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How long have i got?

JGH

New member
Hi All,
After waiting and saving for an E30 + 14-54 II it has got to the stage where no one here in CZ stocks the kit. The lens is still available (for the moment).
Im gutted about this.. The E30 would fit my needs at a price i could consume.
So plan B would be to get the lens seperately and maybe another lens OR, put the remaining cash towards an E5.
Now i remember Godfrey saying on a previous post of mine "Fit a great lens even on an ancient E-1 and magic happens... !" this can be said for almost all cameras i guess. Now whilst lenses still seem to be in supply it would make sense to aquire a few new ones and then later get the E5 however, i think i read somewhere that Olympus will only continue to manufacture the E5 until the mirrorless system can equal what the DSLR can deliver.
This has me concerned as the new EP-3 is very impresive and if they do develop a micro 4/3rds PRO camera body soon then im assuming this will make the E5 obsolete.
So heres the question (finally i get to the point) What are your thoughts as to the time frame one would have to purchase an E5. I mean olympus could bring out the PRO m4/3rds body at the end of the year and its goodbye E5 and no more OVF bodys or do you think it will be a couple of years before the demise of the E5?
As i will have to go to plan B im hoping a couple of years before mirrorless rules the roost in the Olympus house.

Thanks

J
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Myself using an E5 and being very happy indeed with it, I am no longer sure what Olympus strategy is. Some sales reps told me there will always be a model like the E5 I start to doubt about this. And also about the future of Oly and their cameras.

I am actually a bit disappointed that Oly still plays around with the 12MP sensors in their top models, I refer to the EP3 and then it becomes totally quiet about a Pro M43. Man, how long can it take to get a Pro body developed from Olympus.

Also I am concerned about EVF. While I really enjoy the VR2 it is still far away from what a mirror can produce in quality. And even the next generation LCDs or OLEDs with 3MP cannot come close to an OVF. So I always feel kind of disconnected when looking through an EVF, even if it is one of the best.

So why wait any longer for whatever Oly will come up with in the future? Either take an E5 and be happy for now, or just forget Oly and choose some other brand.

Maybe Pentax - they seem to get their game right with the latest FW for the K5?
Maybe a Nikon D5100 or D7000?
Maybe a Canon or maybe a Sony?

Waiting for Oly to come out with the miracle next thing has become a bad thing again.
 

cjlacz

Member
I'm kind of in a similar situation to you. I've been shooting film this year, but I have some nice lenses sitting in the dry box (7-14,12-60,PL25,50-200SWD) and I'm debating if I should jump back in with the E-30 again or the E-5. I'm not really sure what Olympus is planning. I'm more of a prime person right now so m4/3s or possibly Pentax is looking ok. The 11-22 would cover all my shooting needs though. Even a pro m4/3s body wouldn't replace the E-5. Focus on 4/3s lenses are still slow and there aren't replacements for the SHG lenses. I think we'll probably see an E-7, although things can change quickly. The E-P1 came out just two years ago.

I'm going to stay away from Nikon and Canon (Sony too?) crop sensor cameras. It's been over 10 years and they are still poorly supported as far as lenses. I think they be endangered as mirror-less continue to improve. I guess that basically leaves E-5, FF cameras, m4/3s and Pentax. At least 4/3 lenses and accessories have some compatibility with m4/3s looking forward.

Are you sure you can't find a E-30 used somewhere? They are a loads of them here in Japan and the E-3 is actually a little cheaper than a used E-30.

For me, I think the E-5/D700/5D are larger than I want to haul around. I think I'll be investing in m4/3s in addition to any more film gear I pick up. Guess I should sell off those lenses.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
The E-5 is still a new model as pro grade cameras go. I don't expect a replacement for the E-5 from Olympus for at least two years, whether FT or mFT. They're not there yet, and won't be for a while. Nikon and Canon are no different on their pro bodies either. It's the consumer bodies that change constantly. Look how long the D700 has been in the market, and note that it still is one of the best performers out there ... and, yes, it's also still "only" 12 Mpixels.

