civilized ku # 317-28 ~ a little gem of a camera
Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 11:43AM 
3 nutcrackers by the light of a Xmas tree • click to embiggen
Family relationships • click to embiggenOver the past few days I have been subjecting the EP-1 to a variety of picturing making situations that might expose a few of its supposed weaknesses / faults - with special attention given to it's most allegedly fatal flaw of "lethargic" / "painfully slow" AF, especially so in low-light / contrast conditions (or so it is claimed).
To date, my experience can be summed up by this statement: in 40 years of picturing making - to include a wide range of commercial assignments ranging from still life, to fashion, to people, to reportage / corporation communications, to action / sports, and more - there is not a single case in which I would not have been perfectly happy to use the EP-1 as my sole means of picturing making. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Period. End of sentence.
Does that mean that the EP-1 is the perfect camera? No, it's not ... but, then again, there is no such thing as the "perfect camera". That said, the EP-1 is an exceedingly excellent "all-around" picture making device. I can easily envision it - without reservation or compromise - as my everyday camera of choice.
That said, and re: the EP-1's AF, the camera is not the fastest focusing thing on the planet nor is it the slowest - it's just not state-of-the-focusing-art fast. Anyone who claims that it is "lethargic" needs to spend the next month or so with a manual-focus-only camera in order to get their bearings / frame of reference straight. And, on a related note, if you need a state-of-the-art fast AF focusing camera to make good pictures, you have my deepest heart-felt sympathy and I'll include you in my prayers (for the mentally and physically challenged) - just send me a generous love offering along with your name and GPS coordinates (so I can tell god where to find you).
Anyone who claims that pictures will be missed because of the lethargic AF needs to learn more than a little about the art of focusing that utilizes the notion of human intervention / interaction in the process - it's very interesting that many of the fatal-flaw lethargic claims come from those who were hoping that the camera would be the perfect digital device (AKA, I-don't-have-to-think) for street picturing. They seem to believe that the EP-1's AF will cause them to "miss" decisive moment events / actions that a faster AF camera would not. A belief that seems to be founded on the fact that Mr. Decisive Moment, Henri Cartier-Bresson, or Robert Frank or Garry Winogrand or .... et al always depended upon state-of-the-art AF to make their pictures.
The EP-1 also acquits itself quite nicely in the high ISO / low noise race, at least up to 1600 ISO - a setting that, truth be told, I won't be using very much.
Guinness draught • click to embiggen
Big Boss Sausage • click to embiggen
Music nite at 20 Main ~ Au Sable Forks • click to embiggen
I did use ISO 1600 for the Big Boss Sausage picture above. All the rest of the 20 Main - our hometown dive bar (Guinness draught - $4) - pictures were made at ISO 800.
On the walk to and from 20 Main, I made a few pictures using ISO 400 and ISO 800.
Light snow on the river ~ Au Sable Forks • click to embiggen
Walking to and from 20 Main ~ Au Sable Forks • click to embiggen
It should also be noted that all of the pictures posted with this entry were handheld with shutter speeds ranging from 1/2 - 1/15 sec. (@ f2.8). The in-camera IS - a feature that the Panasonic GF-1 lacks - works quite well and is something that I rely on regularly in my picture making.
The in-camera IS was one important reason that I chose the EP-1 over the faster focusing (anyone want to split some hairs with me?) GF-1. Another reason was the EP-1's DR advantage (albeit slight) over the GF-1's resolution advantage (albeit slight - same sensor with weaker anti-alias filter).
OK, already - enough about gear. However, all of the above said, I would give an unqualified thumbs up endorsement to anyone considering the purchase of an EP-1. It is, as an added bonus, the least expensive of all the micro 4/3rds cameras on offer - under $800US for the camera with 17mm f2.8 lens, optical viewfinder, and an extra battery.
And, btw, unless video capabilities are a big part of your consideration, forget the EP-2 and its significant extra expense - I don't know about you, but I don't need no stinking EVF.
Reader Comments (11)
Thanks for this little gem of a camera review, putting many review sites to shame. I have been pondering between the GF1 and the EP-1, not yet taking the leap, but one of these days...
The night shots in the snow are remarkable, very sharp and clear.
I have nuffin to say about the camera. But, the "Family relationship" photo is not only a great triptych, it is also great commentary.
Also: "I'll include you in my prayers (for the mentally and physically challenged) - just send me a generous love offering along with your name and GPS coordinates (so god can find you)."
made me laugh out loud.
Good review, good pictures and good humour.
There's a lot to be said about having a good eye and good technique.
I'm glad manufacturers are putting bigger sensors in smaller cameras.
These cameras are game changers, IMO. I rely on the EVF of the E-P2 for manual focus lens use; it is easier than the LCD. I love both E-P's.
Nice critique of the EP-1 with that said I'm afraid I'm going to cal BS on your statement;
"A belief that seems to be founded on the fact that Mr. Decisive Moment, Henri Cartier-Bresson, or Robert Frank or Garry Winogrand or .... et al always depended upon state-of-the-art AF to make their pictures."
What kind of egg-nog are you sipping up there dude?
Both Cartier-Bresson and Frank did their most notable work prior to the invention of AF. Winogrand used a Leica rangefinder with a wide agle lens prefocused. Catier-Benson used a leica rangfinder exclusivly.
You're intitled to your silly notions on what is real *snicker* but not your facts.
But hey yer getting some pretty pictures from your new camera.
Infamous J., it looks like you missed the irony in that line.
I have covered wrestling, boxing and other martial arts on a regular basis, going from a 30d to a d700 was a blessing. Having blazing AF _is_ actually a huge advantage when you shoot irregular movements. You can in some way predict movements, but if you want subject isolation and the af-accurancy needed for such, you have to have good AF. It is all well and good that you shoot mostly static subjects, glasses of beer are seldom a huge challenge for any AF-system, but being condecending and rude towards everone with different needs than you...?
Nice review and shots b.t.w.
I was watching a video of Annie
Liebowitz shooting a portrait
last evening, and guess what?
She was manually focussing her
autofocus Nikon SLR.
I tend more and more to use
old prime lenses with adapters
on my E-3. It's not that the
E-3 won't autofocus accurately
it's just easier to keep the
details in focus by adjusting
the focus ring.
Why do so many people get hung
up on autofocus? Large format
professional cameras don't
autofocus but produce consistently
high results.
To my mind all this sluggish autofocus
reporting is a red herring. I'm
just waiting to hear reports of how
good the EP-2 EVF is before deciding
which M4/3 camera to purchase.
Stephen
If you use Leibotitz shooting portraits as a case study for how AF is never usefull... well, you don't really get the point. End of discussion.
It's not the least expensive Micro-4/3rds, you can get the G1 new for $600 with a little looking, but it's definitely less pocketable than an E-P1, even with the same lens.
And yes, the AF thing is overblown. The E-P1's AF speed is just fine, in fact its faster than pretty much any P&S. The G series are noticeably faster but that doesn't make the E-P1 slow, just slower.