Changes in my photography life - so to speak....

[Liz]

I'm posting this in VF because I'm basically just sharing my personal photography experience of this past year and have made some changes and (hopefully good) decisions.

Some of you know I sold all of my Canon equipment due to the weight since I have some back/neck issues from an accident 5 years ago. I had 2 "L" lenses and another long/heavy lens and the 50mm/f1.4. I switched over to Olympus, purchasing the E-P1 with the 14-42 kit lens and Panasonic 20/f1.7 lens. I've been really happy with the results I'm getting from the E-P1. I also have the Panasonic LX3 for my carry-around-every-day camera - also a great camera.

IQ is the number one consideration for me when purchasing equipment and I am very happy with the E-P1 in this respect. Some of my images are comparable to those I got with my "L" lenses. I really didn't miss the dslr much - but there are a few exceptions which I didn't think would matter - until lately. I do miss the flash a bit because often I am asked at the last minute to be the "photographer" for my friend's kids' birthday parties and miscellaneous family celebrations. These are at night, lights turned out as the cake and candles come out. I never have time to adjust the settings - plus the M4/3 lenses don't do well in the dark. A little flash goes a long way in these situations.

What I miss most is that awesome bokeh that I got with some of those Canon lenses on the XTi. With a bit of work I can get a little bokeh with the 20mm/f1.7 - but not as much and not nearly of the quality the Canon 50mm/f1.4 and some of my "L" lenses gave me. Sometimes my hands just "itch" to grab that dslr again.

Since the E-PL1 has been announced I've done a lot of thinking. Initially I thought of replacing the LX3 with this new camera as the IQ is supposed to beat the E-P1 - along with all the other features. However, I've done a lot of thinking and maybe some "rationalizing" and have come up with a plan.

My plan is to replace the E-P1 with the XSi (yes I said it)! And the LX3 with the E-PL1 - and use this camera as my every day camera. This way I don't give up the M4/3 system plus the E-P1 and E-PL1 have many of the same features. I like the feel and build and everything about the body of the E-P1 better so this will be hard to give up. But it's the images that matter most.

I ordered the XSi for $485 at B&H - and the 50mm/f1.8 for another $100. No tax, free shipping. The E-PL1 is $599. My cameras are in pristine condition and not used much at all this past year due to my schedule; therefore I should almost break even with the sale. I also have accessories - extra batteries/flash - plus everything that came in the box, etc.

This was a surprise even to me! However, I really did a LOT of thinking for the past few weeks - and took the leap yesterday. The camera will be delivered tomorrow.

The weight of the XSi isn't too much (basically a pound without battery) - and certainly the 50mm lens is light. I'll have to deal with further lens choices down the line. I'm already considering the Canon 60mm/f2.8 for portraits, flowers (lots of quality bokeh on this lens).

I hope I won't regret this decision as I'm still a bit anxious about investing in another system. The good news is I'm used to Canon so hopefully won't have much of a learning curve. Any comments - positive or negative would be most welcome.

Liz

[Photo-John]

I predict that next year you'll buy a Canon EOS-1D Mk IV and 28-300mm L lens - for the image quality, or course. It will only cost you $7500 and that will only be a little over 6 pounds hanging around your neck

I'm just teasing because you've switched equipment so much. But I have to admit - when you mentioned bokeh with the E-P1, I knew what you were talking about. Lenses are the weak area for Micro Four Thirds right now. It's not like you can't get good bokeh. But to get it you have to give up the main benefits of Micro Four Thirds (size and weight) and go to non-M43 lenses - at least if you want zooms. I would really like to see some pro-level zooms for the M43 system.

It sounds to me like you've made a reasonable decision. The Canon XS is certainly small and light compared to most digital SLRs. Of course, you could have invested in an E-620...