This mania for more pixels and ever higher ISO is crazy, far as I'm concerned.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Well I think that some more MP are not bad and as a G3 shows this can be pretty good results today with 16MP and up to 3200 ISO. I do not like the debate that this is not needed. If these capabilities are there then they can be used. And I actually expect from a leading vendor to keep their pro line up to date as good and timely as possible. No excuses.

Why Nikon and Canon cannot come up with something better is because obviously there is nothing better available today. But WRT 43 / M43 there are better and more advanced sensors form Panasonic and Oly has this cooperation with Pana as we all know and see again in their latest EP3. So I actually expect to do something as fast as possible with their top of the range model - period.

I invested tons of money in their high end glass (14-35 and 35-100), I am really liking these lenses on the E5, but if there is a possibility to bring this to the next level with an E7 (or however called) then I expect them to deliver - right? And BTW I would also expect a new FW release for the 14-35 in combo with E5, because AF speed and accuracy with that lens is still a shame - even in good light. How difficult can it be to get a new and better release? This is a SHG lens anyway. Even the 35-100 is faster and more accurate in my eyes.

And also to mention - I waited 5 months before my 14-35 was delivered - again something not really acceptable for a pro line lens.

If someone does not need more MP or more ISO or faster follow up with FW and delivery then ok, but judging from their own needs to the needs of others is a bit short sighted - sorry!
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Well I think that some more MP are not bad and as a G3 shows this can be pretty good results today with 16MP and up to 3200 ISO. I do not like the debate that this is not needed. If these capabilities are there then they can be used. And I actually expect from a leading vendor to keep their pro line up to date as good and timely as possible. No excuses.

Why Nikon and Canon cannot come up with something better is because obviously there is nothing better available today. But WRT 43 / M43 there are better and more advanced sensors form Panasonic and Oly has this cooperation with Pana as we all know and see again in their latest EP3. So I actually expect to do something as fast as possible with their top of the range model - period.

I invested tons of money in their high end glass (14-35 and 35-100), I am really liking these lenses on the E5, but if there is a possibility to bring this to the next level with an E7 (or however called) then I expect them to deliver - right? And BTW I would also expect a new FW release for the 14-35 in combo with E5, because AF speed and accuracy with that lens is still a shame - even in good light. How difficult can it be to get a new and better release? This is a SHG lens anyway. Even the 35-100 is faster and more accurate in my eyes.

And also to mention - I waited 5 months before my 14-35 was delivered - again something not really acceptable for a pro line lens.

If someone does not need more MP or more ISO or faster follow up with FW and delivery then ok, but judging from their own needs to the needs of others is a bit short sighted - sorry!
It seems that any discussion of why one might or might not need more megapixels always incites an inappropriate emotional response like yours. I'll state my opinions just for the record:

- I have nothing against having more megapixel resolution and dynamic range, am glad to get it when it is available and serves me to advantage. I like to understand what advantage I gain and at what cost, evaluate the pros and cons vs the costs, understand what I'm paying for and why, before I spend money for "more and more". In many cases, "more and more" serves me little advantage and I'm better off not spending my limited resources on it. That's all.

- What you pay for your gear is irrelevant. Buying camera equipment is a purchase, not an entitlement. The company doesn't owe you anything other than what you paid for. If Olympus does not offer the service you're looking for, buy products from someone else. Olympus has already delivered the products you paid for; if they haven't, take them to court.

- It takes time to develop camera equipment. If you can do it faster than Olympus, more power to you.

I'll beg off from further debate, but

.. If someone does not need more MP or more ISO or faster follow up with FW and delivery then ok, but judging from their own needs to the needs of others is a bit short sighted - sorry!
If we are to refrain from expressing an opinion as potentially applicable to others based on the observations of our own experience, our own evaluations of advantage and disadvantage from our actions, what on earth are we going to talk about?

