A New Olympus E-510 Kit.

[ray_mcnamara]

I'm am looking to purchase an Olympus E-510 Digital SLR primarily for Macro Work

as well as some general stuff. I have decided on the following configuration for

my Olympus E-510 Camera Kit:-

 

* Olympus E-510 Digital SLR Camera

 

* 14-54 & 50-200mm Zuiko Lenses Kit

 

* Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Standard Wide Zoom Lens

 

* Olympus Zuiko 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 Telephoto Zoom Lens

 

* Sigma Lens 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro 4/3 Mount

 

* Olympus Extension Tube EX-25

 

* Olympus Flash Unit #FL-36 (already have a SunPak Ring Flash)

 

* Olympus Varimagni Angle Finder # VA-1

 

* RM-UC1 Remote Cable Release

 

 

Has anybody used the E-510 with the Sigma 150mm F2 Macro lens? Is the 4/3 System

the way of the future, now that Lieca's on board?

[Greg M]

"Is the 4/3 System the way of the future, now that Lieca's on board?"

 

Nope. You haven't seen any of the major manufacturers rush out to compete with the M8 either, and you won't.

 

Leica's a favorite of doctors, trust brats, Lawyers and others with too much money to burn...in other words, about 2-3% of the buying public. Fortunately Olympus does have one mainstream company working with them in Panasonic. Everyone else buying DSLR's is buying, in a vast majority, the Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc., consumer DSLR's that use bigger chips.

 

The Olympus system is very nice, and that system you have mapped out will be extremely nice...capable of pretty much any type photography you'd want to do other than ultra-wide, and their current output of improved bodies is more evidence they are going to be around longer than many who visit this site would care to admit, but they will always be a smaller market brand with the sensor size they have locked themselves into. It is, however, very capable of producing first-class images. The glass is excellent. I have three 16x20's hanging in my home I took during a trip to Paris last year, one with the 14-54, one with the 50-200 and one with the 7-14 Zuiko (awesome lens).

[steven_moseley1]

Hi,

 

"Leica's a favorite of doctors, trust brats, Lawyers and others with too much money to burn..."

 

Greg, I am a Leica user, but I have to content myself with buying old used ones. I could not agree more with yout comment. I find a horrible number of leica users to be utter snobbish morons..you put it rather well I thought. Some of their borish comments on the Leica forum are quite frightening and if you actually lower yourself to critisize the Leica brand or company it is amazing how rapidly the postings are removed...

 

cheers Steve.

[godfrey]

I may be an utter snobbish moron but I'm not shooting with a Leica branded camera

anymore. ]'-)

 

Seriously, Leica makes wonderful lenses and Panasonic is making excellent 4/3 System

camera bodies. The Leica 14-50/2.8-3.5 ASPH OIS is a superb performer. Yeah there is a

lot of ridiculous stuff on the various Leica forums. And the Red Dot on a body or lens costs

a whole bunch. But there's nothing wrong with the cameras and lenses.

 

Way Of The Future? Yes and no. Canon/Nikon/Sony/Pentax won't go 4/3 System as they

have other agendas to deal with, not the least of which is their own lens mount and a huge

legacy of lenses. Olympus OM-System was out of date (although still excellent) so

Olympus could go to 4/3 advantageously, and for Panasonic/Leica it was an advantageous

move as well.

 

The Olympus kit laid out looks great, you'll get a lot of good photos with it. I can't help

with the Sigma lens.

 

Godfrey

[glenbarrington]

Just because many Leica users are snobs, is no reason to not acknowledge the fact that a Leica camera is a very GOOD camera indeed. Don't forget it got its snob appeal by being THE camera for candid and Photo Journalists for a couple of generations.

 

As to Ray's original question. As much as I love my Oly E500, I do not believe 4/3s is the wave of the future. I'm pretty sure it is fated to be a moderately successful niche system. Leica and Olympus are alike in that they cater to people who are content to NOT be in the mainstream albeit for, perhaps, different reasons.

 

4/3s makes sense for Leica in a lot of ways, primarily for market positioning. 4/3s makes sense for Panasonic, I think for different reasons, primarily I think, in that they can learn from some of the best camera manufacturers in the world and that relationship can only enhance their own reputation. Whatever the reason Panasonic and Leica have joined the 4/3s system, I seriously doubt you will see many more manufacturers start making 4/3s DSLRs. I don't think the 4/3s market could support more than 1 mass producer and 1 or 2 "boutique" manufacturers.

 

If you feel a strong need to be a part of the usual herd (nothing wrong with that), Canon or Nikon is still the way to go. But I don't think I'd worry too much about the long term stability of 4/3s at this point either.

[steven_moseley1]

Hi,

 

Godfrey..I noticed you are one of the sensible ones who paid a whole lot less money for the Pano L1 instead of the Digilux..

