I recently changed camera formats when I sold my DSLR and lenses and bought an Olympus EPL2 micro four thirds. I will still use a DSLR for work, but I am trying to shrink everything down for my camping/cycling/hiking trips.

The pics below are the first time I have had a chance to get out and put it through its paces. My first impression is Wow! this thing is small. I can easily fit the body with lens attached and two or three extra lenses in the main compartment of my Maxped Proteus butt pack.

Operation is fairly straight forward. I was blazing through the controls after 30 minutes of shooting with it, without opening the manual. I am a tech geek and photographer by trade, so there may be a longer learning curve for those used to only point and shoots.

One of my favorite little bells and whistles is the live histogram on the screen. This lets you know for sure whether you have any washed out highlights or if you lost any details in the shadows.

My only complaint so far is that it doesn't have an optical view finder, but one can be purchased as an accessory. The screen worked fine in the light I have shot in so far, with minimal problems. 12 o'clock sun my be a different story.

However, since this is a mirror-less design, the screen shows exactly what the sensor is picking up giving you a "what you see is what you get" operation. The viewfinder accessory will do the same since it is just a screen inside an eye piece.

This album begins in my neighborhood and travels through the local gardens/farms on the outskirts and into the forest around Feuerbach (my hood), which translates to fire brook. The brook has been buried underground in the city now, but it is still flowing freely in the woods.

The purpose of this shoot was to capture images of color and textures to see how the new camera handles them. I used the kit lens that came with it. It is a 14-42mm which translates to 24-84mm in 35mm standards.

Enough talk.

This one I used an in camera art filter. I am not big on this type of thing but wanted to see how it'd turn out. This one is called dramatic tone.

I've always wondered where the Fire Brook disappeared under the city, so I followed it back and found where it goes subterranean. Goodbye old friend.

Final thought:

I love this thing. It is many times lighter and smaller than my old kit, but the sharpness, color, contrast etc, are not sacrificed. It performs with the big dogs except the top of the line DSLRs.

I love the added live histogram and the what you see is what you get view on the screen.

I plan to buy a viewfinder for shooting on very bright days. I also plan to buy a Penpal, which is a small bluetooth accessory that lets you automatically send the images from your camera to your smartphone, and with the right app it will automatically upload to your online album of choice. A big plus for me since I plan to update my blog/facebook while on long excursions. PLus that will be a big part of my next duty as the marketing and public affairs chief for the Midwest recruiting district.

If you are looking to upgrade from a point and shoot are want something lighter/smaller than your DSLR for "fun" shooting, you should seriously look into micro four thirds.

JJ, you're going to be the CHIEF for the whole Marine Midwest District! Wow, NICE promotion, but it probably won't be an easy job. Best of luck to you, and in this I am NOT joking. Oh I feel most comfortable in a 2X Tshirt! Oorah!

It is the largest recruiting district in the Marine Corps. It would be intimidating to a lesser man or say an airman.

I will get you a shirt from one of my recruiters. Pink?

With purty purple letters please! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Again, congrats! Oh and don't forget if you need any kind of help Hill AFB is right there! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

What do you think of the performance of the camera? I am pretty impressed with it. I would argue that it is on par with the Nikon D90 I sold to get it. I paid about $1,150 for the D90 with a kit lens. This is less than half that. There are a few things like programmable buttons that the Oly doesn't have, but for basic functions, it's got it all plus some the D90 didn't. Did I mention live histogram!!!

The pics are nice! I was going to say that, but got sidetracked. I would never have known that it wasn't a full blown DSLR. Oh by the way, any word on the lens you're getting built?

Last I heard, it should ship mid-April. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" />

I know you can't wait to get that, didn't you say it had an f stop of 0.75?

gotta run to the store, back in a bit. Make that DRIVE to the store! Forgot who I was talkin to for a sec. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

0.95 F stop. Fastest I have seen. I get all giddy just thinkin' about it.

It's so pretty!

That does look nice.

Precision steel and glass is hot in my book.

Welllll It's up there alright.

Well Enjoy it when you get it. Time for me to hit the rack! Talk at Ya later.

I like it. Very much indeed. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I surely am not alone when I tell you that I download pictures of their's in The Yard and label them,storing them for my enjoyment for all times.

What I notice about the cameras performance. I blew up the tiny flower picture and resize to 1080 x 810 from original 800 x 600 your post.
And the clarity is without flaw.

1200 x 900 without flaw. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

1400 x 1050 without flaw.. It is only when I enlarge it to 1600 x 1200
that it begins to soften in focus.

In short,brilliant! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />

Save Yard photos,cropping,re-sizing,sometimes I use more enhanced tools like changing the colors,sepia,black & white and so on. I doubt I'm alone in this. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

That new camera is a stone cold killer. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

By the way after seeing so much Bavarian countryside I'm off to the Hooch Hut "real name" in Delavan to get some Wurtzburger. I imagine you can have Germanic Braus everywhere.

Jealous of the camera, and the beer supply! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />


Peace.

The pics turned out outstanding! Good choice nabbing the camera! Can't wait to see more.

Awesome pictures! Thanks for the review! I've been looking for a camera that can do this and not in a traditional DSLR package. When you said the price, I was sold.

Here is a look at the sharpness of the images. The first is resized to 800x600 and the second is the same image cropped to the actual pixels of 640x480.

