Hi all, first time to post here.

i'm trying to decide between GF-1 and EP-2. I really want to get a 20 f1.7 (some points for GF-1 kit) but I also want to use some MF lens, mainly Ai/AiS.

now my questions are

1. is it easy to focus using LV with fast manual lens like 50 f1.4, 85 f1.4 / f2? I am rather worry about the low res screen on the Oly.

2. the in-body stabisation on Oly works with manual lens? my understanding is that for stabalisation to work the system should know the FL of the lens. If it works with manual lens it would be a great plus for Oly.


Thanks.

1. I've found that in decent light the screen of the E-P1 is fine for manual focusing (the magnification feature is handy). In low light the screen gets grainy as the camera brightens the display and precise manual focus gets more difficult. This is probably the same for all LV systems to some extent.

2. The IBIS system of the E-P1 does work for manual lenses. You have the option to enter the focal length (from a range of common values) of the attached lens to get optimal stabilization. For me this is one of the key reasons, I prefer the Oly to the Panasonics.

fantastic! stablisation on the oly is probably more important to me than the flash, thanks.

it'd be for me as well...

ytwong wrote:
fantastic! stablisation on the oly is probably more important to me than the flash, thanks.

Not fantastic, but good enough. Not sure yet if I change to Pana for having a viewfinder. EP-1 is difficult to focus manual on the LCD from a distance in bright light. From a tripod it'd OK but actually it's not a 'tripod cam'
I will check the viewfinder of the EP-2
I'm using only with FD 1,4/50; 2,8/24; 1,8/85 and Voigtlander Heliar 15mm. That' why I bought one. Kit lens only for family use.

I don't have any trouble focusing my Voigtlander 40/1.4 on my E-P1. I also own the 20/1.7, and it's a wonderful lens on the Pen...great to have speed, quality optics and IS with that lens. Got some great night shots at f/1.7 and 1/8 second hand held.

Khun Hans wrote:
ytwong wrote:
fantastic! stablisation on the oly is probably more important to me than the flash, thanks.

Not fantastic, but good enough. Not sure yet if I change to Pana for having a viewfinder. EP-1 is difficult to focus manual on the LCD from a distance in bright light. From a tripod it'd OK but actually it's not a 'tripod cam'
I will check the viewfinder of the EP-2
I'm using only with FD 1,4/50; 2,8/24; 1,8/85 and Voigtlander Heliar 15mm. That' why I bought one. Kit lens only for family use.

Khun Hans is right of course, in very bright light the visibility of the screen is an issue. I missed this since it's happened to me only once and I wasn't using MF lenses at the time. Depending on your shooting conditions this may be a bigger issue. The E-P2 of course solves this with the electronic viewfinder.

I tried both the Oly and the GF1 with the same intent as yours (20mm f:1.7 plus one alt lens, Voigtlander or Zeiss, for sort tele) and really preferred the GF1. Quality of the LCD made a big difference to focusing. IQ also seemed quite a bit better, particularly in DR and contrast. I also liked the handling, though at times the interface felt clunky and inferior to the Pen. And, yes, IS on the GF1 would have been nice. How could they leave it out? Just like Ply put in an inferior LCD, I guess. Oh well, Leica X1, which is much more expensive also has this inferior LCD...

Philber, how is the GF1 viewfinder? Is it easy to focus manual with alt. lenses let's say in bright light or almost darkness? Do you own one?
Hans

I didn't try the viewfinder, sorry. Focusing an alt lens was OK for a tele (I tried 35mm and 50mm, to be multiplied by the 2x factor), but not really doable with a wide angle, despite the DOF. Which is why I decided that, should I pull the trigger on this system, I would get the 20mm f1.7 rather than an alt wide-angle, so that I can get AF. I also tried the "kit zoom", which wasn't bad at all, and the 7-14, the price of which turned me off.
For me this would be a substitute system to my 5D MkII-and-Zeiss system, so tricky low-light situations are not important, because there I would of course use the DSLR.

Thanks, Philber. I'm only in that MFT circus because of using my old Canon FD lenses. But it is fun. Otherwise 5DMII.

CVickery wrote:

Khun Hans is right of course, in very bright light the visibility of the screen is an issue.

I came across a LCD screen hood for the EP-1 on ebay which could help when shooting in really bright light:

EP-1 Screen Hood

Appreciated, EOS20, very helpful.
Hans

I really think that judgement of the PEN and other cameras liek it (GF1, Leica X1 etc..) should be different for use as a secondary camera or as an only camera. What can be totally OK for a lightweight go-everywhere system used when a full DSLR is not an attractive proposition may not be so acceptable if the camera must fulfill all of a person's needs.

Just being curious I bought an adapter to try a K50/1,2 with the EP2. It was a brise to focus. I did not use the magnifier. Every shot was sharp just were I wanted it to be. It is easier than with 5DII with EG-S and Brightscreen Magnifier. And it was faster then the AF.

If you're going for the smaller models of m43 bodies for manual lens shooting, there's tradeoffs all around.

The GF1's LCD is MUCH nicer than the PEN's. The extra pixels do help with focusing. But the GF1's optional EVF is not terribly good, small and only 220k resolution. The E-P2's EVF is the best of the lot, sharper than the G1/GH1 EVF due to the lower magnification and the same 1440k resolution as the G1/GH1 EVF.

For manual lenses, I'd say the GF1 beats the E-P1 by a small margin, but the E-P2 with EVF is the best bet.

If you're primarily going to be adapting SLR lenses, don't look at the GF1 at all, adapted SLR lenses handle MUCH better on the G1/GH1 and they're not much larger than the GF1 or PEN's, arguably smaller than the GF1+EVF or PEN+EVF.

jan_haidn wrote:
Just being curious I bought an adapter to try a K50/1,2 with the EP2. It was a brise to focus. I did not use the magnifier. Every shot was sharp just were I wanted it to be. It is easier than with 5DII with EG-S and Brightscreen Magnifier. And it was faster then the AF.
Hoert sich gut. I just tried the VF of the EP2 at a basement shop in only artificial light and it was very bright. Next I want to shoot in daylight and than I have to get rid of my EP1 before i buy.
Hans