T4 compared to a Stylus Epic

[waynecrider]

I need a P&S film camera to carry around while working. My budget is under $200 new or used. I would prefer something that has remote capabilities so I can occasionaly stick it on the end of a monopod and get the high view. So far the T4 or Epic seems the only choices in my range. Does anyone have comments on other cameras they've handled? I'll be shooting (mostly b&w) and (hopefully) enlarging in sizes up to 11x14, so a good lens is of prime importance. Your comments as to the viability of getting these enlargement sizes from a these noted, or a suggested camera, as compared to the scanning route would be welcome.

 

[maxby]

I have owned both these cameras. I find images of the T4 sharper and more contrasty then the epic. The T4 is however, more fragile. Both have a shutter time lag...that needs getting used to.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

My wife has a T4 Super (they don't make this one anymore--the one with the Zeiss 35/3.5 Tessar), and you can use it high up with the angle finder, if that's what you had in mind, but the finder is quite small, so it's not so easy to see what's going on in the finder if you're up much higher than arm's length.

I like shooting overhead with a medium format camera and a waist level finder, as in this shot (Bronica S2A, Nikkor 50/3.5, f:3.5, 1/15 sec., TX, EI 800, Acufine)--

 

[clogz]

Aperture priority and rangefinder? Olympus XA
No rangefinder and full manual override? Rollei 35

 

[John Koehrer]

T4 w/Zeiss 35mm lens & w/l finder(discontinued) is a great street camera w/slightly better lens & twice the price of the stylus. The current iteration w/the zoom lens & only eyelevel vf doesn't have the same great rep but is certainly no slouch.
For current value, I think the stylus is the bigger bang for the buck. Buy two for the same money as one T4.

 

[BradS]

I've owned both the T4 and the Stylus Epic. Both are very capable. However, the T4 crapped out in-explicably a few years back. The Little Olympus survives. I vote for the less expensive, (apparently) more reliable, and still available Olympus Stylus Epic.

 

[luvcameras]

try

http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/point.htm

 

[Tom Duffy]

Looks as if we have a new Steve Simmons in the group. "Please refer to my website for all your answers. Buy something while you're there..."