G2 and 20mm on the street, a test....

[Streetshooter]

I am doing a review on the review forum. Here's some images from the streets in Philly. I used the 20mm only and the camera worked better than I expected or wanted.

 

[BBW]

Good for you, Don! I'm sure your review will get a lot of readers.

Hope to hear and see more from you and the other G2 shooters out there!

 

[Streetshooter]

Thanks BB,
Ya know how much I love the EP2 and I still do but there's something going on with the new G2. Maybe it's just still romance.....

 

[BBW]

Yeah, Don, I know what you mean about romance...but life can be way too short to do without it, don't you agree?

 

[Streetshooter]

BB, your talking to a Libra, I'll have you know....we invented romance....
It's more than romance. I have been struggling with the form of the SLR for over 45 years. We just don't get along. So now, with the G2....I'm going to surrender and let it overcome my anxiety. They say ya can't teach an old dog new tricks...bulldinky....to that.

 

[flyby]

Don and BB

This camera thing is..well let's agree with romance but it's also a good dose of "lust" too. I started out with the GF1 and have now got the EPL-1 and am considering buying a G1 or the G2.

After seeing the pics (Don) thank you for posting it only makes it that more appealing and desirable, thanks to Don's description and feelings for this new camera.

I almost always use just the GF1 with the EVF but would like to handle/see/feel touch/use the G1 or G2 for it's built in attributes. THe G1's are so low now on EBay you can easily pickl one up without lens for under $300. I also, have quite a collection of lens going..when does it stop..never! That's the lust/desire. I just wish I had some talent to go along with the whole thing! LOL!

 

[JohnW]

I enjoyed the photos (especially the parking garage) and look forward to the review. I'm pretty content with the GF1, but might try the G2, if for nothing else but a decent viewfinder.

John

 

[Streetshooter]

I've been putting the G2 thru the paces.
The camera really has a lot going for it.
In 4 days, I've made probably 250 test images under many different situations.
The battery still shows 2/3 full.
I want it to run out of power just so I know it does but so far it's got more energy than me.

I'll post more after I do more experimenting but really, it's up for anything you need a camera to do.

 

[Vidar]

Looks good Shooter.

Nice shots, I especially like the last one.

 

[Streetshooter]

Thanks Vidar,
I didn't post the images as my best work, just what I could get from the camera...
The best is yet to come....
Don

 

[Brian Mosley]

Great stuff, as always Don... thanks for sharing!

Cheers

Brian

 

[PeterB666]

Some great shots there.

The 20mm is a good walkabout lens and probably as close to ideal as you can get for a compromise for a fixed focal length for that purpose. I use to use it all the time until I got my 9-18mm zoom but if I were doing city streets and low light hand-held, the 20mm goes back on.

 

[Ray Sachs]

Some great images, as always, even if they're just kind of "toss offs" for you. I'm curious about how you're using the G-2 relative to the Pens? Are you primarily shooting with the LCD or the viewfinder and, if with the LCD, in its normal position or are you using the articulating feature to hold the camera differently. As I've gotten more and more into shooting on the street, I find shooting at chest level allows me to get a lot closer to subjects and get the picture before anyone is aware I'm shooting than if I'm trying to hold the camera anywhere close to face level. I obviously can't see what I'm shooting and have to rely on instinct about the frame of the 17 that I'm usually shooting with in good light or the 20 in lower light. I'm getting reasonably good at this and am getting more and more good shots using this technique, but its inevitable that I mis-frame more than I'd like and end up with a picture of the top of a building or a blank section of sidewalk that the subjects either just left or haven't quite entered. I'm thinking that an articulated LCD held out horizontally that would allow me to briefly look down to make sure of the framing would be a REALLY useful feature. I like the look and feel of the EP2 a lot (more than the more SLR like Panys), but would really like that articulating screen.

So I was just wondering whether the G2 has changed your shooting/viewing style, or if there are just technical features about the camera that you really like? Its no leap to assume that anytime you head out on to the streets of Philly with either the 20 or the 17 lens, you're gonna come back with some great stuff, regardless of camera body! Just curious if you use it differently than bodies...