 

...I have some questions...do you use the Leica/Pano zoom lens wide open, or very near to? and if so, how does it perform? and what other lenses do you use? how easy is it to manual focus with the optical finder? they seem so small after a film SLR...do you get used to them easily? does the focus 'snap' in and out ok?

 

I am tempted by the four thirds Olympus/Pano gear, but after my Leica R7 and Contax RX I just worry that the Viewfinder issues will frustrate the hell out of me...and I much prefer manual focus too.

 

cheers for any help..Steve.

[denise_d]

It seems like you are duplicating focal lengths if you purchase both the kit lenses and the

faster f2.8 lenses. The 14-54 f2.8-3.5 is vastly better than the kit lens and it's what I keep

on my E-500 about 80 percent of the time.

 

Consider (instead of the kit lenses) the excellent Oly 50mm macro lens or even the Oly 11-

22mm f2.8-3.5 lens.

[godfrey]

<center>

<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/ramarren/photo/PAW7/large/31-half.jpg"

target=new>

<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/ramarren/photo/PAW7/large/31-dpr.jpg"

border=0></a><br>

Thread And Shadow - Kensington 2007<br>

<i>Panasonic DMC-L1 + Vario-Elmarit 14-50/2.8-3.5 ASPH

ISO 100 @ f/8 @ 1/125 sec, Av, fl=50mm <br>

<br>

Click the image above for a larger version in a separate window.</i>

<br></center><br>

<i>steven moseley wrote:<br>

> I noticed you are one of the sensible ones who paid a whole lot<br>

> less money for the Pano L1 instead of the Digilux..<br></i>

<br>

It is so nice to be referred to as "sensible" for once. That's certainly not what my boyfriend

or mother refer to me as ... ! ];-)<br>

<br>

<i>

> ...I have some questions...do you use the Leica/Pano zoom lens<br>

> wide open, or very near to? and if so, how does it perform? <br>

</i><br>

Lots of questions, Steve. :-)<br>

<br>

The Leica Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm lens is indeed excellent, from wide open to whatever

you want. It is my most used lens with the L1, and one of the primary reasons I bought the

camera. It exhibits a bit of barrel distortion at the shortest focal length settings (simple

distortion, easy to correct for if required) and has overall beautiful out of focus rendering

qualities. It is a bit on the bulky side but I've gotten used to that very quickly. <br>

<br><i>

> what other lenses do you use? <br></i>

<br>

I also use the Olympus ZD 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 and 35mm f/3.5 Macro lenses, as well as

Nikkor 105/2.5AI and 180/2.8AI with mount adapters. I was using a Nikon 20/2.8AF-D as

well, but I think I'm going to sell that and buy the Leica Summilux-D 25/1.4 ASPH. <br>

<br>

<i>

> how easy is it to manual focus with<br>

> the optical finder? they seem so small after a film SLR...do you<br>

> get used to them easily? does the focus 'snap' in and out ok?<br>

</i><br>

How easy it is to focus manually with the L1 depends a lot on the lens and focal length

you're using. A short focal length lens is always a bit of a challenge to critical focus on a

matte screen with an SLR, even on the best 35mm SLR cameras, and that's no different

with a DSLR.<br>

<br>

The L1 screen is quite good but has a slightly smooth texture which isn't optimal for

focusing short lenses. I find, for my eyesight, I can critically focus a 50mm or longer focal

length with ease but shorter focal lengths than that require more care. The Olympus 35

Macro has excellent contrast and sharpness, with a little care I can get spot on focus

purely on the screen, but shorter than that and I use the in-focus indicator as a guide to

obtain best focus. Longer lenses ... well, the Nikkor 180/2.8 operates as a dumb lens with

a manual iris, I usually have it stopped down to f/8-11, and I can focus it critically with no

problems at all. Similar for the 105/2.5. <br>

<br>

Viewfinder magnification is just right for my vision ... with my glasses on, I can just see the

entire frame and information display without having to move my eye around, and I can

frame accurately in very low light even with a lens stopped down to f/5.6. <br>

<br>

Brightness could always be better ... I'd rate it as about 1.5 stops dimmer than my Pentax

K10D viewfinder, which is on par with the Nikon D200 and other middle-high-end DSLR

cameras ... but as I said, for framing purposes I have no problems with it at all even in very

low light. <br>

<br>

Of course, remember that you also have the Live View LCD viewfinder available. When I

need critical manual focus, say with the Nikon 20mm lens or either of my zooms at the

wide end, I can switch to live view for a moment, turn on MF Assist magnification at 10x,

and nail the focus in an instant perfectly. Press the button and I'm back in the optical

viewfinder for overall framing and responsive shutter action if I desire. It's a fantastic

combination. <br>

<br>

<i>

> I am tempted by the four thirds Olympus/Pano gear, but after my<br>

> Leica R7 and Contax RX I just worry that the Viewfinder issues<br>

> will frustrate the hell out of me...and I much prefer manual<br>

> focus too.<br>

</i><br>

I've heard this a lot. My philosophy is this: <br>

<br>

These are not 35mm cameras, you're not buying a 35mm camera, and to judge the

viewfinder of a smaller format camera by the standards of a top of the line 35mm SLR is to

lead yourself to expectations that can never be fullfilled completely. It's like coming from a

Hasselblad 6x6 or Pentax 645 to a 35mm SLR and complaining that the viewfinder is so

small and dim. The 4/3 System format is 13.5x18 mm ... a 35mm SLR viewfinder is about

three and a half times more area .. and there's a finite limit to the amount of light energy

that a back-projected image on a focusing screen with this size format will transmit.

Viewfinder optics consume some of that too. So, even with equal lenses and equal

viewfinder optics, the 4/3 System camera is going to be at a disadvantage. That's a given.

<br>

<br>

So I look at the camera for what it is and evaluate how I use this kind of camera

independently of what I was used to with 35mm and medium format SLR cameras in the

past (Nikon SLRs, Leica RFs, Hasselblad and Pentax and Rolleiflex medium format

cameras). I used to shoot entirely manual focus, at most aperture priority exposure

automation, etc. <br>

<br>

But with these small format cameras, I changed my thoughts about this. I utilize the

autofocus system because it's better suited to focusing such short focal length lenses

quickly than my eyes are, and I can use the magnification/digital display tools to critically

focus difficult situations in complement to the AF system. (You can also use manual focus

with autofocus and tweak the focus setting dynamically, when the focus point is confused

by a complex subject.) This gets the job done ... accurate focus, quickly and reliably ... and

I've come to find that it is without a doubt true that I get more and better focused

photographs because of it, and I miss fewer photo opportunities. <br>

<br>

As a result, I treat the optical viewfinder as a framing device primarily. It is about a 92%

coverage FoV and perfect for the kind of "loose framing" that I used to do with the 35mm

rangefinder cameras, which in turn suits my kind of photography well. <br>

<br>

The optical viewfinder and AF systems combine with the Live View LCD finder as a system

to give greater total performance and capabilities. When I need absolute critical focus and

framing accuracy, out comes the tripod and on goes the Live View option. Now I get exact,

100% framing accuracy, both AF and Manual focus assist functions with magnification,

framing grids for compositional aid, and a live histogram display so I can nail the focus,

the framing and the exposure with minimum fuss or bother, consistently and reliably.

<br>

<br>

The result is better photographs, and that's what I'm after. This is a new, different

paradigm for a way to work. I find it productive, fun and useful, and I don't chain my

preconceptions to what I was once used to ... I'd rather accept what exists now and exploit

it to the best of its and my abilities. <br>

<br>

Sorry for what became a longish diatribe. One can never accuse me of not being

passionate about this stuff... Or crazy, to go back to the beginning and revisit that

"sensible" notion. ;-)

<br><br>

I hope that it has given you some insight into my perspectives on these things.<br>

<br>

best,<br>

Godfrey - <a href="http://www.gdgphoto.com">www.gdgphoto.com</a><br>

<br>

<i>The most flexible tool in the photographer's toolkit is the human mind.</i>

<br><br>

[steven_moseley1]

Hi,

 

Godfrey...thanks so much..checked out the website, the shots chilled me out! If you visit London again soon, try to go a little further afield and visit the rather strange and haunting area that surrounds the nuclear reactor site on the south coast at Dungeness.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeness

 

cheers Steve.

[godfrey]

You're welcome, Steve.

 

Hmm, the photos you saw "chilled you out" ... is that a good thing or not? Sorry, I just

don't understand what you mean by this expression.

 

Yes, I do like getting further afield, although I enjoy photographing people right in the

central downtown area a lot. The area you pointed to looks interesting, I'll put it on my list

of places to visit next time I'm over.

 

best ,Godfrey

[steven_moseley1]

Hiya,

 

Godfrey..old chap, you must be behind the times....to 'chill out' as the young people say, is to be 'very relaxed'...

 

cheers Steve.

[godfrey]

LOL ... Oh, I know what it means to "chill out", it's just not an expression I've seen in the

context of a photographic critique before. ;-)

 

Usually "chilling out" in US parlance means to 'calm down', and implies '.. after being

overly excited or angry ...'. I don't think that's what you meant to say.

 

I'll interpret that what you meant is my photos made you feel relaxed and comfortable, or

perhaps meditative. That's good ! :-)

 

thanks for the compliment and comments,

 

Godfrey

[stanacious]

Hello there, I'm new to these forums, so I dont know if I'm necroing this post. However, I just thought I'd let you know that I just got the standard E510 kit last week and am really loving this camera. I bought a Nikon coolpix 5700 when they first came out and have hated it from day one. The Oly is much easier to use. Getting to the menus is a snap from the display by simply hitting ok then scrolling to the setting you want to change. The Nikon made me think I hated digital photography, but the Oly is making me fall in love all over again. The magnifying eyecup is a tremendous aid, you might want to consider in your package.