Canon sx50 vs Olympus e-pm2: I've owned the Canon sx50. As an amateur I've found it to be quite serviceable. I've just been given the Olympus pm2 along with a couple of lenses. Which...

drbilly

I've owned the Canon sx50. As an amateur I've found it to be quite serviceable. I've just been given the Olympus pm2 along with a couple of lenses. Which would you recommend as a travel camera?

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

The answer is it depends. If you know how to use the Olympus pm2 as well as the SX50 and the couple of lenses cover the same range, it depends upon convenience. For travel, I would think the SX50 is more convenient than changing lenses in the field.

drbilly wrote:

I've owned the Canon sx50. As an amateur I've found it to be quite serviceable. I've just been given the Olympus pm2 along with a couple of lenses. Which would you recommend as a travel camera?

Paul J. Svetlik Loc: Colorado

Changing lenses "on the go" is a pain in the - well, you chose the location!
(lens or camera dropping possibility when you decide to change the lens, lens cover and lens shade handling, dust, wind and moisture, thieves when you get busy and distracted trying not to miss the shot, larger and heavier photo bag - just a few reasons to agree with Pixelstan77.

On top of these obvious complications (although some photographers would accept and learn to handle) there is a unique convenience of the Canon SX50: A 30 second shutter delay - if you want to include yourself in front of some landmark (that is if you carry a tripod) and can't run the distance in 10 seconds!

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Unless there is something compelling about the PM2, I don't know the camera, I would think that not having to keep up with the second lens would be a vote in favor of the SX50.
Plus, you already know the SX50.

drbilly

Thanks for the fb. The pm2 is much smaller and the quality is better, but I'll probably go with the sx50 because of the convenience

drbilly

Thanks for the fb. The pm2 is much smaller and the quality is better, but I'll probably go with the sx50 because of the convenience

tramsey Loc: Texas

The 50 without a doubt, much more convenient, has a flip out view finder, in camera HDR, and better image stabilization.

74images Loc: Los Angeles, California

drbilly wrote:

Thanks for the fb. The pm2 is much smaller and the quality is better, but I'll probably go with the sx50 because of the convenience

Good Choice...

74images

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Which lenses for the epm2?

The epm2 is a pocketable solution, especially with a pancake lens like the 20mm. I shot for almost a year straight with that combo back in 2012.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Paul J. Svetlik wrote:

Changing lenses "on the go" is a pain in the - well, you chose the location!

Definitely, especially traveling on vacation, in the street, with crowds, etc. A zoom with a decent range works for me.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

drbilly wrote:

I've owned the Canon sx50. As an amateur I've found it to be quite serviceable. I've just been given the Olympus pm2 along with a couple of lenses. Which would you recommend as a travel camera?

And the answer is yes! Each camera has it's pros and cons. The SX50 doesn't require a lense change, but the the PM2 could be mounted with a 14-42 EZ lense to cover most situations (~85-90%?) and changed out for a macro or telephoto for other times. It may come down to which camera fits your shooting style best. Both are great cameras and travel well.

Kuzano

drbilly wrote:

I've owned the Canon sx50. As an amateur I've found it to be quite serviceable. I've just been given the Olympus pm2 along with a couple of lenses. Which would you recommend as a travel camera?

I would think in a fast moving situation, the convoluted menu on the E-PM2 would be slower in usage, plus lens changing.

Now, it is a smaller camera and with the 14-42 collapsible EZ pancake lens, it's very near shirt pocket, so the size is a factor, the Canon being bigger.

The E-PM2 is the 16.1 micro 4/3 sensor with the latest image processor. Don't know how the Canon compares.

Sending you a PM.

Kuzano

Cdouthitt wrote:

Which lenses for the epm2?

The epm2 is a pocketable solution, especially with a pancake lens like the 20mm. I shot for almost a year straight with that combo back in 2012.

I am fascinated by your comment. Sounds limiting, but quite the learning experience as one lens/one camera combo's often prove to be.

Would be very interested in what 20mm pancake lens to affix to my E-PM2 for such a challenge.

Also, love you gallery, so are there any particular places on your site where one might see these E-PM2/20mm pancake images.

Thanks for the post, the challenge and the images(?). I really like one camera/one lens challenges

Kuzano

tramsey wrote:

The 50 without a doubt, much more convenient, has a flip out view finder, in camera HDR, and better image stabilization.

While the comment on the image stabilization may??? be true, remember that the E-PM2 is saddled with the 4 axis IS in body, the higher level OM-D Olympus camera's have the 5-Axis IS which they created before others. Some mfrs are just discovering or implementing 5 axis.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Kuzano wrote:

I am fascinated by your comment. Sounds limiting, but quite the learning experience as one lens/one camera combo's often prove to be.

Would be very interested in what 20mm pancake lens to affix to my E-PM2 for such a challenge.

Also, love you gallery, so are there any particular places on your site where one might see these E-PM2/20mm pancake images.

Thanks for the post, the challenge and the images(?). I really like one camera/one lens challenges

Thanks...
Back in November of 2013, I purchased the EPM-2 as a replacement to the XZ-1. I also owned an E-5 (and a crap ton of HG and SHG glass) to go along with it, but when we were in the process of moving 2013/14 I stored most of the bigger dslr gear and went with the EPM2 setup for ease of shooting. Shortly after buying it, I picked up a used 45mm f1.8...then about a month or so later the 20mm. So, If I had to guess, most of the shots around mid 2012 through November 2013 (when I sold the E5 and bought the EM1) were shot with that combo. I still used my dslr during that period, just not as much.

Now a days, it get's used maybe 20% of the time, as the lack of control dials really drives me nuts...I guess I got too used to the EM1 ;-)

August 2013 might be a decent month to look at.