I don't know anything about the Stylus Epic, but I agree about the XA,
one of the great cameras. The lens doesn't test all that well, but I've
taken many beautiful pictures with it. Rangefinder to choose my own
focal point, direct backlight compensation plus the ability to adjust
exposure thruogh the asa setting are all very useful. And a 'B' setting!
I got a terrific pic of lightning in Puerta Vallerta using it.
On the other hand, the XA is big by current standards and single focal
length, no longer the "smallest, lightest 'real' camera" that it was. I
don't think any 35mm camera meets that criterion anymore. My solution
for the last couple of years has been APS. You wouldn't believe what
lovely images APS film can make. It's obscured by crummy
processing/printing.
If you go digital, my vote for the best current XA equivalent is the
Canon S110. As Tom S. said in the "well, I went to the store..." thread:
"My goal was quite narrow-minded. A camera I would always carry." That's the S110 for me.
Moose
Winsor Crosby wrote:
Yo,
on Sat, 15 Dec 2001 12:33:49 -0800, Winsor Crosby wrote:
All true, but the Stylus includes an electronic flash and a motorized
winder. If you add those to the other cameras the difference is
dramatic.
I think so does the Minolta.
Anyway, I've never been really happy with the Stylus product family. I
had a Stylus and a Stylus Zoom for a while, and I presently have an
Epic. True, it is ideal for carrying in a shirt pocket, and it does
take decent shots in many situations, so it has its uses in my
photography, but my XAs beat all of the above-mentioned Styluses hands
down when it comes to picture quality and control. The shots just look
way better, very very close to an SLR with a decent lens. I've had
some of them blown up to 60x40 without any problems; I wouldn't dream
of doing this with any Stylus shots. I also find it quite annoying
that the Epic, when used for available darkness, often exposes the
pictures (or at least tries to) until they have an overall brightness
like regular daylight shots, without any way for the photographer to
control this (unless you use spot metering and find a spot with the
right brightness in your composition). The XA handles this way better,
even allowing bracketting via the ASA selector. Another gripe I have
is that the Epic always switches the flash back on when I re-open it
after having put it in my pocket between two shots. Why can't it just
assume I had a reason to set it the way I did before closing it and
remember and reproduce this setting when re-opened?
So yes, if you need flash the Epic is considerably smaller, but to me
the XA is a vastly superior camera, giving me almost OM-functionality
and SLR-Zuiko-quality (no wonder - its lens _is_ a Zuiko, as opposed
to the Epic's).
MtFbwy,
Volkhart
That is interesting and the first negative remarks I have read for the
Epic Stylus. I have no experience with it or other P&S cameras. I have
thought that it would be nice to have a small, pocketable camera which
would be usable in most situations when I am not carrying my camera
bag which would have to include an easy to use flash. I thought about
the XA because of the rangefinder and other possibilities for manual
over ride, but it gets pretty bulky with the flash enough has been
said about the dark corners to make me shy away. On the other hand
there has been universal praise for the sharpness and clarity of the
Epic 2.8 lens. Is there another decent alternative for a small,
controllable high quality camera with an easy flash?
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