Olympus E-620 - which lens kit? please help

[Georgeo]

Hi I am about to buy my first dslr camera and have pretty much made up my mind (after hours of net research and looking around the shops) on the Olympus 620e.

My dellema at the moment is choosing between two deals I have found with the twin lens kit. My options are:

1. Harvey Norman can do the Olympus 620e with:
-14 - 42mm (28 - 84mm equivalent with the 4/3 ratio sensor),
-40 - 150mm (80 - 300mm equivalent),
-2 x UV filters,
-4G Extreme compact flash card,
-extra 2 years warranty (3 years in total)
for $1550.00.

or

2. Camera House can do the Olympus 620e with:
-14 - 42mm (28 - 84mm equivalent with the 4/3 ratio sensor),
-70 - 300mm (140 - 600mm equivalent),
-4G Extreme compact flash card,
-extra 2 years warranty (3 years in total)
-$200.00 worth of prints done instore
-an online course
for about $1800.00. (UV Filters an extra $35 ea).

I like the idea of the extra zoom with the 600mm lens in option 2 as I plan to take sports shots and landscape shots however, I'm concerned on the focal length I will get with the gap (84 - 160mm) between the two lenses. The lady at Camera House assures me that that gap is not an area which is used anyway. I don't plan on doing much wildlife shots so I dont know if the 600mm lens would be used to its full advantage anyway. If I go with option 2 would this gap be an issue? would option 1 be more suitable with what I want to do? Please help.

Thanks,
George.

[Don Kondra]

Option #1 and then buy a used 70-300 for ~$300...

You might want to think about buying just the camera body. The kit lenses regularly sell used for ~$100 each...

Cheers, Don

[Atomic2]

Yea option 1... besides the 70-300 is MUCH less useful than the 40-150.

[Greg McCary]

I agree option 1 seems best. First lens upgrade I would suggest though would be the 14-54mm. The 70-300mm is a good lens but not the fastest. I have problems with mine focusing fast. I am not sure that it would be all that great for sports.
You might consider buying body only and the 14-54mm.

[Lang]

Georgeo, let us know what H.N and Camera House will sell body only for, then ask what about two . (am more than half serious) There are some businesses on the Net selling E620 body only under $1,000.00, just have to check them out ,will soon. I'd buy body only then get your lenses later, same with filters, generic batteries cards etc. Hunt all that up on the net and save$$$. lang

[Lang]

You'll easy pick up a kit lens on EBay or other for less than $100.00 in good order, I got a 70-300 (good lens but fickle,read comments here) mint for half RRP., with the 7or 8 hundred dollars you save you could get a top lens to love and never part from.

[Don Kondra]

http://www.mcbaincamera.com/products...t_type=Digital SLR&param=brand&attr=Olympus

Check it out and consider the dollar conversion rate

Cheers, Don

[Lang]

Thanks Don, very decent of you. That's an E620 body for $760.00 au. (699.00 can), that's at least 250/300 au saving. I'm sending them an email tomorrow.. Thanks. lang.

[Don Kondra]

Sorry I didn't think of it sooner, those bundles did seem high... my excuse is I'm trying not to look at the price of new bodies

Cheers, Don

[Greg McCary]

Also the 14-54mm does very good macros.......

[Georgeo]

Thanks for the responses, I think I will go the camera house deal, I can probably save a couple of hundred $ by buying online but my fiance will definitely make use of $200 worth of prints plus good product support and without the hassle of having to send it away if it needs repairing, secondhand lens, etc.

As far as UV filters, lens pen and lens hoods, bag, etc you can pick these up very cheaply on ebay. However I've found a million different makes of UV filters, lens hoods and lens pens - any recommendations as to which ones I should get for this camera?

[Greg McCary]

Lenses hoods should be included with the kit lenses. As far as UV filters. Check Adorama. A Hoya or a Tiffen.

[Asmarlak]

Both deals are very expensive. You can buy it with the two kit lens from Amazon for only $799.99. Look at this link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/legacy-hand...749478-0706130

[Georgeo]

sorry, these prices are in Australian $.

[Sushigaijin]

Yea option 1... besides the 70-300 is MUCH less useful than the 40-150.

I agree option one, disagree that the 40-150 is more useful. A useless range, IMO

70-300 with 1:2 macro? Much more useful to me.

[Atomic2]

I agree option one, disagree that the 40-150 is more useful. A useless range, IMO

70-300 with 1:2 macro? Much more useful to me.

Useless range? Food for thought, when I only had a 14-45 and 40-150, I used the latter almost exclusively.
150mm is PLENTY of telephoto honestly. And 40mm is usable for regular photography more often than not. thats an 80mm eq, and any canon or nikon owner with a nifty50 use that as a prime.


and 1:2 macro sounds good on paper, but I did a comparison between the macro capabilities of the 70-300 and my 12-60 and although I got a greater magnification with the former, the sharpness of the 12-60 was actually yielded better results.

[Liz]

I purchased the 40-150 for my E-P1. I don't use it as much as the 14-42, but it really comes in handy when I need a longer lens. Actually I find it to be a nice lens - and for the price ($144) it works for me. I think it depends on what kind of photography we do. I would very seldom use 300mm (600mm on the E-P1).

Liz

[Sushigaijin]

Useless range? the sharpness of the 12-60 was actually yielded better results.

Sure. I sold my "standard" lenses for a reason. They are good, but the 50/2 spoiled me. now my most common configuration is the 50/2 and ex25 or the 50-200 and ex25. I'd kill for a 300-400 prime in the mid-grade with weather sealing and a decent "macro" ability. I prefer to stay outside of striking distance of rattlesnakes, thank you very much.

If I was picking among the "kit" lenses, I'd certainly choose the 70-300 over the 40-150. The later is WAY too short for wildlife and doesn't have nearly enough magnification for my style. Of course, that's just my style.

A 70-300 in the mid-grade would be a great lens too. I just can't deal with water-sensitive lenses anymore, or compromises in IQ based on F/stop. The ZD mid-grade and pro-grade are sharp at every f/stop and focal length, period.

Since you're in chicago and looking to sell your 70-300, we should meet up and swap lenses for a bit. I wouldn't mind seeing what that lens can do without dropping the money for it. Despite it's criticisms, I have the siggy 30/1.4 in my sights as my next lens.

[Georgeo]

I've also noticed on ebay you can get replacement batteries 1800Ah for about $10. Are these safe to use ie. are they inferior products that may damage the camera? or are they perfectly safe to use?

[Atomic2]

Since you're in chicago and looking to sell your 70-300, we should meet up and swap lenses for a bit. I wouldn't mind seeing what that lens can do without dropping the money for it. Despite it's criticisms, I have the siggy 30/1.4 in my sights as my next lens.

Im actually shipping the 70-300mm to a member on this forum TODAY, so its a bit late I'm afraid for that, however I do have the 30 1.4 if you ever want to give it a test run.