itf
itchy trigger finger
The olympus E-520 is more like the Pentax 110 slr, as its an actual slr while also having the 4/3rds sensor.
Micro Four Thirds & Leica M Mount
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The olympus E-520 is more like the Pentax 110 slr, as its an actual slr while also having the 4/3rds sensor.
Steveh
Well-known
Am I the only one to think this looks great?! From the DPR preview these are all looking good:
- Small, compact
- 600g in weight including the kit lens (28-90 equivalent)
- a 20mm f1.7 lens coming out next year which will turn it into a sort of digital Hexar AF/Contax G1 (or stick on the 4/3 mount Leica 25mm f1.4 with an adapter)
- fixed brightness finder like a rangefinder but with a depth of field preview that doesn't dim the finder etc. etc.
- presumably pretty quiet because no mirror flap
etc. etc.
As someone who doesn't use extreme focal lengths much, I can see myself buying one of these (or Oly equivalent) with the kit lens plus the 20mm when it comes out and living very happily with that combo for most of my shooting, wheeling out a film camera for occasional retro fun and the full frame Nikon stuff when absolute IQ is paramount or the light is really low.
For me this looks like a perfect "family day out" and street photography camera - almost a direct replacement for my Contax G1. If you lose the historical baggage about what rangefinder "should" be, this seem to me to tick almost all the boxes that make rangefinders so attractive, and if the image quality is as good as "proper" full thirds I think it will be a great package.
And no I don't work for Panasonic - I'll probably buy the Olympus version anyway 😀
- Small, compact
- 600g in weight including the kit lens (28-90 equivalent)
- a 20mm f1.7 lens coming out next year which will turn it into a sort of digital Hexar AF/Contax G1 (or stick on the 4/3 mount Leica 25mm f1.4 with an adapter)
- fixed brightness finder like a rangefinder but with a depth of field preview that doesn't dim the finder etc. etc.
- presumably pretty quiet because no mirror flap
etc. etc.
As someone who doesn't use extreme focal lengths much, I can see myself buying one of these (or Oly equivalent) with the kit lens plus the 20mm when it comes out and living very happily with that combo for most of my shooting, wheeling out a film camera for occasional retro fun and the full frame Nikon stuff when absolute IQ is paramount or the light is really low.
For me this looks like a perfect "family day out" and street photography camera - almost a direct replacement for my Contax G1. If you lose the historical baggage about what rangefinder "should" be, this seem to me to tick almost all the boxes that make rangefinders so attractive, and if the image quality is as good as "proper" full thirds I think it will be a great package.
And no I don't work for Panasonic - I'll probably buy the Olympus version anyway 😀
Ray Nalley
Well-known
When they integrated IS in many of these small cameras, it mitigated the thing that drove me crazy about them. They are so light it's hard to hold them steady at telephoto focal lengths. Fortunately, IS takes care of the problem to a great extent. I still prefer a heavier, hand filling camera. This looks pretty cool, though. Want to see what the EVF looks like in real life.
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
I must say, the form factor of this new camera disappoints me enormously. The vestigial fake prism bump makes me want to cry.
Still, really cool.
Still, really cool.
Terao
Kiloran
Don't like the way it looks but no doubt our friends at Leica will chuck the stuff in a more retro body (or maybe Olympus will).
What I do like is the manual focus implementation - viewfinder shows the full frame until you touch the focus ring when it automatically zooms to a preset (and buttonable) mag to set focus, stop focussing and it zooms back to the full frame. Rangefinderesque? Certainly IMO...
Lets hope the VENUS engine implementation is less rubbish than it usually is...
What I do like is the manual focus implementation - viewfinder shows the full frame until you touch the focus ring when it automatically zooms to a preset (and buttonable) mag to set focus, stop focussing and it zooms back to the full frame. Rangefinderesque? Certainly IMO...
Lets hope the VENUS engine implementation is less rubbish than it usually is...
Ray Nalley
Well-known
Fred, all I know from my personal experience is that it's much easier to hold a heavy camera steady than a light one. And I don't have health problems that result in unusual shaking. YMMV
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Boy though, you know what...if a decent adapter can be made, and the focal distance works, this would be great to use with M lenses. The AF is contrast detect on the sensor--you could absolutely manual focus, with a fully bright image at low apertures, and get a focus confirm beep.
I wonder. I wonder if maybe the rumored "Digital CL" will in fact be a micro four thirds non-RF with an M mount on it. And if it is, I would be very interested.
