Someone asked me once whether it was tough to sell old cameras. " Not a bit! " I replied...because I knew really old cameras sold themselves. Once a camera had gone on long enough gain historic status...or merely cult status...it was just a matter of exposing it to the public eye and the items would move off the sales counter. This was the basis of many of the successes on the amateur camera market day - if the goods were good, there were any number of buyers out there who would recognise the fact. They might be cheap-johns about it, but the interest was still there.
It IS tougher to present equipment that has been overtaken by more modern evocations from the same firm. The advertising departments of the various companies uniformly trumpet the newness and the improvement of successive models and even when cameras or lenses can do their job superbly, it is in the interest of the manufacturer to overshadow the old with the new.
Cynic that I am, take some amusement at the phrase "Game Changer". The game is always the same - they just change shape of the ball and the price of the tickets at the gate...
Okay - where does this leave the prospective camera customer? If the PCC would like to spend less money but take home a vast opportunity for picture taking, they could do far worse than look at the demo and previous-model camera kits on offer at any one time. An item in point is the
Olympus OM-D E-M5 lists available now from Camera Electronic at a markedly-reduced price.
The camera body has been overtaken by the Olympus OM-D E-M5 MkII. The lens in the kit has been changed for a more sophisticated powered version - but the basic function is there and it is extremely precise. Hence the use of the camera for the heading image. 1:18 scale Canadian phone booth, if you're wondering - it's a rather narrow niche in the market...
The E-M5 is perfect for close-up photography, even with just a basic kit lens like the
14-42 example that was used here. It would be a camera of choice above a lot of larger devices if one was into macro or wildflower shots. Tilt screen and touch control make a a lot of sense in the field with subjects that are close to the earth.
The options on any digital camera are legion - too many for many of us to deal with. Olympus have them all, but lasso them into usable groups and menus so that you can make decisions in the field that change your JPEGs. Of course you can always RAW file it and deal with life later, but in the case of a large number of files, you can sometimes paint yourself into a corner with this approach. The ideal for prolific workers is to get it right in the camera at the time of shooting, and have more time for real life later.
I am particularly minded with a former employee of this shop who moved to the Olympus system and this camera some time ago. His advertising shots of Swiss watches are the most delightful re-assurance of quality that you have ever seen. No larger format is needed.
So....give us a ring and come in for your
Olympus OM-D E-M5. I don't know if it is a classic, but it is definitely classy.
See all Ex-Demo equipment on the Camera Electronic website
here
