almost bought an Oly Epic today

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I am in Los Angeles right now, and my D70 (which has been sold - 🙂 ), is out of juice, and I need something to take a few snapshots of life for the next few days. I went to Samy's Camera on Fairfax in LA and they had an Olympus Epic for 79 bucks. Now, at 2.8 and with olympus glass, it can't be that bad, but I have never used a camera that would not allow me to set aperture. heck, I have not used a point and shoot like that since I was in grade school. Should I buy it? I mean, would YOU buy it as a sort of pocket camera or would you just buy a throwaway and grin and bare it? I have to admit, I really like the pocketability of the Epic, but I am afraid it will attract me away from my R3A for street photography because of its spectacular mini-ness and fast lens.

Any comments?
 
themirana said:
but I have never used a camera that would not allow me to set aperture. heck, I have not used a point and shoot like that since I was in grade school. Should I buy it? I mean, would YOU buy it as a sort of pocket camera or would you just buy a throwaway and grin and bare it?

Any comments?
Click to expand...

Of course. 🙂

Back in 1997 I bought (kind of on a whim after missing a great photo-op) an Olympus Stylus zoom. I carry it in my purse almost everywhere. Overall I'm very impressed with it. It's much better to have a semi-decent camera with you when the op occurs, than to hold out for the ideal camera and miss the op. My main camera for any semi-serious work is still a K1000. (And yes, I'm growing to like the GIII rangefinder more and more each day.) However, some of the shots I've done with the Olympus are not bad at all.

As for bad points, no, you can't manually set the exposure or focus. 🙁 That's my main gripe, but I can live with it in order to have a light, small, convenient, and yes, very reliable camera with me always. It does vignette just a bit at small apertures. The built-in pop-up flash is very harsh.
I've kinda learned to remember to shut the flash off when I don't want it, and to think about how the autoexposure and autofocus will behave. I find myself aiming at what I want to "meter and focus on" holding the release part way down, then composing and shooting.

My suggestion is to go4it and give it a try. You might be surprised at what you can do with a very plebean camera. 🙂
 
I have an Olympis Epic, and I love it. It is small enough to carry everywhere and the quality is quiet good for such a small camera. Plus it is weatherproof and I never worry about anything when I carry it around. Oh, it also has spot metering. I just love this little camera. The only downside I find is the autofocus. The autofocus area is actually quiet wide and sometimes I don't really know where it is actually focusing on. But it never gave me any problem since it always focus at where I want it to. Try it try it try it. It is good. And I think you will end up keeping for a long time.


Flowen
 
thanks for the comments

thanks for the comments

Very well. I will buy it tomorrow. I felt that I should have as I left the store and they locked the doors for closing time. Oh well. Tomorrow they will open and I will go in there and get it.
 
I think you'll like it. I don't own one, but it is considered a classic, despite some of the limitations noted. I have 2 Oly XAs, and they have their limitations, but they are great. I also used to own an Olympus Infinity (the first Oly autofocus/weatherproof P&S) which was a remarkable camera. It was the best of its kind at its time... some of them are still going strong 20 years later!

Trius
 
$79 is kinda pricey for that camera.. I bought one new off ebay for about $30 last fall.. great camera, tho!
 
i have had several Olympus Epics (i currently have a Stylus 170 QD)... they are small and weatherproof and robust... and they are capable of taking excellent pix...

IMHO it is better to have a camera and get the pic than not have a camera and miss it. when i find myself without a camera on me somewhere (rare) i will buy a point-n-shoot disposable before i will do without... you will not regret the Oly Epic

just my $0.02
 
I currently have two oly epics. It is a great camera to carry when it is too cumbersome for me to carry an SLR. I have taken some great photos with these cameras and for the price it is an outstanding value.

As already stated, you must think about where the camera is focusing and watch out for the flash indoors -- it can be harsh. Also, when outdoors you may want to turn the flash of to keep it from firing when you just want to take advantage of available light. This camera really shines when taking photos outdoors! Enjoy.
 
The epic will not be the camera you will choose to use, but the camera you will use when you do not wish to take a camera with you.

It is small, tiny finder that many times you will fail to find when you try to take a picture fast. It has no controls, other than spot and flash. It auto-chooses wide f-numbers and fast speeds that lead to more-than-it-should light fall off. The flash is nothing to be proud off.

