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which olympus PEN

Apr 9, 2012 4:37PM PDT

Have narrowed down my choice of a new camera to the following


EP3 ..... but the price is a bit of a problem

EPL3 ..... but it doesnt have a flash , although i hear its bundled ,although its newer ... in many sites its rated lower than the previous model .it luks really light but lens heavy and im worried abt dropping another camera as it doesnt have a handgrip ,

and EPL2 .... this one is rated higher , but unfortunaly its not available in my country ... buying it from abroad , n so making my warranty voild , is not a step i think i shud be taking ..


im not a professional , but am a hobbyist .
i need the flash
want a camera thats fun ,
produces SLR type pics (the bulk of is SLR is wat is keeping me away from getting my first )
helps in shooting active kids
and good in low light .

please suggest which of these 3 whud be my best bet .

Discussion is locked

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sorry
Apr 9, 2012 5:43PM PDT

am luking at the EPM1 as well ... buts allso prtty slippery small and comes nly wiht bundled flash
waht do i doooo

2 sturdy with flash

2 slipply no flash

i dont know which one to go for .. also pricing

is ther anyone out there wo can tell me performance wise which of these 4 wud be the best bet

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Similar Cameras
Apr 9, 2012 11:59PM PDT
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thanks
Apr 10, 2012 1:50PM PDT

i have read that , but as it doesnt have all these models in comparison i cannot make a decision

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More Cameras
Apr 10, 2012 2:24PM PDT

The comparison link, was done in the last part of 2011 and does not include any of the very new releases.
The problem is that most of the new cameras have not been reviewed and may not even be in stores yet.
Here are a few:

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 and X10
Olympus E-5 and OM-D E-M5
Panasonic DMC-GX1
Pentax K-01
Samsung NX200

And for something different:
Canon G1-X

You will likely find that all of these cameras will be more expensive than you budget.
Most people (me too) were expecting the mirrorless cameras to be less expensive than a DSLR.
But that is not the case.

..

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ok
Apr 11, 2012 10:19PM PDT

can u give me ur opinion on the models i mentiond

im unable to chose between the EPL2 , EPL3 and EPM 1

Ep3 is too expensive .

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Which
Apr 12, 2012 12:07AM PDT

If I was choosing for myself, I would choose the EPL2.
But my reasons for that choice would be different from your reasons.

Your reasons have to deal with availability, price, warranty and having a camera that is convenient (built-in flash).

With those limitations, there is no good choice.

I would keep looking for something better.

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snapshot
Apr 13, 2012 2:21AM PDT

yes everyones reasons are diffrent

i have sort of set my sights on these PEN models .

can u tell me why u prefer the EPL2 over the EPL3 . im willing to forgo the hotshoe issue , it is unlikly i will use it for anything other than the flash i had a G9 and never used the hotshoe .
but is the bundled flash of poor quality when compared to the inbult flash of the EPl2

plz advise /

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EPL2/3
Apr 13, 2012 5:06AM PDT

The comparisons of those 2 cameras have been discussed to ad-nauseum in other forums.
i.e. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=39745469

I can't add anything new.

My reason for choosing the EPL2 is different that other people's reasons.
The EPL2 can be found at very good discounts if you shop around.
I would pick the EPL2 because of the price, as I already have a DSLR camera if I need something more powerful/versatile than the EPL2.
I don't see that a camera a little bit smaller/lighter than a DSLR is so advantageous.
I have been carrying SLR/DSLR cameras for over 35 years.
They don't seem that big to me.
But there are times I don't want to risk using an expensive camera and will use a less expensive camera (with manual controls).

Regarding flash:

The EPL2 has a pop-up flash that is about equivalent to a flash on a "point-n-shoot" camera.
It has a reach of about 32 feet (at ISO 100) and does give you some control over the flash (shutter speed, brightness) plus you have a hot-shoe that can handle several more powerful Olympus external Flash Units.

The EPL3 does not have an internal flash, which means you must use an external flash unit to be able to have flash. The flash unit that comes with the camera is more versatile that the inbuilt flash unit of the EPL2. And it has a flash range of about 33 feet (at ISO 200).
Or you can use the hot-shoe to hold a more sophisticated Olympus flash unit.