impulse control issue? e-p2 and e-p3 arriving tomorrow...

[krugorg]

I have both an E-P2 and E-P3 arriving tomorrow, though, I really only need one camera. Long story short, we have some summer trips coming up in the very near term and I was feeling some pressure to get my first MFT (had been researching for a while). The E-P3 preorder was looking suspect, so I jumped on an E-P2 body for $349 from Cameta. Shortly thereafter, I read Tom's post re: E-P3 stock at Olympus' store, so, of course, I placed an order. Doh.

Should I keep the E-P2, using the extra money for lenses, and wait for a new Pro Pen/E-P4 with improved IQ? Or, would the E-P3 be an easier way to break into MFT, keeping me happy longer?

I am moving up from point and shoot and mostly will be using the camera for travel (street scenes, landscapes) and backpacking. I debated keeping the E-P2 body for a backup and outdoor activities, but seems like a waste of good hardware (mostly sitting on the shelf).

I am leaning towards keeping the E-P3, assuming that the IQ, at least in RAW, will be equal and that I will appreciate the performance improvements. But I will probably feel less guilty (spouse) about going with the E-P2 and maybe this is a better place to start?

 

[dixeyk]

Depends what's important to you. I am sure the E-P3 is superior to the E-P2 but by how much? The E-P2 is no slouch. From what I have seen in samples the IQ of the E-P3 is good (very good) but it doesn't blow me away. FWIW the IQ of the E-P2 is also very good. If it were me I'd sell the E-P3 and spend some of the money on a Panasonic 14-45 or Olympus 14-42 II (great travel lenses) if the E-P2 didn't come with a kit lens. If it did the a Panasonic 20 (a truly GREAT lens).

or even better...$900...that's a round trip ticket to Spain

 

[krugorg]

Depends what's important to you. If it were me I'd sell the E-P3 and spend some of the money on a Panasonic 14/2.5 or even the Olympus 12 for landscapes. WA is your friend when you travel.

or even better...$900...that's a round trip ticket to Spain

It is funny when you start thinking of what else you could use the money for... Spain sounds pretty good! :smile:

I could pretty easily return the E-P3 when it arrives, unopened, for credit... I would just be out my shipping charges.

 

[Sammyboy]

Keep the E-P3, it's a fantastic camera. There may not be an E-P4 in the future, it could be further development of the E-PL & E-PM series along with the PEN PRO series some where down the road.

 

[dixeyk]

It is funny when you start thinking of what else you could use the money for... Spain sounds pretty good! :smile:

I could pretty easily return the E-P3 when it arrives, unopened, for credit... I would just be out my shipping charges.

It's lovely in Summer.

 

[flash]

If it's you only camera then I'd keep the EP3 because it has the inbuilt flash.

Gordon

 

[Ned]

Keep the E-P3. I even like the E-PL2 better than the E-P2 for performance, and the E-P3 is supposed to be significantly better still.

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Err ... assuming you already have at least one of the last-generation m4/3rds, sell the e-P2 as soon as possible before the price descendes even more.
If you only have these two cameras, keep them both.

 

[rcferraris]

if AF speed is important for you. sell the E-P2. buy lenses with it and enjoy the E-P3.

 

[Brian Mosley]

Yes, in your situation I think I'd sell the E-P2.

Cheers

Brian

 

[pictor]

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with having two bodies. Since the E-P2 was so cheap, I would keep it.

 

[DekHog]

Send the E-P3 back, buy the M.Zuiko 14-150mm from what you've just saved, and go enjoy yourself without lens swapping all day long and you can buy the next gen of PEN when it arrives, which shouldn't be too long the way Olympus fire new PEN bodies out.

$350 for an E-P2, which isn't suddenly a bad camera because the E-P3 has arrived, is an amazing price, so you can't really lose much on it at all should you move on at some point in the future.

 

[krugorg]

Thanks for the replies all - good advice.

I forgot to mention that the E-P3 is supposed to be here by 10:30 AM (fedex), while the E-P2 is coming via UPS which usually gets here late afternoon.

willpower fading....

 

[Pan Korop]

Even if you're not into shooting systematically with two cameras each with its lens, carry a backup camera.
Just like a Leica, a stripped-down Pen (no lens, no VF) is a minute flat block that will fit any empty slot in a bag, or a vest pocket. You stay on the safe side, and it's ready to take any of the couple lenses kept ready in the other pockets.
When the Leica M6 appeared, I got one at once but kept my old two-stroke M3. It never burdened me, and saved more than a day. An E-P2 is smaller and lighter...

 

[Pelao]

Keep the E-P3. I even like the E-PL2 better than the E-P2 for performance, and the E-P3 is supposed to be significantly better still.

I would agree. The EP2 is fine, but the 3 takes care of the weaknesses (real or perceived) in the 2, and I think will be more pleasing overall.

 

[Pelao]

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with having two bodies. Since the E-P2 was so cheap, I would keep it.

I hadn't considered that. That's a really good price for the 2. There are times when having two bodies can be very useful.

 

[krugorg]

I hadn't considered that. That's a really good price for the 2. There are times when having two bodies can be very useful.

I didn't mention that we will most likely also have an E-PL3 in the house. My wife was looking at DSLRs, mostly for kid pics and travel. Oly Micro 4/3 looked like a good solution because it was modular.... take what you need for a specific purpose, but in its base configuration, would fit inside a small bag. And if we were both in the Pen family, we could share accessories and lenses.

The only other reason I can think of to keep the E-P2 as a backup body, would be to use as my outdoor activity camera. I do a lot of hiking/backpacking and canoe trips... the camera goes in a dry bag and is only used when the weather is clear, but maybe it would be nice to have a less expensive body for these trips.

 

[penfan2010]

I would also lean towards keeping the E-P2, unless you think you'll need the E-P3s faster AF for action/children/sports photos.

 

[hendrik78m]

It depends; if you are willing to learn how to use adapted lenses, i suggest E-P2. You can get sweet lenses (nice voigtlander lense like 35mm f/1.4 or 28mm f/2 and Olympus 17mm f/2.8) for what you pay for E-P3 (maybe spare money spent on VF2)

 

[starlabs]

My wife was looking at DSLRs, mostly for kid pics and travel.

Sell the E-P2, keep the E-P3 and get the E-PL3.

Hope you have strong willpower, cause when your wife gets used to shooting pics with the touch shutter on the E-P3 screen, it might be hard to go back to using the old school focus-and-press-button method of the E-PL3 (it is not touchscreen).