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E-420 or E-510?

cam

Active member
i'm asking this on behalf of my boyfriend who, up until now, has been a Canon guy (10D and G9). he's seriously looking at the Oly's and wants to purchase one on holiday in May.

we've slogged through the DPR forum but it's painful... any gut reactions? any info on if the E-520 may appear?

we are going to NYC, Sonoma, and then driving down the coast to L.A. he'll be using the camera a lot. size for him (unlike me) is not so much an issue. also, any mid-priced lens suggestions would be appreciated. preferably not that big but sharpness is a must.

thank you in advance.
 
A

asabet

Guest
Cam, if size is no issue, then I think the E-5xx series is the one to get because of the image stabilization. I've seen a couple indicators that the E-510 replacement is coming. Can't recall the links right now, but I'll dig them up. None had a release date though, so I don't know if it'll come before your trip. All the Oly standard zooms are sharp. If size/weight/price are no issue, then from a performance/versatility standpoint 12-60 > 14-54 > 14-42. The 14-54 is a nice compromise, being significantly less expensive than the 12-60 and a better performer than the 14-42. I'm happy with the 14-42; but if my emphasis weren't so much on compact size, I'd have gone with one of the other two, which aren't that large either.

Regards,
Amin
 

cam

Active member
thank you, Amin! he'd actually decided on the E-420 initially and i made him take a second look at the E-510. i've heard really good things about the IS.

i was reading rumours about the first/second week in May for the E-520 and we get to NYC on the 6th. how soon do Oly release after they announce?

as for lens, how much bigger is the 12-60 than the 14-54? he doesn't know it yet but i'm getting him the lens as an early b-day present (50th). while i'm all for spending less money, if the size difference isn't huge i might spend more $$$.

and another thank you for your wonderful comparisons. it made me feel a lot better about only having the DP1 to compete with his new toy :grin:
 

Brian Mosley

New member
Hi Cam,

I'm thinking the E-510 will continue to fall in price leading up to the introduction of the replacement (mockups have been seen from Japan). If you are comfortable shooting RAW, the E-510 would be a bargain - spend the money you save on a superb 12-60mm SWD lens. It's actually a damned fine lens to go with the E-510 (even works incredibly well, in my experience on the E-420 - you just hold the combination below its' centre of gravity - the lens next to the camera).

There's no sign of the replacement to the E-510 appearing yet. I'd guess it's some weeks away (pure educated guess - I'm covering a lot of forum ground at the moment!)

Kind Regards

Brian
 
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Brian Mosley

New member
Whoops, I was typing as you posted... Cam - don't write off the E-420 as an alternative to the E-510 - it's more flexible, more compact, better IQ and you can live without IS given good technique and it's slightly better high ISO performer, slightly better DR too.

On the other hand, if your partner prefers a larger camera - the E-510 is the way to go.

Kind Regards

Brian
 

cam

Active member
On the other hand, if your partner prefers a larger camera - the E-510 is the way to go.
i'm the one for whom size matters!!! :ROTFL:

thank you, Brian. i am asking opinions after all. if you have the time to elaborate, i'd be greatly beholden.

i'd personally get the E-420 or the E3 for it's weather-proofing, etc. -- but that's if it was me. i told him to take a look at the E-510 as i'd heard really good things about the IS and it seemed to be a more popular camera. as one who's never used a camera, i've honestly no idea on what difference it makes...

your take on the lenses?
 

Brian Mosley

New member
It's *all* about the superb Olympus ZD lenses - you can't go wrong investing in the 12-60mm SWD, and perhaps add the 50mm macro... if you really get ambitious, there's the 50-200mm SWD and 1.4x Teleconverter to give you a wildlife shooting kit too!

Personally, I'd recommend anyone buy the last generation of body - the blow out sales are ridiculous! you can buy 2 x E-410's for the price of a single DP1 in the UK!

Kind Regards

Brian
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Don't choose camera before you know what lenses you want. If you want something long and slow, like the 70-300, there's probably no way around IS, while most would be able to live happily with the 12-60 and no IS. Another factor is the the E-420 seems to be a bit less noisy at high ISO, so you gain at least some of what you lose by not having IS.

