Archive 2007 · My Oly - I'm In Love

Jorgen Udvang
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p.4 #1 · My Oly - I'm In Love

jamesf99 wrote:
Well, we obviously disagree and yes, other things do matter; a lot if you're thinking of buying a "system". If it's a P&S, you still need to think of things like duplicating lenses, different batteries (certainly not a unique problem as mfgs change these all the time), and the chance that the system can't keep up with sensor changes (I don't buy APS-C lenses). Do I know that it can't or won't keep up for sure? No, of course not, but you don't have to look far to see what's happening, and even those fanatical Nikon people are reassessing their...Show more →

"System" is one of the strongest side of 4/3. All lenses are designed for the system and for the sensor size, and there's no reason why they would change that. As for batteries (since you mention it), if you look at Olympus, most of their 4/3 cameras (E-1, E-3, E-300, E-330, E-500 and E-510) use the same battery. Only the tiny E-400/410 uses a smaller one, due to the physical size of the camera. I would like to see another system that duplicates this.

I'm also a Nikon user, and since my Nikon (Fuji S3) is a DX format camera, I assume that you will categorise me as one of the DX fanatics

While I appreciate some photographers' need for ISO25600 and/or 20MP, most of us don't have that need, and those needs are the only ones I can see as reasons to buy an FF/FX camera. If you know any other reasons, please tell me.

I'm already taking photos more or less in the dark at ISO800 with my E-1. I'm sure it will be easier at ISO1600 with IS on an E-3 or ISO3200 with a D300, but I can assure you: this is not what defines my hardware needs as a photographer.

What is important is a selection of good quality lenses at reasonable prices. Those lenses are available for all formats, but in my view, 4/3 clearly has the edge, which was the most important reason for me to buy into the system in the first place. It's simply a very easy system to live with.

Currently, there are 3 (three) FF cameras on the market: 1DsIII, 5D and D3 in addition to the oddball 1DIII. At the same time, there are at least 15 APS C and 5 or 6 4/3 cameras available. Most of those have production volumes that outnumbers the total production of FF cameras by a healthy margin.

Nikon just released the APS-C D300, a camera clearly aimed at professional photographers and serious amateurs. If that isn't proof of their commitment to the format, I don't know what is.

Wouldn't I like to have an FF camera then? Of course I would, just as I would like to have an MF camera. But do I really need one? Would my photos be better if I had one? Nah... I don't think so. And I don't want to carry the weight. Olympus gives me 400mm (eqv.) reach, f/3.5 within less than 2 kilos. Suits me fine. I can take it everywhere, just like a point & shoot

Dec 06, 2007 at 05:24 PM

cogitech
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p.4 #2 · My Oly - I'm In Love

I think all the formats have quite a lot of longevity left yet. FF is destined to become cheaper and more "consumable", but I doubt there will be a mass exodus of crop users any time soon. FF is by far my favourite format that I have tried so far and the image quality of my 5D is beyond sufficient for my work. Talk about a bread and butter camera.

On the other hand, I feel the best way to know if a particular system or format is suitable for ones work and capable of providing sufficient quality is to use it, rather than contemplate how 100% crops of one format look compared to others, or about the future of one format vs. another. I don't care if 4/3 goes away tomorrow. Systems come and go. In the meantime, I try to take some nice photos, make some folks happy, and make some cash.

So, I'm gonna give 4/3 a try before dismissing it as a doomed system. Maybe it'll be a nice compliment to FF. I have a feeling I'll like it even more than 1.6x.

Dec 07, 2007 at 12:09 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.4 #3 · My Oly - I'm In Love

CKrueger wrote:
When someone markets a FF DSLR for $1500, THEN we can talk about FF going mainstream.

Well, it may only be a temporary situation until the current 5D's are gone, but have you looked at the prices lately? 5D's are currently competing with Nikon D300's and Olympus E3's with regard to price at the moment - within a few hundered dollors new of your $1500 price. There are certainly more than just a few potential buyers out there right now making the choice between a Canon FF camera(5D) or a smaller sensor camera which offers other features such as Pro build quality, weather sealing, high frame rate, in body IS, Live View, ect. in exchange for FF. I think one could make the argument that FF has just broken into the mainstream.

I do think all the current formats can and will co-exist for quite some time and that the 4/3rds format will only become more popular. FF will be, as in the above scenario, a "feature" that some will want or need and others may not(there are actually advantages to smaller sensors such as increased DOF, size and so forth.) Technology marches on and image quality will go up while price drops for all these systems.

Dec 07, 2007 at 08:09 AM

Rob Riley
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p.4 #4 · My Oly - I'm In Love

From where I sit, Olympus as regards noise has improved a lot, but it began in a bad place. My old 300 can raise some very sharp images, but gets very noisy very fast as you climb in iso.

The E3 is way ahead of 300 at 8Mp, and some way ahead of 410/510. We have been told that the sensor wiring has been reduced, enabling well sizes more like those of E330/L1 7.5Mp cameras.

The only way it is possible to market cheap FF135 cameras is to make them comparatively featureless. Future market differentiation will be along the lines of price, with some very expensive FF135's, cheap FF135 without much in the way of development, and more high tech approaches in crop sensors. Having experienced 5 stops of IS and LiveView on E3, I know where I want to be.

Dec 07, 2007 at 10:30 PM

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