which can be a good thing if you're going for that effect but a bad thing if you want more than your primary subject in focus.........