Olympus Pen

Jonny69 · 11-07-2009, 18:58

Well, I thought this was going to be the camera I was waiting for all my life. Compact body with removeable lenses like an SLR, but I find there's no viewfinder so I'm totally disappointed because I can't get used to using an LCD screen to shoot with. It's just almost there but not quite and at £700 I can't live with that, so I'll stick with my trusty 350D for now.

Review here: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/olympusep1/

(I haven't read it properly yet)

What are your opinions?

LeperousDust · 11-07-2009, 19:06

Isn't that the point with the micro four thirds standard though, the way its designed is to save space they lose the penta prism which means you can't physicall have a view finder...

Jonny69 · 11-07-2009, 19:09

I can't work out what the originals had, but they don't seem to have a viewing window off to the side of the lens so I can only guess they looked through the viewfinder. If that's the case then it's a shame they can't squeeze it in the digi model. I guess it's what the market demands though.

LeperousDust · 11-07-2009, 19:11

Yeah i guess thats your choice, you choose full size with a real viewfinder, or a new standard much smaller but lose it to shave that space... In fact reading that article has a great little picture pointing out the obvious physical difference inside. Still they're promising, but obviously not going to replace a typical four thirds right now...

Looking at that picture i'm not entirely sure what the physical limitations are but as you can see its deliberately missing the penta prism

Mark · 11-07-2009, 19:21

That is indeed the point of Micro Four Thirds. They've done away with the mirror box and shortened the focus distance to allow them to use a smaller body. The Panasonic G1 (another micro four-thirds interchangeable lens camera) gets around this by using an EVF.

I'm not sure how they could solve that one as you can't even use a straight through viewfinder because of the interchangeable lenses.

11-07-2009, 18:58	#1
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Olympus Pen Well, I thought this was going to be the camera I was waiting for all my life. Compact body with removeable lenses like an SLR, but I find there's no viewfinder so I'm totally disappointed because I can't get used to using an LCD screen to shoot with. It's just almost there but not quite and at £700 I can't live with that, so I'll stick with my trusty 350D for now. Review here: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/olympusep1/ (I haven't read it properly yet) What are your opinions? __________________

11-07-2009, 19:06	#2
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Isn't that the point with the micro four thirds standard though, the way its designed is to save space they lose the penta prism which means you can't physicall have a view finder... __________________

11-07-2009, 19:09	#3
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I can't work out what the originals had, but they don't seem to have a viewing window off to the side of the lens so I can only guess they looked through the viewfinder. If that's the case then it's a shame they can't squeeze it in the digi model. I guess it's what the market demands though. __________________

11-07-2009, 19:11	#4
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Yeah i guess thats your choice, you choose full size with a real viewfinder, or a new standard much smaller but lose it to shave that space... In fact reading that article has a great little picture pointing out the obvious physical difference inside. Still they're promising, but obviously not going to replace a typical four thirds right now... Looking at that picture i'm not entirely sure what the physical limitations are but as you can see its deliberately missing the penta prism __________________

11-07-2009, 19:21	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	That is indeed the point of Micro Four Thirds. They've done away with the mirror box and shortened the focus distance to allow them to use a smaller body. The Panasonic G1 (another micro four-thirds interchangeable lens camera) gets around this by using an EVF. I'm not sure how they could solve that one as you can't even use a straight through viewfinder because of the interchangeable lenses.