70-200 f2.8 is a nice lens - I used one when I had aD50/D70 - think I'd prefer the new Zuiko 50-200 especially on weight and general feel. The Zuikos just seem smoother and nicer to use.

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a few mediocre pics

i might be interested in the 10-20, anyone tried one yet on an oly??? how'd it do? the zuiko lenses are great, just fancy a change, i have an e400 with 14-42 and 40-150, which both work really well

olympus don't shout it from the rooftops maybe it's time though!!!!!

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Who'd a thunk it? New Oly E420 and 25mm f2.8 pancake lens

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BPitW 9-10 June 2007.
My website My flickr

Hi all, a while since I dropped in and a few good things coming through I see (lense wise).

First things first though, I recently recieved my 14-55mm f2.8 lense.  It is a lovely lense, great build quality (a million times better than the replaced because twice broken 14-40mm) and I can't even hear the focus (thanks for the advice Sue).

So to question one, for some reason manual focus doesn't work when in S mode, even though I have selcted "yes" in the menu.  Any ideas?  If I switch to manual it works fine.

Second question to keep you on your toes.  I decided that I didn't want to go down the E-3 route and was going to go for the Nikon D300.  Many reasons but mostly lense availability and high ISO noise, as well as what now seems a complicated layout and menu system. 

But...I do love the E-1 for all of it's ageing faults.  And as I have said elsewhere, if they could just stick the new sensor in the E-1 I would stick with it.  But now I've come across Capture One 4 software and the noise reduction is excellent, and "unusable" prints from teh E-1 are now useable.  So perhaps I might consider spending my money on a few more 4/3rds lenses and stick with Olympus a while longer. 

But I'm reading a lot about the "small sensor just can't produce large images" and am wondering if we ever will be at a stage where a printed image from a 4/3rds sensor can match something from the likes of teh D300?  But then I also know that every single bit of every pixle is used with the 4/3rds system, unlike other manufacturers lense and sensor combinations.

For those of you that now own the E3, what size prints are you honestly getting, and how does this compare to the print size from a D300 for example?

I bought into the Olympus system for many reasons, and many that I am still happy with, but print size is becoming more of an issue for me so I don't want to be stuck with a system that will only ever print good A3 images.  At least with the likes of Nikon for example, if I owned the lenses I could upgrade to a full frame sensor if that proved teh way to go (and if teh cameras become a bit smaller and lighter!!).

Cheers all.

 

 

 

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Glad you like the 14-54 - if there's one place that Olympus does'nt usually disappoint it's the lenses.

It's a difficult decision to make re the camera and system. There are so many pros and cons. I had the same quandary when I decided to get my 40D. Most of my pictures are cropped so more mp and better detail is a major plus and I was just a bit fed up with the slow response of the otherwise excellent 50-200mm f2.8/3.5 coupled with any of the Oly models. For things like small flying birds I need all the help I can get and the Oly combo just did'nt do it. Otherwise I'd have stuck with them because there is something I like about Oly colours and 'feel'. Somehow, although i'd like to try one, I can't see myself buying an E-3. Body plus new style 50-200 would be £2000 - 40D with 200mm f2.8L - £1000. Less versatile perhaps but .... The cons of swapping to a D300 for you would mainly be the increased weight I suppose - coupled with trying to find affordable lenses to replace the Zuikos. I know you want the ruggedness and weatherproofing of the E1/D300 but have you considered getting a cheap second body like the E-400? They've still got them on the digital depot site - I was a bit tempted myself - I love those 'Kodak' colours. Ok, you'd have to tuck it away in bad weather but in good conditions it's a lovely little camera and almost pocket sized. Easy to re-sell too - mine went to Australia as they were never on sale there and someone was desperate to get hold of one.

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a few mediocre pics

Hi Sue, and thanks for your thoughts.  The weatherproofing and physical size of the camera is important to me.  I know many are very happy with the E 400 but I think that it's too small for me.  I have considered a 5D but that doesn't have any weatherproofing either, although I would like to have gone down the full frame route (and can't afford a D3, or a 1Ds) 

Right, that's it.  A D300 it is.  No more spending on the Olympus!

I think that the Olympus with the 14-55mm will make a great second camera.  Or maybe I'll sell it.  Time to look on Ebay and see what they are fetching...

 

 

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Definitely a market for E-1s and 14-54mm lenses - I always try to sell seperately unless it's a cheapo lens. The D300 certainly looks good - if I had'nt swapped when I did I might juist have stretched the budget for one. I see the Fuji S5 is dropping in price in line with the D200 - another temptation. That extra dynamic range is great for a swan photographer! Must re-set my 40D and sacrifice 100ISO.

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a few mediocre pics

I posted this in general, but thought I'd ask here as I have had 20 views but no answer!...

I've bought a Cobra Auto210 Flash, I thought that if it didn't work with the E-1 it'd go in the bag with the Minolta (little did I realise the Minolta has a different flash shoe.  It's been a while since I looked at it. D'oh!)

Anyway, the flash is brand new, I've tested it off camera and it works, but it won't work on the camera.

I've mounted it on the hotshoe, selected the flash from the hold-a-button-turn-the-dial menu, but when I release the button the flash symbol on the lcd disappears.

I then plugged the scync cord into the camera (didn't think I'd need to but thought I'd try that) and the same thing.

The Olympus manual gives no clues and the flash manual, whilst in pristine condition with warranty card, was written in the 70's.

Am I doing something wrong? 

And specifically for the E-1 users, when using a dedicated oly flash, I'm expecting that the flash icon should stay on in the lcd panel, and as mine isn't with or without the flash conected I'm thinking that it doesn't see the flash?  So could this be a fault with the camera or the flash?

Thanks in advance!

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Also, whilst I'm here, has anyone used th 150mm f2 lense with a 2x teleconvertor?  I'm thinking its a 300mm f4 (is this right?) in which case it's not a bad set-up...

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It will certainly not commincate with the camera as it is a manual flashgun and not intended to communicate with the camera  and pressing the flash button will have no effect.

But it should work in manual mode just from the centre contact. set the shutter speed to the sync speed or lower and set the aperture on the camera to what ever auto F/stop (aperture setting)  you have set on the flash unit (the orange and blue settings denotes a particular f stop).

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Paul
My glass is 4/3rds full :)

MY GALLERY

Hi craftysnapper, I have tried it at the sync speed, and others, with various apertures as well (so 1/160th f2.8 was the starting point) and nothing.  I realise that it won't talk to the camera but I thought, as you say, it should just trigger off the centre pin.  That doesn't seem to be the case. 

It has been suggested in my other post that it could be something to do with the trigger voltage but I can't find this for either the flash or the camera.

It's no great loss if it doesn't work with it, it would have been a great bargain if it did!

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I doubt its the trigger voltage which on the hotshoe is 11 volts as you have already stated you tried using the sync cord and the voltage using the sync socket on the camera is up to 240 volts, does it work on another camera as at this stage I'm suspecting a faulty flash gun.

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Paul
My glass is 4/3rds full :)

MY GALLERY

Nope, doesn't work on the camera at all.

Time to have a chat with the seller I think.

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Hi all, would anyone be able to point out if you can get a remote release for th e-400 and if it actually works??? i've read a few articles some say you can others say you can't ggrrrr. if yes where would be the most reliable place to get one?

thank yoooooo

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I think the Oly infra red remote release works with all Oly models and costs about £20 at least mine did..

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Paul
My glass is 4/3rds full :)

MY GALLERY