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

[lynxiger]

Hi I'm a newbie here,

I'm getting a DSLR and I'm struggling btw
Olympus E500 (with the twin lens package) and
Canon 350D (or even 400D) with their kit lens.

In what ways E500 better than Canon rivals?
My budget is tight and I'm confused.

Please help.
Lyn

 

[OlyFlyer]

I think the best camera is the one one have. If you are new to SLR all together, I guess both are equally good. One is better in one thing the other is better in something else. If you had Olympus SLR before and you plan to keep your old lenses than E-500 is better because you can reuse all the stuff. If you had a Canon SLR before, I guess than Canon is better for the same reason. I have no idea if Canon has also lens adapter, but my guess is yes. I have an E-500 since April and I am happy with it. I reuse all my old stuff, lenses, extension tubes, flashes and so on. The E-500 has a built in "dust buster" (SSWF) while the 350D has none, so one must be prepared to visit a shop to get the CCD cleaned. You could do it by yourself but risking of scratching the surface.

Those were the some of the reasons for me to go for Oly. If I had to start from scratch, I would have started with Nikon D70 or D200. Another reason was the price. I had a very good deal on the E-500. Now that is actually different here in Sweden, the 350D has dropped the price by about 30% since April, and is actually cheaper than the E-500. The E-500 is about 10% more expensive today than in April. Again, that is valid for where I live here in Sweden.

Oly has a more stable production line, not pushing new cams every sixth month like Canon. I like their way of long term relationship to their stuff and customers. They offer very good customer service (just in case...), including very fast repair service turnaround. I think it is different with Canon.

I don't think there is any way of saying this is better than that. Reading reviews is just more confusing, asking people is even more confusing. Some people just talk about cameras they never had because they like to talk and to pretend to be experts. So it is difficult to know who is telling the truth and who is just a bigtalker. I think you have to make a choise, get a camera and learn that by heart. I guess if you are completely new to SLR, than you'll have a lot to learn but I am 100% sure that whichever camera you'll get you'll be happy with it if you don't listen to all the "negativists" who just want to speak badly about "other" brand than their own.

Good luck!

 

[lynxiger]

Hi, Thanks very much for your very informative advice!

I'm totally new to DSLR and have to make a decision of which brand - I think Olympus, Nikon, Canon are 3 top brands with large supply of lenses. Yup, once I make a decision, I'll stick with that brand. More like I'd be stucked with it.

Why would you say you'd choose Nikon D70, if you had to start from scratch?

Many thanks!

 

[OlyFlyer]

Why Nikon?

Well, just because when I started back in the 1970's Nikon was my dream cam. Only, I was too poor to get any Nikon. My first SLR was a Zenit E (Made in USSR), then I moved to Minolta SRT-101 than I got a Pentax (don't remember the model). Later I bought and quickly sold my first Olympus, an OM10. Before selling it in 1981 or 82 I bought my Olympus OM2n which I still have in mint condition. I think that was the best camera Olympus ever made. At that time Nikon had the F-3 which again was far out of my budget, but was my dream. During the past 25 years with Oly I collected quite a lot of OM hardware, so again, to get all that once more for Nikon is just out of my budget and I was not prepared to start off from just one lens once again. Actually, I would prefer D200 but I think the D70 is more like the E-500 in coparision. So for me to enter the digital photography world that would may be a starter. Finally, I could afford a D200 but not with all the stuff I have for Oly. So, once again, I bought the best Oly had in April this year. Why is that the best? I believe the E-1 is just to old and so is the E300, which I don't like the shape of. The E-330 has less MP than the E-500 and I was not prepared to pay for Live view, which I regarded as a "not needed" thing I was not prepared to pay extra for. Again, the shape of E-330 was not to my taste. As of today, I think the E-500 is still the best Oly has. The E-400 lacks some of the E-500 features but has more MP.

