Zuiko lenses on E1 digital body - anything changed?

I have not heard for certain whether Olympus will make the MA-1

adapter (for Zuiko lenses on the E1 body) freely available

internationally.

 

Even if they did, will it be enough to keep you with the Olympus

system?

 

OM prices seem to have dropped on eBay in a matter of weeks. Any

definitive word on the MA-1, or just the usual contradictory variety

of comments, opinions and statements?

They already have such an adapter, but they haven't released it yet for sale in the U.S. An Olympus rep told me that they will, after they've sold some more of the lenses that the E-1 was introduced with.

If Olympus drags its feet supplying the adapter, you can be sure some other company will supply one instead: there is a limited but keen market for this adapter, and money would be made!

But what is lost, in terms of lens performance, when matching up Zuiko lenses and the E1 body, regardless of who makes the MA1 adapter?

 

I'm looking to Canon EOS gear now.... and you can get an adapter that will put Zuikos onto EOS bodies as long as you can live with stopped down metering - which I do with shift lenses already!

 

Zuiko optics are great and I have always loved the box-y shape of OM bodies - its been the same basic framework from the OM-1 through to the OM-4t.

 

Canon gear in my opinion is ugly - I've never been one for ergonomic camera bodies - but it is indeed a more rugged camera system and has excellent L-series lenses.

 

My camera tech-o, the same guy I've worked with for years, indeed says Canon is the best system, out-shining even modern Nikon gear.

I constantly use my Zuikos on a Canon 10D via the adapter you mentioned - as you say, it is not a big problem to always do stopped-down metering, you get used to it... I don't think you would lose much, using the old Zuikos on the new E-1. Hey, if you can afford to buy it all again (E-1 & lenses), do it! I don't rule that out, but not for a long time yet. I'm more than happy with my Zuikos on the 10D, and would give them a go on an E-1 if I got the chance!!

Lens compatibility aside, I just think Canon is a better system, for both film AND digital. And I need a few AF lenses for some of the subjects I occasionally shoot. So it looks like I'll go for Canon, even though it's a big (and expensive!) step!

I received the following email from Olympus America.

 

Dear Mathew,

 

Olympus America will supply the OM adapter to any registered E-1 owner

requesting the unit.

Olympus America does not manufacture the unit and will not support the

product in any way. Olympus America does not suggest using the adapter on

the E-1 because the older OM lenses were not specifically designed for the

E-1 camera and the image quality may degrade.

 

Regards,

 

E-1 Digital Technical Support

Olympus America Inc.

I ordered my MA-1 adapter from Olympus America about 3 weeks ago. It's supposed to ship sometime after 3/31. Price? Free for registered E-1 users.

 

Skip

Here is another info.

A Japanese third vendor has shipped several mount adapters for lenses listed below.

http://www.kindai-inc.co.jp/mount_fosa.htm (Japanese only)

 

NIKON-F, CONTAX-YASHICA, OM-ZUIKO, M42, LEICA-R

 

Price are approx. $200 each.

 

All of these adapter don't have any conversion lens inside.

Unfortunately, they don't support international shipping so far, I thinks it will be available eventually.

Has anyone received their MA-1 adapter from Olympus yet?