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Archive 2012 · Olympus XZ-2 Review

  
 
DougVaughn
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Olympus XZ-2 Review


Here are a couple examples of macro capability... without turning on the "super macro" setting. Super macro turns off the zoom function, but I've found you can focus pretty close without changing from standard focus settings.

http://www.dougvaughn.com/photos/i-cGfcxzZ/0/XL/i-cGfcxzZ-XL.jpg


http://www.dougvaughn.com/photos/i-chFvMdj/0/XL/i-chFvMdj-XL.jpg



Dec 28, 2012 at 09:28 PM
DougVaughn
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Olympus XZ-2 Review


And just for fun, here are a few images from our short road trip last weekend.

Patriotism... Alabama style
http://www.dougvaughn.com/photos/i-N2Xfrtc/0/XL/i-N2Xfrtc-XL.jpg


Coke must be the drink of Corinth, MS
http://www.dougvaughn.com/photos/i-Fvg9HG9/0/XL/i-Fvg9HG9-XL.jpg


Mississippi breakfast of champions
http://www.dougvaughn.com/photos/i-LN8qj8Z/0/XL/i-LN8qj8Z-XL.jpg



Dec 28, 2012 at 09:34 PM
CPWarner
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Olympus XZ-2 Review


Interesting debate. I have a RX100 and hate it. Being used to Olympus menus and controls with my EM-5, I spend way to much time figuring it out again every time I pick it up. That might be ok, but I bought it to put in a housing and be a dive camera. I just picked up an XZ-2 with the excellent quality and low cost Olympus PT-054 housing. The short story is the RX100 will be up for sale.

The longer story is that the familiarity with controls is so critical underwater where there are so many other significant complications to taking photos, that I feel the XZ-2 will give me better results than if I stuck with the RX100. If I am struggling with controls, menus etc. I am missing shots. There are additional issues with my use of the RX100 (NOTE the MY USE here as it is not the norm on this board). First the housings for the RX100 came out much more expensive than initially anticipated at over $1000. That increased the cost a lot going the route of the RX100 (I probably jumped the gun on buying the camera there.. ). Next, the control ring on the RX100 is a mushy mess in my opinion. Selecting settings on it is a task in frustration, and only gets worse when placed in a housing. The control ring on the XZ-2 is outstanding. With the lever in one position, it clicks through settings like aperture, shutterspeed, etc. In the other setting it switches to a smooth focusing ring and automatically goes to 4x on the lcd screen. That is utterly brilliant implementation. I predict all compacts will adopt this in a hurry as it is so good. Lastly, the macro capability on the RX100 is not that good. I like underwater macro work. Even with diopters attached, the RX100 just does not focus close very well. The XZ-2 is much better at macro. So all those features, issues added up to an overall lower cost underwater camera that I am totally at ease with from menus and controls. Yes it does not have the ultimate resolution and/or dynamic range (not sure there as we need to see controlled studies), but it works better for me. Lastly, in the world of underwater photography, Olympus has some very unique flash technology that gives it an edge in my opinion.

For someone who owns an XZ-1, I could see how it might not be enough of a change to convince one to make a switch. If I were buying this for anything but an underwater camera, I would make a different choice, and keep the RX100. It is more compact, and I would get used to it eventually. But I do not need that and am only interested in it for a dive camera, so the XZ-2 is a better option for me.



Dec 29, 2012 at 02:00 PM
brubenstein
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Olympus XZ-2 Review


FWIW, I picked up one of the $200 XZ-1's and I also have a OM-D, E-PL5 & E-PL2. The XZ-1 is much more like the E-PL2 in terms of JPG output and a few other things than the newer Oly's. It also has a rather dreadful Panasonic sensor. What Robin posted out of the ZX-2 (which has a 12 mp Sony sensor) from high ISO is nothing like what comes out of the ZX-1.

Now, even Robin said the XZ-2 doesn't match the IQ of µ4/3 (and the Sony doesn't either), but it does make for a reasonably small, lightweight good quality P&S camera. All that being said, I don't think Olympus will sell many of them for $600. Unless you're already an Olympus owner and have a VF-2 EVF, it doesn't offer all that much, if anything over the G15 or P7700, so it really has to come down to the price of those cameras.



Dec 29, 2012 at 05:50 PM
m-a-x
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Olympus XZ-2 Review


This is an interesting thread.
I want to buy one of those cameras, too.

I want to have a hotshoe (must have) and a bright lens and certainly good IQ.
Nice-to-have would be a swivel screen or even touch screen.

Which models fulfill my description? Which else has a tilting sreen?

Ebay (cheapest buy-it-now option in Europe) shows the following prices currently for some cameras:
Olympus XZ-2 = 460EUR,
Canon G15 = 450EUR,
Nikon P7700 = 399EUR,
Panasonic LX-7 = 377EUR

The best option for me would technically be the XZ-2 but the price is the highest and the flickr pictures that I have seen do not wow me. The LX-7 looks also good and I like many of the flickr pics. But it has no swivel screen. Any other option?



Dec 31, 2012 at 07:36 AM
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