SteveA
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olympus bringing their A game!!!
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dd1989
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As a former Olympus dSLR user I have realised a few things about Olympus.
The build quality of my E-510 matches my D300 with ease, a camera costing less than half the RRP when new, and one positioned in a league or two below, still felt bombproof and will last for years and years. This needs to be carried in to the new camera range. I'm all for small, but it needs to be high quality. That's one of the things stopping any professional use, the fact that pros by nature beat their products more than the average idiot at a party with a compact.
Zuiko. If it's one thing keeping full side Four Thirds users faithful to their E-3s and E-5s, it's the lenses. Stick a pro Zuiko lens on an E-5 and you're laughing, so Olympus need to continue the trend of simply amazing lenses and put that in to Micro 43. So far the only lenses that seem to do this are the 60mm and 45mm primes. Need an epic zoom like the 14-54 Mk2 or the 12-60mm. The Four Thirds lens line up is probably one of the most solid and best performing line ups out there, there's simply no weak lens.
Marketing. They need to sort that out. They just don't expose their cameras like Nikon and Canon do. Most importantly there is a clear roadmap for Nikon and Canon users. What does an Olympus compact user do, get m43? Buy a used DSLR (with worse image quality than a new OM-D...) - it's just a minefield of decision. A Canon compact user can go G series, or entry dSLR then up to the big boys like the 5d.
The build quality of my E-510 matches my D300 with ease, a camera costing less than half the RRP when new, and one positioned in a league or two below, still felt bombproof and will last for years and years. This needs to be carried in to the new camera range. I'm all for small, but it needs to be high quality. That's one of the things stopping any professional use, the fact that pros by nature beat their products more than the average idiot at a party with a compact.
Zuiko. If it's one thing keeping full side Four Thirds users faithful to their E-3s and E-5s, it's the lenses. Stick a pro Zuiko lens on an E-5 and you're laughing, so Olympus need to continue the trend of simply amazing lenses and put that in to Micro 43. So far the only lenses that seem to do this are the 60mm and 45mm primes. Need an epic zoom like the 14-54 Mk2 or the 12-60mm. The Four Thirds lens line up is probably one of the most solid and best performing line ups out there, there's simply no weak lens.
Marketing. They need to sort that out. They just don't expose their cameras like Nikon and Canon do. Most importantly there is a clear roadmap for Nikon and Canon users. What does an Olympus compact user do, get m43? Buy a used DSLR (with worse image quality than a new OM-D...) - it's just a minefield of decision. A Canon compact user can go G series, or entry dSLR then up to the big boys like the 5d.
AJQS
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Found it, thanks!
Man I was tempted, my finger ws hovering ove rthe preorder button on Amazon for a very long time!
Unfortunately sensible had to win out, I can't afford to spunk a grand on a new camera!
chrism_scotland
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Its a lot of cash! I think I'm going to invest in a couple of lenses (45mm, 25mm) and possibly a G3 to go with my EP2 rather than buy this.
I was doing my sums earlier and figuring out if the OM-D, the Oly 12mm and the Oly 45mm were affordable. I was just starting to thinking that they were, then I looked at the price of used Leica M8s on ebay.
For the price of an OM-D and the 45mm lens I could get a used M8 which could share lenses with a Voigtlander I have bought but not yet received. I know the M8 is quite a different camera and not without it's flaws and it's not ff but still, would you rather buy an Olympus for Leica money or a Leica for Olympus money?
For the price of an OM-D and the 45mm lens I could get a used M8 which could share lenses with a Voigtlander I have bought but not yet received. I know the M8 is quite a different camera and not without it's flaws and it's not ff but still, would you rather buy an Olympus for Leica money or a Leica for Olympus money?
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I've not tried the M8 but from what I've read you really need to be a fan to ignore its flaws and even then it's a rangefinder, and I'm done with those. The magnified view of a MFT is a much better way of manually focusing IMVHO.
Maybe instead of a M8 a better comparison would be the new Fuji?
Maybe instead of a M8 a better comparison would be the new Fuji?
Same could be said of the X100 re. flaws and I'm managing alright with it.
I have only used a very old rangefinder but thought that, like a split prism, it was a much quicker and more definite way to focus than anything I had experienced through an lcd or evf screen. With the EVF/LCD you generally have to go, more focused, more focused, more focused, oops too far, back a bit, nope not that far, back that way, ok that's it, shoot. Where as with an rf patch you can see the two images getting closer and then bam they are together and you shoot. I'm sure there's a Digital Rev vid where Kai focuses his Leica faster than something like a D700 autofocuses.
I think you are probably right about the X-Pro being more of a competitor for the OM-D than the M8 but it's even more expensive! The upcoming M mount adaptor for the X-Pro seems to have won it a few fans but at these prices, if you're going to use M lenses I just don't see what the X-Pro offers you that an M8 wouldn't. Fuji have already built themselves a reputation of being a maker of cameras with 'niggles' from the other X series cameras and there's been no indication, so far as I have heard, of how the X-Pro will deal with manual focus so going for the Fuji doesn't seem like it'd be the the problem free route at all.
I have only used a very old rangefinder but thought that, like a split prism, it was a much quicker and more definite way to focus than anything I had experienced through an lcd or evf screen. With the EVF/LCD you generally have to go, more focused, more focused, more focused, oops too far, back a bit, nope not that far, back that way, ok that's it, shoot. Where as with an rf patch you can see the two images getting closer and then bam they are together and you shoot. I'm sure there's a Digital Rev vid where Kai focuses his Leica faster than something like a D700 autofocuses.
