Hi All. After reading kja's very informative thread about lens numbers & the like, whilst knowing there are few such things mentioned here for Olympus DSLR users, I thought I'd pass on some experience & so forth being an avid Olympus user. I know there's not many of us, yet don't let that put you off.
Probably the biggest mystery for any new DSLR photographer are lenses. Regardless of what body you may use, you can gain significant image quality by simply buying a better lens. This aspect to SLR photography is extremely important as such photography is really a marriage between body & lens. You can have a great body, but if the lens is average the resulting photo will be pretty much average. Have a good body, along with a great lens, & you can expect impressive results. This is true of all brands, but most certainly this is the case with the entire Four Thirds range. But before I get to lenses, let's look at the Olympus range with a quick review of each.
E-420/450
I've got the E-420 & I really like it. Yes it is limited, when compared with the higher range cameras (except for one), but for a level entry DSLR it really has all the good basics going for it for getting really nice photos. Furthermore these two 10 Mega Pixel entry level cameras (the E-450 is basically an updated E-420) have probably the best kit lenses on the market: the 14-42mm & 40-150mm.
The down side is poor noise at high ISO, if you don't get it completely right, not to mention the ISO range is limited at 1 600. They also have no image stability. But, if you go back to camera basics 101, & hold your camera still (like you should be doing anyway), there are some great pictures to be taken.
Positive side is they are cheap, compared to the competition, simple to use, & very light & nimble. In fact they are the smallest DSLRs on the market. Actually they remind me of a Canon AE-1 in respect to their operation & abilities. Even more reason to like them!
E-520
Now this is an odd addition to the Olympus camera line-up If you want an entry level camera, that's only slightly better than the E-420/450, than by all means consider this one. However I wouldn't bother with it as it really doesn't offer anything significantly better except for image stabilisation. Certainly DO NOT consider this camera if you've already got the E-420/450 & want to upgrade.
E-620
This is probably the best value for money DSLR Olympus offers. Furthermore you can really start to benefit from the more advance lenses such as the 12-60mm SWD, as auto focus is quicker, plus you can get 4 frames per second in jpeg. Best of all you get the same sensor, that the E-30 has, plus a lot of the same features, albeit it is“"down tuned". Still it is cheaper than the E-30 whilst image quality is pretty much the same. But it is the 12.3MP sensor, that's important here, as you can start to really appreciate the extra image quality you can get from the pro-level Zuiko lenses. Furthermore you also get image stabilisation as well as a higher ISO setting to 3 200. All this in a camera body which is still rather compact.
E-30
This is my full-time camera & I have truly grown to fully appreciate the image quality let alone its ruggedness. I do pound photography around the Hunter Valley, so I have to take photos under the most extreme of circumstances, where I really have no or little control over light, subject, let alone the overall environment. So this camera gets pushed to the absolute limit.
Its benefits are 5 frames per second in jpeg (12 in RAW), quick auto focus, good image stability, maximum advantage from the pro-level Zuiko, Sigma, & Leica lenses, good image quality at high ISO levels (max is 3 200 but you must get the settings right ), along with 11 point autofocus detection.
In many respects, though, the E-30, as a body, isn't any better than a Canon 50D, in fact it is less, but the high quality lenses, which it can take full advantage of, certainly makes up the difference. And, overall, it's a cheaper camera option than the competition.
E-3
Don't bother upgrading to this camera unless you plan taking your photos in rain, hail, sand, dust, or/& snow. It's an old design, dating back over 4 years, & everyone has surpassed it in just about every facit except for its weatherproofing, although Olympus still claims that it has the quickest autofocus on any camera (using the 12-60mm SWD). It is the only camera designed, as such, especially in respect to its image quality which is still respectable. But the E-30 arguably takes better quality images, it is lighter, not to mention cheaper. Plus the E-5 is due to come out within the next month, which promises to be a huge improvement on the E-3 & up there with the Canon 7D
E-5
The E-3 replacement was announced on 14 Sept 2010. Essentially it is an "evolutionary" camera based on the E-3. I haven't had the chance to see or play with one yet, so I can't really say anything one way or the other. I can say that it does have a new Live MOS sensor @ 12.3 MP & a new image processor TruePic V+ which Olympus claim will produce better images than anyone else's camera save for full frame DSLRs. It also comes with 720p HD video although as a still photographer I honestly couldn't care less about. Importantly autofocus is claimed to be greatly improved, which I do care greatly about, & Olympus once again claim that it is also the fastest focusing DSLR in the world when using the 12-60mm SWD. Its ISO range now gets up to 6 400, which again I'm very keen to know about, but I'd really want to know whether noise reduction at said high ISO speeds is improved over the current E-3 & E30 models. Looks very tempting to upgrade to, nonetheless, but we'll have to wait & see what dpreview.com has to say when they road test it hopefully sooner than later.
