Write2caro wrote:.
OK... I am new to the SLR market and have done some research, and washoping to get some input from you guys..
Most important to me:- best possible low-light no-flash image quality- ability to capture VERY fast-moving toddlers in some nice pics! - not TOO heavy (my neck/shoulders would not be happy with me).
The AF speed of a Nikon D80/Canon XTI and a 50mm F1.4 would be a wise choice or Pentax K10D and 50mm F1.4 - Antishake will help some but remember that it only helps "you" from shaking or if the shutter speed drops. It wont slow down action or freeze a frame like a faster shutter speed. And you can only get a faster shutter speed by boosting your ISO (not an Olympus Strength) or buying a faster lens (ie f2.0 or f1.8 or f1.4). Olympus does not have lens suitable for that. Though the Sigma 30mm F1.4 might be an option but the AF is quite slow and a 30mm lens will distort facial features too much..
I had narrowed to, leaning toward the E510:- Olympus E510- Sony A100- Pentax K10D.
Pentax by FAR. No contest. You forget the price of fast lens for fast shutter speed to stop those "VERY fast-moving toddlers.".
IS seemed important to me, so I hadn't included the Canon 400D..
Again the Canon would also make a fine choice because of the fast glass and fast AF. Why are you forgetting about lens?.
HOWEVER... Some people now have me worried about sensor size/imagequality, and have told me that IS is not all it's cracked up to be..
They are correct. I owned an Olympus E-1 and the small sensor and slow lens are not suitable for what you want to take pictures of..
Have fun...
Sarajean wrote:.
They are correct. I owned an Olympus E-1 and the small sensor andslow lens are not suitable for what you want to take pictures of..
Huh???.
Comparing the E-1 and the E510 is really like comparing apples to oranges. I bought a 510 last month and it is great! It is far superior to the E-1 in terms of high ISO performance, Auto focus speed, etc... IS is not what it's cracked up to be? How about consistently getting a 2 stop advantage. Have you ever even handled an E510? If not you really hadn't be commenting on it. It is NOT an E-1!..
I would LOVE some thoughts from anyone who has used/owns any of thesemodels (including the 400D), or even a couple of them (if you'relucky enough!)..
I am also doing some research and I thought the IS for the Canon's was in the lens not the camera?.
Roger..
Comparing the E-1 and the E510 is really like comparing apples tooranges. I bought a 510 last month and it is great! It is farsuperior to the E-1 in terms of high ISO performance, Auto focusspeed, etc... IS is not what it's cracked up to be? How aboutconsistently getting a 2 stop advantage. Have you ever even handledan E510? If not you really hadn't be commenting on it..
Lens are still slow. You should know that..
What f1.8 or f1.4 options does he have that AF fast for the Olympus system?.
Understand?..
Both sigma and leica make lenses of this speed for 4/3s cameras. Of couse Leica is not in the same class with Nikon ..
IS in the 510 is a big plus. The high ISO operation of the 510 is excellent. It is also less expensive then either of the other 2 cameras mentioned. Also the Liveview is very helpful. I did not think it would be since I had never used it. However it was a great aid in shoot fireworks last week.
With it I could preset the focus. I am now a believer and seeing is believeing..
Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.
Maddog.
Olympus E-500, Olympus E-510..
Roger Huston wrote:.
I would LOVE some thoughts from anyone who has used/owns any of thesemodels (including the 400D), or even a couple of them (if you'relucky enough!)..
I am also doing some research and I thought the IS for the Canon'swas in the lens not the camera?.
Roger.
You're exactly right. I started to reconsider the 400D after reading some posts suggesting that for my particular needs IS may be less important than I was thinking it might be...
Sarajean wrote:.
Lens are still slow. You should know that..
What f1.8 or f1.4 options does he have that AF fast for the Olympussystem?.
Here is one of a few. Perhaps you should do a little research as offerings for the 4/3 system has changed dramatically since the E-1 was introduced..
Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...09-REG/Panasonic_LX025_25mm_f_1_4_Leica_D.html.
Understand?.
Not really. I don't see where from the original posters question you would conclude that they need a f1.4 type lens? I can assure you that the E510 is more than capable of catching any toddler in action and has great ISO performance (An achillies hill in previous Olympus E series cameras.) Having used the E510 along with the D80 I can tell you it is one heck of a camera packed with features that someone new to dSLR's (Like the OP) can grow in to...
Rlinnell wrote:.
Here is one of a few. Perhaps you should do a little research asofferings for the 4/3 system has changed dramatically since the E-1was introduced..
Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...09-REG/Panasonic_LX025_25mm_f_1_4_Leica_D.html.
A 25mm lens for portraits? Thats what you are recommending for the original poster?..
Sarajean wrote:.
Rlinnell wrote:.
Here is one of a few. Perhaps you should do a little research asofferings for the 4/3 system has changed dramatically since the E-1was introduced..
Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...09-REG/Panasonic_LX025_25mm_f_1_4_Leica_D.html.
A 25mm lens for portraits? Thats what you are recommending for theoriginal poster?.
Oh and it costs a nice $800 also. Keep the great advise coming! Brand loyalty is one thing but jesus christ....do you really think your being helpful?..
Please remember that the 4/3 lens is 2x rather than 1.5 as other DSLR. Therefore this would be equiv of a 50 mm on SLR Flim..
And you can get a 30mm 1.8 and a 24mm 1.8 from Sigma for $339 and $439 respectively..
In short both the K10d and the E510 are comparable. The 10d has a weather sealed body which is great but nowhere did the original poster suggest that he was going out to do shots in a hurricane. He posted on doing indoor shots without flash and highspeed shots of childern. For these the 510 and the 10D are almost equal in performance based on everything that I have seen. After that it comes down to cost and personal preference. For cost the 510 wins.
Maddog.
Olympus E-500, Olympus E-510..
Sarajean wrote:.
A 25mm lens for portraits? Thats what you are recommending for the original poster?.
Again, you should do a little research. In 4/3 system 25mm would be the same as a 50mm lens in standard 35mm photography. And No, I wouldn't recommend this lens for portraits. When did I? I would recommend the cheaper and very nice Zuiko 50mm Macro (100mm Equiv) which is a GREAT portrait lens if someone shoots Oly..
Oh and it costs a nice $800 also. Keep the great advise coming!.
Why don't you go back an re-read the thread. I know things are easily lost on some people but that is my point. You will pay $$$ for ANY quality fast lens regardless of mount. The link was for your benefit only when you say there are no fast lens available for the 4/3s system. This is one of many. You will notice in my previous post I was wondering WHY you would feel the poster would need such a fast lens???.
Brand loyalty is one thing but jesus christ....do you really thinkyour being helpful?.
I sure hope so! Also, I am no brand loyalist, I enjoy shooting Nikon just as much as Oly. You seem to be the brand loyalist to the extent that you want to discount the 510 because it's from Olympus. You don't seem to be to up to speed on some of the new E series cameras from Oly and their capabilities. All systems have strengths and weaknesses. I am just trying to give the OP some useful information from someone who has ACTUALLY USED the E510 to counter your mis-information about the value of the E510 and it's capabilities..
Have a Great Day!..
You might lso check just how much compression is applied to the pictures. Some makes make a big jump from PGEG's to RAW and others (Olympus) do a not so compressed jpg that many use all the time instead of huge RAW files. And the colour is nice too..
Try this thread:.
Http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=23950058.
It will tell of a Canon owner's conversion to Olympus....
Regards, David.
PS And have you seen that nice f/2-all-the-way-lens they do that's 35 to 100 mm (70 to 200 in 35 mm film terms)?..
Sarajean wrote:.
Comparing the E-1 and the E510 is really like comparing apples tooranges. I bought a 510 last month and it is great! It is farsuperior to the E-1 in terms of high ISO performance, Auto focusspeed, etc... IS is not what it's cracked up to be? How aboutconsistently getting a 2 stop advantage. Have you ever even handledan E510? If not you really hadn't be commenting on it..
Lens are still slow. You should know that..
What f1.8 or f1.4 options does he have that AF fast for the Olympussystem?.
Understand?.
Sigma EX DG .........................24/1.8Leica D Summilux ...................25/1.4Sigma EX DC HSM ..................30/1.4Olympus ZD macro .................50/2Riley.
I like to think the bs can never be higher than the ah..
Maddogmd11 wrote:.
Please remember that the 4/3 lens is 2x rather than 1.5 as otherDSLR. Therefore this would be equiv of a 50 mm on SLR Flim..
Wrong. It is only the equiv FOV....not object compression. A 25mm lens will NOT compress facial features like a true 50mm lens..
Point a 25mm lens at someone on an Olympus DSLR and they will still have distored facial features if you stand the same distance from the subject. If however you stand farther back to reduce that, your ability to blur the background is lessened. This is the trouble with smaller sensors..
A 25mm lens is NOT a good choice for a portrait lens on any DSLR...
Rlinnell wrote:.
Sarajean wrote:.
A 25mm lens for portraits? Thats what you are recommending for the original poster?.
Again, you should do a little research. In 4/3 system 25mm would bethe same as a 50mm lens in standard 35mm photography..
Wrong. It is only the equiv FOV....not object compression. A 25mm lens will NOT compress facial features like a true 50mm lens..
Point a 25mm lens at someone on an Olympus DSLR and they will still have distored facial features if you stand the same distance from the subject. If however you stand farther back to reduce that, your ability to blur the background is lessened. This is the trouble with smaller sensors..
A 25mm lens is NOT a good choice for a portrait lens on any DSLR..
And No, Iwouldn't recommend this lens for portraits. When did I?.
The original posted was looking for a lens to take pictures of people..
I wouldrecommend the cheaper and very nice Zuiko 50mm Macro (100mm Equiv)which is a GREAT portrait lens if someone shoots Oly..
And that focuses fast? Wrong again. I love that lens but it's still a macro and while it can do a good portrait, it's not suitable for the original poster. He wants fast..
You are not at all being helpful to him. Shame on you...
Sarajean wrote:.
Rlinnell wrote:.
I wouldrecommend the cheaper and very nice Zuiko 50mm Macro (100mm Equiv)which is a GREAT portrait lens if someone shoots Oly..
Sarajean wrote:And that focuses fast? Wrong again. I love that lens but it's stilla macro and while it can do a good portrait, it's not suitable for theoriginal poster. He wants fast..
You are not at all being helpful to him. Shame on you..
LOL, You have a mind like a steel trap.A closed steel trap. I will just bow out at this point as this is getting pretty pointless..
To the Original Poster - The E510 would make a GREAT CHOICE. Image Stabilization is all it's cracked up to be. High ISO performance is very good with the new sensor. Live View is pretty useful at times (more so than I thought it would be) The 2 kit lens' are pretty darn good for the price as well. You also will not find a lighter camera around your neck except the E410. For the price vs.
It is a Great Camera with Great Lens' available (though not as many as with Canon/Nikon as SaraJean is so apt to point out ..
Have a Great Day!..
You are correct it is FOV but he did not say he was doing portraits. He said.
"Most important to me:- best possible low-light no-flash image quality- ability to capture VERY fast-moving toddlers in some nice pics! - not TOO heavy (my neck/shoulders would not be happy with me)".
Therefore the 24mm and 30mm may be fine. Also there are manual lenses (which I would not recommend) or use a 2.8 and increase the ISO. I did not get the feeling that he was looking to do portraits with no lighting support..
And I forgot the 510 is not only cheaper it is 3/2s the weight which was one of his main points as well..
Maddog.
Olympus E-500, Olympus E-510..
I do appreciate everyone's replies - thanks! I am trying to find a store with a K10D in stock so that I can see it in person next to the E510. I'm also doing more research on lenses in various systems, which I now realize I had not done enough of..
One (potentially stupid) question: is there any way to find out whether Canon or Nikon have any intention of releasing in-body IS cameras any time soon? My guess is 'no' from just the Google research I did (comments along the lines of "what would they do with all their IS lenses", etc.). Just curious on that one..
Thanks again!..
That is exactly why Canon and Nikon have yet to introduce a dSLR with inbody VR...
Obviously I don't know where you live but you might want to check Ritz/Wolf Camera. They carry both I believe. However, both may not be in stock at the same time. One thing to be aware of is that they do not carry many lenses for the Oly but those are certainly available cheaper on the web..
Also be aware that the quality of ANY advice you get from the fine folks at Ritz/Wolf may be suspect. Some of the folks are great but some don't know an SLR from and SUV. Just be prepared..
Good luck. Regardless of which camera you get they are both fine equipment. However, I have to admit that I like the Oly better. .
MaddogOlympus E-500, Olympus E-510..