Wilbus Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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dragicon wrote:
If you don't mind, I'd like to jump into the convo. I was looking to pick up an OM-D styled body for my mother, who is starting to feel the weight of her current nikon setup. She uses the D700 at the moment, which is really the best camera she has ever used. She is an excellent photographer, but does not know how to operate cameras extremely well. I convinced her to get a D700 a while back as it has every useful function built into a switch (continuous, single, manual autofocus switch; single point, multi point autofocus selector switch; dedicated iso button; and a few more programable buttons to make things easier). Is there anything like this in the olympus/pentax line that rivals this style of the D700? When functions are hidden in a menu-tree, she really struggles to find things easily (or if at all). Price isn't a major concern, but I don't think she would be overly interested in dropping more then $1500 with a body and a lens or two. Neither of us would have an issue picking up a used camera here on FM if it will help keep the cost down. ...Show more →
The D700 is possibly the best digital slr ever made in my opinion, I loved mine and still miss it every now and then!
As far as switches go, well yes and no but even when no, it's still in a pretty good way 
Makes total sense, right? 
One of the reasons I wanted the D700 over my D80 was for that same reason, I love switches and knobs. It's also one of the reasons I decided to pick up an Olympus E-M1 this past summer even though I am fully aware of the fact that it's replacement will probably come by this summer or just after.
I will try and explain but if you wish, and can hold out till tomorrow, I can post some photos of what I mean as well, that might be the best way for you and your mother to decide weather it will be good enough or not.
There is no real switch for AF-S, AF-C and MF selection. There is a button for it on the upper left of the camera body marked with AF and [o]. By pressing it you change AF mode by turning the thumb wheel back and forth and if you turn the front wheel (located around the trigger) you change metering mode.
It's not the same type of physical switch as on the D700 but neither is it menu diving 
If you wanna switch between single or multipoint AF you have a few different ways. You can either customize one the five customizable buttons to bring up AF points selector or just use the 4 way AF point selector on the back of the camera. If you set up a button for it, press it once to bring up the AF point selector and then either use the back AF selector pad and press in a direction a few times untill the AF point goes outside the frame, when it does, it changes to multi point mode. You can also make a combination of 9 point mode anywhere in the frame, and bring forth smaller points, by using the INFO button but I won't go in to that now.
The other way is after pressing the button, you move the front and rear selector wheel (thumb and trigger wheels) to move the AF points in the same way as you do with the pad. It's usually faster and way easier with gloves. You can of course combine both if you want to.
The E-M1 added the amazing 2x2 Switch selector which is something I absolutely love. The E-M5 Mk I did not have this, Mk II does however.
In its standard setting when set to position 1, which is "up" your thumb and trigger wheels control Aperture or shutter speed (or both) or exposure control. Just like most other cameras. If you switch it to position 2 which is slightly down the wheels instead control ISO and White balance. You can customize this as well and make either wheel control either setting. On the E-M1 it also changes settings (if you want it to) to the two buttons on the top left of the camera where you previously changed AF mode and metering mode, drive mode, HDR, self timer etc.
¨The ISO setting is something that I find really fast, actually faster then I did on the D700 and the best I've tried on any camera. On the E-M1 it's a one handed procedure.
I'll see if I can grab some shots for you tomorrow to make it a little more understandable, ok? 
Regards
Rasmus
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