However all of the modes you usually rely on (save ISO, which we already talked about), are very easy to get to. While the XZ-2 lets you tweak everything you could ask for, it takes too long to get to some of the tiny, detailed settings. Olympus reps showed us how to find a variety of incredibly useful settings and feature in here, but it’s impossible to replicate those steps all that easily, which is unfortunate. It’s still by no means the easiest menu to wander through, which is glaringly clear in the settings menu. Olympus has also started loading its in-camera UI with icons, which will surely help relative newcomers to manual photography get more comfortable. We found that the abundance of hardware control Olympus puts at your fingertips with the XZ-2 really keeps users from getting lost: You can essentially hit either of the two main dials – on the back of the chassis as well as the lens-surrounding dial – to control your settings. Still, Olympus has made improvements to its in-camera menu navigation. There isn’t, however, direct access to manipulating the ISO setting – a pretty big miss, in our opinion. White balance and lighting settings can be found here, so even if your experience operating in-camera menus is fairly elementary, you can get to some of what’s important. There’s something about it that seems just unfamiliar enough to be slightly disorienting, even if just initially.įor the most part, you’ll be able to change important settings simply by hitting the OK button, and then navigating to the right or up. While Olympus has been busy upgrading its camera technology and hardware in recent years, we’ve never been big fans of its in-camera interface and navigation system. The Olympus Stylus XZ-2 comes with a camera strap, charger, USB cable, and li-ion battery. The matte black body is still very stylish, however, and the new model more closely resembles Olympus’ PEN series, an attractive lineup in its own right. Personally, we think this just means there’s more to love, but those who liked the sleek, rather minimalist look of the XZ-1 might balk a little at all the added bells and whistles and the larger, heavier body they contribute to. Overall, the Stylus XZ-2 is a much bigger, bulkier, machine – there’s simply more to it than the original version. The front lens dial, on the other hand, is wonderfully smooth. The settings mode dial on top of the camera is a little sticky, but it’s nothing to majorly complain about. While it’s definitely on the heavy side, you can still hold the XZ-2 with one hand. The power control sits next to the hot shoe port, and it rather sunken into the body – it’s a little offputting, but luckily it does mean that when it’s in your bag it’s not going to accidentally get turned on. The top of the camera features the secondary settings dial, as well as the shutter and its surrounding zoom toggle. The back of the camera features your classic mode dial, as well as the playback, function, menu, and info button – nothing unusual here, and none of it is overly crowded by the 3-inch, vari-angle touchscreen display. Like its high-end competitors, the XZ-2 has buttons, dials and controls to spare. The screw-on grip adds a bit of professionalism, along with the added function mechanism on the camera’s face. Unlike the original, however, the XZ-2 has a little more to it, aesthetically. It’s boxy and a little bit bulky, but not unwieldy by any means. The basic size and build of the Stylus XZ-2 are fairly similar to the first generation XZ-1. But there’s plenty of competition in this space, so can the $600 XZ-2 compete with the likes of the Canon G1X and FujiFilm X100 and X10, plus comparably priced DSLRs? Look and feel The XZ-2 fits into the recent rash of highly-capable, DSLR-like point-and-shoots that are tricked out with buttons, controls, and functions from here to kingdom come. The XZ-2 now falls under Olympus Stylus branding, though it shares its roots with the XZ-1. Now the high-end point-and-shoot is back, although with some new branding. However the camera was overshadowed by the PEN series, which have easily become a tent pole for the camera manufacturer. Olympus first introduced us to its XZ-series with the XZ-1, a sleek, powerful point-and-shoot.
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