E-1 at Two Weeks and Counting...

I had held,played with, and gave a quick store test around Xmas at the military retail store,(which got a big shipment,didn't sell any,and sent the lot back to Olympus I was told. No kit price,so I passed thogh intrigued) It took the latest corporate price reduction to move me off the stump. Terry McDonald's analysis of pros and cons and comparisons is a persuasive and solid case for an underappreciated instrument,kind of breakthrough model. I won't have a personal recommendation report for a while,after B and H has it to me Monday,but am feeling OK about the decision,my first sizable investment in a new system in a racoons age.From the dpreview forum chat, I note that Yaron Kidron has made a similar move. Congratulations and good shooting,Yaron,fellow club member too.

I've had my E-1 for about a month now. The sharpness and color rendition continue to

amaze me. I spent a few years fighting the shift to digital, continuing to shoot film and

scanning for the web.

 

Digicams always seemed to produce images that had a video-like character that couldn't

match the tonality of film. The Nikon D2h and E-1 images were among the first that had

the right dynamic range for me. Having Nikon and Leica systems, I looked long and hard

at the Nikon cameras, but I kept coming back to considering the E-1. I bought it at my

local pro camera store where the D70 was considered the camera to buy.

 

I've been producing a greater number of acceptable images than ever before with E-1. The

5 MP produce fine 8 x 10s. I believe those who say that 11x14s are fine as well.<div></div>

Great shot of mossy woods. That wouldn't happen to be along the Deerfield River at Cummington, MA would it? Looks almost familiar.

 

Cheers,

Ray Hull

James,I like your E-1 Rome shots,including Colliseum. I appreciate your interest in the design effect of natural still lifes too,I do a little of that. I won't abandon film. As mainly a people shooter I enjoy showing my images right on the spot to subjects,a reason I have used a digicam so much lately. As for post processing vis a vis OLy, will offer my experience afterwards.(Color quality is most important thing for me) I like the opportunity to control things I let a lab do previously.And slides just aren't my thing. Thanks for entering the discussion.

Extremely happy with mine-- what a beautifully crafted tool! as I noted before, the closest thing to my Fm3a (only gone digital). The body handles so well-- AF is actually very fast, and the colors are just wonderful. I tried my best to fault the 14-54 lens, subjecting it to possible moire and CA artifacts-- and NADA! Went with it just yesterday to the Gilroy Garlic Fest and had a great time :)

<p align="Center"><img src="http://67.15.45.5/~scenicpo/_umbrella.jpg"><br><br>Olympus E1, ISO 200, AWB, Cropped</p>

Just got it a couple hours ago and reaffirms my view of the build and ergonomic value. Whether it likes to focus in low light is something I will have to decide. Or whether I may have to do manual in some light conditions. Colors are superb. Viewfinder view is sharp. And the lens is wunderbar. A lot of fun. This is the first of a few shots of my old standby model,and companion,who will work for food:-). I didn't do any post processing on this,just resized it.<div></div>

Ray-

 

The image I posted is in NY's Adirondacks, a bit to the west of Mass. It's right near Rocky Falls on the trail out from the Loj near Lake Placid. This was the second summer we camped in the area.

 

My wife was impressed with how much purple there was in the forest. She's a landscape painter and notices these things. When she saw that image, she immediately recognized that the E-1 and the Mac/Adobe PS/ Epson color management chain produced a print that was right on.

 

I don't think that any of the other digicam's I've used (Canon A75, Oly D360) has been able to render vibrant but accurate color. I can give up Velvia with the E-1 if I bump the E-1's color saturation setting up a notch from default.

Vibrant and accurate color,yes, is a wonderful experience from this Olympus camera. I am very pleased with my early test shots. Even under midday open shade of a usually fast moving target. Flash fill with the FL 20 was less successful so far,wonder what I need to learn more of that differs from the C5050. (This is a very basic flash unit with few options,but so De-Lightfully small.<div></div>

In trying to put all functions on the body,vis a vis menus and such, Olympus did make it vital to read the manual thoroughly and practice locating the various buttons.This is one you don't easily pick up and jump in to do exposure comp and change focus mode to spot off the bat. I was looking for the White Balance just a while ago. Carole,darn where the heck is the white balance,can you see it?. And,so she,smiling, says " Oh yeah, I saw that when you showed the camera to me two days ago,it is right here." Like having someone point to your reading glasses in your shirt pocket!..<>. But seriously,this is a heavy camera that balances well,yet has a different center of gravity than anything I have used,including Bronica SQ. I have been practicing,and it will take definite practice for me to be able to hand hold at 1/15. I recommend monopod routine,even as it becomes one extra piece of carbon fiber stick to carry. To which end,though, I bought Really Right Stuff's BOE-1 plate (nice owner, Joe Johnson) and it will be a part of the bottom plate ad infinitem. Olympus bottom plate has a ridged platform within which resides a rubber pad. With a registration pin hole( what in blue blazes would use such pin,maybe the battery booster?) and so RRS says he has a challenge to come up with fittings like L brackets for E-1 abristle with buttons...

