Digital OM?

[shadowfox]

Hi all,

I don't know if Patrick is an RFFer or not, if he is, I hope he doesn't mind me linking to his post on pnet. It's cool.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Lw2y

 

[jky]

Thanks for the link - saw an Oly E410 DSLR the other day & thought of the OMs...

 

[payasam]

Hate to butt in, but I just got an Olympus E-300 and nothing but the name resembles the OM-1 I used for a couple of weeks back in 1974.

 

[shadowfox]

Payasam, the E-300 is a decent camera. I think you'll like it. I like mine. You're right, it doesn't resemble the OMs in the least bit.

The E-410 however is exactly like a digital OM-4. I'm still waiting for the new pro successor of the E-1.

 

[Trius]

No, the E300 doesn't resemble OMs at all. That's why I didn't buy it. As for the 410 & 510, I haven't seen them "in the flesh", so I'll reserve judgement. All I want is a digital camera that resembles the OM in operation (form factor would be really nice!) as much as is possible. So far that's the R-D1 (photo orphan of the decade) and the M8 ... the latter is not in my budget.

For now I stick to SP, OM & 4x5. The first two can eat the dust of the latter.

 

[kalokeri]

In weight and dimensions the E410 is close to the OMs. The performance is said to be very good. The only non OM-thing are the lenses. Apart from makro-lenses Olympus doesn´t offer small and fast primes. The zoom delivered with the camera is small and light, but the build quality is not as good as of the so called pro-lenses. They are heavy and everything but small in size.

I hope Olympus will remember the OM-system and announce some primes soon.

Thomas

 

[Kent]

The E-410 is a very nice cam, but the E-510 is said to be even better...

 

[Trius]

While the OM series primes are somewhat compromised on the 4/3s bodies, their performance is better than I had expected. So, if I buy a 510 it will fitted with OM primes most of the time.

 

[kshapero]

sure would like that multi spot metering like on the om 3-4

 

[mascarenhas]

How does the E-410 handle with old lenses? I take it you have to manually stop down the lens? And what about the image in the viewfinder, is it not too small to focus accurately?

 

[Peter_Jones]

I reckon the screens are a bit too "clear" and small to focus properly with OM lenses (50/1.4 becomes effectively a 100/1.4 ! DOF becomes an issue)

Nice cameras though - my favourite DSLR is the E-410. 510 slightly larger but with image stabilisation.

 

[shadowfox]

How does the E-410 handle with old lenses? I take it you have to manually stop down the lens? And what about the image in the viewfinder, is it not too small to focus accurately?

Eh, guys, the E-410 has live-view capability which should help manual focusing a lot.

Yesterday, I took the family down to the Circuit City (the only accessible store that has the 410 on hand). Mind you, thus far I have read probably almost everything written about the 410, I come in prepared to be totally unimpressed... so when I laid my eyes on the camera, Oh my...

It's the OM-4.

It's a much lighter, rounder, OM-4 😱. But it has the dimension, the feel, and the look.

I finally realized what's bugging me about all of the other previously made DSLRS (including Olys) and why they never look quite like the sleek cameras of old. It's the BULGE. The bulge that made the grip firmer, that's the one that wreck the look, IMHO.

The E-410 doesn't have the bulge.

Needless to say, I like the E-410, for a moment there, I forgot my resolve to wait for the next pro body. I *really* like the E-410.

 

[foto_fool]

For me, there won't be an "OM-D" until I can use my classic Zuiko glass on it without a crop factor. It's not about the body.

- John

 

[mac_wt]

Why do all digital SLRs have a select program button where I would like a shutter speed button? Why do I have to press a button and turn a wheel at the same time to change aperture? That's even harder to get used to than the classic Contax grip. I really wish someone would make a photographer's camera for a reasonable price (the M8 is out of my reach).
I bought a Pentax *ist DL second hand. It's not bad when compared to digital cameras I owned previously, but I don't enjoy using it. Autofocus is slow. This is more or less to be expected for a camera of this price level, but if good autofocus was not achievable, why didn't they implement excellent manual focus? In stead this camera has poor autofocus and hard to use manual focus. The general user interface is close to incompatible with me.

 

[ruben]

I broke definitively with Olympus after their refusal to make an OM5 (5 for autofocus), I think this had some implications for Maitani himself too within Olympus Co.

Since then, I am boycoting any Olympus gear produced after the 4ti. I went to hate them. Really hate them.

And now for my coffee.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Gid]

Just for interest and by way of comparison.

Olympus E1 with Sigma 30 f1.4, Canon F1 with 100 f2.8, Leica M8 with Hexanon 50 F2 and Olympus E400 with 14-42 kit lens. E410 is the same size as the E400.

 

[flashfirenze]

Why do all digital SLRs have a select program button where I would like a shutter speed button? Why do I have to press a button and turn a wheel at the same time to change aperture?

That's simply not true. I'm not sure if you are aware of a small, obscure company called Nikon? Their dslrs have two wheels, index finger and thumb. one controls aperture, the other shutter speed. No buttons needed

 

[shadowfox]

Just for interest and by way of comparison.

Olympus E1 with Sigma 30 f1.4, Canon F1 with 100 f2.8, Leica M8 with Hexanon 50 F2 and Olympus E400 with 14-42 kit lens. E410 is the same size as the E400.

Gid, thanks for the reference, I think the E-410 is a step in the right direction, now Olympus just have to put the shutter speed ring where it belongs to, around the lens mount 😀.

 

[rolleistef]

lol!
Is there any om/e adapter ring? could make a semi - digital om?

 

[Gid]

lol!
Is there any om/e adapter ring? could make a semi - digital om?

There are adaptors to fit OM, Pentax, Leica R, Nikon and some other lenses to the Olympus 4/3 cameras.