Olympus E-1 SLR announced

[gsbhasin]

<p><a href="http://www.imaging-

resource.com/NEWS/1056430800.html">Imaging Resource</a> has

published the mini-release of the E-1. Full release tomorrow.

<p>A pity that it is only 5 MP and MSRP of USD 2199 !!!. Doh :( The

lenses do look cheaper (price wise) than the Nikon or Canon

equivalents. 300mm/f2.8 for 799. 14-54mm/2.8-3.5 for $599.

[carl smith]

It says the 300 2.8 is $7999, not 799.

 

I don't know but they're going to have to work on those prices. Flash for $500? I've used the current one for the E20 and it was overpriced. 1.4x TC for $550? Get real.

 

Those prices are absurd and the body itself is too much too. I can't imagine it taking off at those prices.

[steven_clark]

If I had the kinda cash to go DSLR I would be going 10d, not THAT.

[umd]

'Supersonic' dust removing is interesting and well thought; if it really works. 100-400 equivalent lens would be more attractive if it had IS/VR. Nice system imo, except for the prices.

[lex_jenkins]

Olympus lost all contact with reality years ago and wasted the legacy of Mr. Maitani when the prices for a new OM-4T shot up over $1,000 and the lens prices went up accordingly.

 

Meanwhile we fans of the old system continue to enjoy the OM-1's and OM-2's (and well-used OM-4's), lenses and accessories at very reasonable prices.

 

Difficult to understand why a company that seems to grasp the consumer market so well for film and digital P&S cameras can totally fail to grasp the serious amateur and pro market, where Olympus once had a strong foothold.

 

Personally, I suspect they kidnapped Mr. Maitani, locked him away in a hyperbaric chamber and the company has been taken over by a cult.

[Brian]

It's an interesting concept because Olympus have made a fresh start and the camera isn't carrying any 35mm baggage, unlike the Canon and Nikon offerings. I don't think the price is outrageous compared to the competition. It's still beyond my reach but I'll be interested to see some images.

[cliff_lesergent]

Here is a link to some seriously bad quality sample photos from the new E-1

system:

<p><a href="http://www.olympus-esystem.com/dea/pro/index.html">http://www.olympus-esystem.com/dea/pro/index.html</a></p>

<p>

[bruce_hamm]

Most people think the price is out of line because they're comparing it with the Canon 10d. However, if you compare the specs, the E-1 is more in line with the 1D or Nikon D1. It seems that Olympus is targeting this camera squarely at the pro market. That seems pretty strange to me, but its not like Olympus has never had strange marketing practices in the past.

 

What really bothers me are the lenses. There's no mention of image stabilization on the longer lenses, and at $8K for the 300mm, there better damn well be world class IS/VR.

[cliff_lesergent]

From looking at the preliminary specs, the E-1 falls short of the 10D in many areas, including autofocus, exposure metering, resolution, and flash sync speeds - all areas that are generally of importance to pros. From what I can see, this camera falls far short of established pro models like the D1x or 1D.

[cliff_lesergent]

Dirk,<p>

 

Those sample images are provided by Olympus themselves! <p>

 

If you're trying to promote a new product, posting such poor quality examples does more harm than good. Either they just don't care what they show people, or the camera is not yet capable of producing high-quality images.

[suchismit1]

A lot of people are moanig about the too high price of the E-1. Remeber

this is a camera targeted toward the pros ( read press photographers)

and street price is going to be considerably lower - $1800 or less I imagine,

and on top of that prices will continue to fall.

 

<p>

Considering all the R&D that went into it and all the pro features that it has, I think it is a fair price. How much were the D1x and the EOS 1d ( not 1ds) when they were launched? How much are they today? And what are their pixel counts ? They are comparable or less, and besides, the E1 has some advanced features not found in the other two.

<p>

This is not a camera that is meant to compete with the D100 or 10D.

According to Olympus such a camera is in the works and will be launched

in 2004. And believe me its pricing will be very very competitive. True,

Olympus is late in the game, but two years from now it won't matter.

 

<p>

If you consider that the E1 goes head to head with the D1x, the darling of the news media, even with the lenses this one is actually a bargain.

[archie_alcantara1]

Dick and Cliff,

 

Please expand on why the sample pictures are not quite to your standards ?? I am kinda new to digital cameras and to me the pictures looked good. What are you guys looking for??

 

Thanks much...

[gsbhasin]

I dont why people beliver the E-1 is a competitor to the D1 or 1D? Just because the body is rugged?

<p>Reportedly the 10D is all magnesium allow anyways.

<p>Anyways the D1 and 1D are both over 2 years old.

<p>5 MP doesn't cut it for a pro-camera anymore. I can understand pros want a rugged body but they would also want better resolution.

<p>And high prices!!. Yeah they had high R&D. So? Why should customers pay more UNLESS they have an edge in the final product. The EOS1Ds can command 8 grand, because its based on the reliable EOS 1D and is the virtual king of the hill in resolution (the Kodak DCS 14n is the real king but does not have any favorable reviews). But asking price of 2199 for this camera is a bit high at today. Two years ago it might be competetitive.

