PHIL RUDIN
Contributor
Peter,
Compostion is only part of what is going on in the viewfinder. Critical focus on off-center areas like the eye of a subject and knowing what is in focus in front of the point of focus and behind is also involved. Once again if these things were not important to photographers at the advanced level everyone would be using live view. Many of the current DSLR's are equiped with live view and are rarely used by advanced photographers.
This issue of auto focus speed has been beaten to death in this fourm and many others. Many of the posters appear to be trying to defend their own choices rather than the main issue. Most of the talk about the poor AF speed of the E-PL1 when it first arrived on the market goes back to reviews by imaging-resource. I have attached the reviews with shutter lag-full focus times for the E-PL1, E-PL2, Olympus E620 (over four years old now) and the Nikon D-7000. It does not appear to me that the E-PL1 data was ever updated after the version 1.1 firmware update for the E-PL1.
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Compact System Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!
Olympus PEN E-PL2 Compact System Camera - Review - The Imaging Resource!
Olympus E-620 Digital Camera - Initial Test - The Imaging Resource!
Nikon D7000 Digital Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!
The next issue is that while you and many others are interested in results from the 14-42 mm kit lens, these are not the lenses being used by advanced photographers. So while the E-620 and D-7000 many be showing test results from the associated kit lens most likely the photographers using these cameras will have a macro, wide zoom or fisheye lens on board and the reported speed may not be relevent. Further some systems are very fast is good light but fall off much more quickly in low light than a camera that may have been a bit slower under ideal conditions.
If optical is as you say "superior" in manual then it is also going to be superior in auto focus.
Since all of this seems more relevent to you than it does me and by that I mean that I look at the total package for the price and don't dwell on the small stuff, I suggest that you look to DP Review, DXO, DxOMark - Welcome to DxOMark imaging-resource and any others you can find for bench test results. I find that many of these tests have marginal relevence once the camera is underwater.
One of the thing we attempt to do in all of our workshops is to provide a variety of equipment for your use. We will have a broad verity of cameras for all skill levels to test at the upcoming event in Cozumel. Many of my past students have had a much better idea of what was right for them after attending and being able to use a different system everyday.
I do classes in Palm Beach County, both in class and in water for two or more students.
Hi Greenbriel,
Happy that the E-PL1 system is working out well for you. I also love the VF-2 for topside shooting and the size of the system. About the only thing that beats the size is a cell phone.
Phil Rudin
Compostion is only part of what is going on in the viewfinder. Critical focus on off-center areas like the eye of a subject and knowing what is in focus in front of the point of focus and behind is also involved. Once again if these things were not important to photographers at the advanced level everyone would be using live view. Many of the current DSLR's are equiped with live view and are rarely used by advanced photographers.
This issue of auto focus speed has been beaten to death in this fourm and many others. Many of the posters appear to be trying to defend their own choices rather than the main issue. Most of the talk about the poor AF speed of the E-PL1 when it first arrived on the market goes back to reviews by imaging-resource. I have attached the reviews with shutter lag-full focus times for the E-PL1, E-PL2, Olympus E620 (over four years old now) and the Nikon D-7000. It does not appear to me that the E-PL1 data was ever updated after the version 1.1 firmware update for the E-PL1.
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Compact System Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!
Olympus PEN E-PL2 Compact System Camera - Review - The Imaging Resource!
Olympus E-620 Digital Camera - Initial Test - The Imaging Resource!
Nikon D7000 Digital Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!
The next issue is that while you and many others are interested in results from the 14-42 mm kit lens, these are not the lenses being used by advanced photographers. So while the E-620 and D-7000 many be showing test results from the associated kit lens most likely the photographers using these cameras will have a macro, wide zoom or fisheye lens on board and the reported speed may not be relevent. Further some systems are very fast is good light but fall off much more quickly in low light than a camera that may have been a bit slower under ideal conditions.
If optical is as you say "superior" in manual then it is also going to be superior in auto focus.
Since all of this seems more relevent to you than it does me and by that I mean that I look at the total package for the price and don't dwell on the small stuff, I suggest that you look to DP Review, DXO, DxOMark - Welcome to DxOMark imaging-resource and any others you can find for bench test results. I find that many of these tests have marginal relevence once the camera is underwater.
One of the thing we attempt to do in all of our workshops is to provide a variety of equipment for your use. We will have a broad verity of cameras for all skill levels to test at the upcoming event in Cozumel. Many of my past students have had a much better idea of what was right for them after attending and being able to use a different system everyday.
I do classes in Palm Beach County, both in class and in water for two or more students.
Hi Greenbriel,
Happy that the E-PL1 system is working out well for you. I also love the VF-2 for topside shooting and the size of the system. About the only thing that beats the size is a cell phone.
Phil Rudin
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