Wedding Photography with Olympus E500

I am about to begin a Wedding Photography and Portrait business again after

about 30 years out of the business! I have used several DSLR's over the past

few years, but now have the E500 with two kit lenses. I like the results I get

with the system so far, but would like the advice from working Wedding and

Portrait photographers about using it. I will be doing some "second" shooting

with a friend who is up to speed with Wedding photography over the next month

or so, and I have a "freebe" to do in September. I hope to get everything in

order to begin in the Spring of 2007.

 

I would like input on:

 

1. E500 for weddings

2. Would an E1 be a good choice for a back-up camera?

3. Other than the two kit lenses, what would your next lens be for Weddings?

4. I haven't made any LARGE prints yet from the camera. How do they look

detail wise?

 

Other input is also appreciated!

 

Thom Tapp

Thom,

 

It seems like there arn't too many Olympus users here. I use Olympus E-1 and E-300 for weddings. I previously used Nikon film cameras for weddings, but started playing a bit with an Olympus E-10 with good results so I stayed with Olympus.

 

I photographed the engagement photos for my last wedding with the E-1 and made an 11x14" display print on Epson Premium Lustre paper without any hint of image degrading. I've used both the E-1 and the E-300 with excellent results at parties, portraits, and weddings.

 

I see no reason why the E-500 would not work well for you, and there are many other reasons why I like the Olympus concept.

Thom,

 

I've used Olympus digital cameras since I switched to digital about 5 years ago. I went from the E-10 to the E-20 (didn't like it at all) then to the E-1. When I saw the prices in the E500 with 2 lenses I couldn't resist it so I bought it.

 

While over all it much lighter, and doesn't have the moisture sealing capabilities I think it's a good camera. I've used it on 3 weddings in the last month. While I'm keeping my 2, E-1's, one as wedding backup and the other one in the studio, I plan on buying another E500.

 

There are some who don't look at the Olympus line as 'professional' cameras but I'm a full time studio owner who's done weddings since 1968 and I'm quite satisfied with the Olympus.

 

The one thing I really don't like about the E500 is there is no pc flash connection, only a hot shoe. If you're not familiar with digitals the one big thing to look out for is the flash contact voltage. If it's much more than about 6 volts it could damage the electronice in your camera. Be sure to buy a Wein hot shoe with pc connector voltage adapter, it's around 49.00 at B&H. It will protect your camera.

 

Good luck with your new camera.

 

Jim Marby

 

pictureperfectstudio.biz

I use the E500 for weddings and it works fine. I'm still a "newbe" and have a lot to learn, but I used it on my first 2 weddings and the results were good and the B&G were happy. The largest enlargement I've made so far has been an 11x14 and it turned out beautiful. Wishing you much luck!

Thanks! I have had a couple of people tell me that if I had to ask about using the Olympus E500, then I wasn't ready to do Wedding phothography... I realize people have strong opinions about their pet camera system, and I DID ask... but what I want to know is the plausability of using the camera. It is the one I have after all. I did Wedding Photography for years with film cameras, and I know the difference between PRO camera bodies and amature. I was happy using my trusty Nikon FM bodies for weddings way back then, and it certainly wasn't the top of the line film camera from Nikon...

 

I appreciate the level headed replies here. I don't expect that the E500 is the "BEST" wedding camera, but I wanted to know if there was a BIG reason to avoid its use.

 

And the lens replies are appreciated too. My 40-150 lens is VERY sharp in my test shots, although not a fast lens. I will continue to use it, but will consider the 11mm zoom to replace the other kit lens.

 

OR... I might simply continue using my Fuji S2 pro, and get some better lenses for it. (And another body as a backup.)

 

So many decisions! Thanks for your help.

 

Thom

My brother shot <a href="http://bas.scheffers.net/snaps/wedding/">my wedding</a>

using my E-1 last year and I will be using at for a friend's wedding next month; it's a good

tool for the job at hand.

<p>

As for lenses: all the ceremony and reception ones were done using the 14-54/2.8-3.5

and the formals using the 50/2. And those are also the two lenses I'd recomend you get.

E-1 kits including the 14-54 are going for rock-bottom prices and you could probably get

a great deal on a used one on eBay too.

<p>

How large is large? I make 16x12s and they look great, but if the frame is filled with 100

guests, don't expect to put your nose an inch away from it and see a lot of detail in their

faces. But then again, no digital camera - or 35mm film - can pull that off.

I agree about the 14-54mm lens. It's outstanding. The E-1 has an almost silent shutter and is excellent for ceremony photos. My E-300 is a bit louder, but still much more quiet than some of the big Nikon bodies. The dust removal system is a plus. I have no problems with making fine 11x14's plus with my E-1, and the E-500 should be just as good.

 

I would suggest getting the FL-50 flash for that (kind of expensive) and an off camera flash bracket and cord to control shadows.

 

Have much success.

Well, thanks for all your input. EVERYONE has had a part in shaping my decision, as well as my own tests etc.

 

I will keep the Olympus, AND I will keep my Fuji S2 Pro. This gives me the best of both worlds, and a backup camera. Here are my reasons:

 

1. Fuji gives great high iso noise levels for low light situations.

2. Oly gives me higher res for group shots.

3. Both cameras use my Nikkor lenses via adapter or native mount.

4. TTL flash with my 2 Nikon flahs units and S2 camera (One is slave able)

5. S2 will give me the "PRO" appearance mentioned in the above thread.

6. Image quality of both cameras is great!

 

Best of both worlds, I just won't sell the S2!

 

 

Thanks for all your help!

 

Thom

Thom.... Having a camera for a Pro appearance doesnt make you a good photographer. Just

masks your lack of skills from the client. They will find out in the end you sucked and then

ruin your photography future. You would have also ruined someones once in a lifetime event.

How do you feel about that? How would you feel if someone ruined your event because they

would rather look like a pro than act like one?

Nick - I have done many many weddings over my 35 years in photography, so the question didn't relate to getting a camera which would "make me a photographer." I simply wanted to know what results people had with the E500. I am using my S2 pro now, and sold the E500. I like the Nikkor glass better. By the way, I have never yet ruined an event for anyone... even when I started out.

 

Thom Tapp

As far as the E-500 is concerned, it can make a good camera, depending on the lighting. Anything higher than ISO 800 is unusable, and to some perhaps 800 as well. This can severely impact your available light photographs inside a dim Church for example where the ceremony would be disturbed by the usage of flash, and the typical thing to do to achieve a faster shutter would be to raise the ISO. Another thing the E-500 is lacking is an external power source option. There is no DC IN option like other SLRs so you can't use a power pack like the Quantum Turbo to power the camera. Unlike film cameras, Digital cameras drain batteries at a hugely faster rate. So extra spares of freshly charged BLM-1 batteries are a must. If you can't afford a full flash option like the Qflash from Quantum, this same company has battery packs for the FL-50.

 

The E-1 is a good back up body to have, but it starts to make less and less sense now at the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008 where there are better bodies for the price, not to mention there is the new E-3.

As far as lenses go, you need faster lenses to complement what you already have. The 50 f2 macro can make a wise choice as a good low-light mid tele. For the wide, the 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 is not bad. If you have big bucks, the Super High Grade 35-100mm f2.0 is really nice. On the affordable front, Sigma has a pretty nice 18-50mm f2.8 throughout the entire zoom range for around $425 US, which is not bad.

 

I know this rather late, almost a year after you initially posted, and I hope if you are using the the E-500, that you can share with us some of the things you found out using it for wedding photography.