-Ray

 

[Streetshooter]

Ray,
Good solid questions.
I'll try to answer in the same way.
First off, the issue for me is using the viewfinder.
The brain is a funny recording device. When I am ready to frame, I raise the camera to my eye and immediately, my left eye closes. It won't listen to me at all. So I am adapting to the finder like I was using a SLR.
I like framing with 2 eyes but it ain't gonna happen this way. The AF is very fast and accurate with the target at it's smallest size.
The articulated screen is great and once again supports eyes wide open. It's not the fastest way to work but then again, nothing compares to it. So, the screen is great for being unobtrusive, if that's what you want.

I think once you develop and work a style, the camera and you create a synergy together.
It's that middle ground of compromise that exist the images. My style isn't effected by the camera, just my method of operation.
So far, it's a great camera and I am just starting to get used to it's potential.

One thing....I picked up a GF1 because the interface issues are easier to handle than with the Pen2.
I live the Pen2 but it sleeps gently,
for a spell.

 

[BBW]

Ray, those were really good questions and Don, I quite enjoyed reading your response.

Looking forward to more from you and your right eye, Don! I'm left eyed...I wonder...


I'm serious about the questions and your response. I think you nailed it for me where you wrote

My style isn't effected by the camera, just my method of operation.

. It really is all about finding one's niche with a particular camera and how it works for you so you can take those photos.

 

[Streetshooter]

BB,
Here's the juncture in photography that creates the seperation between acquiring gear and acquiring images.
Gear minded people chase the gear in hopes of the perfect combination of camera/lens to find the image.
Image minded people chase the image regardless of the gear. There us no right/wrong way and we often fall prey to each method.
The goal for each of us is a personal journey that we follow and hopefully find satisfaction in.
For me, it's image minded. I live the entire photographic life style and the journey is a great one at that.
I reach down to see what's in my right hand and it's always a camera I have come to respect and work with.
The 2 of us then look for the image and hopefully find it without bothering each other.
It works for me....

 

[Ray Sachs]

Thanks Don. I wouldn't expect your basic process of seeing an image to be any different with any camera (unless you lived with an eye-level viewfinder glued to your eye - I find that fundamentally different than anything that allows you to be less obtrusive about your intentions, at least when shooting people out in public), but I'm interested in how an articulated LCD might change the process of getting there. I remember shooting with twin lens reflex cameras back in the film days, and looking down into the top of them. I always thought that was a great angle to shoot from and you could see the shot, but if you tried to navigate with it you could ende up in a world of hurt because everything was moving backwards. Now I tend to shoot from a similar position a lot and I have no problem navigating, but too many of my photos fail miserably at framing the subject the way I'd intended. An articulated lcd would seem to hold some promise for that. Or maybe someday we'll have evf's built into our eyeglasses - I'm really intrigued by that idea, as space age as it sounds. I'm just a lot more comfortable shooting people in public if I can mostly hide my intentions and not become part of the situation myself.

I love the ep2 (and greatly liked the epl1 before it) - I wouldn't want to change anything about it except possibly to add an articulated screen. I doubt I'll move to Pany anytime soom - I have some Oly glass and others that really take good advantage of the IBIS and I'm just really comfortable with the camera. But someday they'll probably come out with an ep4 or 5 that has a similar interface and an articulated lcd and I'll probably have to give it a try. And if it has a better sensor too, I guess I can live with that as well...

-Ray

 

[Bill Gordon]

I like all of the images but I particularly like the third one...well exposed, well composed!!

 

[Bill Gordon]

BB, your talking to a Libra, I'll have you know....we invented romance....
It's more than romance. I have been struggling with the form of the SLR for over 45 years. We just don't get along. So now, with the G2....I'm going to surrender and let it overcome my anxiety. They say ya can't teach an old dog new tricks...bulldinky....to that.

I disagree with that comment....I am an old dog and I am learning new tricks on a regular basis with the E-P2 which I find to be a challenge. Far too many options.....I loved the E-1 and still think that it is the best camera Oly made!

 

[Streetshooter]

Which comment Bill? I think we're agreeing that we old dogs do learn new tricks....
what say you?