<p>I am a bit disappointed. I was hoping a 6MP camera with a price of about 1199. Now that would have been competetive.

<p>My bad in the original post abt the price of the 300/2.8. Sorry abt that.

[suchismit1]

<i>5 MP doesn't cut it for a pro-camera anymore. I can understand pros want a rugged body but they would also want better resolution </i>

 

<p>

For what ? So they can hang 24"x30" of war zones on their walls ?

[bill_schmidt]

Not all pros shoot pictures of war zones. Some pros are fine art photographers or fashion photographers. The way I figure it a 5 megapixel camera will get you a 8.5"x6.4" print at 300 dpi or a 10.24"x7.68" at 250 dpi, which is a stretch. Hardly worth the $$. For the moment I'll stick with scanned film. I get fine 13"x19" enlargements.

[gsbhasin]

Tim,

<p>Have you printed from 5MP camera ? I have a G2 4MP and at ISO 50 it compares favorabley with any other 4 MP camera.

<p>I have printed 8 X 10 which I were great but 11 * 14 were just acceptable. Also larger file size allows you great latitude in cropping.

<p>I dont have anything against Olympus. Nevertheless the product is a disappointment for its price. For 999 it is a great product. But 2199. DOH

[craig_gillette]

If there is one thing people seem to be asking for a lot, it's "I want to take pictures of my kid's sports!" Per one first look, it's going to go 3 fps for 12 frames for it's low resolutions. Missed that target completely. Since that preview mentioned a "consumer" level camera later, one wonders what they think consumers want! Assuming a significant price drop to real street prices, that's still about $2K with body, lens and flash, before you start buying memory, batteries, etc.

 

Kind of makes you wonder what was going on in the early design and planning meetings. Because as somebody else noted, they have hit on with some of the other cameras. Having spent some time in the waterfall spray zones, a drippy redwood forest with mist and clumps of snow falling from the trees, and intermittent rain and snow flurries, in Yosemite recently, I can appreciate the splash resistance. But the little Epics do that for about $400. The rest of it doesn't tempt me from my S602. Hey, at these prices, I wouldn't be tempted if had Maxxum mounts!

[bill_tuthill]

I know several pros who are making good money with an E-20. Image

quality is excellent and lens range is reasonable, unlike anything

you could put on a D30/D60/10D until the 17-40/4 came out, and even

that is somewhat short on the long end.

 

Thinking of something I posted before -- that all the E-1 must do is

replace the E-20 in Olympus' product line -- I'm wondering how the

(35mm equivalent) 28-108 lens compares to the 35-140 on the E-20,

especially at the long end, which is f/3.5 versus f/2.4. If street

price is half of announced price, as happened with the Sigma SD-9,

the E-1 with lens would cost a bit more, $1400 versus $1300.

[suchismit1]

Photojournalists, news reporters, et al, who I imagine the E-1 is primarily directed toward do not need anything beyond 5MP. Such people value speed, ruggedness, image quality and portability above all else. <p>

And since <a href='http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/7.htm'>camera measurbators</a> care for nothing but raw pixel count, a consumer version with higher resolution will be released next year. I expect it to be no more than a plastic box crammed with pixels.

[carl smith]

Gupreet, at ISO 50 I would hope the G2 is at least as good as the majority of 4mp cameras.

[twmeyer]

I'm betting this camera will shock everyone with it's high image quality. What the camera interface and conversion software will be like is another issue. I wish Nikon made a 14-52mm f2.8-3.5 lens for $600, I'd have less dust in my S2 (which lists for $400 more that the E1)... t

[vincent_j_m]

Gimme a break. At these prices, they would be lucky if their sales are in the high tens. $7999 for a 300/2.8 of unknown quality? The Canon equivalent is $3899. Get real. No pro would buy it. And no amateur could afford it. And $2199 for the camera is a good laugh.

 

Olympus really seems to be out of touch with reality. Good luck Olympus, you really need it. In the mean time my old $200 OM system still works perfectly... 20+ years and going strong.

[gsbhasin]

Carl,

<p>I was being humble about the G2. My point was that the 4MP of even the G2 doesnt give you much to print without rezzing up. And 5MP aint that large compared to the 4 even though the sensor is bigger in the E-1.

[vic_r]

Seems like Contax started the cliff-jumping trend into the digital waters with their DSLR. Their success inspired Kodak to come out of the hiding and jump off the same cliff with 14n, and now Olympus, after evaluating the amazing success stories of two other companies, walks off the same darn cliff. <br><br>

Let's hope Pentax with their *ist takes a smarter approach.

<br><br>

I just don't see how one can justify getting this e1, even if the price was similar to 10D. <br>Lenses? what lenses? oh, maybe you also want primes with that camera? Or maybe you'd like your 8k 300/2.8 with IS? Or let me guess, you'd like a USM with your zoom?

 

<br> hmm...

[carl smith]

Any major improvement in image quality will shock me. All the E20 added over the E10 was more resolution. Their noise isn't great compared to the SLRs of Canon and others. Will the E-1 be better? Dunno but I bet they're using the same sensor as the E20.