OM SYSTEM OLYMPUS Elec View Finder VF-2 for PEN cameras

I wanted to move up the photography food chain and do it cheaply. Having a couple of Nikon lenses left over from my film days and being intrigued by both the micro four thirds format and Olympus' foray into that area I looked around and found killer deals (on Amazon) for an Olympus EPL-1 and a lens adapter which would allow me to attach my old Nikon lenses. The body and the adapter came to less than $160! And, using my legacy lenses I could set the camera to aperture priority, select the aperture on the lens and the camera would do the rest ONCE I HAD FOCUSED IT. <== not very easy to do using the screen on the back of the camera. On second thought make that darned near impossible to do.It took about a week and I realized I needed an EVF. Did all the research and it was clear that the VF-2 was what all the pixel peepers preferred; expensive but lots of pixels in there. I agonized over the cost. After all the VF-2 was more than the camera, but could see no other solution. I rationalized it by telling myself that I could use it on additional cameras if I ever bought a newer model (as long as the newer model has the Olympus type electrical connection port below the hot shoe). So, I bought it and have been thrilled with its performance since both with my legacy lenses and my 12-50 refurbed kit lens.The VF-2 is really clear, bright and easy to switch between the EVF and the LCD just press the button below the eyepiece. Unlike many others so far I have not found it necessary to change either the VF-2s default color temperature or brightness. I have had to bump the LCD screen on the back of the camera up to its maximum brightness if I want to see what I am photographing outside on a sunny day. With the VF-2 attached I can get the camera close to my face and brace my arms on my body without looking like I doing some weird yoga exercise.Since I take some macro shots the VF-2's ability to rotate the eyepiece to a vertical orientation is quite useful.The only negative is that if you leave the VF-2 attached you cannot put the camera into any normal sized pocket!I wear glasses and the EVF works fine with them. There is a diopter adjustment (rotate the ring on the eyepiece) but I prefer to just keep using my glasses on my old eyes. [As a side note, when I was younger I did a lot of shooting without my glasses using a diopter correction lens on the Nikon. After one or two rolls my eye would become sore because it kept jumping back and forth between having to physically accomodate to no correction when the camera was away from my eye and then back to normal when the camera was at my eye.]I don't know what affect it may have on my battery life but I want to believe that my battery lasts longer when I have the LCD screen off and the VF-2 on. On my camera once I have turned the VF-2 on the camera will remember that setting and will use it in lieu of the LCD screen when I power up the camera.Lots of reviewers have complained of there being no way to lock the VF-2 onto the camera shoe. That has not been a problem for me; it has never loosened at all. If I carry the camera on a strap around my neck and let it hang the VF-2 keeps the LCD screen away from my body and the forces involved tend to seat it rather than unseat it.Bottom line, the VF-2 is one of those accessories which falls into the must have category if your camera has no built in EVF; its that good.

I'm writing this after discovering that the VF-2 that came with my Olympus EP-2 kit decided to fall off when I was out photographing an ice show last night. I blame this directly on the very serious design flaw which allows this viewfinder to fall off very easily. This design flaw is the absence of a mechanism to lock the VF-2 in place (the same way a Speedlite gets locked into place on a camera's hotshoe. The only thing that keeps the VF-2 in place is friction. It is VERY EASY for the VF-2 to fall off the body of the camera. I've seen this happen on multiple occasions. Sadly, it looks like this time I wasn't on my guard and didn't notice it happen.This brings me to my other major complaint with this item. It is very overpriced. I refuse to believe that it costs the manufacturer and sellers anything that remotely justifies the 269 dollar price tag here. I'm willing to bet that the production cost is tiny compared to the sale price.The unfortunate thing is that it seems like the VF-2 is the only game in town for this camera (no third market replacement like there are for camera batteries is out there). So I'm stuck with having to replace this item.The only thing that keeps me from giving the VF-2 a complete one star rating is that it does perform its main function well. But that virtue cannot overcome something that I think victimizes the purchaser.

As the title suggests I use this viewfinder on an E-PL1, so my review must be limited to that experience. I cannot comment on how the device fits on an EP2, etc.Although there is no lock down mechanism (as noted in earlier reviews) the fit on my E-PL1 is quite snug. I imagine it can be unintentionally dislodged, but I don't believe that would happen easily. (I can see where it could be pushed out of position while being carried in a backpack or bag, but not when the camera is slung over one's shoulder). If this is a concern the owner should, perhaps, consider a photography "rider" on one's home insurance or a separate policy to cover photo gear. Generally such policies are not too expensive, given the cost of photography gear to begin with.The brightness of the viewfinder was an unexpected pleasure - my "main" camera is a Nikon D300 which has a very nice viewfinder indeed, but the Olympus is brighter even than that (under good lighting conditions). I did turn the lights out, leaving only a computer screen on in the room, and noted that while my eyesight adjusted to the gloom the viewfinder showed the areas in shadow as very dark. I'm not certain this viewfinder would be of great use in, say, a club or other low light facility. The optics of the Nikon have it over the electronics of the Olympus under those conditions. Of course the E-PL1's strong suit is not low light photography to begin with, so this is not a down check for the viewfinder. [Edit: I forgot to mention that the brightness and color temperature of the viewfinder is user adjustable - see Menu D, EVF Adjust].There is a small button on the viewfinder that allows one to easily toggle between the viewfinder and the viewscreen. When powered off and then back on the camera "remembers" if the viewfinder had been selected if the viewfinder is still mounted.There is a diopter built in to adjust the focus of the viewfinder to work with one's eyesight. I wear glasses and have no difficulty in seeing the entire view within the viewfinder. (Edit: A nice feature is the rubber ring on the viewfinder that allows a soft contact for eyeglass wearers. No annoying "click" when the viewfinder contacts the eyeglass lens).The viewfinder does rotate up to 90 degrees, but I'm uncertain as to the value of that; it's probably that I don't take the type of photographs that would require such a vantage point (have the camera sitting on the ground while using the viewfinder to frame the picture of a grasshopper, perhaps???). Others mileage may vary in finding the value of this design feature.The unit adds virtually nothing to the weight of the camera, but does add an inch or so to the height and perhaps 3/8 of an inch to the depth. Personally I do not mind the looks of the viewfinder while it's mounted on the E-PL1, but others taste may differ. From the front view it doesn't appear to be too bulbous, but from the side it definitely dirties up the silhouette of the camera. The black color blends in nicely with the black of the E-PL1 body.There's a small fabric bag that comes with the viewfinder; it can be attached to the Olympus camera strap via Velcro tabs and holds the viewfinder when not in use, or the hotshoe cover and viewfinder cover when the viewfinder is mounted on the camera.The instruction book is minimal, with a couple of drawings on how the unit fits onto the camera. There is no warranty card to be mailed back, but a warranty is included in the accompanying paperwork along with a list of authorized dealers. Warranty is for one year from date of purchase.The viewfinder is pricey, but the only game in town if one does not want to hold one's camera at arms length to see the viewscreen while making photos. Adding the viewfinder to the price of the camera body and tossing in the cost of a couple of kit lenses runs the combined cost into the area of a DSLR with kit lens. This setup is not a low cost alternative to a DSLR.Highly recommended for those who dislike using a viewscreen and have no problem with the price.