Olympus 5050 - Keep or upgrade?

[slimfish]

Hi guys,

Hmm.. my very first post...

Was just wondering if i could get some opinion from some of you gurus.

I bought a Olympus 5050 about 18 months ago, about ~$1300 at that time, can't really remember. At the time of purchase, the 5050 was one of the recommended and better buys for a 5mp camera.

Its still in freaking good shape, no scratches and as new. I had always wanted to spend more time with the camera, but just never got the time to do it. Basically its has always stayed in its case and only been used on a handful of weekend outings.

As i recent looked through the new digi cams on sale in the papers and stores, i got quite a shock... prices had since drop quite a bit and there are quite a few impressive looking ones.



Which made me think, do i keep and hang on to my 5050 or do i sell it and upgrade? :dunno:

If i were to sell it, what can i get for it? anyone interested? :dunno:

As i have lost touch with specs of the newer digicams, how does my 5050 compare to the newer models, 5mp, 6mp, 7mp, 8mp? or is it a waste of time ?:dunno:

I have always muack around with the digicams of mates and family, some how i still think that my 5050 pics rocks, and is much brighter and clearer. Am i bias?

So the question is - do i sell my 5050 and top up and get a newer digicam (any recommendations) or is the differance too small and insignificant, thus does not warrant the extra time and $$$ spend? :dunno:



Please help...
Thanks in advance.

 

[chii]

hi,

It really depends on your style of photography. I sold my 5050 not long ago as i found the AF too slow for my liking :sweatsm:.

 

[slimfish]

So far it has not fail me...

how much did you sell yours for if you don't mind me asking?

Just weighing up my options...

My only complains, its a little to big to fit into your pocket, so that it could be carried more often and yes it could be faster. Which digicam do you reckon is faster, and can you really tell?:dunno:

Cheers..

 

[ed9119]

what the.....??? u paid $1300 for the 5050 18 months back when the 5060 was already launched for 6 months already at slightly cheaper price than that???? (I know, I bought mine from CP in Nov 03....... 24 months back exactly.

Please advise us where you bot the 5050 from? I am extremely disappointed that a shop can do something like this.

A used good condition 5060 goes for around $500-550 in the Buy Sell section if u do a search........ therefore the earlier generation 5050 can fetch ......... u get the idea

However, this i must say.......... BOTH 5050 and 5060 cams seldom come up for sale being such great cameras and there are no shortage of people interested in picking up 2nd hand sets

best of luck! :thumbsup:

 

[chii]

Got the GR-Digital from Ricoh, a nice fixed lens compact

Price not nice though ard 1k

 

[TrailsofLife]

you already say you seldom use. can use, use until spoil lah. 5mp more than enough for usual snapshots. weekend outings and family,friends gathering...

very good cam, i sold mine because i wanted dslr.

 

[hammer_400]

it still is a veri good camera... i think many pple still using it esp for underwater photography...
AF wise, it should at least still be in the same class as most of the current crop of prosumer camera's. they all use the ccd (contrast detection?) to focus...
What it does have that is hard to find nowadays is a bright lens, f1.8! and a solid build. The trend is going against well built prosumer digicams ---> budget dslrs...
If you look at most prosumer offerings( from dslr brands ) the digicams are getting cheaper n cheaper, and less well built...
In a few years time i think it'll be hard to find a prosumer digicam built like the c5050/5060/7070/8080 class of cameras...

 

[ed9119]

Which digicam do you reckon is faster, and can you really tell?:dunno:

Cheers..

5060 on both counts............. and it beats the Canon G5 hands down on MANY fronts too .........much quicker start-up, MUCH better shutter lag, 2 ED asph elements in its lens group, 28mm min focal length, in-lcd horizontal/vertical grid lines......

I doubt u can find a NEWLY RELEASED 5mp digicam EVEN TODAY with these specs.

Control dial was a problem on some models but Oly replaced it FOC for me earlier this year.

Honestly for consumer or even prosumer digicams, Olympus is way ahead of the pack in terms of value for what you get.

I m currently a very happy owner of a 2nd hand 8080 and this one EVEN rarer to see in 2nd hand market

 

[slimfish]

what the.....??? u paid $1300 for the 5050 18 months back when the 5060 was already launched for 6 months already at slightly cheaper price than that???? (I know, I bought mine from CP in Nov 03....... 24 months back exactly.

Please advise us where you bot the 5050 from? I am extremely disappointed that a shop can do something like this.

A used good condition 5060 goes for around $500-550 in the Buy Sell section if u do a search........ therefore the earlier generation 5050 can fetch ......... u get the idea

However, this i must say.......... BOTH 5050 and 5060 cams seldom come up for sale being such great cameras and there are no shortage of people interested in picking up 2nd hand sets

best of luck! :thumbsup:

ooppps... it must be about 24 mths ago then...

as the 5060 is newer how much better is it compared to the 5050?