The whole purpose of a discussion board, the process of posing a thought and engaging in the objective discussion of that thought, is to take what we as individuals learn from our personal experience and observation, generalize it as appropriate to the question at hand, and express that in the pursuit of understanding the subject matter of the thought more fully, in the context of exchange of several people's combined opinions and expressions.

If you feel that doing this is "short-sighted" or inappropriate, you do not want to participate in a discussion of ideas.
 
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ptomsu

Workshop Member
It seems that any discussion of why one might or might not need more megapixels always incites an inappropriate emotional response like yours. I'll state my opinions just for the record:

- I have nothing against having more megapixel resolution and dynamic range, am glad to get it when it is available and serves me to advantage. I like to understand what advantage I gain and at what cost, evaluate the pros and cons vs the costs, understand what I'm paying for and why, before I spend money for "more and more". In many cases, "more and more" serves me little advantage and I'm better off not spending my limited resources on it. That's all.

- What you pay for your gear is irrelevant. Buying camera equipment is a purchase, not an entitlement. The company doesn't owe you anything other than what you paid for. If Olympus does not offer the service you're looking for, buy products from someone else. Olympus has already delivered the products you paid for; if they haven't, take them to court.

- It takes time to develop camera equipment. If you can do it faster than Olympus, more power to you.

I'll beg off from further debate, but



If we are to refrain from expressing an opinion as potentially applicable to others based on the observations of our own experience, our own evaluations of advantage and disadvantage from our actions, what on earth are we going to talk about?

The whole purpose of a discussion board, the process of posing a thought and engaging in the objective discussion of that thought, is to take what we as individuals learn from our personal experience and observation, generalize it as appropriate to the question at hand, and express that in the pursuit of understanding the subject matter of the thought more fully, in the context of exchange of several people's combined opinions and expressions.

If you feel that doing this is "short-sighted" or inappropriate, you do not want to participate in a discussion of ideas.
Sorry Godfrey, but I did not even answer to you directly, but made some general statements. If you feel offended, then that tells me something :)

I do want to discuss why not more MP in current Oly 43 and M43 cameras when Panasonic shows it can be done and even shows the resulting high IQ.

I do want to discuss why a Oly Pro user like me cannot get more appropriate support WRT high grade lenses and their top camera model.

I do want to discuss why it takes Oly 5 months to deliver a 14-35, when I was told the time I ordered it, it would be delivered in 2 weeks.

And I do want to discuss what a next gen Pro M43 would be able to deliver without stopped down by others insisting on "more MP is not necessary" - same for higher ISO BTW. That does not mean that everybody will need these features, but could be kind of interesting to see a bit of the future coming? Agree?

I do want to discuss these topics in a forum like that and especially if people asking for opinions.

I made my decision for Olympus because I like what the E5 delivers in combination with top glass, but I also want to be able to discuss shortcomings I feel are there and what could be expected from a certain vendor.

Sure Oly does not owe me anything than delivering the products I ordered in time and working to the specs they offered, but on the other side I am the customer in this game and if I feel they do not right it so easy to go away and to another vendor / product and then they lost that customer. I am sure this is NOT in the intent of Olympus.

And above all I do not want to fight in such a place and forum and I do not want being forced to accept others religious views - I think this is something every member can expect - right? I want to be able to discuss openly and of course also be questioned, but not offended.
 

JGH

New member
Guys please...!!!!!
i didnt want this to turn into some kind of war about more mega pixels or not.
but whilst we are on the subject i will have my say. 10 MP is fine for me but 12 would be nice and thats what im aiming for. I thought about changing to Nikon back in November to the D7000 but as it seems that people are saying the sensor out resolves some of the consumer lenses then i dont really see the point in more MP. So to reiterate for the record 12 MP is ok for me.

