Help me in my first step...

[Cliffy]

Hello, okay, now I know I want an Olympus, but how shall I do it?

I am getting my very first DSLR, should I get an E-1 or E-500 (or any other models?)

currently, there are 6 ways I can get it,

E-1 body for $850 (2nd hand)
E-1 body for $900 (2nd hand)
E-1 body + 14-45mm lens for $900 (2nd hand)
E-500 body + 14-45mm lens for $1200 (2nd hand)
E-500 body + 14-45mm and 40-150mm lens for $1600 (new)
E-500 body + 14-45mm for $1450 (new)

On top of those, I still wish to get a ZD18-180mm lens for about $750 (unless I find 2nd hand)

My total budget is about 2000, to get EVERYTHING I need for say, the next 5 years.

I am now using a Camedia 750 UZ, and I take mostly architecture photos of all sorts(ametur)

please please, give some advice, I am quite ignorant here, and want something suitable for myself, and value for money.

Would really appreciate any help at all!

[VR Man]

You should ask yourself what type of photography you would be shooting. Write the list down then see which setup would be best for your needs.

E.g. For me:

1) I shoot 70% outdoors. Hence weatherproof is a feature that is more important to me.
2) I dont really need the extra 3MP. Sure it would be nice but not a must have. I can live a 5MP for now.
3) I needed a focuing screen with grid lines, so it had to be the E-1.
4) I like the idea of having firewire and USB 2 ports. In some shooting situations of mine, it may not be good to open the CF card door, hence having a faster transfer is better.

So E-1 was my obvious choice. I had to choose between the E-1 & E-300 then.

If I gotten the E-300 I would have save a few hundred dollars and had 2 lens with 2 batteries and a vertical grip plus 2 x 1GB CF cards. Great but it still wouldn't have met my photography requirements.

One more thing, hold both bodies in your hands and decide which one gives you a better feel.

Caution with 2nd hand E-1s, the rubber grip may come loose around the IR port after extensive usage. I have seen a few such cases at the 2nd hand dealer stores.

[ch5800]

If you are getting 18-180mm I don't think you need the 14-45mm for your
architecture shoot.

E-1 is great for value as it is a Pro model even it is old. Go www.dpreview.com
to check out detail of E-1 and see till now why people still like E-1.

E-330 with live preview but price is too high now.

Guess E500 seems to be the best choice. More advance in electronic compared
to E1 but also slightly more expensive

Suggest you first go down to a shop to try out both model with the 18-180mm attached.
The feel, size and weight will also help you to decide.

I see that you got nice shots with your C-750 and I am sure you have no problem getting
nice shots with either the E-1 or E-500.

You will need to get a better tripod as these dSLR are much heavy. Also a dry cabinet to
keep your equipment.

So 1 possible way is ~$850 (E1)+$750 (18-180) + ~$80 (CF) + ~$100 (Dry Cab) + ~$150 (Tripod) = ~$1930

Next good luck on your pursuit to wide angle lens <try the 11-22>

Originally Posted by Cliffy Hello, okay, now I know I want an Olympus, but how shall I do it? I am getting my very first DSLR, should I get an E-1 or E-500 (or any other models?) currently, there are 6 ways I can get it, E-1 body for $850 (2nd hand) E-1 body for $900 (2nd hand) E-1 body + 14-45mm lens for ?? (2nd hand) E-500 body + 14-45mm lens for $1200 (2nd hand) E-500 body + 14-45mm and 40-150mm lens for $1600 (new) E-500 body + 14-45mm for $1450 (new) On top of those, I still wish to get a ZD18-180mm lens for about $750 (unless I find 2nd hand) My total budget is about 2000, to get EVERYTHING I need for say, the next 5 years. I am now using a Camedia 750 UZ, and I take mostly architecture photos of all sorts(ametur) please please, give some advice, I am quite ignorant here, and want something suitable for myself, and value for money. Would really appreciate any help at all!

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by ch5800 ...a dry cabinet to keep your equipment...

For what? Shorly it can not be that bad! Anyway, even if you have a weather proof E-1 now and then (probably quite often) you'll change lense, letting moisture in. Come on guys, give it up about E-1 being weather proof. Who had to throw a camera away (any SLR camera) because of moisture? I may not like Canon and may not afford a good enough Nikon but not even the low priced once are useless in the tropics. Canon and Nikon would not survive if half (or more then half) of the world could not use them because of moisture. Do you really carry a dry cabinet if you go out in the wilderness for a few weeks? I don't think so. Are all the nature fotographers using E-1? I don't think so either. I spent 5 years non-stop in Africa under different conditions but never had a weather proof camera. Maybe today's cameras contain more electronics (actually not maybe) but they are definitly not that sensitive. I really like Olympus, and have been likeing it for the past 25 years but I would not go that far and say only one camera, E-1 is worth buying. I had my OM2-N for 25 years but I would not recomend anybody except collectors to buy one, even if I was very happy with it all the time. As for the high ISO of 3200 in E-1, I wonder how many really needs that? I mean REALLY NEEDS AND USES IT OFTEN.

Fungus is bad, but the risks are minimal, anyway most of the time you wouldn't even notice. It will take many years to grow anyway.

However it is Cliffy, E-1 is too old technology, I think you'll be disappointed, specially considering you are talking about 5-year budget, meaning you won't get a new camera in about two years time. I vote on E-500 new, not a second hand, unless you know who had it before you and you trust his/her way of handling the camera. That goes for whichever second hand camera you decide on also. E-500 is very good, inspite the fact that it is made in China, it feels like made in Japan. And the big and clear display is really big and clearly visible in bright sunlight. There are many things on the plus side for this cam, even if there are some negative sides also. As I said before, if you can wait, wait for the follower of E-1, get the body and one lense if you only can afford one. Then you have a camera worth having and save money for more lenses.

[Stanly]

I would get this : E-500 body + 14-45mm for $1450 plus the 18-180mm lens.....

Slightly off budget, but you'll have a peace of mind.....

Or E-500 body + 14-45mm and 40-150mm lens for $1600

If budget's really tight. For first purchase, I feel that getting a first hand is better.

[Hacker]

E500 + 14-54mm.

[GOMUS]

cliff, ready for dslr!! COOL.....

[plastic]

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer For what? Shorly it can not be that bad!

Welcome to humid Singapore.

[drakon09]

If it's mostly architectural, I'd suggest you'd give the 18-180mm a miss. It is not wide enough neither is it very bright (f3.5-5.6). I use it when:

1. I don't know what to expect;
2. I'm outdoors;
3. I'm too lazy to carry anything else out and still want telephoto range

Snapshot for snapshot, the 18-180mm cannot outshoot the 11-22mm nor the 14-54mm.

14-54mm is nice, but hey, break the bank and get the 11-22mm AND the 50-200mm

I've got my bank broken many times this year already.

But if you DIE DIE have to stick with the budget, get the 14-54mm.

[tao]

Start saving up for the 11-22mm Zuiko if you are into architectural shots. It makes a great deal of difference when you need the wide angle. And the price is reasonable too, for the quality you get.

[Cliffy]

Can I handle the E-1? or is it better I get the "prosumer" E-500?

My architectural shots are usually thight crops, so zoom is important to me as well.(too bad I don't have several thousand to spare for a tele, hehe)

btw, thanks for all the advice! Now I'm as blur as a sotong, but a happy sotong. haha
Keep them comming! Now it boils down to

$900 for E-1 + 14-45mm lens
or
1600 for E-500 + 14-45mm & 40-150mm lens

next time I shall ask about the lenses, lol.

[tomcat]

For architextural shots, go for the E-330 Architecture Pro Kit ....

Olympus E-330 Architecture Pro Kit
The special photographic demands of architects represent a particularly tough challenge for photo equipment. But with the Architecture Pro Kit, these are perfectly met – in professional quality. The kit includes the E-330 body, the splash proof ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:4.0 and ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 lenses, FL-50 external flash and SBC 1 E System Bag Compact. With an angle of view right up to 114°, and a minimum working distance of merely 10cm, the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7 14mm (35mm equivalent focal length: 14-28mm) deserves special mention in this setup. It offers architects extraordinary freedom to capture their subjects with a bright 1:4.0 fixed aperture and also allows for exaggerated perspectives. This is capped-off with the E-330’s Live Preview capabilities and multi-angle LCD which lets compositions be easily framed from low on the ground or above the head, for example, without the photographer needing to contort the body to look through the viewfinder. The second zoom lens assures a greater shooting range and the FL-50 external flash provides pro-level power with a Guide Number of 50, ensuring that lighting is never in short supply.

Or at least the 7-14mm lens if you are not interested in the E-330.
And the 50-200mm for the tightly cropped shots.

[Cliffy]

gosh, sounds expensive.

