Olympus reliability issues

[Grey Knight]

I'm intending to work in the upcoming holis to get an entry level dslr.
I was looking at the E-410 and 510 as I heard quite a few good stuff about it.
However, my friends told me that olympus has some reliability issues as in some are more fragile and stuff like that.

Anyone here have any such issues?
Is olympus a good brand to start from?

Thanks!

 

[RastaCooL]

Yeah is true just now i go to P&G shop and photo shop around there,
i was looking for second hand lens for my E-410 mostly they will tell you is
"Sorry nothing for olympus lens" even want to buy old lens i mean manual lens or third party lens also difficult:cry: .

 

[cityzensg]

Yeah is true just now i go to P&G shop and photo shop around there,
i was looking for second hand lens for my E-410 mostly they will tell you is
"Sorry nothing for olympus lens" even want to buy old lens i mean manual lens or third party lens also difficult:cry: .

Why do you walk into MacDonalds and ask for Pepsi? when you know they can only offer you Coca Cola!

You can try shops like TCW ... if you know what I mean...

@ TS,

You can consider E520 with kit lens 14-42mm and 70-300mm lens
That equivalenty to 28~84mm and 140~600mm

For that kind of lens range ... it is considered CHEAP already

 

[headfonz]

Yeah is true just now i go to P&G shop and photo shop around there,
i was looking for second hand lens for my E-410 mostly they will tell you is
"Sorry nothing for olympus lens" even want to buy old lens i mean manual lens or third party lens also difficult:cry: .

i don't see how your experience with a single 2nd hand shop has anything to do with the realiability issues (if any) of a particular camera :dunno:

as to the TS's question on realiability issues, you may want to take a look through this thread about the e420 in the Four-Thirds sub-forum. these are user opinions about the updated model from this forum. http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=382682 i don't think there is any realiability issues mentioned. check out the other forums tooo.

the e410 and e510 will be discontinued soon with the release of the updated models this year. depending on what you need in a camera system, look for a manufacturer that has a product that will meet most of your needs.

every camera system has its pros and cons, so do some research on that you will need to for your shooting style before you zoom in on a particular brand. e.g. if you like small prime lenses, you may want to consider pentax. if you want the cheapest entry level body, then nikon d40, etc etc.

 

[denizenx]

I had some issues with ultrazooms (up to 550UZ), but I also had an e410 which was treated like a brick (but padded).
There's nothing wrong with the e410 now still, even cosmetically it's 9.5.

 

[spidey89]

My E-510 just passed 1 year,also no problem,even with the IS system inside it

 

[egnaro]

I gt my E510 last Dec, currently I dun find any issue abt getting lens or flash for my cam... now the question is, can I afford to buy what I want, not can i find what I want. if money is not a problem, sourcing oso not a problem too.

Y must we get 2nd hand lens in shop when it is usually cost more money, CS B&S usually cheaper (just personal opinion).

but of cuz if looking for 3rd party stuff and some accessories, you may find some difficulty in those small store, try CP or OP or online, they shd have most of the stuff.

I can get canon or nikon stuff cheap as my bro is selling them, reason y i didnt get those 2 brand is simple, I just don't want be a commoner.

A proud and happy Olympus E510 user, Michael

 

[phyrewall]

I haven't seen any problems with my E-520 so far. And my first camera before that was an Olympus C-750UZ which I bought back in 2003, and up to present is still in good working condition. In fact, I was playing around with it last weekend (testing it and comparing some macro shots between it and the E-520).

In my experience, Olympus has been quite a reliable brand. It's true though that the lens/accessories aren't that quite plenty, but at least it's pretty standard.

For example, the wireless remote that came with my C-750UZ was a RM-1 which is also the same remote model mentioned in the E-520 manual. I believe the FL-36 (though I don't have one) can also be used on both models.

 

[slypower50]

To Ts, try to read up more regarding different brands of camera.. I had been using E330 and 510 for around a year.. working very well till now, so hope you can roughly get the idea on durability..

