Cameras in Japan (2014)

Olympus Cameras (Kyoto): E-PL5 (left) and OMD EM-1 (right) - Japan  2014

For our 2014 Japan trip I took two Olympus cameras, an E-PL5 and an OMD EM-1. (Last trip, in 2008, I used an Olympus E-510 DSLR.)

The E-PL5 doesn't have as many controls as the larger (and heavier) EM-1; I used it mainly in family situations and at restaurants with a 14-42mm (28-84 equiv.) Panasonic kit lens attached (as in these okonomiyaki photos.) Also attached: an auxiliary eye-level viewfinder that really didn't get used that often. At one point I was going to sell (or give away) the E-PL5, but now I'm glad I didn't.

I brought the EM-1 and an Olympus 14-150mm (28-300 equiv.) zoom lens along when I was mainly interested in photo possibilities, as for example on our Karuizawa hike. Rounding out the m43 equipment was a 20mm Panasonic prime (non-zoom) lens, which was something else that really didn't see any action.

Final piece of photo equipment: an Apple iPhone 5s which I used for the above picture and the occasional video.

By the way, Olympus had a high advertising profile at Tokyo's Shinjuku Station (below).

[UPDATE: (As of March, 2015) I finally ended up selling the E-M1 back to B&H and keeping the E-PL5! The E-M1 was larger and heavier and certainly didn't take better pictures, its main advantage was the ability to more directly control exposure. But it was way "overteched" in my view. Right now I'm using the "beginner" OMD camera, the E-M10 which I've been liking so far: it seems to suit my minimalist style much better. And yes, I still have the E-PL5.]

Olympus Ads (Tokyo) - Japan  2014