[tomcat]

Could be... depending on the depth of your pocket and the intensity of your passion.
But with Olympus, you can be assured that you would get the quality that you pay for.
The 7-14mm is the cheapest of the Super High Grade lenses and has no equivalent under any other brands as far as ultra-wide angle zooms are concerned. It is therefore really not that expensive if you take that into consideration. Then again because it is so wide, it is really a specialist lens and could be difficult to use for normal shooting unless you go for creative composition and architectural shots.

[Cliffy]

actually its alright I guess, less than 3k, nothing compared to 11k!!


*cliff digging his piggy bank*

haha, I guess I'll think about lenses once I get the body(hopefully soon!)

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by plastic Welcome to humid Singapore.

So, you are saying in Singapore there are no Canons, Nikons, Minoltas, Hasselblads, Mamiyas and so on, only Olympus? Not only that but only E-1s? I have never been to Singapore but it would be an interesting visit. I bet I could take a lot of pictures with people holding the above mentioned cameras, specially the first three. The funnyest part would be to take pics of the same people from behind, since they must have a huge rucksack on their back carrying a cool box to dehumidify their cameras after each picture and lense change.

BTW, even E-1 people must carry the same package to de-humidify theirs after lense change. Not that I understand how to do that, once the lense is on, the camera is weather proof, meaning hunidity can not get into the camera, but it can not get out either. So, they have to dismount the lense again, put it in the dry box with lense on the side. Big problem, how to take pictures with SLR, assuming changing lense, without letting some humidity enter the camera.

I remember this kind of discussions among the photographers back in the 1970s also. Then it was about how to save films from humidity when you are out in the wilderness, claiming fungus will grow and eat your silver grains. Well, I still have all my thousands of negatives and slides left, both B/W and color, not one is thrown out due to fungus or humidity.

Sorry for the long answer, finishing off with: I may be wrong, I have never been to Singapore, I have to take your word for it.

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by Cliffy Can I handle the E-1?

Of corse you can! I never held an E-1 in my hands, but what can be more difficult in that than in any other camera?

The best advise you get is from tomcat, get the Olympus E-330 Architecture Pro Kit. And it is a good offer too, he knows your budget, you give him the money you have, he gives you the Olympus E-330 Architecture Pro Kit and pays the diff. Very good business for you, you will never regret. Even if I personally don't like the E-330, I am certain it is a good camera. Not so shore it is a good business for tomcat.

[MIA]

Originally Posted by Cliffy Hello, okay, now I know I want an Olympus, but how shall I do it? I am getting my very first DSLR, should I get an E-1 or E-500 (or any other models?) currently, there are 6 ways I can get it, E-1 body for $850 (2nd hand) E-1 body for $900 (2nd hand) E-1 body + 14-45mm lens for $900 (2nd hand) E-500 body + 14-45mm lens for $1200 (2nd hand) E-500 body + 14-45mm and 40-150mm lens for $1600 (new) E-500 body + 14-45mm for $1450 (new) On top of those, I still wish to get a ZD18-180mm lens for about $750 (unless I find 2nd hand) My total budget is about 2000, to get EVERYTHING I need for say, the next 5 years. I am now using a Camedia 750 UZ, and I take mostly architecture photos of all sorts(ametur) please please, give some advice, I am quite ignorant here, and want something suitable for myself, and value for money. Would really appreciate any help at all!

Hi Cliffy,

E1 + 14-45mm will be recommended....feel the balance....esp in the future if you wanna get the batt grip or so top lenses.....its perfectly balanced...its a class by itself...E-500 is too light for mine choice....it makes every top pro lenses mounted on feel less balanced....by the way who is selling the E-1..? miss the offer at courts.... i was on the queue...sianz....can pm me the nick?

[ch5800]

Sounds like you are relaxing your budgetary control. In that case I couldn't agree more
with Tomcat's recommendation. You will definitely feel very at home with the live preview
of the E-330 coming from the C-750

Your pictures are nice and the wide angle lens will definitely give you a whole new
perspective.

The plus point is with that combination, it should probably can cover your lust for the
next 5 years... (only heaven know what other juicy thing Oly is rolling out in the next
5 years that you can resists...)

Enjoy your shopping...

Originally Posted by Cliffy actually its alright I guess, less than 3k, nothing compared to 11k!! *cliff digging his piggy bank* haha, I guess I'll think about lenses once I get the body(hopefully soon!)

[Cliffy]

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer And it is a good offer too, he knows your budget, you give him the money you have, he gives you the Olympus E-330 Architecture Pro Kit and pays the diff. Very good business for you, you will never regret. Even if I personally don't like the E-330, I am certain it is a good camera. Not so shore it is a good business for tomcat.

TOMCAT!