Olympus E500 better than Canon 350D? In what ways?

[wind30]

Hiya,

Nope, nothing against Made in China... dun get me wrong... just a psychological thing i have abt Made in Japan electronics... u know what i mean?

I also know abt Nikon's Made in Thailand etc etc... HEh... ;p

To be honest, having think and thought and ponder... my heart is pretty much set on the E-500... BUT... holding out a bit to check out Pentax's K100D and K10D...

Thanks,
Eric

Pentax 10D seems to have EVERYTHING. Supposedly new low noise hardware, weather sealed, body IS, dust buster. All it doesn't have is live view

 

[obewan]

Drop by at Funan Harvey Norman and saw this
promotion for Olympus E500.
2 lens kit (14-45mm, 40-150mm f3.5-5.6)
Free Gifts.
2 X 1GB CF card
1 x tripod
1 x drybox
2 yrs extended warranty
Price: $1399w/GST

Really a good start-up package for DSLR beginners interested in the Olympus system.

 

[OlyFlyer]

I hear rumours here in Europe that the E-500 is discontinued. So, all of you who still thinking, go and buy one while you can. It is definitely better than E-400.

BTW regarding the original subject. Another feature I often use is the instant WB. Does the 350D or D50/70/80 has that too? It is very useful, almost like SSWF.

 

[cire07]

Thanks guys...

Holding out on the E-500 lor... waiting for some confirmation on the Pentax K10D b4 i make my decision...

Cheers,
Eric

 

[cire07]

Drop by at Funan Harvey Norman and saw this
promotion for Olympus E500.
2 lens kit (14-45mm, 40-150mm f3.5-5.6)
Free Gifts.
2 X 1GB CF card
1 x tripod
1 x drybox
2 yrs extended warranty
Price: $1399w/GST

Really a good start-up package for DSLR beginners interested in the Olympus system.

This is almost the same package as offered during COMEX yeah? But the 2-yr extended warranty included in the package is pretty sweet...

Anyway, just to confirm something... Is blurry-images a problem with the E-500? I mean, everyone seems to be moving towards Stabilisation of some sort...

But then again, back in film SLR days, everything was solved by tripods & techniques...

That's the only factor why i haven't gone out and put down $$$ on a E-500 yet...

Eric

 

[obewan]

This is almost the same package as offered during COMEX yeah? But the 2-yr extended warranty included in the package is pretty sweet...

Anyway, just to confirm something... Is blurry-images a problem with the E-500? I mean, everyone seems to be moving towards Stabilisation of some sort...

But then again, back in film SLR days, everything was solved by tripods & techniques...

That's the only factor why i haven't gone out and put down $$$ on a E-500 yet...

Eric

Blurry image of coz is not cause by the E500.
It is cause by the photographer. :bsmilie:
IS(image stabliser) is a bonus tool that allows you to shoot at a 2-3 stops slower shutterspeed for 'static' object.
For object in motion at fast speed, you still need a fast shutterspeed to freeze that shot
to prevention motion blur.
Another cause of blurr is focusing. That one got nothing to do with IS.

 

[cire07]

Guess i gotta agree with that...

If Harvey Norman is giving that package... i might just go down tomorrow and grab it...
I've been reading so many camera reviews it's driving me nuts... just wanna get a new cam and start shooting... basket...

U guys think the 2-yr extended warranty is worth it? Cos it did save me quite a bit when my old C-720UZ failed when ALMOST nearing the end of the extended 2-yr warranty...

:dunno:

 

[obewan]

Guess i gotta agree with that...

If Harvey Norman is giving that package... i might just go down tomorrow and grab it...
I've been reading so many camera reviews it's driving me nuts... just wanna get a new cam and start shooting... basket...

U guys think the 2-yr extended warranty is worth it? Cos it did save me quite a bit when my old C-720UZ failed when ALMOST nearing the end of the extended 2-yr warranty...

