Hi All
Just when I thought I had my move from analogue SLR to Digital all worked out, hand poised to sign the visa card, I came across the concept of 4/3 and the alliance between Kodak, Olympus etc on the web. It all sounds plausible, even sensible. (see http://www.four-thirds.org/en/index.html). However, I have been caught before on the problems with standardisation (just look at the hi fi world, CD, HDCD, and SACD etc etc), not to mention the format wars with DVD currently in progress.
I would like to know what people out there closer to the cutting (sometime bleeding in this digital day and age) think. With only one example of the new system (I think), the Olympus E1, and a rumoured E2 or E3 on the way, what is the consensus? Is the E1 Oly series likely to be a serious competitor to Canon 300D and the D-70, or even the Fujufilm series (also a member of the 4/3 partnership)?
What do the professionals and serious amatures think? The reviews of the E1 are not as glowing as one might expect for image quality, although the thought of carrying less weight is very appealing, and my needs are not at a professional level. Maybe it is just the initial problems with a new format, but who wants to be the beta tester?
Specific questions.
Is the 4/3 system likely to be competitive, in as much as one can crystal ball gaze?
Is the E1 overpriced for the feature set etc?
Thanks in anticipation to some help or even discussion on this issue.
David