NOW, back to the actual question, which was, and i will re word it: (Godfrey already answered this BTW) Would anyone like to speculate how long the E5 will remain in production as they stated it would remain available until m4/3 was able to match its performance or surpass it and given the fact that the EP-3 is an impresive bit of kit this COULD become a reality sooner than alot of us expect.

Back to you forum peeps:)

J.

PS, thanks Godfrey for your earler post. Voice of reason and much appretiated.
 
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Godfrey

Well-known member
Sorry Godfrey, but I did not even answer to you directly, but made some general statements. If you feel offended, then that tells me something :)
Looking at the threaded view seems to indicate that you were responding directly to my post, although you didn't quote me.

I'm not offended, I'm just amazed at how vitriolic your response is. It demonstrates that you feel very entitled and affronted by how your vendor treated you and feel that Olympus ought to bless you for the privilege of doing business with you. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way at all. I'm very happy with the Olympus gear I've purchased: it's not perfect, nothing is, but it works very well for my purposes.
And it is exactly what I expected when I placed the order. My vendor called me as soon as stock was delivered, which was a several week wait.

But as I said, I will not participate in any further debate on this subject with you as you seem to be emotionally involved. I've made my opinions known as clearly and as objectively as I can. I don't have to infer, as you do, that you want to pick a fight: you've made that patently clear with your second post. Please don't get any more personal with your disparagement: I will just put you on my ignore list so I don't have to be annoyed or motivated to respond to your posts.

My apologies to the original poster. I hate it when the discussion that was hoped for is distracted by nonsensical emotionalism. I hope you found my first response of some value in your thoughts on this subject.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Guys please...!!!!!
i didnt want this to turn into some kind of war about more mega pixels or not.
but whilst we are on the subject i will have my say. 10 MP is fine for me but 12 would be nice and thats what im aiming for. I thought about changing to Nikon back in November to the D7000 but as it seems that people are saying the sensor out resolves some of the consumer lenses then i dont really see the point in more MP. So to reiterate for the record 12 MP is ok for me.

NOW, back to the actual question, which was, and i will re word it: (Godfrey already answered this BTW) Would anyone like to speculate how long the E5 will remain in production as they stated it would remain available until m4/3 was able to match its performance or surpass it and given the fact that the EP-3 is an impresive bit of kit this COULD become a reality sooner than alot of us expect.

Back to you forum peeps:)

J.

PS, thanks Godfrey for your earler post. Voice of reason and much appretiated.
My speculation (opinion) is as follows: the E5 will stay in production (low volume) till a newer and better (I hate to say but - more MP and better high ISO and better DR) available. Then we might see

a) a M43 Pro and no longer an E5 (or successor) - which means adapting 43 glass to a M43 body, which I tried already but this is at least no fit for me (sizes are too different between lenses and body). In this case E5 will be gone and the last 43 camera model from Oly.

b) a M43 Pro and a E7 with that new sensor will be there and this is what I actually hope, because then the 43 lenses would have a real life for me in the future. Again this is just my take, but I do not like the pro grade 43 glass on a M43 body (or this would have to be the size of a E5, which makes no sense IMHO).

When will a) or b) that happen? I try to be positive and assume Oly is quick this time - then maybe in some 6-12 months. If I am more realistic (with all my background experiences about Olympus over the past decades) then I would say between 18-24 months.

Hopefully answers your question.

Enough speculation for me now. In your case (at least with your current requirements on MP and high ISO) I would try to get hold of a E5, even if this is the last mirror 43 DSLR, you will not regret.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Looking at the threaded view seems to indicate that you were responding directly to my post, although you didn't quote me.

I'm not offended, I'm just amazed at how vitriolic your response is. It demonstrates that you feel very entitled and affronted by how your vendor treated you and feel that Olympus ought to bless you for the privilege of doing business with you. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way at all. I'm very happy with the Olympus gear I've purchased: it's not perfect, nothing is, but it works very well for my purposes.
And it is exactly what I expected when I placed the order. My vendor called me as soon as stock was delivered, which was a several week wait.

