...The reason I've got the G1 is to save weight from the 4x5 ...
It's a matter of degree: How much are you willing to carry to double the resolution and image quality of your photographs? My usual carry tripod weighs 3lbs, sets up in 10 seconds, and slung onto or under my bag is hardly noticeable ... certainly nowhere near as much burden as carrying a 4x5 field camera, film holders, suitable tripod for that rig, etc.
Going back to the statement that started this train of thought:
- If I'm going to carry a 2+ lb lens with potential for 8x magnification and I want to get the best detail possible, I'll carry the tripod and use it. I bought this lens with that in mind.
- If I'm going to carry an ultrawide lens and am shooting scenery that benefits from having maximum resolution, I'll carry the tripod and use it.
- This new Olympus will not be any different with respect to those uses, with those lenses, than any other body I choose to carry other than being smaller and lighter, and having only the LCD to work with for critical focus rather than an EVF or OVF. Since I use the LCD on both my G1 and L1 for this purpose now, and find it more suitable to providing a view for critical focus than the OVF on either the L1 or the E-1, the lack of an OVF or EVF on this new camera is also no big matter. The smaller size and weight of the body is a plus, of course.
The question not answered as yet is just how suitable the other controls are for working on a tripod like this and whether the camera offers IR or wired remote operation. In that respect, it remains to be seen whether it is really useful for this kind of thing.