Olympus E-510 Warm photos

[edward_feltman]

I am reseraching a new camera and am interersted in the E-510. Reviewing

sample photos on the web it appears that most of the photos from the e-510 that

I see are biased toward the warm side of the color scale. Is this a

charactaristic of this camera.

 

Also considdering the Pentax K10d.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Ed

[dennis_gardner]

Hi Edward,

 

Everyone's eye is different. Your's obviously "sees" color differently than others because I've not seen this criticism before. White balance is easily adjusted on the 510 and can also be permanently biased for your eye.

 

For me, it's fine the way it is, auto or manual.

 

Dennis

[leandro_dutra1]

There is an interesting piece of mythology on Olympus colours. Some see it, some don't.

 

In the end, digital sensors are pretty much the same; if you intend to be a raw shooter, optics should be much more important than camera bodies, but if you are going to get camera JPEGs, then yes, cameras can differ quite a lot; but all of them are quite customisable.

[joe_ethridge]

Hello Edward,

 

I can't say as to the Pentax, but I'm sure that it is a good camera and system. I do however

own an Evolt 510 with the two zoom lenses that I purchased as a kit from B&H Photo.

 

While the Olympus 510 isn't on par with my Canon 5D system, it is a very good camera.

The kit lenses are very good for the price as well. It is small and very handy. I also bought

the dedicated flash and camera bag. Frankly, I'm blown away with the quality/value of this

system.

 

I recently bought an adapter that allows me to mount Olympus OM lenses, which is going

to be fun.

 

For the money, I'm quite satisfied owning the E-510. It is handy and I can take it with me

when I would rather leave my larger Canon system at home. It also works as my wife's

camera when she assists me at weddings.

 

Good luck!

[charles_reid]

All the dslr's from the $500 level to the top of the line can alter their output color. If you go to dpreview they actually do stunningly scientific testing of color gamut et al. To my eye the sony colors have always seemed extraordinarily bright and the nikon colors "off" somehow but that is just to my eye. You can adjust the cameras to produce the exact same color rendition. Its' more about what the camera manufacturer views as selling best, so they design the firmware to put out that "color scheme" as it were by default. BTW those arent knocks on sony/nikon, i love their colors i just prefer olys' default as a "baseline". It literally doesnt matter what dslr you buy now colorwise you can adjust it to fit your preferences exactly.

 

BTW the pentax is supposed to be an excellent camera with some small advantages over the 510. From what ive read and know the k10d's advantages are the Weatherproofing (pretty darn nifty to have!) and slightly better dynamic range (more is better). The advantage of the oly are the 4/3rds system allows use of ANY manufacturers legacy/manual lenses, probably more lens choice overall and in the long term and all the other larger userbase advantages. Ergonomics go to the 510. Basically the choice of $100 more for the pentax and you get weatherproofing and slightly better DR but give up lens choices.

 

BTW i had the same dilemma between the e500 and the sony alpha. The alpha was a slightly better camera actually but lens choice sold me. I can ebay a manual lens off ebay for $20 that i'll NEVER be able to afford in digital. You're gonna be very happy with either camera. Both is better!

[leandro_dutra1]

The Olympus is also smaller and lighter, and the Four Thirds system, while accepting all manual reflex lenses (not sure about rangefinder ones), is also the only one made for digital technology from the ground up, which shows in lack of vignetting and the such.

[GerrySiegel]

Color balance, to affirm what charles reid wrote, is adjustable on just about any camera. Defaults can be changed to suit your preference. Me, I like warm colors I guess.

