On 1/29/2016 4:20 PM, Ken Norton wrote:
Moose in Hand wrote:
You guys do know that this is all about form factor, style and ergonomics,
right? The camera is the innards of an E-M5 II with only two changes I can
see.
You are absolutely correct in that I have to hold one first before
getting too excited about it. And my pragmatic side is telling me that
I can let this one slide on by too.
LOL! You let them ALL slide by, dood!
Yet, it enters the short list of cameras that I might keep an eye on. Why?
Why? 'Cause you're a goof ball, and trust me on this; it takes one to know one.
;-)
I actually quite like the feel of the E-Pen cameras. They are
"left-hand" cameras for me. I hold them by the left hand and guide and
control with the right. A standard gripped camera is meant to be held
by the right hand with the left hand for auxiliary stability and lens
control. A left-hand camera is typically held cradled in the upturned
palm of the left hand with the fingers extended out to adjust the lens
from below.
Is that really a left-handed camera, or just a camera being held by a left-handed camera holder??? :-) Serious
question, as I have never held a camera the way you describe. Yes, I've held a camera/lens combination's weight
primarily with my left hand, but that has been with the hand under the lens. And that was in film days with big lenses
and Winder and in 5D days.
A grip camera is held in such a way that the left hand has
the thumb under the lens and the fingers going over the top.
You say "held", but really, I don't carry any weight that way, just zoom, focus, etc. I suppose I must rest some weight
on the left hand sometimes, esp. with the 75-300, but it's not the primary support. Not sure how I aim, some unconscious
combination of the two hands, I guess. The µ4/3 cameras and lenses are generally light, and easy to hold in one hand.
The weight of the camera is held by the right hand and the left thumb.
Because of this, the camera height is not an issue. The E-M5 bodies
are a neither fish or fowl camera. I don't find them comfortable to be
held in the left hand or carried by the right hand. The body height
(without battery dohickies) is too short to leverage into the right
palm enough for right-hand hold.
Aaaah, the crux of the matter! ;-) Different hands means different ways of holding. I generally Nike it, without
paying attention to details. Checking now, I find that I hold all these bodies with the right rear resting on the meaty
bit just at the base of my thumb. They are way too short to go down in the palm. I find it comfortable and offering good
control.
Yup, just grabbed the 5D. It rests against the meaty bottom part of my palm. Then again, it is fitted with a grip strap,
too, 'cause it's a load, with 28-300.
The shape and control placement
(specifically, the shutter release is just slightly off in position),
makes left hand use slightly odd. Granted, it's not bad, but I don't
find them to fall to hand quite as easily as the PEN cameras.
I guess the designers must have hands like mine and/or hold them like I do. When I grab them, my index finger is right
over the shutter release.
Where the new PEN-F nails it is in the built-in viewfinder and keeping
the body shape and control correct for left-hand use.
I'm guessing the Panny GX7, or the meatier GX8, might work for you.
...
Weather sealing is somewhat important to me, but that's not the entire
story.
Yeah, I'm glad Frank caught my omission on that. Truth is that if it's wet enough to need it, I'm not likely out in it.
:-) I like that my OM-Ds are weather sealed, but don't tend to think about it.
...
I have said that I'd never buy a E-Pen camera because of the lack of
built-in viewfinder. The PEN-F version finally addresses that concern
and I find that the only reason why I wouldn't get one is that I'm
more interested in full-frame than I am in another crop-format camera
system. I'm liking the 4/3 cameras I have now (L1, E1, E3), and see
little reason to chase m43 with another set of lenses lacking backward
compatibility.
Choices, choices. What about an E-M1? That leverages your menagerie of 4/3
lenses. And I thought you liked the grip.
Which, Moose
--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
--
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