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410 or 510 for a beginner

pellicle

New member
Hi

before getting my G1 I was a Canon owner, so much of the 4/3rds is unknown to me. Based on what I've found with my G1 I was thinking that a used 410 or 510 might be a good starter camera for my father-in-law

I've heard that the viewfinders are a little pokey and that the AF on the cameras in contrast live view mode is also less than startling.

I was thinking that the strengths of the camera for him would be:

- price
- acceptable AF using phase detect 'regular' af
- use of live view with manual focus lenses

I'm thinking of using some OM lenses by adaptor on the camera and so wonder what the accuracy of focus is like for mid telephoto lenses using the optical viewfinder.

Thanks in advance
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Depending on how much you like your... no scratch that.

Pellicle, An used G1 kit would be far simpler and better than the E-410 though likely to cost you twice the money.

I used my E-410 as such only for a very short time. The optical finder ( i am not that old and I have excellent eye sight) was not a problem for me.

I got rid of the AA/IR cut filter in that E-410. Now, the optical finder is useless. Live view still works great for UV, or Visible or IR (and no focus shift problems).

Unlike the G1, the mirror has to come down for metering and up before a shot is taken in the E-410 (same in the E-510, if I am not mistaken). This takes time and makes hand holding nearly impossible.
 

kevinparis

Member
if fatherlaw is in starter mode I wouldn't even get him involved in manual focus lenses - they can be made to work nicely with the 510 I know - but focussing does require a little more patience. Viewfinder is smaller than the film slrs of the past - and like most dslrs doesn't have any splitscreen aids like you found in older slrs

Have rarely used liveview on the 510 - it doesn't suit my way of taking photos. Vivek is right it has to go through a whole mirror up down up thing to take the picture

It all really depends on what he wants to take photos of and what his expectations are.

Get him a 510/410 or 420 which were going very cheap about 6 months ago - I saw them with kit zoom for 299 euros. The kit lens is supposed to be very reasonable - though i have never used one - I went straight to the 12-60

Let him take the photos he wants with that and then grow into the esoteric world of manual focus after that if he is not getting the kind of pictures he wants

K
 

pellicle

New member
Folks

thanks for the answers ... Vivek paints such a lousy picture of these I am starting to reconsider the whole thing (and I don't want to spring for a G1 for him)
 

kevinparis

Member
yeah but you know Vivek is a lousy painter... thats why he took up photography :)

the 410/510 etc are fine very capable cameras... perfect for a beginner but with opportunities for expansion.

Only you know at what level your father in law is at and what his expectations are.

K
 

pellicle

New member
Kevin

the 410/510 etc are fine very capable cameras... perfect for a beginner but with opportunities for expansion.

Only you know at what level your father in law is at and what his expectations are.
mainly it was all the stuff about the use of live view ... sounds dreadful. Perhaps using it in Manual is better ... would work ok that way perhaps

I must say that I'm not so confident at estimating others levels ... I think of many things as common sence which others tell me is quite advanced.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
yeah but you know Vivek is a lousy painter... thats why he took up photography :)

the 410/510 etc are fine very capable cameras... perfect for a beginner but with opportunities for expansion.

Only you know at what level your father in law is at and what his expectations are.

K

You are absolutely correct though you have not seen my very few pencil sketch attempts years ago!:ROTFL: I found B&W photography at that time as a replacement but had a looong break before I could understand the nuances.

Yes, Kevin, you are right that the 410/420/510 are capable cameras when used with the system lenses.

My only emphasize was on the manual focus/adapter part. That part is best done with the m4/3rds cameras and the new live view.

BTW, the newer cams from Nikon, Pentax, etc that use both contrast detect and phase detect for AF also make use of off the sensor metering in the live view mode. So, it is not only the focus method that is strengthened but the focusing and metering parts are also augmented.
 

Lili

New member
If you can find either in two lens kits for a good price you get awesome performance for the cash outlay.
Both the 14-42 and the 40-150 pitch way above their league, price-wise.
If you can find the 510, it has better controls and sensor based IS that REALLY works.
The live view is fine for tripod work, the OVF is very good really IMHO
esp if one wear glasses.
Turn off the noise filter and use just a touch of NR in menu and the IQ simply rocks!
 
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