UPDATE: So the reviews have started to come in & so far they've been positive albeit with the occasional criticism over the video component (which I must state I couldn't care less about). For me, what is important, is the still image quality. This is a major improvement & is something repeated again & again in the reviews. Most put it on a par with the Canon 7D if not slightly better. Likewise noise at high ISO, which I've seen tested up to 3 200, is greatly improved on the E-3 & E-30, & again on a par with the Canon 7D. Meanwhile it is, as Olympus claim, the quickest focusing SLR around. Yet that's not the important issue. What's important is now it's consistancy in low light when using the single focus function instead of the continuous focus function. This is a weakness I've found on the E-30, but apparently this has been rectified in the E-5.
There are, however, a couple of downsides other than the video function. The first is noise at 6 400 ISO is average at best although that is far from surprising. The next is it doesn't have any "wow" factor. There is no next generation technology or major advancements as far as digital photography goes, unlike previous releases of the Olympus Flagship models. So I don't expect anyone jumping ship to Olympus from other brands because of the E-5. It's a completely different story for Olympus owners, though, as this is truly an exceptional Flagship camera for the Olympus brand. Yet the biggest criticism, I've found so far, is the price. It is currently quoted at $us1 699 at online stores such as Amazon.com. For Olympus users, that's not necessarily unusual, for a Flagship model, although I will wait myself, until early next year, when the market place will inevitably push the price down. But considering it is mostly on a par with the Canon 7D, & it currently costs about the same, $us1 699 isn't too bad. Yet, as I said, the price of the E-5 is bound to drop a couple of hundred dollars, so wait until around March 2011 & the price may well be around $us1 400. If so I'll be getting one for sure when it does.
AWARD WINNER! The E-5 has won the XXI Technical Image Press Association 2011 Award for the best photographic and imaging product for "Best D-SLR Expert"
Source: http://www.tipa.com/english/award-details....st+D-SLR+Expert
Lenses
I won't list every Fourthirds lens here, but only the ones I own or know a fair amount about. There are, though, many more lenses availble. Follow this link in order to view the full range available: http://four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/lens_chart.html
Zuiko 14-42mm A cracker of a kit lens. Probably the best around for image quality, albeit the aperture is average as these things go. Still, under good light, you can get some classic photos from this lens.
Zuiko 40-150mm Like the 14-42mm, this is again one of the best kit lenses around.
Zuiko 18-180mm This lens offers slight better image quality, than the two kit lenses, although it is not as wide (so you miss some nice wideview effects), whilst at the upper end the aperture is limited to f6.3. So if you’re in dull light, image quality can be affected accordingly. Still this one lens can replace having the two kit lenses, which can be a big help. Biggest advantage is its compact size as well as price.
Leica 14-150mm Like the 18-180mm this lens replaces both kit lenses. So again this saves lugging both around with you. The bigger upside is image quality is greatly improved over the kit lenses as well as the 18-180mm. It has better aperture, at the upper end, not to mention simply better glass. However the down side is the price. It’s one of those times when you need to make a decision as to whether it is worth the extra money for a general workhorse lens, as against what else is on offer in the Fourthirds range, & what focal range you usually shoot within.
Zuiko 12-60mm SWD
Simply the best, forget about the rest. This lens is the best money can buy for under $5 000, I would argue, against any competitor or, for that matter, even within the Fourthirds suppliers. Given you can usually pick one up on eBay for around $1 000, it is unbelievable value for money given the image quality it offers for mere mortals who can afford such lenses. A nice wide aperture of f2.8-4 ensures lots of light is allowed in, throughout the focal range, ensuring great images under most lighting conditions. I use this lens often, along with the 18-180mm, & I thoroughly recommend it. You don’t even have to try in order to get good photos.
Zuiko 14-54mm Mk II If you're after a budget version of the 12-60mm SWD, then this is the lens for you. Image quality is a tad less, as is focal range, plus it lacks the supersonic autofocus speeds, but it's aperture is f2.8-3.5 which ensures plenty of light gets in along with good quality glass. You should be able to pick one up at eBay for around $700. Just DON'T get the Mark I. It's not a bad lens, but the Mark II is superior for not much more.