I think you are probably right about the X-Pro being more of a competitor for the OM-D than the M8 but it's even more expensive! The upcoming M mount adaptor for the X-Pro seems to have won it a few fans but at these prices, if you're going to use M lenses I just don't see what the X-Pro offers you that an M8 wouldn't. Fuji have already built themselves a reputation of being a maker of cameras with 'niggles' from the other X series cameras and there's been no indication, so far as I have heard, of how the X-Pro will deal with manual focus so going for the Fuji doesn't seem like it'd be the the problem free route at all.
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I don't know how could I forget the X100 here 
I had a couple of little problems with rangefinders. Firstly, of course, there's no magnified view to aid focus and although the split/converging view thingy is good for some subjects for others that include lots of detail it can be almost useless or at best slow you down a lot while you work out what you're looking at and focusing on.
If you are interested in an M8 I assume you've checked out the various little issues and complaints people have. If going in knowing all the niggles I'm sure it's a system that'll give a lot of pleasure. Have you thought about an Epson RD1? As I said, I think I'm done with RF's (they went to new homes when I got my GF1) and although I use a manual lens on my G1 and often focus manually with my DSLR's at least the option of using AF is there with both DSLR and MFT systems.
I had a couple of little problems with rangefinders. Firstly, of course, there's no magnified view to aid focus and although the split/converging view thingy is good for some subjects for others that include lots of detail it can be almost useless or at best slow you down a lot while you work out what you're looking at and focusing on.
If you are interested in an M8 I assume you've checked out the various little issues and complaints people have. If going in knowing all the niggles I'm sure it's a system that'll give a lot of pleasure. Have you thought about an Epson RD1? As I said, I think I'm done with RF's (they went to new homes when I got my GF1) and although I use a manual lens on my G1 and often focus manually with my DSLR's at least the option of using AF is there with both DSLR and MFT systems.
Yeah I'd love an RD1 but all the ones iv seen recently have gone for around £1k which seems like a lot of money.
I actually found last night that searching 'Epson' in the digital camera section if eBay seems to throw up a load more results than searching 'RD1' or 'RD-1' so gonna keep my eye on that.
I like the GFs and the Pens but I feel a viewfinder is a necessity and putting one on those cameras means the hot shoe is occupied so no chance to use a flash gun or trigger. The GFs don't have a pc sync socket do they?
I actually found last night that searching 'Epson' in the digital camera section if eBay seems to throw up a load more results than searching 'RD1' or 'RD-1' so gonna keep my eye on that.
I like the GFs and the Pens but I feel a viewfinder is a necessity and putting one on those cameras means the hot shoe is occupied so no chance to use a flash gun or trigger. The GFs don't have a pc sync socket do they?
FruitFlakes
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If you're considering an M8, remember to buy IR filters for your lenses! Contrary to what woof woof says, I find RF focusing a doddle, you can be pretty fast and accurate with practice. Personally I find the M8 a hard sell considering you could get a GXR or a NEX7, I find that it has too many compromises for what you pay for.
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I'm thinking about a variety of routes just now but I consider a viewfinder a necessity and at least for doing portraiture stuff I'd like a viewfinder which gives an indication of where the focus point is (so the X10 with it's zero info optical vf isn't ideal), I wouldn't mind having to use an EVF but if I'm doing portraiture as mentioned above, I want to be able to stick a flash trigger in the hotshoe so that discounts the GF series, the Pen series and the GXR. The Nex7 has the EVF and once an adaptor is fitted, n available hotshoe for flash triggers etc but, native lens choice is shonky and the sensor has issues with wide angle legacy lenses.
Och I dunno if I'm really considering any of them! i should probably just keep my 5D/100mm and X100 combo and stop dreaming! Or maybe I should get over my viewfinder requirements and just get a gf1, and the Oly 12mm and 45mm.
Och I dunno if I'm really considering any of them! i should probably just keep my 5D/100mm and X100 combo and stop dreaming! Or maybe I should get over my viewfinder requirements and just get a gf1, and the Oly 12mm and 45mm.
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Yes, most of the time I'd agree. I think it's just distance and complex subjects that gave me problems. I tend to take quite a lot of shots in nearby countryside and I found things like trees, bushes and things with lots of detail etc a pain.
I would have loved the OM-D + 12mm,20mm,45mm but the cost of the 12mm pretty much kills it for me. Could consider the 14mm but have heard very mixed comments about it and with it being a Pana lens it might not get properly corrected on an Oly body.
Then again I might simply give in and buy a K-01, together with the Pentax primes it just might be small enough for me.
ShrubMonkey
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For those interested, Olympus have an offer on the OM-D. Preorder before April and receive the 2 part battery grip free (RRP £229)
ShrubMonkey
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Interesting image comparison with EP-3
http://fourthirds-user.com/2012/02/high_iso_comparison_between_the_olympus_pen_ep3_and_omd_em5.php
The 12800 iso images show a gulf of difference between the E-M5 and EP-3
http://fourthirds-user.com/2012/02/high_iso_comparison_between_the_olympus_pen_ep3_and_omd_em5.php
The 12800 iso images show a gulf of difference between the E-M5 and EP-3