Most people would probably also prefer the 510 with heavy, long lenses like the 50-200 because of the better grip, but again, those things are highly individual.
 

cam

Active member
thank you, Brian. that's why he's getting it in the states -- good exchange rate.

thank you, Jorgen, good advice! i think he's going to be keeping with the 12-60 at most. and he (unlike me) is obsessed with noise so that's another thing to bring to his attention.

good posts, all! truly i appreciate all the help. if you think of anything else to consider, i'd love to hear it.

and if he gets the E-420, i definitely plan on getting the new pancake so i can use it too ;)
 
A

asabet

Guest
as for lens, how much bigger is the 12-60 than the 14-54? he doesn't know it yet but i'm getting him the lens as an early b-day present (50th). while i'm all for spending less money, if the size difference isn't huge i might spend more $$$.
It's about 30% heavier, similar width, and just over 1cm longer. I don't consider those to be significant differences and would certainly spring for the 12-60 if it were within budget. Very considerate of you!

and another thank you for your wonderful comparisons. it made me feel a lot better about only having the DP1 to compete with his new toy :grin:
Thanks for reading them! Regarding your boyfriend's obsession with noise, I completely agree with what Jorgen said about the balance between E-510 IS and the high ISO noise improvements in the E-420. However, I'd add that depending on how deep that obsession goes and how often he plans to shoot handheld in low light, Oly may not be the best choice...
 

cam

Active member
It's about 30% heavier, similar width, and just over 1cm longer. I don't consider those to be significant differences and would certainly spring for the 12-60 if it were within budget. Very considerate of you!

Thanks for reading them! Regarding your boyfriend's obsession with noise, I completely agree with what Jorgen said about the balance between E-510 IS and the high ISO noise improvements in the E-420. However, I'd add that depending on how deep that obsession goes and how often he plans to shoot handheld in low light, Oly may not be the best choice...
thank you. that was my take on the 12-60 as well, without actually having seen one. and, well, my BF really deserves it. he's been a trouper through my arm surgeries. i also want him to get excited about photography again (he really hasn't been thrilled with the G9) so i don't get in trouble with my own :p

which actually brings up another question. i've been trying to convince him that RAW is better, but he's a wee bit stubborn. which of the cams has better JPEGs?

as for your comparison, i thought it was brilliant. it was more real world than most comparisons out there, so even if it wasn't as technically accurate -- it's much more to my liking.

as for noise obsession, it is there but not *that* deep. he might test it out in horrible light conditions to bitch and moan about it, but for the most part he shoots in very good light... are you happy with it catching snaps of your kids and the like?
 
A

asabet

Guest
thank you. that was my take on the 12-60 as well, without actually having seen one. and, well, my BF really deserves it. he's been a trouper through my arm surgeries. i also want him to get excited about photography again (he really hasn't been thrilled with the G9) so i don't get in trouble with my own :p
If only my wife...

which actually brings up another question. i've been trying to convince him that RAW is better, but he's a wee bit stubborn. which of the cams has better JPEGs?
Not sure, but I'd guess the E-420 given the stated improvements in white balance, dynamic range, and shadow adjustment technology.

as for your comparison, i thought it was brilliant. it was more real world than most comparisons out there, so even if it wasn't as technically accurate -- it's much more to my liking.
Very kind of you. I actually think that even though I can't put a number on the results, the impression given is more accurate than many of the tests being reported. For example, a well known site recently posted a review with graphs showing that the Nikon D3 has less DR than the E3, which doesn't agree with the real world reports we're getting from a number of folks who would know.

as for noise obsession, it is there but not *that* deep. he might test it out in horrible light conditions to bitch and moan about it, but for the most part he shoots in very good light... are you happy with it catching snaps of your kids and the like?
I'm very happy with the E-420. Not only for family snaps, but for more thoughtful work as well.
 

Brian Mosley

New member
I don't know about the D300 body, but as I said above... it's *all* about the lenses... sensor technology is becoming less and less of a differentiator - they're all great!

Kind Regards

Brian
 

cam

Active member
Maggie -- he's not willing to spend that kind of money right now. he's going for an Oly and, as Brian recommends, a great lens.

Amin -- sorry about your wife. you'll have to dump her and marry me ;) (just kidding) again, many thanks for your input. it may come down to whether he can even get the E-420... can't seem to find it here in Paris (he wanted to see which camera felt right in his hands) and isn't expected to arrive in the US until the 20th... we get into NYC on the 6th. where did you get yours?
 

Brian Mosley

New member
Yes, Maggie... yes you can buy the Leica 4/3rds lenses seperately to the Panasonic bodies. The 14-150mm OIS is particularly good - here's an example :



Kind Regards

Brian
 

cam

Active member
jaw-dropping! it's like 3D.

but i still don't get what you're all talking about. help!!!
 
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