Zuiko 50-200mm SWD
Like the 12-60mm SWD, this one stands out as a top quality lens without many rivals. It is only slightly, mind you there’s only a fraction here, behind in image quality, compared to the 12-60mm SWD, but I think that may more depend upon the user rather than the lens. It costs a few hundred dollars more than the 12-60mm SWD, but if your photography is in this focal range, then you’ll be greatly rewarded in the improvement in image quality.
UPDATE: I've resently had the opportunity to use this lens a lot, on my E-5, & I've got to say, in my experience, this is one outstanding lens. I would dare say it's the best lens Zuiko make, even superior to their 12-60mm listed above, & most likely one of the great lenses any manufacturer has ever produced. Thank you Zuiko!
Zuiko 50-200mm This is the original model, without the supersonic focus drive, & is no longer in production. In fact you'll be lucky to find a brand new one. However second hand ones are entering the market for somewhere between $700-$800. Considering imagine quality is just below the more famous SWD version, so there's no reason why you shouldn't get great results, this means a saving of over $600. Indeed, about the only major difference in image quality, between the two versions, is the bokeh isn't as "ascetically pleasing" in the original model (but you really have to look closely in order to notice it). Needless to say, being a second hand item, it is buyer beware territory.
Zuiko 70-300mm For the more budget minded among us, or if you’re almost broke after buying the 12-60mm SWD, yet still want a nice long distance lens, then this is the one for you. You should be able to pick one up on eBay for under $400, yet it is surprisingly very good at long distance. I've got one & I wished I used it more often. It isn't even all that big as the people at Zuiko have made it very compact compared to the Sigma 70-200mm (which is a true Bazooka). Furthermore, it also has a "semi" macro function, which can be turned into an impressive macro lens with the use of the Olympus EX-25 Extension Tube. Importantly you get really good image quality for a budget price.
Sigma 70-200mm Speaking of the devil, yeah this is a huge lens. Mind you its wide aperture of f2.8 ensures plenty of light gets in. And along with good glass, ensures better image quality than the Zuiko 70-300mm. However you may find that you require a tripod to use it, given it's size & weight (1.4 kgs), where you don't with the Zuiko.
Sigma 24mm A really nice low light lens, at f1.8, although not the widest aperture lens Sigma make for Fourthirds. I use it in the Cattery at Kurri pound with some really nice results. Best of all it is rather cheap. You should be able to get one at eBay for around $450-$500.
Sigma 30mm An even better low light lens at f1.4, albeit it is at 30mm & not 24mm. I use this lens indoors at Muswellbrook Pound, which is rather gloomy, as well as the Cattery at Singleton Pound (which again is rather gloomy). And like the Sigma 24mm, the results have been pretty impressive. Like the Sigma 24mm, it is rather on the cheap side albeit about $100 more at eBay.
Leica 25mm Another low light, wide aperture lens at f1.4. I seriously looked at getting this lens first, as it's image quality is reported to be superior to anything else in the Fourthirds range at around this focal range. However it is also twice as much! Consequentially I got the two Sigmas instead for about the same price as one Leica 25mm. But if you're after quality, & not quantity, then this is the lens for you.
Olympus EX-25 Extension Tube Need to do macro photography, but on a tight budget? Then this little accessory is a must. It’ll turn any lens (well most) you've got into an instant macro lens. Image quality maybe not as great, as a properly designed lens with a dedicated macro function, but at around $170 it is truly a cheap way to get into macro photography. I have one in my kit & I have no complaints.
Sigma 105mm For those who really want a good macro lens, then this is for you. It should produce very satisfying photos for most people. And at around $550, that's good value. Although the Canon 100mm is probably superior for image quality, it is a lot more expensive at $1 100 (& we can't use it anyway).
Zuiko 50mm Continuing with macro lenses, this is probably the best one in the Fourthirds range. It is reported to have image quailty akin to the 12-60mm, although it doesn't come with the supersonic autofocus. Nonetheless a nice wide aperture of f2 makes for plenty of light ensuring fast shutter speeds. Considering you can pick up one at eBay for around $700, that's good value for what should mean fantastic photos on a par with any other pro-level lens from anyone. They're even cheaper if you import one from the USA.
And there we are. Plenty to choose from & I haven't even covered a quarter of the Fourthirds range in lenses. And they say Olympus users are limited in choice. Yeah, right
Again, for an entire list of what's available in lenses, please follow this link: http://four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/lens_chart.html
Micro Four Thirds
With some reluctance I should include M4/3rds, in such an Olympus Equipment Reference Thread, if only because Olympus & Panasonic seem to be concentrating on this modified format rather than upon the standard Four Thirds for the time being. I say with some reluctance as there is no chance whatsoever that even the Lumix DMC G2 with the best M4/3rds lens (Lumix 20mm) will get even close to an E-30 with any lens let alone the renown 12-60mm. Still the Micro Four Thirds is a "form" of DSLR although I’d classify them as a bridging-type camera with interchangeable lenses akin to a DSLR. More importantly, Micro Four Thirds is becoming very popular in the market place, consequentially people are starting to use them more frequently, so I thought I’d list a few bodies & lenses accordingly.
Personally, given the prices involved with M4/3rds, you may as well go all the way & get a full DSLR body & enjoy better image quality thanks to the high quality lenses available. The one huge advantage, though, with M4/3rds is the compactness of the bodies (& lenses). The bodies are light, weighing around 300 grams, whilst they hover around 120mm(W), 70mm(H), & 35mm(D) in their dimensions. That’s pretty impressive given they do offer superior imagine quality in excess of 99% plus of non-DSLR cameras.
Bodies
Although there are other bodies available, I’m not going to bother with them. Instead I’ll just mention three of the second generation M4/3rds bodies as these seem a major improvement over the first models which hit the market recently.
Olympus PEN E-P2 12 megapixel sensor. Image stabilisation. Improved image quality over first generation. Good ISO all the way to 3 200 which can get to 6 400 manually. 11 point autofocus. Gets good marks for its video capacity (1280 x 720 (HD). However it will disappoint if you plan to shoot still photos of quick moving subjects. So if you’ve got pets jumping around, or even children for that matter, better to get the E-620 IMHO. Prices are around $900 at eBay with the 14-42mm kit lens.
Olympus PEN E-PL1 12 megapixel sensor. Image stabilisation. Improved image quality over first generation. Similarly it gets good high ISO results. Point n’ shoot simplicity although the operator can go SLR manual control if wanted. Also the video gets good results as well. However it is highly criticized for having a complicated menu system. And again it will have trouble with quick moving subjects. Prices are around $700 at eBay with the 14-42mm kit lens.
Olympus PEN E-PL2 The replacement for the PEN E-PL1 was announced on 6 January 2011. Basically it's an improved version of the E-PL1 which now comes with face/eye detection, RAW support, an ISO range up to 6400, a 3-inch LCD, SDXC slot, & a "silent lens" (I gather is a must if you're into video). Apparently the most significant improvement to this camera, over the original, is auto focus. It is a lot quicker, which is good to know, as fast focus speeds have been missing in the M4/3rds technology. Having said that, the camera needs the new M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm Mk II kit lens (& the other newer released lenses) in order to achieve fast AF speeds. However, we're still not talking mid-high SLR range here, although this new camera is certainly placed in the low-mid range SLR territory when it comes to both imagine quality & AF speed.
Olympus PEN E-P3
The first of the top end third generation mirrorless cameras which Olympus has just released. Needless to say it replaces everything before it. It uses an new 12 megapixel sensor which is a vast improvement, according to the first reviews, in respect to image quality, dynamic range, as well as noise. This is partly achieved thanks a new image engine TruePic VI which is an advancement over the E-5’s TruePicV! But that’s not the big news – the big news is that finally the autofocus is now extremely fast. One of the big criticisms was the slow speed, making action shots more or less meaningless, but not any more. The E-P3 is actually faster than a Canon 7D. And all this in a camera which only weighs about 321 grams (body only). The camera also comes with a 3 inch LCD screen, ISO to 12800, & full HD video recording. I’d dare say that these Micro Four Thirds cameras have finally come of age. Now if Olympus could only put one out in “DSLR” style, like their Panasonic counterparts, they may finally start getting massive improvement in sales!
Lumix DMC G2 Was the pick of the M4/3rds range, until the Lumix DMC GH2 came along, thanks mostly to a new sensor Panasonic has developed not to mention it is designed more akin to a SLR than a compact. It has been reported that image quality is greatly improved, not necessarily only in the still photo department, but most certainly in the video department where critics have put it on a par with a Canon 7D. It has a 12 megapixel sensor, image stabilisation & video is 1280 x 720, 60p. Better at moving subjects, but still not in real SLR territory, whilst high ISO is reported at being average at best. Prices are around $900 at eBay with the 14-42mm kit lens.
Lumix DMC GH2
This is the latest release by Panasonic in the M4/3rds range & has already become top M4/3 camera body. A lot of positive reviews indicate that Panasonic is getting the mirrorless technology almost perfect (if one can ever truly claim that). In fact the photography website letsgodigital.org is clearly impressed, placing it along side many fullsized dSLR bodies. The camera incorporates a brand new 16MP sensor, a first for the Four Thirds family & supposedly impossible to manufacture until now. This is a big jump, for the Four Thirds system, into APS-C sensor territory that is common with the likes of most other brands (ie Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc).