:dunno:

To me, I think is worth it.
Take a look at this gallery shoot by a guy using mainly a E300.
http://www.pbase.com/chyeheng/root
It is not the E500, but they should be about the same.
The quality and colour is really very good if you know how to utilise it. :thumbsup:

 

[OlyFlyer]

... Is blurry-images a problem with the E-500? I mean, everyone seems to be moving towards Stabilisation of some sort...

Well, yes if you have really old and shaky hands or if you have a hang-over.

There are some very old and cheap cure:

Cheap trick #1:

shutter speed not less than the focal length. So if you use 150mm lens, set to 1/160 and than every normal person should be able to handle it. If you don't want to use Shutter priority, set higher ISO.

Cheap trick #2: use a tripod or monopod to stabilize.

Cheap trick #3: use a wall or another stationaly object to lean against to stabilize.

That would not stop me from buying a camera, in fact when I was on my way to decide for a DSLR I did not even take that into consideration because I found that to be of no interest. Don't believe you can replace a tripod with IS anyway. IS is good to have but if it is at the expense of SSWF or other features then I pass. I am over 50 and have no problems for hand held up to about 70mm and down to 1/15 if conditions are in my favour, like not much wind and so on. Usually I make large prints also, so it would show.

 

[cire07]

Thanks for the tips gents...!

 

[pehch4e]

I own E-500 for a year and have never looked back on the choice. As a newie in DSLR at that time, I just wanted to start with a system that provides a body that is comfortable in hand and with good reputation to make sure the lenses are of good quality. So I end up with E-500 after toying a bit with other cameras and comparing the offer. All advices given and the choices of camera at comparable prices are fairly right in their own sense. The only thing I could assure about E-500 is that the package on the market now is very very attractive. I paid much more for the kit set plus the 40-150mm. I might one day try out the other big names and be as happy with the picture and shooting....... I believe you will learn to make better use of the camera and eventually think this is the rightful choice. I tend to think you are the one eventually mastering the camera and become the better photographer.

As for blurry shoot, I believe everyone more or less experiences it when new to DSLR (maybe i am wrong), but the best part is you probably realise that it is quite to do with your handling and understanding of the limit of shutter speed at various apertures. Enjoy shooting and shoot as much, the love for photography will come naturely.

Cheers to the your faithful camera, whichever it is.

 

[VR Man]

I;ve been using D200, 20D and 30D for yrs already.. have not experienced dust problems.. i always blow the sensor everytime i change lens..

Hmm..how come like dat. Many users I know don't have this dust problem. I don't at all. I haven't blown my sensor for many weeks and seriously, I can't see any dust at small or large apertures, all sorts of background.

I guess I must be very unlucky with my two friend's 20D, D100 and D70s. But then why are other brands implementing anti-dust then?

It also depends on the type of subject you are shooting. In some cases the dust may not be obvious. For something like http://www.nokia6681.com/, I cannot afford to even have a speck of dust in my images when I deliver them to my clients, despite it being down sampled for web use.

I must say that I was intending to get the 20D at first as it was better than D70 then. Then I realised that the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye was better suited to my commercial needs. So it was D70 until I stumbled over the E-1 and also discover Oly had a 7-14mm lens. I fell in love with the Oly colors, the widest lens availble for a DSLR, weathersealed body/lens and dust buster too

If not for my specific needs, I would have went with either Canon or Nikon but then again those Oly colors ;p

At the end of the day, its the pictures that you take that counts. Good gear helps and choose what you are comfortable with despite what everyone tells you as you are the one using it.

 

[cire07]

Hi all,

I've been testing a 350D and a E-500 the whole day yesterday, it seems that the pictures taken with the 350D is "wider"?

E-500 i tried with BOTH kit lens, the 350D using a 28mm-135mm F3.5-5.6 USM + IS zoom lens...

1. The pictures taken with the Canon seems "wider"...

2. When i uploaded the pictures taken with either camera into my Nokia E61... the Canon pic filled up the entire screen, while the Oly's pic had spaces left on either side...

Something to do with the lens? or sensor size? etc etc?

Heh... apologies... am i being clear enuff on the situation?