 

[Mikefellh]

I was looking at the E-410 and 510 as I heard quite a few good stuff about it.
However, my friends told me that olympus has some reliability issues as in some are more fragile and stuff like that.

Every brand has it's issues, and every brand's entry level cameras are weaker than the top of the line. Having said that Olympus is no worse or better than most of the other brands...if you drop the camera with the flash attached can break at the foot of the flash, but it's designed to break there rather than breaking the camera.

With that said, Olympus users have had much fewer complaints about kit lens issues, quality of optics are higher than others, and users hardly complain of front or back focusing (focusing beyond the subject).

I had a C-700 for a few years, an E-300 for three years, and I just bought an E-330 a few days ago...I never needed a day of service, but I don't abuse my equipment; I used the same film SLR for 20 years and it too never needed a day of service...all my cameras still work.

Of course there's always the potential of getting a Friday or Monday camera, but it's the same with every other product out there.

 

[marky]

My E330 has some problems after its 1st year, the connection from the battery to the body was abit loose and it keeps on restarting by itself every now and then (Probably i mishandled it somehow) .. BUT my E3 has no issues till now.. coming to a year already.

 

[cityzensg]

hahaha ... I'm celebrating 9th yr aniversary with mine Oly C40Z coming National Day

even though it's a 4MP compact camera...

 

[Mikefellh]

the connection from the battery to the body was abit loose and it keeps on restarting by itself every now and then (Probably i mishandled it somehow)

That's usually typical with dropping batteries into the compartment. I've seen complaints from people who own the C-7xx series of cameras, as well as flashes...I even bought a used flash with that problem...all it takes to fix it is lift up the battery contacts slightly until they stay bent up (you don't want to bend them up too much since they are thin metal that could break after bending too much). Yes, my flash did work after that and continues to this day (since I don't drop the batteries in).

Talking about bent metal, one of the bigger issues with ALL cameras that use CF slots is bent pins from people slapping cards into the compartment...again that is something I do gently, with a finger at either end of the card so that one end doesn't go in first..

 

[spidey89]

That's usually typical with dropping batteries into the compartment. I've seen complaints from people who own the C-7xx series of cameras, as well as flashes...I even bought a used flash with that problem...all it takes to fix it is lift up the battery contacts slightly until they stay bent up (you don't want to bend them up too much since they are thin metal that could break after bending too much). Yes, my flash did work after that and continues to this day (since I don't drop the batteries in).

Talking about bent metal, one of the bigger issues with ALL cameras that use CF slots is bent pins from people slapping cards into the compartment...again that is something I do gently, with a finger at either end of the card so that one end doesn't go in first..

someone ever told me years ago that CF cards are not good cause the pin will bend,ever since my first digital compact camera till my current DSLRs,never had such a problem,I even wonder how people inserted their cards which caused their pins to bend,lol

 

[phan_vinh_nguyen]

Every brand camera got possibility of failure. I have never heard that Olympus got reliability issues more than other brands. My friend own an E-510, one day, he dropped the camera into water, he took it out, removed the lens and battery, poured out water, dried then... continue to shoot up to now (do not try at home). But the lens need go for service (ZD 35mm Macro, I think.. )

 

[dorts]

Your friends are probably trying to get you to go to C & N. LOL. :bsmilie:

Go try it out yourself, most important and see if you like how the camera handles.

 

[Evilmerlin]

I've had the E-300 from the day it was first released in Singapore. Today, its still going strong without a single problem.

 

[Grey Knight]

Cool!
but I've heard that most places do not carry the E410, 510 anymore?

 

[Oly5050]

to TS,

to me, olympus has been virtually bullet proof. i had and still have a c5050 which went everywhere with me for more than 5 years enduring snow, below freezing temps, wet conditions, hot summers, and it still works. i currently have e3 and a e510 which are working fine and recently got the bullet proof 1030. i put my money where my mouth is.

 

[ttiongch]

After reading this thread, I took out my C-2500L and C-2100 Camedia to test whether they are still alive.

Surprisingly, they are still working perfectly after I popped in 4 AA batteries. Wow! Both are about 8-9 years old, the great grandfather of my E-510 :bsmilie: