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E620 vs E520?


t._masp

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<p>Thanks for the clarification on the GH1 and m4/3. It's still tempting to also consider m4/3 as a secondary camera for street photography,</p>

 

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<p>A little history here how I got into the m4/3 system. I saw a G1+14-45 kit in a store and was blown away by how light and small they are. I waited till its price finally came down and bought one from Amazon. Once I played with it, I was blown away again by its EVF (the same as the one in GH1) and many very clever features, such as MF assist (to blow up the scene to make it easier to MF), preview of DOF and shutter speed effect, etc. At the same time, I found the video in the D90 wonderful to use to video my toddler indoors at night. I thus returned the G1 and waited and waited and waited a long time to finally find a GH1 kit on eBay for $1,300. The video from the GH1 is just spectacular, but the kit lens is big and slow. i thus waited for a long time again and finally bought the GF1/20 kit to keep the lens and then sold the GF1 on eBay. I don't think I saved that much on the 20/1.7, but you can see the hassle of getting these things. In addition to this kit, I have a OM 50/1.4 ($75) and 135/2.8 ($120), and a Nikon adapter ($60) to use all my Nikon lenses. I am also looking for a Tamron 90/2.5 macro with an OM mount ($150). At the end, my GH1 kit is close to $2,000. It is very expensive as a "back up" or travel system b/c a Canon G11 costs only $450. It is worth to me b/c I use the video so much on the GH1 to capture the early life of my child (at least that is what I told my wife). When he is in action, the AF tracking system on my D90 has a hard time keeping up with him so I just shoot video.</p>

<p>If you really want to try the m4/3 now, you may want to consider a used G1, which has the same outstanding EFV as the GH1. it is price has dropped substantially on eBay b/c G2 and G10 are able to hit the market. The 14-45 that comes with it is a very good lens considering its size. For street photograph in day light, it is not a problem at all. You may also pick up a Olympus 17/2.8 since some people are selling them to get the Panny 20/1.7 but the former is only $250 new while the latter is $400 and impossible to find. I think for the price and for the slightly wider FOV, the 17/2.8 is a pretty good deal and its lack of sharpness in the corner is overblown, IMO. If you don't mind MF, Nikon made these E-series pancake lenses in 28/2.8 and 50/1.8. They are small with very good quality for the price (<$50). The GF1 is not that much smaller than the G1 and is not "pocketable" like a P&S. If you need a bag to carry both, it does not matter which one you own and the built-in EFV and the swivel LCD screen are very useful.</p>

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<p>Greg: I was trying to figure out how you got to 400mm. Are you using the 2x TC with your 50-200? Also, when were the 50-500mm and 135-400mm available? Were they both from Sigma? I did find the 4/3 50-500mm (Bigma) at B&H, though strangely, it is no longer listed at http://www.four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/lense.html.</p>

<p>CC Chang: Thanks for the additional info on m4/3. After adding up the costs and considering how big the camera may be, I'm sort of considering a Canon G11 or S90, as well as a m4/3. One interesting thing that m4/3 can do that a P&S can't though is trigger the shutter with a remote control which may be a neat trick if you can wear the camera around your neck and "compose in your head".</p>

<p>I have pretty big pockets, so I think a m4/3 camera may fit in them with a pancake lens. I guess we'll have to see though. The improved image quality from the m4/3 side is desirable, but maybe I will be waiting a while for the technology to further miniaturize.</p>

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<p>Yes, I do use the EC20 with the 50-200. Nice teleconverter.</p>

<p>The 50-500 and 135-400 were both Sigma designs. Sigma just introduced a new version of the 50-500, but not yet in Olympus mount. I do believe the version made in Olympus mount has just been discontinued and it might take a search to find a new one.</p>

<p>The 135-400 was a little older model and would only be available second-hand today. eBay or one of the Olympus-dedicated sites with "for sale" ads is probably the place to find one today.</p>

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<p>For clarification, in 4/3 the FOV is x2 but the focal length remains the same? i.e. a 40mm to 150mm f/3 lens has a FOV of 80mm to 300mm (and a deeper DOF) but contrary to popular myth still has a focal length of only 40mm to 150mm?<br>

Thanks in anticipation. A lot of confusion out there but no doubt none in this room.<br>

It struck me that in previous decades the horse racing shots could (and probably would) have ben captueed with hyperfocal pre-focusing on manual focus kit together with manual exposure and worked well although a different and slower craft. The % of keepers with birding though must have been low and presumably photographers at the time constantly muttered about the day AF would come to their rescue.<br>

It is a shame that all the brands have dumbed down the viewfinders and manual focusing, I really miss the large bright port-holes and split prisms that meant we could have a say in it all.</p>

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<p>The lenses are still the stated focal lengths. A 50-200 is a 50-200mm lens. It's the FIELD OF VIEW where the comparison to a 100-400mm lens is made. You have to consider all of the "effective focal length" comparisons are being compared to a 35mm piece of film and not all DSLR sensors in use are that size.</p>

<p>This type comparison is really no different than when one used to compare a lens for 35mm film camera to a lens fitted to a medium format camera. A 50mm lens for a Nikon F3 camera that uses 35mm film and an 80mm f2.8 lens fitted to a Hasselblad that uses 120 roll film both capture pretty much the exact same field of view, but you have to consider the format.</p>

<p>My favorite lens when I used a Canon 10D outfit was a 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L. The focal length range of that lens is 100-400mm whether it is used on a Canon 1DsIII or 10D, but the effective field of view on a 10D is the equivalent of 160-640mm because the sensor is smaller than the one used on the 1DsIII.</p>

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