BUT: It is small and light, you will never mind carrying with you. It is weatherproof. Mine was completely covered in sunscreen lotion inside our backpack. Several tissues later it worked fine. Unlike many small zooms, it can take a drop. At the airport, the people checking my bag dropped it from 4 feet on hard/stone floor and it did not leave a mark (and lens is still aligned fine). And the lens is good. Not great, but good. Oh, and if lost, broken or stolen you can replace it with out saving for a year!

Finally, I find the simplicity of the epic to be a BIG plus for the purpose I use it. If I wish to take the time and adjust exposure and focus then I prefer to have a regular size camera with me with my choice of a prime lens and even my tripod.
 
can't say this better miyself.. after having dropped expensive cameras off cliffs or into the ocean i definitely want a camera i can take with me when i am doing things i should think about a bit more...

they take a beating but are not invincible... and they can be replaced cheap....

as everybody points out, the flash sux.... i wish the damn thing could just be turned off (and STAY off)...
 
tekgypsy said:
they take a beating but are not invincible... and they can be replaced cheap....
Click to expand...


Story time ... 🙂 This is with a stylus zoom. I accidentally left it at the house of a FOAF when I visiting out west a couple years ago. I didn't know where it was, but when I got home there was a message on voice mail saying "we found your camera and it's on the way to you", so I felt relieved.

Now get this, most people would put it in a small box, stuff it with newspaper or plastic peanuts, and ship it. He just put it in one of those plastic padded express mail bags. When I opened it I really didn't think that was it and I was shocked when I pulled out the camera!

Not a scratch, worked perfectly, same embarrassing latent images still in there. 🙂
 
my last Epic was a 120.... i had had it for years through snow storms, sand storms, and hurricanes (not to mention the occasional earthquake) ...

this thing had always managed to pull through everything.... always managed to get good pix from it...

then i was out getting pics of a beautiful snow fall... hit a patch of ice and fell on my butt while arms flailed wildly... the Epic could not survive beling slung into concrete at the end of it's wrist-strap...

but i tell ya it survived everything else....
 
I think my Epic Infinity is one of my best friend. I go everywhere with it. I also bought an Ewa Marine waterproof bag thingy for it and it is really a lot of fun using it. Plus I am never paranoid when I use the camera since it is so cheap, not like when I use my MP... 😛


Flowen
 
I have to agree with everybodys comments. All points about the Epic seem to have been covered. I took mine on holiday and used it when I wasn't using my Hexar Silver. It acquitted itself well both indoors and out. Since beginning photography nearly 30 years ago I've always carried a compact daily (still not got a news scoop ) and the Epic is bound to please. Just buy it!

BTW just picked up a Pentax Espio Mini (UC-1) and this has a super-sharp lens.

Paul
 
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I bought one as a gift for mom when they were introduced($214 IIRC!) and she almost got something else instead as I liked the camera alot. Hers finally quit working last year(it will not rewind any more) So, I found the current version at a local drug store and bought one to replace it. I thought the woman ringing up my stuff had made a mistake--$32 and change--when I pointed that out she told me the store was not selling any film cameras but disposables any more and all the remaing stock was half off. Stupid me, I didn't buy the other one and when I went back 2 days after it was long gone :bang: :bang: .
Mom will let me use it whenever I need to but then I have to return it.
I would get it if you haven't already.
Rob
 
I went to Olympus website and the Epic (non zoom) is in their archived products section.
Maybe it is discontinued, wonder if they have something better coming?
 
I have several now and had other Epics in the past that ended up getting broken in places where no logical person would carry a camera. But I also have great photos from those places where no one else would carry a camera. Like shooting while riding a bicycle down the Brooklyn Queens Expressway with 30,000 other bicylists. (that photo was published)

Last year, a friend who is a well published documentary photographer borrowed a Stylus Epic from me for a ten day trip to Cuba. She said her traditional 35mm and MF gear was "getting in the way of her photography" The series she shot in Cuba with that Stylus Epic is stunning. When visitors to our house see photographs hanging and start taking about cameras, I show them the 11x14 Cuban street scene and tell them how it was made with a simple cheap p&s. Then I have to confess it isn't one of mine.
 
I just got a roll of film developed from mine.. I was shooting Kodak 400UC film in it.. not bad for street photography, but I was doing some stream shots while fly fishing that didn't turn out too well.. they were very sharp but a bit overexposed and a noticeable green cast.. I also had some night street shots on the roll that turned out pretty nice, tho

it's a great 'grab and go' camera.. if you find a deal on one, don't pass it up
 
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