Terao
Kiloran
Olympus E-420 plus a 25mm f/2.8 (50mm efov) pancake. Whole package is TINY for a DSLR.
Looks cool, is this a late-60s SLR for the digital age? Really appeals to me, as soon as I saw it I thought "Ideal for my father, just like his old film camera he used for so many years"
Looks cool, is this a late-60s SLR for the digital age? Really appeals to me, as soon as I saw it I thought "Ideal for my father, just like his old film camera he used for so many years"
cbass
Nutmegger
The new E-420 with the 25mm pancake lens reminds me of a semi-automatic SLR from the 1980s. I'm thinking of the Minolta X-series, the Nikon FE/FG, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-series and others.
If the E-420 and pancake lens prove to be good performers then Olympus will have a real winner on its hands. I'm glad I didn't buy the Canon G9 a few weeks ago
!
If the E-420 and pancake lens prove to be good performers then Olympus will have a real winner on its hands. I'm glad I didn't buy the Canon G9 a few weeks ago
!Terao
Kiloran
Suddenly my lust for the Sigma DP-1 has waned a little
peripatetic
Well-known
I was thinking the same thing - it looks fantastic.
The body is only 380g. For comparison the Zeiss Ikon is 500g. Leica M7 610g.
Also of course, what's to stop them from taking away the prism and flash?
There is real potential for a 4/3 mount rangefinder-style camera I think.
Possibly something like using the live view at the back for AF confirmation where necessary. An external finder could be used for composition where you are happy to let the camera decide where to focus. How does the Hexar do it?
As a matter of wild speculation it is of course the case that Leica already make 4/3 mount lenses - even AF ones. So if anyone could do it then they might be able to.
The body is only 380g. For comparison the Zeiss Ikon is 500g. Leica M7 610g.
Also of course, what's to stop them from taking away the prism and flash?
There is real potential for a 4/3 mount rangefinder-style camera I think.
Possibly something like using the live view at the back for AF confirmation where necessary. An external finder could be used for composition where you are happy to let the camera decide where to focus. How does the Hexar do it?
As a matter of wild speculation it is of course the case that Leica already make 4/3 mount lenses - even AF ones. So if anyone could do it then they might be able to.
Ronald_H
Don't call me Ron
Hopefully somebody will finally realize that both the SLR and RF are outmoded concepts. For those who don't need or want to added complexity of those two viewing/focusing systems but do want state of the art technology... I'd say the time is right for an interchangable lens compact. Sigma DP1 with an M mount and 28/50/90mm APS-C optimized (=small) primes...
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
[italics mine] Huh? If they're APS-C optimised then all an M mount buys you is the ability to scale focus old lenses - and if they (the new ones, I mean) are autofocus (without a viewfinder-based focusing system, what else are they going to be? You going to sell scale focus as a "new technology"??) then how does that even work with an M mount?Ronald_H said:
Why the insistance on preserving the M mount for new cameras, as opposed to digital versions of old cameras? The latter makes sense, but I see no advantage (and many problems) with the former.
[edit]And the new Olympus looks really nice with that pancake lens. Looks very useable.[/edit]
...Mike
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Sonnar2
Well-known
No thanks.
Where is the 25/1.4?
I prefer 4/3 from 1967:
Where is the 25/1.4?
I prefer 4/3 from 1967:
kully
Happy Snapper
bmattock
Veteran
Terao said:
Looks pretty neat, and the price is terrific! A shame I'm heavy into Pentax P/KA lenses, or this would be a real competitor for me when it comes time to replace my *ist DS.
I'm going to guess that the image quality is high as well, I'll be interested to see what the low-light performance is like.
Anybody know how hard or easy it is to manually focus on one of these 'live view' cameras if you have an M42 lens mounted to it?
AJShepherd
Well-known
That does look nice and compact. Wonder what it's like to hold?
Mind you, that Pen-F looks pretty nifty too!
Mind you, that Pen-F looks pretty nifty too!
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Sonnar2
Well-known
kully said:
Thanks - but don't you think they need a bit tune-up on size, weight (about 3x as much as the lens above) and price?
Why the hell they need 10 elements in 9 groups for such a lens (obviously a retrofocus type)
BTW, 38cm close focus distance is the same of above lens....
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BillBingham2
Registered User
The price of the Solms glass is about 3 to 4 times the Oly glass. Perhaps Oly will realize they can come out with OM size and speed prime glass for the E-420. Not enough manual controls for me, but very attractive none the less.
B2 (;->
B2 (;->
gavinlg
Veteran
Yep... I'm getting the e-420 + pancake combo for sure. Sigma DP1 was on the wish list for a while, but my father uses an e-410 (which is superb in image quality), and now that Oly have released this pancake, it's a sign of better things to come. A while ago they patented a (if I remember correctly) 12.5mm f/1.8 which would be absolutely superb on something like this. All the new Zuiko digital lenses are absolutely stunning and leave most of canon/nikon/pentax offerings in the dust for image quality. Note that little pancake 25mm is only about 300us as well!
And just look at the Leather cases being offered!!!
Also available in black and brown.
And just look at the Leather cases being offered!!!
Also available in black and brown.
satbunny
Established
Sweet.. makes me wish I wasn't invested in Canon..
4/3 from Olympus with Leica lenses sounds dreamy..
4/3 from Olympus with Leica lenses sounds dreamy..
giellaleafapmu
Well-known
Does anyone knows whether they will be selling the lens alone? I have among other things an E-330 which I want to keep just for when I don't feel going out with eavy or expensive gear and it would be nice to add a light lens to the 11/22 I always use with.
GLF
GLF
gavinlg
Veteran
giellaleafapmu said:
Yes, expect around 300us
kalokeri
larger than 35mm
In Germany the lens is announced with EURO 229,--.
Olympus did something I was expecting earlier. The E400 and E410 were promising, but the only primes were to macros of 35mm 50mm. Maybe the masses don´t use primes but a fast standard prime for old fashioned people like us should be in the line up of lenses.
One last remark: the pancake is a sweet little lens, but is it really fast enough?
Thomas
P.S.: I´m using my D80 mostly with two small primes (24 and 50) and think that this is really a useful combination - just like in the old days ...
Olympus did something I was expecting earlier. The E400 and E410 were promising, but the only primes were to macros of 35mm 50mm. Maybe the masses don´t use primes but a fast standard prime for old fashioned people like us should be in the line up of lenses.
One last remark: the pancake is a sweet little lens, but is it really fast enough?
Thomas
P.S.: I´m using my D80 mostly with two small primes (24 and 50) and think that this is really a useful combination - just like in the old days ...
jarski
Veteran
hi. are there any adaptors for dead end (IMO only) 4/3 mount to fit older Zuiko lenses ?
Peter_Jones
Well-known
jarski said:
Yes, Olympus do one for OM lenses, and cheap Chinese versions are about too.
Leica also make one to mount R lenses to 4/3 bodies
Terao
Kiloran
I think the pancake is fast enough for a pancake. How is ISO1600 on these cameras?
According to the Olympus people the sensor in this body is the one from the flagship E3, looks to be great value.
According to the Olympus people the sensor in this body is the one from the flagship E3, looks to be great value.