Thursday, December 15, 2011

If you’re buying a new camera…

I can’t stress enough how important it is to actually feel and try one out in a store before swiping that card. Ask to see it, hold it, try it, pop in your own card if you have to (ask first!).

I was all ready to buy an Olympus E-PL3 online when I decided to check it out first at an electronics store. I disliked it the moment I picked it up. It has terrible ergonomics for extended hand-held shooting in my opinion. Small, slippery body without a grip. I held it up and took a few shots in the store and it was uncomfortable to hold, wrist felt tired within minutes. It had the standard 14-42mm kit lens on, can’t imagine how it must feel like with a larger, heavier lens attached.

There was also an E-PL1 on display, I asked to give that one a try too. This 2010 model is still in production and is sold alongside Olympus’ other more current and newer PENs. I liked how it felt in my hand, while one-handed shooting on the E-PL3 felt uncomfortable, the E-PL1 felt confidently secure in my right hand as I held it up to snap photos of the store’s Christmas decorations and passing shoppers. Its auto-focus speed is noticeably slower compared to the E-PL3 but not too bad and definitely something I can live with.

Comparable picture quality from both.

So the lesson here is, if you see a camera you really like online, don’t click that “buy now” button until you get a chance to actually hold it in your hand and try it out for yourself! I am now most certain the E-PL3 is not for me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

which store in Sarawak did u try out the E-PL3. I would love to try it out too.

sarawaklens said...

@anonymous, just go to any photo store that sells epl n ask them to let u try it. If they don't let u, go to the big electronics chains like senheng or senq etc.

sarawaklens said...

The epl3 also has tiny buttons made for ants.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...