So, why Nikon to start from scratch? :dunno: No specific reason other that the ones I already said. I don't like Canon as a brand and I think Nikon will survive them all. If Oly is not coming with a new pro camera by the end of this month, I think Oly will be out of DSLR market soon after that. I have no technical information to give on the D70 to compare with E-500. I think you have to do that research by yourself. :sweat: I would be the last one to say that one is technically better than the other. I think they all have pros and cons. One big pro for both Nikon and Canon is the fact that in every little village on this Earth you can find some stuff for those cameras. With Oly that is different. Almost everything must be ordered. At least here in Europe.

 

[cire07]

hey Lyn...

I'm also a newbie to DSLR... looking to purchase my 1st...

The one main attraction that is pulling me to Olympus... is the SSWF...
I get that right? The system that "cleans" the sensor of dust whenever the camera starts up...

GIven that the Canon 400D also has a self-cleaning system... BUT Canon JUST started...
Whereas Olympus has had it all along...

Having seen the launch of the E-400... i guess i'm stuck between the E330 and E500...
UNLESS my buddy manages to purchase the E1 from the States for me...

i'm still in a dilemma between the 400D... 30D... E330/500... and even the D80...
What abt u?

Eric

 

[lynxiger]

Hey Eric!

Looks like we're on the same "find our DSLR brand" boat.

As OlyFlyer has pointed out that 'SSWF dust shaker has advantage over Canon and Nikon, and it's one huge advantage that it! Canon just started to introduce their "beta version" dust cleaning into 400D. Olympus has got their best DSLR of E500, and they also throw in two good Zuiko lenses (14 - 45 mm and 40 - 150 mm) into the bundle, which is a pretty amazing deal.

E500's problem is noise with the ISO800 and ISO1600 settings, here 350D is better thanks to their infamous Digit II processing engine. But surprisingly overall image quality of E500 is pretty good. Another bad thing is E500's viewfinder is a bit small, have 3 point AF (as opposed to 7 point AF for 350D, and 9 point AF for 400D), when at playback the zoom does not show actual details of image. But E500 gives a lot of other useful info about image with arrays of histograms. I personally do not like the design of E330.

I like 350D for image quality but the kit lens is not that good, so I need to get a better walk-around general lens. Of course Canon has all the glorious IS USM lenses and luxurious "L", but I cannot afford to get one right now. The 30D is great too with 5fps continuous shooting, damn good for sports action shots. Currently, people just started using 400D so not much review right now, but it should perform as well or better than 350D.

Nikon's got simply the best lenses around, and their D50, D70, and D80 all have good image quality, I think just a matter of choosing D80 if you want 10.1 mp resolution flexibility if you like cropping your images a lot. And we cannot forget that D80 comes with 18-135 mm lens.

So too many things to consider. And I'm also thinking to find a good one through Clubsnap's B & S. If I have to decide, for Olympus - E500; for Canon - 400D; and for Nikon - D70/D80.

 

[VR Man]

If you value your time, anti dust feature is a must have on any DSLR. Ther verdict is out there on which brand has the best anti dust system. Oly was first, followed by Canon then Sony, I think. So far it seems Oly being the first and most tested system is the clear leader.

I almost got the Canon 20D until I saw the dust particles after using my friend's camera and told myself, spending hours in Photoshop was ridiculous.

I also had the same problem with my friend's Nikon D70/100 too!

It is simply amazing how so many commercial photographers are willing to put up with dust and time wasted on Photoshop. I got better things to do with my time

 

[kiwi2]

Hi, Thanks very much for your very informative advice!

I'm totally new to DSLR and have to make a decision of which brand - I think Olympus, Nikon, Canon are 3 top brands with large supply of lenses. Yup, once I make a decision, I'll stick with that brand. More like I'd be stucked with it.

Why would you say you'd choose Nikon D70, if you had to start from scratch?

Many thanks!

Olympus is no where near in competition to Canon and Nikon. C&N are the 2 big names in DSLR. When u consider the capability of DSLRs, you must look at more than just functions. It's not true generally that brand A has this which brand B doesn't so brand A is "better". It's how long the company has been doing R&D and in this business, the number of different models they can churn out, the sophistication in the cam, choice of lenses, etc.

If I must choose THE No.1 leader in DSLR technology, it has to be Canon. Disclaimer: That's my very personal opinion, in case Nikon people start to slam me. :sweat: But to be fair, Nikon has their strengths too.

 

[kiwi2]

If you value your time, anti dust feature is a must have on any DSLR. Ther verdict is out there on which brand has the best anti dust system. Oly was first, followed by Canon then Sony, I think. So far it seems Oly being the first and most tested system is the clear leader.

I almost got the Canon 20D until I saw the dust particles after using my friend's camera and told myself, spending hours in Photoshop was ridiculous.

I also had the same problem with my friend's Nikon D70/100 too!

It is simply amazing how so many commercial photographers are willing to put up with dust and time wasted on Photoshop. I got better things to do with my time

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.

 

[jeryltan]

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..

If you value your time, anti dust feature is a must have on any DSLR. Ther verdict is out there on which brand has the best anti dust system. Oly was first, followed by Canon then Sony, I think. So far it seems Oly being the first and most tested system is the clear leader.

I almost got the Canon 20D until I saw the dust particles after using my friend's camera and told myself, spending hours in Photoshop was ridiculous.

I also had the same problem with my friend's Nikon D70/100 too!

It is simply amazing how so many commercial photographers are willing to put up with dust and time wasted on Photoshop. I got better things to do with my time

 

[zildjohn]

Hi Lyn and Eric,

Let me share my experience when I had the same problem with you guys...
I needed an DSLR coz I think im now ready for it after so many years with Sony
pns like F717. Last aug I decided to have a vacation in thailand so I said i had to get a DSLR
before my trip, my choice before was between the 2 big names in DSLR Nikon and Canon.
I was considering the D70s or the 350D that time. Then I remember I had an OM system before and Im pretty happy with the pictures I got from that old Oly system. Then I also learned about the built in SSWF of Oly E-system and I thought if im going to the beach more likely there is a possibility of having dust blown into my sensor. From those 2 considering points I narrow down my choice to bet the E500 and E330. SInce I came from F717 with tilting LCD and live view and I like to to travel and take diff kinds of angle shots... I decided to buy the E330... till then and now im very happy with it and beside using those 2 top brands in DSLR for me is a "common thing" right now... I wanna be different and not follow the crowd. Also using the top brand or expensive equipment will not make you a pro, there are lots of photo journalist out there using PNS and their shots are way better than those expensive lenses.

This is just my personal experience and opinion, still the best thing to do is go to the camera shop and test all system, from there I bet you can decide.

And yes after my Phuket trip..... SSWF is really a must for a DSLR !!!

Peace !

 

[zemotion]

i just started shooting.. beginner also. i've tried olympus a couple of times and i've a 350d.. i like my 350d better. just that it's abit small for me ^^;

 

[Hacker]

For simple entry level DSLRs, Olympus seems to be very good value. To scale up, the Pro Oly lenses are extremely good, very expensive, but you can't mount it on any decent body. The E-1 is old. I bought my Oly lenses based on the hope that a new body will do justice to the magnificent lenses. That remains a hope till now.

If you want to go mid and up, then N or C seems to be a better choice. While each has some good lenses, the net result--lens + body--is better than any manufacturer out there. Then again, that's if you need large printouts.

If $$ is a constraint, then look at Pentax and even Sony.

 

[obewan]

Ok, time to act like an expert and give some advice here. :bsmilie:

E500
Pros
1) Good bundle twin lens kit with decent built and image quality.
2) SWF not necessary but a good to have feature.
3) Value for money.
4) Better built body, more comfortable to hold especially for bigger hands.

Cons
1) More noise at higher ISO.
2) Smaller viewfinder.

350D
Pros
1) Faster AF and lower noise at higher ISO.
2) Wider range of lens selection.
3) Easier to sell off your set, if you decided to give up on the Canon system.

Cons
1) Body and kits lens of poorer built quality.
2) Not comfortable to hold for ppl with bigger hands, but can always add a battery grip.

OT>
Give the D50 a try. I'm using it and I love it so much.
18-200VR seem to be a good to have walkaround lens with decent quality.
But out of my budget currently. :cry:

As usual, go to the shop try both the E500 and 350D yourself.
Play with different settings.
Then go with your :heart:
Different ppl have different needs, that's why there is different brand.

Important Note. :devil:
Zuiko lens and 'L' lens can be hazardous to your wallet and health.
No matter which system you choose, you are still in danger.

 

[Koelsch]

go with the flow.

i just bought my 350D 2 days ago. 3rd hand as a matter of fact. somehow in photography, we'll always tend to look at the body first. but why? i'm actually looking more at the lens and how the lens can work with the body.

start out with a entry level body if you think you wont be able to handle it that well. and learn the basics then move on =D. it'll never be too late. people would actually buy and sell lenses rather than buy and sell bodies.

 

[ExplorerZ]

Olympus is no where near in competition to Canon and Nikon. C&N are the 2 big names in DSLR. When u consider the capability of DSLRs, you must look at more than just functions. It's not true generally that brand A has this which brand B doesn't so brand A is "better". It's how long the company has been doing R&D and in this business, the number of different models they can churn out, the sophistication in the cam, choice of lenses, etc.

If I must choose THE No.1 leader in DSLR technology, it has to be Canon. Disclaimer: That's my very personal opinion, in case Nikon people start to slam me. :sweat: But to be fair, Nikon has their strengths too.

not to frame, but today from what i see is that olympus have also "quite" cover all the important focal length except for the super tele side like 600mm or so. Plus with more 3rd party company like Sigma is also starting to make more 4 third lenses, i believe very soon the all major lens range will be covered as well.
to me the most important is if you got the $ to spend on those lenese?

 

[obewan]

not to frame, but today from what i see is that olympus have also "quite" cover all the important focal length except for the super tele side like 600mm or so. Plus with more 3rd party company like Sigma is also starting to make more 4 third lenses, i believe very soon the all major lens range will be covered as well.
to me the most important is if you got the $ to spend on those lenese?

Agree.

Here is a link to some 4/3 lenses.
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/products/lense.html

 

[Mikefellh]

Unlike Canon, Nikon, and every other dSLR on the market Olympus is the only digital system...everyone else are using film based lenses which didn't hit the film plane head on but at angles. Unlike film, the photosites on a sensor sensitive to this problem and are like little lenses and if the rays of light aren't going straight you're going to hit the side of the sensor rather than head on.

The following page highlights the E-300 but many of the features are E-system wide. I can't post a direct link to the section I'm referring to, but on the left side look for "Four Thirds System maximises the performance of the 8-megapixel CCD":
http://www.olympus-esystem.com/dea/products/e300/feature/index.html

There are other benefits of the Olympus over every other brand on the same page, especially the full frame transfer CCD (vs. the more common interline imager used by other brands), and of course the dust reduction system (SSWF).

 

[lynxiger]

Thanks for all your comments, very helpful while I'm now deciding to buy which one.

 

[drakon09]

Shall I even consider confusing you further?

If you could wait a bit, wait for Photokina and see what are the offerings from the different manufacturers.

I think Olympus as a company is very innovative. It does not trod down the path of others; it speaks of individuality.

I've nothing against Canon or Nikon, both are competent enough, but offers nothing different. Sony? Well um, er... never mind.

If you have to get the cam NOW, then please please please consider the Pentax K100D as well, that one looks like juicy.