I wonder. I wonder if maybe the rumored "Digital CL" will in fact be a micro four thirds non-RF with an M mount on it. And if it is, I would be very interested.
kshapero
South Florida Man
I kinda have to ditto this, unless I am missing something here.
kshapero
South Florida Man
On second thought does anyone have a recommendation for a good strap for my ZI?
allen_a_george
Established
Oooh. . . a 20mm f/1.7 sounds great! I like the 35mm and 40mm focal lengths.
While I'd rather they didn't use the traditional SLR + hand-grip styling, I understand why it was done. A sensible design and marketing choice, IMO.
I too, am excited by this camera, for many of the same reasons Steve listed:
- Compact in comparison to other small SLRs + lenses
- No mirror slap
- Light weight
- An upcoming 20mm prime
- Digital 😉
There are things I don't understand, however:
- The positioning of the AF-mode dial; it seems like a waste of space
- How does the "push and turn" control dial work?
- Small size of the push-buttons
I am also curious as to how useful MF on the 20mm will be . . .
While I'd rather they didn't use the traditional SLR + hand-grip styling, I understand why it was done. A sensible design and marketing choice, IMO.
I too, am excited by this camera, for many of the same reasons Steve listed:
- Compact in comparison to other small SLRs + lenses
- No mirror slap
- Light weight
- An upcoming 20mm prime
- Digital 😉
There are things I don't understand, however:
- The positioning of the AF-mode dial; it seems like a waste of space
- How does the "push and turn" control dial work?
- Small size of the push-buttons
I am also curious as to how useful MF on the 20mm will be . . .
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Yawn. One, count 'em ... ONE prime. I love the 40mm equiv focal length, but where are the wides? Olympus (yes, I'd buy their version, too) has had little (make that NO) interest in wide primes, and f1.7? OK, but when you're dealing with a shorter flange distance, gimme a 1.4 at the very least.
And how about short tele? Say anywhere from 35 to 42 (70-85 equiv.) ... yes I know this is a preliminary announcement from Panasonic, but unless Olympus surprises me or I see an M adapter that really works in MF with live view ... :bang:
dazedgonebye
Veteran
Looks very good to me.
I'm most encouraged by the 20mm f1.7. This will indeed get me very close to the Digital Hexar AF I've been whining about.
I know I'll get jumped on by a 4/3rds user for this...but, I'd like to see the dof for that lens wide open. (I better go find that on-line calculator).
Shouldn't it be the same as a 40mm f3.4 on Full Frame?
I'm most encouraged by the 20mm f1.7. This will indeed get me very close to the Digital Hexar AF I've been whining about.
I know I'll get jumped on by a 4/3rds user for this...but, I'd like to see the dof for that lens wide open. (I better go find that on-line calculator).
Shouldn't it be the same as a 40mm f3.4 on Full Frame?
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Exactly. I don't think there's a good neck strap made (ducking for cover ... and not to hijack the thread but hey, the initial offering bores me too!), so we should design one.
I like wrist straps better, but sometimes when you're carrying two cameras outside the Domke, a neck strap for one, a wrister for the other is convenient. As for wrist straps, I like Gordy a lot, but haven't tried the others.
dazedgonebye
Veteran
More primes would be nice, but the 7-14 f4 would do for most of what I do very wide now. The CV 15 and 21mm lenses are slower and that doesn't get in the way of what I use them for.
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
I hear ya, but f4 does not cut it for me, and presumably for a lot of others. Have you seen the CV 35/1.4 and 28/2 parties goin' on here? 😀
infrequent
Well-known
I am quite happy to lose the RF baggage if pana/oly agree to lose the SLR baggage. somebody pls tell me that hump is just reserve battery power and not faux styling.
dazedgonebye
Veteran
Looks like the hump is necessary for the evf and the flash. They might have trimmed it a little, but it doesn't look to be just cosmetic.
ChipNovaMac
Established
Still early in the Micro 4/3's life.... I am sure there will be many more lenses down the road....
With the news of the G1 I hope Nikon is listening..... their 10.5 fisheye shows that smaller lenses for the DX format are possible. A Micro DX sensor camera would offer greater opportunities.
ChipNovaMac
Established
Disagree a bit....
I think they could have done something like Leica Digilux 3. But the average consumer sees the hump as meaning a "serious" camera... With the Digilux 3, Leica folk saw it as perhaps a DSLR version of the Leica RF cameras.
Heres hoping that Leica and the rumored digital CL is along the lines of the G1 but the style of the Digilux 3.
Terao
Kiloran
Faux styling according to DPReview - the camera needs to look like a DSLR. Guess Panny had issues with the original L1(?) brick - same as Olympus did with the early E-series 4/3rds bodies...