 

Article on LCD and Plasma TVs sold at Best Buy says manufacturers goose up certain default settings to anticipate shopper preference in the store lineup. Could be same with cameras,I dare not guess... I would go based on other considerations. Pentax is a good name where I live. So is Nikon. Canon is pretty good too. Life is complicated. Get return privileges,try for a week with a CF card. And let the world know. Good shopping. One hundred bucks is bubkes. How about the good lenses down the road? Legacy lenses is always odd to me unless you own some really crackerjack glass. I have read all the articles,yet I am still surprised that one would not want a couple of first rate zooms from Olympus. Or Pentax. Unless the fun factor of hacking around eludes me. For the record, I am sold on autofocus and in camera motors and new lens design. So let it be written. So let it be done. I have spoken.Now go forth Ed and be The Decider :-)

[GerrySiegel]

Leandro, mythology is not always "mythology." Many user comments (see E-3 review by Spore and more pertinent Wrotniak review of E510) refute that idea that it is an optical illusion or something of that nature. A mass delusion. A religious cult belief? I happen to observe that Olympus produces high color accuracy in my E-1,got good accuracy from the Sony sensor on the C 5050 and still like the results from my Nikon P 5000 with a sensor by who knows. Maybe it gets to be a 'wash'nowadays if that is the point one makes... And JPEGs,all I care to shoot, are deliverable with pleasing (key word Pleasing) color,nice resolution, consistency (important word ).

Color balance setting in cam and consistency may be variables brand to brand,sure. I was impressed by the Kodak FFT sensor on the E-1. I can't speak to what the later CMOSs by Panasonic (?) deliver although I look at on line images too and have no alarm on that score. Haven't seen much to condemn them. Is it an illusory "problem" after all?

[charles_reid]

Quote:

have read all the articles,yet I am still surprised that one would not want a couple of first rate zooms from Olympus. Or Pentax. Unless the fun factor of hacking around eludes me.

End Quote

 

We'd all love high end glass. But we simply cant all afford it. I just had the choice of upgrading to an e510 or buying the sigma 400zoom. The 510 upgrade won which means i probably wont own the sigma for years. And by then maybe something else instead. So i can ebay for "400mm lens" and pretty much ANYTHING that pops up will be useable on my 510. And to be honest.. i still like old manual focus zooms. The "gay" electric focus rngs dont do it for me, though i do like AF most of the time. But ya.. there is something to the "hacking". I can walk into a flea market or pawn store, pull out a 50 and walk away with lots of glass by god knows who.. get home and try it out! New toys.. lots of them! Maybe this lens is ONLY good for photos 12 feet away on noon.. it cost ten bucks! And its an Excellent 12 foot away noon lens! Maybe this zoom is ONLY good at 90% of max lenth and stepped down one step.. but its Awesome at that. And maybe this f1.4 50mm is crap.. but it cost me 10 bucks.. or maybe its EXCELLENT and i have an astonishingly good 100mm equivalent f1.8 -2.8. So ya.. there is something to the hackyness :) Plus when i pull my 150mm auto lens off the 510 and put the Gigantic tube of the 250mm with the 2x telecon on it.. the "wtf" look on peoples faces is priceless :P How many people you see walking around with a telescope :P

[GerrySiegel]

Charles, I think I understand,thanks for the fill in and lesson on old,correction legacy, lens prices. Obviously they are not abandoned mutts at the pound seeking an adoptive home. They have adoptive parents who can return them to happy useful life. They have true relevance in a hybrid automanual sort of way with the E 510. I get it,really understand.

 

Interesting that Olympus Corp. never apparently go it.Thought about the legacy lens factor when they introduced 4/3. (Or chose to ignore that element of their loyal OM users) Didn't company give away the OM to 4/3 adapter only if someone asked for it? And then the backlog of stock, some countries free, some countries not. I can from your comments,charles, now better get a handle on the Why. For some.More so for those with $2000 buck Summicrons in their glass collection already. regards,gs

[charles_reid]

I agree re oly never getting it. The one advantage of 4/3rds is the ability to use absolutely any 35mm lens period. Nikon/Canon advantages are a larger sensor. oly is slow it seems. And your comment clicked with me when you said "Hacking". I never understood it before but when i read your comment it occurred to me that you'd nailed a reason i didnt even realise. Surely other photographers walk into an old pawnshop or flea market and see a HUGE collection of old manual gear and get a bit of lust and "hmmmmmmmmm"

 

As to the guy with the $2000 or $5000 legacy lens laying about... i doubt that kind of person worries much about cost anyway hehe