M8 or 4/3?

R

ray_g

Guest
Let's see...

If in the very near future, I can buy a Leica 50/1.4 ASPH lux for the 4/3 mount, would the "rangefinder experience," shall we say, of the M8 be worth the extra $$$?

Just thinking out loud.
 
If you have the means, yes.
You will be able to use the 25mm 1.4 (I'm assuming this is the lens you are refering to) on an Olympus E body or the Panasonic/Leica L1/Digilux 3.
The only one of these bodies with a decent viewfinder is the E1 - an excellent DSLR with fine image quality - but still a DSLR. The other Olympus bodies are not really worth discussing (compared to Leicas etc.), leaving the LC1. Smaller than the E cameras, it's still fairly bulky and the viewfinder quite small and dim. I've seen some prints and it makes very nice images, with the LiveView feature giving it some unique shooting abilities, but it would still be second fiddle compared to the M8.
 
Without much direct experience with the E-System, I would agree with Dave. The first time I handled an E-1 I was so disappointed with the viewfinder. The second time, not so much. After using RFs and OMs, smaller, dimmer viewfinders are a let-down. See my tagline under my avatar: Waiting on Maitani. He needs to come out of retirement and make a 4/3 body that lives up to the tradition.
 
On the riskof being thought negativist: I had the M8, Digilux3 and Digilux2 and V-lux1 side by side at the Photokina and I must say I was not impressed by the Digilux 3. Rather lumpy due to the immense lens, the ergonomics of the body are close to the Digilux2 but frankly, I prefer an EVF to the 4/3 interpretation of a SLR viewfinder. It cannot hold a candle to the M8 but may well be a nice alternative to a number of mid-range DSLR's. I fear the same will go for the pictorial quality. In fact, I think the Digilux2 was a more coherent and preferable concept. In the end I think the V-lux 1 is a much more succesful do-everything camera at a far more attractive price. and the M8 is in a totally different range.
 
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I find the idea of the 4/3 format an enticing concept, because I've shot a lot of 6x7 in the past and hate the format of the 35mm frame for vertical shooting. The problem is that the sensor is a bit small and the system is still a bit limited lens wise, plus of course you can't hire lenses easily like you can with nikon or canon. I think there still is a vacancy for a modern digital replacement RF but some thing more akin to a digital contax G2. I would like to see a viewfinder camera with autofocus and a simple focus confirmation light in the viewfinder - I don't really see the need for a rangefinder in this type of camera - surely even a manual M mount camera could have focus confirmation like pentax MEF's had 25 years ago and do away with expense of the rangefinder
 
Toby said:
I find the idea of the 4/3 format an enticing concept, because I've shot a lot of 6x7 in the past and hate the format of the 35mm frame for vertical shooting. The problem is that the sensor is a bit small and the system is still a bit limited lens wise, plus of course you can't hire lenses.
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I agree with the sensor size regarding dynamic range and noise(surpression) but the lens choice is virtually unlimited.The Digilux 3 offers an adapter to fit all Leica R lenses to the camera.
 
jaapv said:
I agree with the sensor size regarding dynamic range and noise(surpression) but the lens choice is virtually unlimited.The Digilux 3 offers an adapter to fit all Leica R lenses to the camera.
Click to expand...


But do you have to manually stop down or can you use auto-exposure?
 
Are you referring to the 25 1.4 (effective 50 1.4 on 4/3)?

I don't imagine it will be cheap, but you can pick up a new E1 for less than £400 so the overall cost will probably be relatively good. The E1 is a lovely camera (I have 2), but it has its foibles and is obviously bigger than an RF. You can shoot at ISO 3200 if you output in B&W and use a bit of neat image so your low light capabilities are potentially better than the M8. The shutter is very, very, quiet, almost as quiet as an M, so no disadvantage there. It "only" has 5MP, but it uses them well and I've produced prints to the equivalent of A2 that have bags of detail. Its a bit apples and oranges, but if you don't mind the extra size/weight, you've got a potentially winning combination.
 
It sure looks like the 4/3 system is here to stay. Look who is making lens for the platform...Amoung others Leica and Zeiss.

Bob
 
this oly e1 is an older camera?
and adapters can be found that allow the use of older oly om lenses on it?

sounds pretty good to me.

joe
 
back alley said:
this oly e1 is an older camera?
and adapters can be found that allow the use of older oly om lenses on it?

sounds pretty good to me.

joe
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E1 came out around 2002. Originally around £1350 (what I paid for my first one), it is still just as good a camera as it was then. You can mount, OM lenses, leica R lenses, pentax lenses and Nikon lenses with the appropriate adaptor - drawback is stop down metering.
 
i just read sean reid's review (second opinion) on luminous landscape of the e1.
ounds like a good way to go.

is there a newer version of the e1 now?

joe
 
4/3rds

4/3rds

back alley said:
is there a newer version of the e1 now?

joe
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E3 expected at PMA 2007 with shipping late in the year.

The other 4/3rds models have their own strengths, but they are not fully robust professional cameras. The Pana L1 comes closest, but most people would agree that the viewfinder is poor, and some of the implementation is a bit shaky (their first SLR after all).

I use the E330 a lot with Leica R lenses, but I'm using it in macro Live View B mode, where the screen compensates in brightness for the stop down. I know that some people use it in Live View A mode as a street cam as an alternative to a rangefinder because you can swivel the screen and attach 4/3rds lenses as wide as 7mm (14mm equiv).

I use rangefinders and E-system cameras all the time, but they are not interchangeable.

The E1 is a great SLR. It has oldish autofocus software that means it isn't up to pro sports shooting and it only has 5mp which means not many landscape photographers use it.
 
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