I am just constantly amazed a what you "Tech" guys can do with pictures. Both taking them and "manipulating" them. VERY beautiful pictures.

Man,you take some great pics!

JJ, your new camera seems to be working very well. The pics are really good, but the person taking the pics makes the difference.

Very cool, thanks JJ.
always enjoy reading your posts,reviews, and pics
regards,Mike

Thanks all.

Wasn't really trying to show off my picture taking skills though. Mostly I was trying to show different textures and colors to see how the sensor/processor handled them. But, I do unhumbly accept your praises. My ego is a hungry beast.

I have one more critique of the camera in question. It has a great paint job. I have been handling this thing so much I was expecting it to rub off. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Nice pictures! It´s also good to see what that little Olympus can do. Have you used the standard kit lenses with those pictures? Lenses make a great difference. I´m using Canon Ixus and Sony alpha 350 both good devices but I must say as sumoj275 has allready said: It´s not the camera, it´s the man behind it.

The camera is good when it shows the wiewer the same thing the photographer saw when the picture was taken. The point of view is the thing that no mechanical device can do, so the photographer is good when he can take a picture of something that everybody can see in a way that in the picture it looks like never seen before.

Thanks.

I used the kit lens for these images. I have another lens on the way that should be phenomenal. It is a Voiglander 25mm 0.95 F stop. That's lightning fast.

I agree that the person behind the camera is one of the most important factor, but I also admit the camera is another important factor. I think of it like racing, even though it isn't a competition most of the time.

Mario Andretti was a great driver, but he wouldn't have won any races if he was behind the wheel of a Gremlin.

I still use a Nikon D3S for my job, and there is now way I can do what it can do with a point 'n' shoot what I can with the D3 or even the Oly. To show the viewer what I am seeing, I need a camera that can actually see what I am seeing. Ever try taking a picture at night with a point 'n' shoot? A lot of cameras , even expensive ones, reproduce colors poorly. Unless I am color blind, he won't be seeing what I am.

Awesome pics JJ! I think I missed something though...Never saw the Troll near the fire brook...Was he hard to see? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I love digital photography...The part that is toughest to me is the color spaces and making sure that what your camera sees, what you see on your monitor and what your printer prints are all the same. It can be a huge PITA. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I use a Canon EOS 50-D and love it. I wish I had more time to spend practicing.

Youre right about the cameras. You´ll need a good camera when you are a good photographer (or going to be one). Sometimes I hear comments about my camera like: "it must take good pictures" etc. Well the camera takes bad pictures too! That Voiglander seems like a treat!

Jayge,

Great pix! My sister wants to know and me too, where is home? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

You look awful comfortable in that Western hat....wheres home? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I have enjoyed the posts from Germany and WILL miss them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

The next post is ... again,please I'm aging as gracefully as I can but the 70's took a massive toll on my brain cells. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" />



I just bought a brand new hat Resistol Hat, stone, Buffalo felt 6X <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Looks like a respectable gentleman's hat in Dallas doesn't it? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />




Have a SUPER SUNDAY oh... you're a day ahead? Or behind? Either way have a GREAT day Jayge! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Peace,
David

It was supposed to say stroll, but the troll stole the S. He was hard to see. You have to squint and hold your tongue just right and you'll be able to see him in the picture of the green leaves on the forest floor.

I use a Datacolor Spyder screen calibrator, it takes the guess work out of calibrating your screen. There are many test images you can use to calibrate your printer as well. If you printer isn't able to be calibrated, you can always calibrate your screen to your printer. The Spyder will help you with that.

Well, home is hard to pinpoint. I was born in Iran to Texan (DFW area mostly) parents and left when I was three when the civil war broke out there. We left days before they over ran our embassy and took hostages.

Then I lived in Mesquite, Texas, for a few, then in Saudi Arabia on and off for a decade and was in Louisiana and Texas when not there. After graduating high school I moved to France to go to school for about five years.

Then to southwest Louisiana for a bit and then to Okinawa for three. Upstate New York for one followed by Germany.

I am heading to Salt Lake City in a week.

To answer the hat question, I guess the south just stuck. My kind of people.

Yeah and it Does need to be made of "Straw", have a couple holes in it, look like it was ran over by a heard of armadillos and oh yeah you need a piece of straw in your mouth. THEN you will look like one of YOUR people (or the folks around here)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

JJ, I would say you have lived a well rounded lifestyle, and have a worldwide education many folks couldn't even dream of having. I think that it has helped you understand the world more than a lot of folks. Congratulations.

Hey JJ! Could you show off a bit with some low light pictures when you get the Voiglander? I bought a Sigma ex 18-50mm 2.8f and I think it's pretty good but the Voiglander plays in a different league. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Of course I will.

T1, I don't know how many of JJ's pictures you have seen but he is good. Personally I would rate his right up there with Evolute and Tedwca's pics. Evolute is a pro photog and Ted used to be but still keeps his hand in.

I have no questions about JJ´s skills. I just want to see what the Voiglander combined with Olympus elp2 can do because I think that I´m not going to buy a lens like Voiglander. I´ve seen only the pictures in this thread but it´s easy to believe that the best shots are high quality.

Beautiful pictures JJ. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> I wish I knew more about camera's and had a good one. I think I could possibly persuade my wife that we "need" a new camera.