<>I re-read Michael Reichmann's mostly skeptical Luminous Landscape E-1 review and realize he was picky picky out of proportion. His pecks are too many to cover,but a gentle rebuttal would be in order. I may come back in a future posting on this thread re L.Landscape thing. I believe that there are aspirants,like myself,were on the brink of selecting the E system and need reassurance.Nothing is ever perfect.

Olympus has to deal with the adhesive issue on its leatherette grips and I will hold them to that as will others I have e mailed. Still, EOS 5 had tougher breakdowns as I recall and sold tons of them..Until later on,GS

Sorry no paragraph breaks above, will learn HTML coding when I have time.I forgot to add that the kit lens is impressive and has fine close focus capability for a zoom. And less distortion than my "everyday travel FD zoom that I am accustomed to mounting on my Canon T90s. Hats off to the optical team at Olympus Corp. A good value.<div></div>

Hi again. I take the fat manual to Starbucks and learn something daily. As someone mentioned in another thread, it is nice to combine auto and manual focus to get it spot on. And semi spot metering works for me the best so far.Nice also to 'assign' EV adjustment to a dial via a menu choice without having to press and hold a button. The thing shows ADVANCED intelligence behind it,by george. (Not exactly the black monolith, but very impressive design.) And the colors are still just great,zero retouching needed.<p> Only thing is the manual says little about how the FL 20 works with this model,and I am still deciding if it really cranks back the flash output level on TTL, and if fill flash works in anything but P mode of the camera. The FL 20 leaflet is most inadequate. Yes,I will get the FL 50,but not this week.Gerry (again)

Gerry-

 

I have the FL-20 for my C-5060. It is a nice little flash and is relatively powerful for its size. However, running on two AA batteries, it doesn't have the punch of the Metz 34-series we've corresponded about.

 

The FL-50 is a superb flash; but pricey. You might look to see if you can find any discontinued FL-40s at a reduced price. I was told by Oly Tech that the FL-40 is fully compatable with the E-1.

Thanks Eric.That is a possibility I will look into. I will hang in for now with the FL20 while I get used to "the Brick."(Well it feels that tough) As we both know,even Vivitar 285/ Metz 34CS- 2 will do OK in A mode on the Olympuses (I know how to compensate, do a rough computation of f stops,and with digital,there is the rapid feedback on overfill.)<p> I have seen the FL40,its fine, and if they were selling it for two bills or so, I would go for a new old stock one,but that is not going to be likely. Francis Camera here wants 350.00. The FL 50 is now down to $380.00 plus shipping to Hawaii,another 24.00. It is higher $ than the Canon's reduced pricing top of the line 550EX,but of course the OL accessories have got to come higher,mom and pop vs Walmart sort of thing,when we do the numbers. I had FL50 out for a week last December,and only returned it because it was not a mate for the 5050 (a very fine digicam I will still use a lot with the FL20 as fill).<p> An aside,Eric: I discovered that Sunpak makes a sturdy plastic and metal flash bracket I like a lot for almost all of these magnesium heavyweights. Bought S-pack used for twenty bucks in a shop here. Easy to lock the bottom piece to the pistol grip and it fits these big hands like a BB pistol. True,not over tne lens positioning,but at least off the shoe with the shoe to shoe adapter.Whoops,I ramble. Well,would you believe that Olympus just did another price cut!Substantial too. Buying market share and cutting losses I guess-?. My wife,ever philosophical,says "Well you had ownership for two weeks,and that is worth something." (Says he: What would I do without a sane member around here:-)?)<p>And last,before I get to the day's events, I am learning to hold securely for slow shutter indoor shots,it takes iron grip and steel nerves. Until the 50mm f 2.0 comes into my life that is...<p> Shutter release button is exquisitely easy to manage,just perfecto. That is what is missing from the C5050 ilk,for those who seek the SLR "feel factor." The E-1 is not as chunky as a Bronica,but it is hefty enough with the 14-54 that a firm left hand grip,easy shutter,good balance, is vital to make natural light indoor shots wide open. And a monopod makes a world of difference if you are into that. Thus my quick seeking of an RRS plate for Miss E-ONE. Aloha nui loa.