Over the last few years, choosing which digital camera to buy has left me in a bit of a state.
I’ve run around town with an Canon EOS 350D Digital, which was fantastic when it came to Fashion Week or if I was somewhere with difficult lighting conditions - but it was too bulky to carry around on a regular basis. I flirted with the Nikon Coolpix P7000 for a bit, and while that was definitely lighter in my handbag, I found the interface and controls just a wee bit too intimidating to encourage me to use it on a regular basis.
And then, oh then, I discovered the Olympus PEN E-PL2.
I saw it in Jacobs. We made lens-to-lens eye contact. A chill went down my spine.
I went to Starbucks for a while to contemplate if I was ready to make such a swift move, considering we had just met. But I was overwhelmed by its features, it’s sleek physique, and - most importantly - it’s artistic nature.
Let me explain.
What drew me in the first place to this camera was that it’s small (115.4 x 72.7 x 42mm to be exact), lightweight (317g) but also had interchangeable lenses. Even better, it gives you manual control over things - ISO, white balance, etc - but also has the option to use the camera’s automatic settings.
Even better?
The E-PL2 has a series of “Art Filters”, including “pin-hole”, “pop art”, “dramatic tones”, and “soft focus”, to name a few. This means that this camera has all of the nifty effects that mobile camera apps have - and have I mentioned how much I love those retro photography apps?! And to think that this camera can do all of that without photoshop or having to use your phone as an actual camera all of the time!
So, I did indeed purchase the E-PL2 an hour after spotting it, and I even threw in the 40-150mm Telezoom lens for good measure. (Jacobs sell both in a nifty package, which is nice.)
I’ve had the E-PL2 for almost two months now, and I must confess that things are going brilliantly. It’s portable, has a long battery life, the art features keep me seriously entertained, and the auto settings are always perfect, even when I’m in a dark restaurant taking photos of what I’m eating (which happens quite often).
The controls are easy to get used to, and the various menus are easy to navigate - which is fantastic as there’s nothing worse than owning a gadget you’re intimidated by. If you’re intimidated by a gadget, you’re not going to use it, so I’m thrilled that the E-PL2 has helped to make me more excited about photography than I’ve been in a very long time.
Lori's Diner in San Francisco, automatic settings
My Little Pony toys, "grainy film" filter
10th Doctor's TARDIS, The Doctor Who Experience, automatic settings
Statue at Hampton Court Palace gardens, "pinhole" filter
Hampton Court Palace, "dramatic tone" filter
As you can see, we’ve been quite busy together, my PEN E-PL2 and I, and I can only imagine the things we’ll get up to in the future. None of the photos above have been edited in any way, shape or form other than cropping. The colours and effects were all done by the camera.
If you’re a keen photographer but also love the effects you can get from mobile apps, I suggest you get an Olympus PEN E-PL2 of your own, I promise you will not regret it.
All photos © Cate Sevilla for BitchBuzz.com