Regards,
Eric

 

[VR Man]

Hi all,

I've been testing a 350D and a E-500 the whole day yesterday, it seems that the pictures taken with the 350D is "wider"?

E-500 i tried with BOTH kit lens, the 350D using a 28mm-135mm F3.5-5.6 USM + IS zoom lens...

1. The pictures taken with the Canon seems "wider"...

2. When i uploaded the pictures taken with either camera into my Nokia E61... the Canon pic filled up the entire screen, while the Oly's pic had spaces left on either side...

Something to do with the lens? or sensor size? etc etc?

Heh... apologies... am i being clear enuff on the situation?

Regards,
Eric

Info from DP Review:

Canon 350D
1) Max resolution: 3456 x 2304
2) Sensor size : 22.2 x 14.8 mm

Olympus E500
1) Max resolution: 3264 x 2448
2) Sensor size : 18.00 x 13.50 mm

Dont forget too that the ratio of width to height, landscape orientation, is different for both cameras. Canon is 3:2 and Olympus is 4:3. This may affect the way you perceive the dimensions of an image.

You may want to consider shooting at max resolution for both cameras and loading the images into Photoshop or Photoshop Elements to do a comparisom.

From the specs of both cameras, with respect to images in landscape orientation, the Canon would give a slightly wider image and the Olympus would give a silghtly taller image.

The ratio of your camera display will also affect the viewing of the image. The Olympus image being taller may either get "squashed" or truncated.

 

[cire07]

I took max resolution pics on both cameras... it was only upon loading them onto my comp when i realised the Canon took "wider" pictures... and further confirmed my suspicions when i loaded them into my phone and set as wallpaper...

So if this is the case, is there anything i can do (change settings?) to make the Oly's 4:3 ration become similar to Canon's 3:2???

Does a difference in sensor size affect anything?

 

[VR Man]

I took max resolution pics on both cameras... it was only upon loading them onto my comp when i realised the Canon took "wider" pictures... and further confirmed my suspicions when i loaded them into my phone and set as wallpaper...

So if this is the case, is there anything i can do (change settings?) to make the Oly's 4:3 ration become similar to Canon's 3:2???

Does a difference in sensor size affect anything?

Create a 3:2 mask and use that to crop your Oly images in Photoshop otherwise use a Canon 350D lor

 

[cire07]

Thanks VR MAN!

Regards,
Eric

 

[Clockunder]

Hi all,

I've been testing a 350D and a E-500 the whole day yesterday, it seems that the pictures taken with the 350D is "wider"?

E-500 i tried with BOTH kit lens, the 350D using a 28mm-135mm F3.5-5.6 USM + IS zoom lens...

1. The pictures taken with the Canon seems "wider"...

2. When i uploaded the pictures taken with either camera into my Nokia E61... the Canon pic filled up the entire screen, while the Oly's pic had spaces left on either side...

Something to do with the lens? or sensor size? etc etc?

Heh... apologies... am i being clear enuff on the situation?

Regards,
Eric

The 350D of course has a wider FOV (field of view) when compared to the E-500 because the former has a bigger image sensor.

Smaller image sensor => larger crop factor.

Indirectly, it also means that you would need more expensive ultra wide lens to get just wide on a larger crop factor camera.

You are able to crop a 4/3 image from E-500 into 3/2 aspect ratio like image from 350D but you will never able to get the wider FOV of the 350D if you're using the same focal length lens. You would need a slightly wider (i.e. shorter focal length) lens.

As for your situation (2), it's probably due to the difference in aspect ratio (i.e. 4/3 vs ....whatever). When viewed full screen, the picture fills the screen until the top+bottom or left+right (which ever comes first) touches the screen's edges. (BTW, are you using wide screen LCD?)

For me, I've no intention to get an Olympus because noise performance at high ISO and the FOV is very important to me...... both factors no thanks to its smaller image sensor when compared to others.

Other important factors are pricing of body and lenses and the range and availability of lenses.

 

[cire07]

Hey hey,

Thanks for such an in-depth explanation... Appreciate it. Learning more and more everyday...

Cheers,
Eric