Any E-PM2 Users ?

[PaulB]

I have an EPM1 that i'm very happy with and have just bought an EPM2 body to go with it, mainly for the new sensor.

I liked the idea of an extra Fn button; on the epm1 I have the magnify function set up on the info button and the DOF function on the "red" button.
My idea with the epm2 was to set the "red" button to AEL/AFL, Fn to DOF and use the info for magnify..... for some reason Olympus have removed the magnify option on the info button so i'm no better off *SIGH*
Still, can't have everything and I'm happy with the rest of the camera.

looking forward to using it and posting some images; just need to sit and learn PS elements 11!

[Chris Pattison]

I have an E-PM2 that I have had a while. I find it a much more 'usable' camera than the original Mini. The grip alone is a big difference.

[Internaut]

Bought mine at the weekend, from a newly invigorated Jessops. From what little use I've had of it, I'm enjoying it so far. Oh, and good grief, that new sensor is a very different beasty to what went before it.

[dko22]

I got a new red one for peanuts earlier this week. Finally something which is ideal for social low light photography as well as being completely inconspicuous on the street with the touchscreen. The 17mm pancake which I will mainly use it with (together with the 45mm 1.8 where appropriate) may not give the absolute best edge to edge IQ but it's a very small and light combo and this lens is usually reliably sharp towards the centre at least and has a pleasant rendering.

I'm sure others have recently got this camera as well, especially with the SRS offers but the baby in the Olympus series doesn't seem to get many posts which is a shame as it perhaps best represents the small but with high IQ m43 ethos. I'd much rather have this than any compact!

I can understand much of the focus on this forum seems to be on the somewhat less portable flagships such as the E-M1. That's understandable -- for me at the moment Fuji best meets my needs for a primary system for when detail, DR and maximum lowlight performance is required without carrying around a backbreaking FF DSLR system which I would never go back to, but Olympus is a close second with obvious advantages in IBIS and AF speed.

Still, I'd be interested to hear more from folk who use a Mini. If it's a secondary body, is it a backup to an OMD and in what situations does it get used? Or are there folk who use it with kit or a prime or two as a secondary system to other mirrorless or DSLR?

David

[StephenL]

As David knows, I bought one the other day under SRS's unmissable offer. I got it to replace the XZ1, which, excellent though it is, I just couldn't get on with ergonomically. I bought it to be a second camera to my E-M1, and I shall no doubt use it with 3 primes - the 17mm f1.8, the 25mm, and of course the 45mm. This combination will easily fit into a couple of pockets or a small "bum bag". (I refuse to use the Americanism for this!) What really attracts me is the sensor size and quality, which will enable me to get large prints as required.

[benvendetta]

Originally Posted by StephenL

As David knows, I bought one the other day under SRS's unmissable offer. I got it to replace the XZ1, which, excellent though it is, I just couldn't get on with ergonomically. I bought it to be a second camera to my E-M1, and I shall no doubt use it with 3 primes - the 17mm f1.8, the 25mm, and of course the 45mm. This combination will easily fit into a couple of pockets or a small "bum bag". (I refuse to use the Americanism for this!) What really attracts me is the sensor size and quality, which will enable me to get large prints as required.

Stephen, you mention the 17mm f1.8. I have an E-PL5 (back up to my E-M1)and the 25mm and 45mm primes and have been thinking of adding the 17mm to give me a compact 'prime' system. How decent do you find the 17mm and is it as sharp as the 25mm and 50mm primes?

[StephenL]

The 17mm f1.8 (not to be confused with the pancake) is a nice sharp lens with the push-pull manual focus switch. Without photographing brick walls, I find it as sharp as the 25mm, but not as sharp as the 45mm. But then, nothing bar the 75mm is as sharp as that lens! Of course, being a wider-angle lens, it's more difficult to see that sharpness. But yes, it makes a good bedfellow to the 25 and 45 primes. Oh, and they do it in black!

[dko22]

Dave, Let me echo that question. I've heard varying reports on the 17mm 1.8 but I would consider upgrading to a second hand one (ideally through a trade -- perhaps even through these forums) but it ain't that cheap and I'd need to feel I was getting more than just an extra stop, welcome though that would be! To me, the three lens combo though would be 12,25 and 45 which I ruled out for the time being and feel that the gap from 17 is pretty well bridgeable.

David

[StephenL]

I should add that I did have the 12mm, and welcome as the wide angle was, I felt that performance-wise it didn't quite cut it. Perhaps I had a bad example?

[dko22]

actually, looking back at my photos with the 17mm pancake, I really can't find many examples with poor edge sharpness. Perhaps i have a good copy as some complain about it. No more than with the 12 which I also sold though mainly as I in the end wasn't using it enough. The 17 f2.8 AF is a bit agricultural but is perfectly adequate with the E-PM2. I guess if I want to do video (unlikely) then I'll simply borrow my wife's 14-150.

[Minniesmum]

I'm one ! Have had this body for some time now as an " up-grade" to the E-P3. Fortunately I was familiar with the Oly menus as having just one control wheel can be tricky. I've done the " fake" focus peaking by using one of the art filters- works fine but tend to use the magnify and the VF-2 to get sharp focus whilst using legacy lenses.