But as I said, I will not participate in any further debate on this subject with you as you seem to be emotionally involved. I've made my opinions known as clearly and as objectively as I can. I don't have to infer, as you do, that you want to pick a fight: you've made that patently clear with your second post. Please don't get any more personal with your disparagement: I will just put you on my ignore list so I don't have to be annoyed or motivated to respond to your posts.

My apologies to the original poster. I hate it when the discussion that was hoped for is distracted by nonsensical emotionalism. I hope you found my first response of some value in your thoughts on this subject.
Godfrey,

there seems to be quite a substantial general misunderstanding here, plus a diverging view on what one might need for whatever photography. Plus a different view on how one would like to be treated by a vendor (or the representation of that vendor in a specific region).

What makes me even more worried is, why you become so religious when it comes to MP and high ISO "This mania for more pixels and ever higher ISO is crazy ..." - as I got lot of good recommendations from you and finally bought my E5 based on your recommendations and experiences - which I did not regret a day so far! But obviously things like that happen, I feel really sad for that!

Having said that - and I think you agree that all above is the case - I will no longer follow these discussions here as they will not bring us any further.

Regards

Peter
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
...back to the actual question, which was, and i will re word it: (Godfrey already answered this BTW) Would anyone like to speculate how long the E5 will remain in production as they stated it would remain available until m4/3 was able to match its performance or surpass it and given the fact that the EP-3 is an impresive bit of kit this COULD become a reality sooner than alot of us expect.

...
PS, thanks Godfrey for your earler post. Voice of reason and much appretiated.
You're welcome, JGH.

I didn't give a recommendation before, but I would suggest that you go for the E-5, particularly if you have intent to buy another lens or two. If you do intend to buy more lenses, save up and get the HG or SHG series lenses. They are significantly better quality than the already-good-quality standard series lenses, worth the premium price.

The E-5 body is the best FourThirds DSLR made to date and is built like a tank, the lenses are fantastic, and it will last for a long long time in heavy service unless you need a higher resolution camera.
 

Tesselator

New member
Hi All,
After waiting and saving for an E30 + 14-54 II it has got to the stage where no one here in CZ stocks the kit. The lens is still available (for the moment).
Im gutted about this.. The E30 would fit my needs at a price i could consume.

So plan B...
http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-E-30-12...130636?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item1c1d54080c

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-E-30-12...550229?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item2eb6928115

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-E-30-DS...849102?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item5ae13bcc0e
 

JGH

New member
Hi All,
Tesselator, thanks for the links. I looked at them and one is very tempting but the others wont ship to CZ, think im gonna have to wait again as i have my wedding anniversary soon and my wifes birthday so if i go on a spending spree for myself i could be selling all my gear for lawyers fees !!!!!

Godfrey, i would dearly love SHG lenses but they are most definitly beyond my price range and i dont think my photos would be any better for spending thousands rather than hundreds, however some of the HG lenses are possible but not all at the same time obviously :LOL:
So keeping my fingers crossed Olympus keep the E5 around for another 16 months at least and i might be able to get one. For the time being i will look to get a couple of lenses. I should get my lightmeter in the next couple of weeks so i will be back to experimenting with flash but this time i can meter the ratios properly.

Many thanks

J :salute:
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
My somewhat uneducated guess is that Olympus will be selling the E-5 until there's a replacement available, be it another 4/3, an m4/3 or some kind of hybrid. Although they might not make much profit from the bodies, they probably do from the top pro glass, and getting back what they've invested in that must be high on their priority list. I've just ordered an E-620 myself, which will later become backup camera for the E-5(s) that I'll buy as soon as my shallow coffers permit. I look forward to carry 2-3 kilograms less around the race courses, compared to the Nikon gear I carry today.

Another consequence of changing to Olympus is that I can consider real-time uploading to web galleries from races (using a wifi card and a netbook or MBA). Olympus jpegs are of very high quality and the AWB mostly spot on. With Nikon, there's no way around shooting RAW.
 

JGH

New member
Hello Jorgen,
It would seem that the E5 will be around until the replacement my worry is, is that replacement might be rather soon and that it will not have an OVF. Im still kicking myself about the E30 because the VF on that is not as big as the E5 and believe it or not i actually like the VF in the E520 because i can see the whole frame. When i looked into the VF of a D300s it was amazingly large, bright and clear BUT i couldnt see the corners at all ( i wear glasses - strong ones!!) so the E30 having a slightly larger one would of been ideal. Oh well, missed it now move on....
So fingers crossed the E5 is with us for some time and if i manage to get one in time then i will learn to live with the larger VF. I understand your comment on the weight of the Nikon gear. When i picked up the D300s i couldnt believe its weight and im concerned that the E5 being only slighty lighter could be an issue but again it will be a while before i can afford one.
Thanks for your thoughts

J.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
My somewhat uneducated guess is that Olympus will be selling the E-5 until there's a replacement available, be it another 4/3, an m4/3 or some kind of hybrid. Although they might not make much profit from the bodies, they probably do from the top pro glass, and getting back what they've invested in that must be high on their priority list. I've just ordered an E-620 myself, which will later become backup camera for the E-5(s) that I'll buy as soon as my shallow coffers permit. I look forward to carry 2-3 kilograms less around the race courses, compared to the Nikon gear I carry today.

Another consequence of changing to Olympus is that I can consider real-time uploading to web galleries from races (using a wifi card and a netbook or MBA). Olympus jpegs are of very high quality and the AWB mostly spot on. With Nikon, there's no way around shooting RAW.
Jorgen,

I have some problems with what you state here WRT weight of E5 and pro grade lenses versus Nikon. I am using the E5 and the 14-35 and 35-100 with 1.4 extender and while I love this combo I must say that it is more bulky and heavy than the D700 with 24-70 and 70-200 also with 1.4 extender. So if you talk about the pro grade glass this means definitely NOT less weight in that case.

Also WRT JPEG OOC - I agree that Oly does maybe best in class here, but in order to unleash the real potential of the E5 you need to use it in combination with Pro grade glass and shooting ORF and converting in C1 Pro - this becomes then a totally different game WRT exceptional IQ (close to 24MP resolution at least).
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Hello Jorgen,
It would seem that the E5 will be around until the replacement my worry is, is that replacement might be rather soon and that it will not have an OVF. Im still kicking myself about the E30 because the VF on that is not as big as the E5 and believe it or not i actually like the VF in the E520 because i can see the whole frame. When i looked into the VF of a D300s it was amazingly large, bright and clear BUT i couldnt see the corners at all ( i wear glasses - strong ones!!) so the E30 having a slightly larger one would of been ideal. Oh well, missed it now move on....
So fingers crossed the E5 is with us for some time and if i manage to get one in time then i will learn to live with the larger VF. I understand your comment on the weight of the Nikon gear. When i picked up the D300s i couldnt believe its weight and im concerned that the E5 being only slighty lighter could be an issue but again it will be a while before i can afford one.
Thanks for your thoughts

J.
I would not worry about a soon replacement - unfortunately I am pretty sure that will not happen in the next 18 months. And if the replacement is a M43 Pro body, I have my doubts (as already stated more than often) that the necessary smaller size of the M43 Pro body will really match the size of the Pro grade lenses.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Peter,
I won't use the heavy lenses for racing, since large apertures are rarely needed. The 50-200 is perfect for that and has similar reach to the 80-200 plus 300mm that I use now. The alternatives for Nikon would be the 80-400, which focuses too slowly or the Bigma, which is a beast to handle, particularly when doing pan shots all day long. Front-heavy lenses are no fun for pan shots, since they put too much strain on the left arm.

For shorter focal lengths, the 14-54/II is perfect, and is much lighter and has more reach than the Nikkor 17-55. The Nikkor also lacks VR.
 
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