[Liz]

I predict that next year you'll buy a Canon EOS-1D Mk IV and 28-300mm L lens - for the image quality, or course. It will only cost you $7500 and that will only be a little over 6 pounds hanging around your neck

I'm just teasing because you've switched equipment so much. But I have to admit - when you mentioned bokeh with the E-P1, I knew what you were talking about. Lenses are the weak area for Micro Four Thirds right now. It's not like you can't get good bokeh. But to get it you have to give up the main benefits of Micro Four Thirds (size and weight) and go to non-M43 lenses - at least if you want zooms. I would really like to see some pro-level zooms for the M43 system.

It sounds to me like you've made a reasonable decision. The Canon XS is certainly small and light compared to most digital SLRs. Of course, you could have invested in an E-620...

John,

I checked out most of the Olympus dslr's at B&H just because I wanted to stay in the sytem. However, I did miss the E-620 somehow. For some reason I dismissed it because I thought it was a heavy camera; however, it seems to weigh the same as the XSi. I went back to Canon because I thought it was my best option.

Yikes! Now I'm probably sounding really "fickle" but I thought I didn't have a good option in Olympus. It was (is) my first choice.

Are there Olympus lenses that are light weight that would give me good bokeh and similar features that the Canon XSi would? I really did want to stay in the same system. In the long run, it would cost me less money also.

And you're right about changing equipment - sort of. I usually just changed p&s cameras and or a few lenses due to weight problems. The E-P1 is the first time I changed systems since I bought my first serious camera. It's always been Canon - although I've upgraded the camera a few more times than was probably necessary! :-)

Liz

[Photo-John]

Oh no! I didn't mean to make you second-guess your decision, Liz. I was just poking a little fun at you. I know moving to the Micro Four Thirds system was a huge decision for you. And I'm glad you aren't abandoning it completely. I think the E-PL1 is a good compromise. Actually, aside from the feel of the camera, it's not really a compromise at all. The E-PL1 has almost all the features that the E-P1 and E-P2 have. It's just built more like a Canon G-Series compact.

Ok, to get to your real question. I love the Olympus E-620. Seriously. It's my absolute favorite Olympus camera. Personally, I'd rather use the E-620 than the Micro Four Thirds cameras because the auto focus and speed are better and that makes a big difference for me. As far as lenses go, I love the Olympus 12-60mm zoom. Love it! That's the lens I want them to replicate in Micro Four Thirds form. However, I don't think Olympus really has anything comparable to the Canon 50mm. They do have a tiny, pancake 25mm but it's an f/2.8 lens. If it's weight that matters most, the 25mm on the E-620 will certainly be lighter than the Canon with a 50mm lens. But you won't get the same bokeh. Olympus does have a 50mm f/2.0 lens. But with the crop factor, that's like a 100mm lens so you would have to have plenty of room to work with it.

I'm sorry if I screwed you up. But it does sound like you might benefit from taking a closer look at the E-620. For what it's worth, I used the E-620 more than any other camera last year. That's in spite of owning an XSi and a 50D. I just liked using the E-620 more. It was only the introduction of the 7D, which has wayyyy better AF and speed, that got me to put down the E-620. But I still love that camera.

[mjs1973]

I wish you all the best with your new system Liz!

If anyone is considering purchasing any of the gear Liz is parting with, I can tell you first hand that she is great to deal with. I bought my G9 from Liz a while back and it looked like it had never been out of the box!

[Liz]

Oh no! I didn't mean to make you second-guess your decision, Liz. I was just poking a little fun at you. I know moving to the Micro Four Thirds system was a huge decision for you. And I'm glad you aren't abandoning it completely. I think the E-PL1 is a good compromise. Actually, aside from the feel of the camera, it's not really a compromise at all. The E-PL1 has almost all the features that the E-P1 and E-P2 have. It's just built more like a Canon G-Series compact.

Ok, to get to your real question. I love the Olympus E-620. Seriously. It's my absolute favorite Olympus camera. Personally, I'd rather use the E-620 than the Micro Four Thirds cameras because the auto focus and speed are better and that makes a big difference for me. As far as lenses go, I love the Olympus 12-60mm zoom. Love it! That's the lens I want them to replicate in Micro Four Thirds form. However, I don't think Olympus really has anything comparable to the Canon 50mm. They do have a tiny, pancake 25mm but it's an f/2.8 lens. If it's weight that matters most, the 25mm on the E-620 will certainly be lighter than the Canon with a 50mm lens. But you won't get the same bokeh. Olympus does have a 50mm f/2.0 lens. But with the crop factor, that's like a 100mm lens so you would have to have plenty of room to work with it.

I'm sorry if I screwed you up. But it does sound like you might benefit from taking a closer look at the E-620. For what it's worth, I used the E-620 more than any other camera last year. That's in spite of owning an XSi and a 50D. I just liked using the E-620 more. It was only the introduction of the 7D, which has wayyyy better AF and speed, that got me to put down the E-620. But I still love that camera.

John,

I'm very grateful you made me "2nd guess" my decision. I'm still a bit anxious about the decision because I really didn't want to go back to Canon unless I couldn't find an Olympus with the same type of lens I'm looking for. On the other hand, it feels good to think about picking up another Canon dslr. My hands almost "itch" to use the dslr at times!

I'll have to think more about this. I'm liking what you said about the E-620. I have two weeks to return the XSi (it will be delivered tomorrow). However, I don't like to use a new camera if I am inclined not to keep it, so I'll "try" to keep it in the box until I make a rational decision.

I'm going to seriously investigate the E-620 tomorrow. Again I'm most grateful for your input - and your honesty. I'd rather be "confused" now than a month from now realize I made the wrong decision.

Thanks John.

Liz

[Greg McCary]

Liz your plans sounds like a solid one and well thought out. I have thought seriously about a smaller camera too but even though the E3 is a beast, and I just bought a 12-60mm lens which makes it even heavier, I think if I bought anything else it would just collect dust. The E3 just has all of the features I need and there always seems to be some kind of issue with a smaller camera. Slow focus, no VFer, no bokeh ect. So for now I will just stick with the E3. I think you are doing the right thing.

I just looked it up. The E3 with the 12-60mm is 3 pounds...That doesn't sound like much but if you lug it around all day it is.

[Liz]

I wish you all the best with your new system Liz!

If anyone is considering purchasing any of the gear Liz is parting with, I can tell you first hand that she is great to deal with. I bought my G9 from Liz a while back and it looked like it had never been out of the box!

Thanks for the thumbs up Mike! I'm so glad you're enjoying the G9. It is a great camera - and you've really learned to get the best out of it. Your images are always inspiring.

Liz

[Liz]

Liz your plans sounds like a solid one and well thought out. I have thought seriously about a smaller camera too but even though the E3 is a beast, and I just bought a 12-60mm lens which makes it even heavier, I think if I bought anything else it would just collect dust. The E3 just has all of the features I need and there always seems to be some kind of issue with a smaller camera. Slow focus, no VFer, no bokeh ect. So for now I will just stick with the E3. I think you are doing the right thing.

I just looked it up. The E3 with the 12-60mm is 3 pounds...That doesn't sound like much but if you lug it around all day it is.

Greg,

Thanks for the encouragement. Wow! This is really a tough decision. I started out looking at Canon again, but checked out the Olympus cameras at B&H and did not check the E-620. However, there is a lot of food for thought here since John gave me more information.

One factor I need to consider is that the E-620 has IS. That aspect is important to me since I have a slight camera shake problem. It doesn't show up when I use lenses like the 50mm/f1.4 and/or 1.8 due to the apertures - or IS lenses obviously. The E-P1 has really helped here. I'm not getting any younger, and although the camera shake is slight, it won't get any better! This might be the deal breaker for me this time.

Regarding the Olympus 50mm/f2 - I'm assuming I can use this lens with the E-P1 too, right? I already have the 4/3 to M4/3 adaptor for my Panasonic 20mm/f1.7.

Thanks for any info and/or input.

Here are a few samples, although not the best - of the bokeh I got with the Canon 50mm/f1.4. Would the Olympus 50mm/f2 give me bokeh anything like this - or comparable?

Any other thoughts? Thanks!!! All of this really helps!

Liz

[Greg McCary]

Liz the 50mm lens is fairly heavy, weather sealed and all. The 620 and the lens comes in at 1.5 pounds. But yes the bokeh would be that close and I agree it would be bad to have to give up IS anytime soon. It is one of the most popular lens in the Olympus line. There is also a 35mm macro which is much less weight than the 50mm. And a 35mm with the x2 crop factor. PJ has me looking at the 620 too. It would be nice to have a lighter camera when I am going to be caring a camera for long periods. The 620 has a VFer as well.

[gahspidy]

Liz, its admirable that your proactive in replacing entire camera system to find and work with something that fits your physical and artistic concerns. Many of us would not want or be afraid to go through the trouble.
I'm not familar at all with any of the Olympus gears, but I think the Xsi and a 50mm will serve you well. The Xsi is a small light body that packs a big punch when it comes to features and IQ. I also started with the Xti and loved that little camera, still have it.
I'm not sure about the 50mm1.8, it really is cheap and I'm not sure what your IQ is going to be with it. You might not have that same bokeh as your 1.4.
I just ordered the 50mm 1.4, and as a matter of fact is should be arriving in a few hours. Its going to be teamed with my 85mm 1.8 for portraiture works.
The 85mm 1.8 is very small and light, and excellent quality for portrait work. great bokeh as well with the 1.8 ap.
Hope it works out for you, but you would never know unless you tried, and trying you are.
All the best.

[Iguanamom]

That was a very thoughtful process indeed. I'm glad you can find something that pleases you artistically and doesn't wreck you physically.

I do have to say though that lovely bokeh is possible with 4/3rds lenses -
the lowly 14-45mm on an E-300 -


the mighty 12-60mm on an E-30

[Liz]

Liz the 50mm lens is fairly heavy, weather sealed and all. The 620 and the lens comes in at 1.5 pounds. But yes the bokeh would be that close and I agree it would be bad to have to give up IS anytime soon. It is one of the most popular lens in the Olympus line. There is also a 35mm macro which is much less weight than the 50mm. And a 35mm with the x2 crop factor. PJ has me looking at the 620 too. It would be nice to have a lighter camera when I am going to be caring a camera for long periods. The 620 has a VFer as well.

Greg..........I see the 50mm is a bit heavy! I'm glad to hear the bokeh would match the Canon 50mm. Thanks for the info about the 35mm macro which I did not know about.

I'm still in the throws of indecision.

Liz

[Liz]

Liz, its admirable that your proactive in replacing entire camera system to find and work with something that fits your physical and artistic concerns. Many of us would not want or be afraid to go through the trouble.
I'm not familar at all with any of the Olympus gears, but I think the Xsi and a 50mm will serve you well. The Xsi is a small light body that packs a big punch when it comes to features and IQ. I also started with the Xti and loved that little camera, still have it.
I'm not sure about the 50mm1.8, it really is cheap and I'm not sure what your IQ is going to be with it. You might not have that same bokeh as your 1.4.
I just ordered the 50mm 1.4, and as a matter of fact is should be arriving in a few hours. Its going to be teamed with my 85mm 1.8 for portraiture works.
The 85mm 1.8 is very small and light, and excellent quality for portrait work. great bokeh as well with the 1.8 ap.
Hope it works out for you, but you would never know unless you tried, and trying you are.
All the best.

Gary,
Thanks so much for your kind words which are very encouraging. Yes, it was a challenge to sell my nice Canon equipment, especially those awesome lenses! However, I found I wasn't enjoying the photography as much due to the weight. I'm quite happy with the E-P1, especially the IQ. However, I really miss shooting flowers, portraits, etc. and getting the wonderful bokeh. And strangely enough, as much as I love the rangefinder style of the E-P1, I really miss the "feel" of the dslr - and some of the other features.

Thanks again!

Liz

[Liz]

That was a very thoughtful process indeed. I'm glad you can find something that pleases you artistically and doesn't wreck you physically.

I do have to say though that lovely bokeh is possible with 4/3rds lenses -
the lowly 14-45mm on an E-300 -


the mighty 12-60mm on an E-30

Thank you for posting the images. These are really nice images. I have the 14-42 lens and the 20mm/f1.7 lens for the E-P1 and it does not do bokeh like the above. This makes me wonder if it is the E-300 sensor. At any rate, this is quite encouraging.

I appreciate you're taking the time to do this.

Liz

[Liz]

OK - with a good night's sleep and a fresh mind, I think I've just about come to a decision. I think I am going to go with the Olympus E-620 for these reasons:

BTW - I would love some comments - both pro and con so I can make this decision now and stop using up all my time and energy trying to make this decision. Thanks JOHN!

1) IS - this is important for me since I have a (very) slight camera shake problem (hands a bit shakey). When I had the Canon XTi, I basically used IS, "L" and lenses like the 50mm/f1.4 because there was never any evidence of shake in the images. Since I'm getting older, the CS isn't going to go away. With my E-P1 I have not had any evidence of CS with any of the lenses due to the IBIS. So I'm thinking it might be good to go for the E-620 for the IS

2) Lenses: I can use the lenses with both cameras. I would still sell the E-P1 and the LX3 and get the E-PL1 which I would use as my every-day-carry-around camera. This would save me money in the long run.

3) I think all around it would be easier for me to stay with one system (I'm a bit "technically challenged" and don't enjoy learning curves very much!).

Question:

After viewing Iguanamom's photos with bokeh, it looks like the bokeh is much nicer than what I've seen or can get with my lenses on the E-P1. Is this because the shots were done with the E-300? Would it be the sensor?

I am just assuming I can use the 50mm/f.2 on the E-PL1 (and E-P1). I have the 4/3 to M4/3 adaptor already for the 20mm/f1.7 lens. Am I correct?

Comments welcome and appreciated.

Thanks.
Liz

[Iguanamom]

Hm...I wish I knew on the bokeh thing. I haven't been working wide open / close subjects much with the E-30, but I'll have a look through. I've used my manual Olympus lenses a few times as well and those might be of help, but I think it's the glass more than the sensor. As far as I know, the sensor in the E-30 is the same as in the E-620. You should be able to use any 4/3rds lens on the E-PL1 with the same adapter. There's a guy on another forum who's put a ZD 35-200 on it and that's one monster lens!

[Photo-John]

Liz-
I think the E-620 is a good idea. The Canon would be nice, but it is a second system. I haven't found it too difficult switching back and forth between Canon and Olympus. But there is a little lag and confusion when I do switch. There's no need for you to deal with that if both of your cameras are Olympus.

I think you'll find the E-620 to be a very capable camera. It uses the same 12-megapixel sensor as the Olympus Pen cameras and the E-30. So image quality is a totally known quantity. I also think you'll find the E-620 actually feels better than the entry-level Canon bodies. I'm am surprised how solid and sturdy the E-620 feels. I also love the tilt-swivel LCD. That's gonna be a feature you fall in love with. I hate being without it now. Thanks for spoiling me, Olympus

The one area where you might have some trouble is the bokeh. Like I said before, Olympus doesn't have anything quite like the Canon 50mm f/1.8. However, using a longer lens with a fast aperture might get the job done for you. The 50mm Olympus lens looks like a good bet.

I sure hope I'm not steering you wrong here. But I really do think the E-620 is a good idea for you. It will keep your system simple and I think it's a great camera.

[Liz]

Liz-
I think the E-620 is a good idea. The Canon would be nice, but it is a second system. I haven't found it too difficult switching back and forth between Canon and Olympus. But there is a little lag and confusion when I do switch. There's no need for you to deal with that if both of your cameras are Olympus.

I think you'll find the E-620 to be a very capable camera. It uses the same 12-megapixel sensor as the Olympus Pen cameras and the E-30. So image quality is a totally known quantity. I also think you'll find the E-620 actually feels better than the entry-level Canon bodies. I'm am surprised how solid and sturdy the E-620 feels. I also love the tilt-swivel LCD. That's gonna be a feature you fall in love with. I hate being without it now. Thanks for spoiling me, Olympus

The one area where you might have some trouble is the bokeh. Like I said before, Olympus doesn't have anything quite like the Canon 50mm f/1.8. However, using a longer lens with a fast aperture might get the job done for you. The 50mm Olympus lens looks like a good bet.

I sure hope I'm not steering you wrong here. But I really do think the E-620 is a good idea for you. It will keep your system simple and I think it's a great camera.

Thanks John.....

I'm leaning toward the E-620. The IS is pushing me that way! The only thing I "don't" like is that it uses the CF card - just that I prefer the smaller cards and this will make me spend more money if I get the 620. I gave all but one CF card away when I sold the XTi.

As a sort of "test" I ordered the Olympus 50mm/f2 from J&R today. I have the 3/4 to M3/4 adaptor already so I will try it on my E-P1 for starters and see what I get. The lens will arrive tomorrow as it was shipped today - NJ always gets overnight delivery. Free shipping and no tax is a good deal.

I'm assuming that since the E-620 has the same sensor as the E-P1 that the images - including the bokeh - will be the comparable. Is this correct?

Interesting that I began this thread with "CHANGES.........." since I was ready to purchase the XSi - and now! another change.

I've done a lot of research since you mentioned the E-620 and it looks pretty good. I appreciate your input and always respect your opinion.

Liz

[Photo-John]

Liz-
I'm really curious about that 50mm lens. Looking forward to seeing what you get out of it. The image quality should be pretty much the same with both cameras. The sensor is exactly the same and it's the same lens no matter what camera you mount it on, right? If there's a difference the only thing I can think of that would cause it is in-camera software.

If you want more E-620 inspiration, here's a link to a gallery of all my E-620 images:

Photo-John's Olympus E-620 Photos >>

The E-620 has been good to me

[Liz]

Liz-
I'm really curious about that 50mm lens. Looking forward to seeing what you get out of it. The image quality should be pretty much the same with both cameras. The sensor is exactly the same and it's the same lens no matter what camera you mount it on, right? If there's a difference the only thing I can think of that would cause it is in-camera software.

If you want more E-620 inspiration, here's a link to a gallery of all my E-620 images:

Photo-John's Olympus E-620 Photos >>

The E-620 has been good to me

Wow! great shots there! I noticed you used your 12-60 lens for most of them. Spectacular images from that lens. Actually, you got some really good "bokeh" on the red leaf image. Excellent color too.

Thanks for sharing. I'll post some pics from the 50mm lens in the next couple of days.

Liz

[Sushigaijin]

The 50/2 is the best lens on the 4/3 system, hands down. It's cheap, fast, and stupid sharp. It weighs more than the plastic canikon 50's, but it isn't heavy. It is rugged, weatherproof, and tough as nails.

It's also loud, and has no focus limit switch so it can be slow to focus in the dark. If you have decent light, it's just as fast as any other lens.

[Photo-John]

Thanks for posting the 50mm samples, Sushigaijin! I checked the reviews for that lens and I didn't see one from you, so here you go, get to work

http://www.photographyreview.com/cat...9_3111crx.aspx

There are three reviews at the moment and it has a very good 4.11 averaged rating.

[SmartWombat]

I also love the tilt-swivel LCD. That's gonna be a feature you fall in love with. I hate being without it now. Thanks for spoiling me, Olympus

I feel the same way about that.
I'm waiting for Canon to realise it and make a 1DmkV that has tilt/swivel LCD.
And for the E-P3 with tilt/swivel LCD and built in flash.

[Liz]

The 50/2 is the best lens on the 4/3 system, hands down. It's cheap, fast, and stupid sharp. It weighs more than the plastic canikon 50's, but it isn't heavy. It is rugged, weatherproof, and tough as nails.

It's also loud, and has no focus limit switch so it can be slow to focus in the dark. If you have decent light, it's just as fast as any other lens.

Wow! Terrific - sharp - great color/tone. Thanks for posting the images - and for the thumb's up on the lens. Mine will be here later today! :thumbsup:

Liz