For the video minded among us, the GH2 comes with full HD (1920 x 1080) recording at 60i/50i, thanks to a powerful 60p/50p sensor output. And all this crammed into a camera the size of 124W x 89.6H x 75.8D mm & weighing around 400 grams (body only).
Panasonic claim that the GH2 "boasts its world's fastest level AF of approx. 0.1 second" which would mean that the weakest part of the M4/3rds range, that being action shots, is no longer a valid criticism of the system. Prices start at around $1 000 at eBay, yet considering this camera is just starting to come into the market, that could drop as the camera becomes more readily available in 2011.
Big praise from the Dpreview website:
The full review can be found here: http://dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcgh2/
Lumix DMC G3 This is the new third generation flagship mirrorless camera to be released by Panasonic. Unlike Olympus, Panasonic have gone with their 16 megapixel sensor again which first appeared in the Lumix DMC GH2 (listed above). To quote from ePhotozine (http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-g3-micro-four-thirds-review-16736):
How it compares with the latest Olympus PEN E-P3, will be interesting to see, as the autofocus on this camera is reported to be faster than the Nikon 3Ds, which I’d dare say is pretty impressive. So again the weakest link, in the Micro Four Thirds, seems to have been dealt with in the latest generation of said cameras.
Lenses
Do note that an adaptor (MMF-1 or MMF-2) is available to use the standard Four Thirds lenses. However there are lenses specially made for M4/3rds with compactness the chief governing factor in their design.
M. Zuiko 17mm The smallest & lightest of the M4/3rds lenses. I’ve seen them offered as an alternate kit lens. Although it is praised for its compactness, image quality is average at best. A real kit lens I would dare say.
M. Zuiko 14-42mm The main kit lens for M4/3rds cameras. This is a “collapsible” design in order to keep it light & compact. But its image quality isn’t in the same league as the standard Four Thirds kit lens. It should, though, take good photos. Considered the pick of the kit lenses.
M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm Mk II This is the new kit lens that came out with the Olympus PEN E-PL2 & I imagine will completely replace the original on all subsequent releases from Olympus. It is 25% lighter, which is remarkable in of itself, but its auto focus speed has increased by 30%. Given slow AF speed has been a weakness for the M4/3rds system, this is a major improvement for action shots. Its aperture is an average f/3.5-5.6, but overall it is a major step forward for the Olympus M4/3rds lenses.
M. Zuiko 40-150mm The third kit lens. Expect the same image quality as the other Zuiko M4/3rds kit lenses.
M. Zuiko 14-150mm Now this is the pick of the M. Zuiko lenses, although not the best to be found in the M4/3rds range. Not only does it replace all the kit lenses, but image quality is improved as well. But don’t expect anything akin to the SWD range of standard Four Thirds lenses.
Lumix 7-14mm A bit of a specialist lens which comes highly recommended by many reviewers. Image quality pretty much matches the Lumix 20mm mentioned below. Impressive given its aperture is 4f. By far better than the M. Zuiko 17mm listed above.
Lumix 14-42mm The kit lens which comes with the Panasonic Lumix DMC G2. This lens gets mixed results & seems to be best around f8. Otherwise it seems to be on a par with the M. Zuiko 14-42mm
Lumix 20mm By far the best lens available in the M4/3rds range without equal. Expect great results with this lens thanks to good glass and a wide aperture of f1.7. It is also compact & light. Very impressive design I’d dare say.
Lumix 45-200mm The second kit lens which comes with the Panasonic M4/3rds cameras. I haven’t heard overly much about it other than image quality is slightly better than the Lumix 14-42mm. A correction: apparently this is a very good lens & comes highly recommended by many photography reviewers.
And that's about it I think, but if anyone else has anything further to add, then by all means please do so if you’ve got more hints & tips for Olympus users
Note about importing Australian Customs allow imports to the value of $1 000au before they hit you with taxes. So make sure, if you do purchase items from the USA or Hong Kong (as I often do), that the item(s) are below this figure otherwise you could end up paying more than if you bought it off a local eBay seller. Warranties, meanwhile, are a mixed affair. Lenses do have a world wide warranty, but bodies don't. Having said that, eBay shops such as Cameta Auctions, will honour their shop warranty for bodies although you've got to pay for postage for returned items. Just make sure of the fine print in this respect.