Would $500 bucks be too much to ask if its in very good nick?

decisions decisions decisions...:dunno:

 

[slimfish]

it still is a veri good camera... i think many pple still using it esp for underwater photography...
AF wise, it should at least still be in the same class as most of the current crop of prosumer camera's. they all use the ccd (contrast detection?) to focus...
What it does have that is hard to find nowadays is a bright lens, f1.8! and a solid build. The trend is going against well built prosumer digicams ---> budget dslrs...
If you look at most prosumer offerings( from dslr brands ) the digicams are getting cheaper n cheaper, and less well built...
In a few years time i think it'll be hard to find a prosumer digicam built like the c5050/5060/7070/8080 class of cameras...

How much can i pick up an underwater case for?

This might be a stupid question as it might be too obvious, how would you guys rate the following cameras 5050//5060/7070/8080 , which its better? i don't know the specs of the others beside the MP for each camera.

Is the 8080 the best follow by 7070 ... 5060...5050?

thks again...

 

[slimfish]

5060 on both counts............. and it beats the Canon G5 hands down on MANY fronts too .........much quicker start-up, MUCH better shutter lag, 2 ED asph elements in its lens group, 28mm min focal length, in-lcd horizontal/vertical grid lines......

I doubt u can find a NEWLY RELEASED 5mp digicam EVEN TODAY with these specs.

Control dial was a problem on some models but Oly replaced it FOC for me earlier this year.

Honestly for consumer or even prosumer digicams, Olympus is way ahead of the pack in terms of value for what you get.

I m currently a very happy owner of a 2nd hand 8080 and this one EVEN rarer to see in 2nd hand market

ed9119:

cool, how much/when did you pick up the 8080 for, if you don't mind...

and how much would a 8080 cost 2nd hand atm...

cheers

 

[ed9119]

ed9119:

cool, how much/when did you pick up the 8080 for, if you don't mind...

and how much would a 8080 cost 2nd hand atm...

cheers

err just because 8080 is a bigger number dont mean it is the best.... its just got higher (8mp) image size and larger CCD...... 8080 minus point is that the lcd is only one direction and cannot rotate (really idiotic miscue on Oly part)..........I guess they learnt their lesson because every cam after that eg 6060/7070 has a fully twistable lcd screen

picked mine up for about $900 (1 yr old)

to find out difference between 5060 and 5050....... go to front page of clubsnap and scroll down..... on left side is a link to a pretty good review of the 5050. for review of 5060 check out dpreview.com

 

[vbs1979]

imo, i will keep the C5050...

C5050 is a gd cam which features a bright lens. Still the fastest lens in PnS up till now.
The AF is slow as compared to the latest models but it is still bearable. The built of the cam is also solid, magnesium-alloy body.

Maybe u can buy a E500 and keep C5050 as a travel camera. Trust me, sometimes when u r travelling, u wish u will have a compact instead of a full SLR sys.

 

[ortega]

I will also keep the 5050Z, it has an F1.8 lens! good images for your usage.
I sold mine to move to DSLR. I miss my 5050Z

 

[Tsangstudios]

Good camera, had it once too. Like you said if you dont use it often whey not keep it. More than enough qulity in it to print 8rs. Most of my underwter photogs were taken with it too. Great qulity for a camera of its class. Kinda miss it but seldom dive these days.
Have a look at what it can do.

www.tsangstudios.com/uwphotog.htm

 

[ortega]

the battery life rocks as well
and the ability to load 2 memory cards

 

[ysk]

Hi guys,
... Basically its has always stayed in its case and only been used on a handful of weekend outings.

keep it.. it has brighter lens that seldom seem in newer digicam..
i sold my 5050 'cos want to upgrade to dslr

 

[juLi]

hola! i bought a 2nd hand C5050 a year plus ago. This camera has been helping me in taking many great shots although I have dropped it badly & sent for repair. I love the macro mode & also I have captured some videos too with great clarity. I will still keep it with me although I just switch to DSLR recently.

 

[slimfish]

thks for the replys guys....

i am not looking at upgrading to dslr, at least not any time soon...

i love my 5050 to death, no real flaws...

what i was thinking is while its still pretty decent in the market, i might sell it and top up about another $200 and get a newer 6-8MP camera... hmmm decisions decisions decisions..:bigeyes:

i know its still a damn bloodly good camera


But will it be worth it to upgrade to a new 6-8mp camera, is the functions and features of the 5050 a bad trade off for increase in MP? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

is the F1.8 lens so impt? i would not know until i lose it, and change to a diff cam, so i would like to ask you fellow members of your opinion before i regret... thks again.

that is what i would like to know...

 

[slimfish]

yup... just remember why i was looking at upgrading in the first place...

its the zoom.... only 3x....

i was drooling when i looked at those with 10x:lovegrin: