Love Hate

[holidaydom]

I'm starting this thread for the benifit of anyone who's looking to buy a DSLR and considering the Olympus Brand...

3 things you love, 3 things you hate.


LOVE
1) LENS QUALITY. The high overall quality of ZUKIO Lenses is hard to beat. Compared to lenses (from other brands) in a similar price range, the ZUKIOs are much better in the Price to Image Quality ratio.
2) The SSWF Anti-Dust System is by far the most effective system currently available.
3) Overall compactness of the 4/3 system is more of an advantage than many realise.

HATE
1) Overall exposure accuracy lags behind the ind. leader (But the E3 solves that right?)
2) Noise could be better. Do note however, that other brands rave about better noise "control" but what they fail to mention is that this is often at the cost of lower overall image quality in some most due to higher noise supression which results in a lack of sharpness.
3) Expensive accessories (but 3rd party support is becoming more widely available)

Comments based on experience with:
1) E500
2) E510

[Oly5050]

LOVE
1) Price (of bodies and standard lenses only)
2) Weatherproofing!! (E3)
3) Compact system - both body (E4xx and E5xx) and lens. Saw an Sony 300 mm lens and I thought about our 4/3 70 - 300 mm.

HATE
1) Huge and un-wieldy ring flash system (the canon system seems so small and sleek)
2) Yeah....the noise does bother me...but I am starting to see the light
3) Limited stock and range (esp accessories) in Singapore

[headfonz]

LOVE
1) ZD 12-60mm f2.8/4
2) ZD 50mm f2 macro
3) the promise of 4/3. "the basis for a new digital standard that would provide balance between the picture quality expected of SLR cameras and the compactness needed to ensure high mobility at the highest level."

HATE
1) the E1. after trying out the E1, it makes every other 4/3 camera feel inadequate yet knowing that olympus will never make another E1.
2) difficulty in getting accessories. even from OSC (SG)
3) xD card slots. dual storage are excellent. but the xD format makes the additional slot almost pointless.

Comments based on experience with:
1) E510

[bousozoku]

LOVE

1) Olympus lens quality (HG and SHG)
2) Ergonomics and general quality of E-1
3) Print quality of images, even at A3+

HATE

1) That Live View was more important than exceptional sensors
2) The lack of a satisfying and clear E-1 replacement
3) 2 extra wasted years while Olympus was experimenting before producing the E-3

Comments based on experience with:

1) E-1

[bernards]

I just bought the 520. It's exposure metering is not better than the E3. It seems to wield very similar results. Tends to overexpose ever so slightly 70% of the time.

[egnaro]

Originally Posted by bernards I just bought the 520. It's exposure metering is not better than the E3. It seems to wield very similar results. Tends to overexpose ever so slightly 70% of the time.

E520 released? where u got it? and how much? really keen to know.

[bernards]

Originally Posted by egnaro E520 released? where u got it? and how much? really keen to know.

I was in Tokyo looking for a R-D1, ended up buying a 520 at Yodobashi. Bought the 14-42 set for Y86500.

[egnaro]

Originally Posted by bernards I was in Tokyo looking for a R-D1, ended up buying a 520 at Yodobashi. Bought the 14-42 set for Y86500.

okie.. enjoy your new cam.. good price.. cheaper then SG E420 with pancake.

[bernards]

Originally Posted by egnaro okie.. enjoy your new cam.. good price.. cheaper then SG E420 with pancake.

The pancake lens is not cheap. It's more than Y40000. The build is not great either. I decided to skip it, since I don't need it.

[Mikefellh]

LOVE
1) The camera
2) The lenses (all ranges)
3) The dust mechanism

HATE
1) Olympus the company - The fact they don't continue to update & improve their camera firmwares, unless it makes them a buck; I've pointed out some major flaws still existing in the E-300 firmware (two years ago). And why not add some new features to keep users loyal?
(added later)
Why did Olympus just add IS stabilization for legacy lenses, why not add focus confirmation as well, and why not add focus confirmation to ALL the cameras they've made, since they (like almost every other dSLR producer) have used cheap focus screens rather than real ones with a focus aid?
2) Olympus software, Studio & Master, slower than molasses in February (assuming you live in a climate where it's freezing in February). Panasonic's software I've heard is just as bad.
3) Olympus support, no uniform support in different divisions, repairs times differs depending on the country you're in, one country it's a 1 year warranty, others it's a 2 year warranty. Make it a uniform standard across borders.

Comments based on experience with:
Every FourThirds camera and lens produced up to june 2006 (where I got to try ALL the then current Olympus bodies, lenses, & accessories), various cameras and lenses made after that including E-510, E-3, 14-42, Sigma lenses, etc., playing with the EARLY E-1, and almost three years with the E-300.

[Alphonse]

LOVE
1) Sigma 30mm f1.4 sharpness and bokeh and fast aperture.
2) SSWF mode that never ever worry of dust when changing lens.
3) IS mode that can apply to all lens, where other company camera need expensive lens with this feature(VR) to solve the camera shake issue.

HATE
1) Weak Auto White balance, always get too yellowish when take in fluorescent lighting
2) a bit pale on skin tone under fluorescent lighting or shade
3) Subject tends to under expose a lot when harsh lighting.

Comments based on experience with:
1) E510 and Sigma 30mm f1.4