Comments on Olympus E-VOLT 500

[eyadnalsamman]

I found in the web site [http://www.dcresource.com] the following description

about the DSLR Olympus E-Volt 500:

 

[ ... there's a 2X crop factor on whatever lens you put on the camera, so a 15

mm lens has the field-of-view of a 30 mm lens... ] Does this mean that a 300mm

lens would have the field of view of 600mm by using the 2X crop factor in this

digital camera?

 

[ ... I should also point out that the focus ring on all Zuiko lenses is

electronic -- you're not manually moving lens elements, you're telling the

camera's brain to do it. The kit lens doesn't show you the current focus

distance on it, which can be a bit frustrating... ] Does this mean that we

cannot set the aperture manually through the lens itself especially if it is a

macro Zuiko lens?

 

Thank you so much for all your esteemed comments.

[franklin_polk]

Yes, the field of view is cut in half relative to what you are used to for 35mm. For the 4/3 (the ones that nativly fit the E-500) Zuiko lenses, there is no aperture ring, its all done in the camera. You can however, set the aperature yourself, you just have to use a wheel on the camera instead of a ring on the lens. If you have older lenses from your film Olympus days, they will work with an adapter, you will in that case, have to adjust aperture through the ring on the lens.

[dan_kreithen]

There is no crop factor! The four-thirds lenses are designed to have image circles that are the size of the sensor. They are not legacy lenses.

 

However, if you think in 35mm format "terms" then a rough equivalence for the field-of-view is a factor of 2, although this is not exact because the aspect ratio is 4:3 in four-thirds (!). The 35mm frame has a 3:2 aspect ratio. My personal experience is that the equivalence is more like 1.8, which is derived from equating the short sides of the film/sensor.

[GerrySiegel]

With another Zuiko combination,the E-1 and its 14-54mm, I found it real easy to get used to the electronic manual focusing feature. It is sometimes called "fly by wire." Think of it as robot surgery-definitely not like Mission Control moving a Mars Rover. The response is fast and has a feel factor,since the movement is proportional to the twising action on the lens barrel. The techique is to set the camera so it automatically focuses by the camera's brain CPU and then a fine adjustment is made,- usually when one focuses closeup or in low light conditions-using one's own brain CPU or visual cortex,(which is another complex feedback device I suppose.) It works. You will like it. Buy one. Then get the 14-54 later on,a sweet lens. Crop factor,shmop factor etc aside,a 14-54 behaves like a 28-108 lens. A good deal, in short.

 

"Esteemed comments?" Ho. You are too kind,Eyad...Aloha, GS

[nemeng]

<i>14-54mm</i><p>

 

I've been trying to buy one of these to replace the junk 14-45mm kit lens which came with my E500. No chance. Haven't been able to find anyone who has the f2.8 14-54mm in stock (and no, I refuse to look at ePray!).

[OCULUS New York]

Andrew...That new Leica/Panasonic 4:3 lens is 15-50, or something right in the same range....Now THAT'S something to look for! Indeed, if I find one, I'll let you buy my 14-54!

 

Cheers,

Ray Hull

[nemeng]

<i>new Leica/Panasonic lens</i><p>

 

Is still a l-o-n-g way from being released. I needed a decent (and reasonably priced!) 4:3 lens for a car-shoot a month ago :?)

[edward_eyler]

Andrew,

 

Don't give up entirely on the Olympus 14-54mm lens. It showed up in stock a few days ago at one of the major NYC photo dealers (I found it by checking periodically on pricegrabber.com). Now it's out of stock again, but I have my lens, and for a good price, too.

[nemeng]

<i>Don't give up entirely on the Olympus 14-54mm lens</i><p>

 

Too late - life (and deadlines) are too short to spend it waiting for stock to arrive. I've ordered a Nikkor 20mm f3.5 AIS from KEH instead (to be used with a Nikkor/4:3 mount adapter - I need a lens which works well at all apertures at 20mm, without barrel distortion or CA).<p>

 

I had a look at the "pricegrabber" website. The only people who currently have the 14-54mm in "stock" are dell.com or Tristate Camera...<p>

 

Hmm, let's call a spade a spade and say it appears the 14-54mm has been dropped from Olympus inventory!

[edward_eyler]

Yes, I'd avoid ordering from Tristate or Dell, too, especially when they are the only companies to list "stock"---Dell seems determined to become notorious for consistently pulling this stunt.

 

I guess that I was just very lucky. I found the 14-54mm lens at 17th Street Camera just two days after ordering my E500 from another vendor, so I really wasn't looking for very long at all. And it arrived just a day and a half later, in an apparently unopened box with a US warranty card. Anyhow, it sounds as if you found a good solution for what you need. In the long run, it would be amazing if Olympus doesn't make more of these lenses. They seem to have gotten consistently favorable press ever since they were first released, and they have obviously been selling well.

[GerrySiegel]

Somewhere I read that Olympus apologized (naturally) for the back order situation on its 14-54 lens. Seems like a convergence of things. The flood of E-1 closeuouts, popularity of the E 500 kit w associated upgrade urge. And naturally,the rebate,which expires soon. I would hang in there. It can't be much longer.Delayed gratification and all (why did Mom say that was such a good thing:-)).