E300 Pros & Cons

Kellyscayman · Jan 9, 2005

Thank you all for your help!

As someone who is just about to jump into the DSLR market this forum has been more help than all of the reviews I have read and all of the sales people I have talked to.

What is seems to come down to is this! It really sounds like I would be very happy with either the D70 or the E300.

If I am wanting to zoom and crop go with the E300
If I want to expand the package and save money go with the D70 as there seam to be much more glass and flash to chose from.
The E300 makes shaper pics with a better range of colour.
The D70 is a ***** because of the cleaning the CCD issue! (big issue)
The E300, NEW to the market (unproven) with new technology. Who know how things will be working in 6 months!
Will the technology of both cameras be useless in a year like computers?

I have had a few people recommend that I look at Canon or Pentax as my First DSLR. From what I can tell around here in Winnipeg, Canada the Canons (Rebel) or Pentaxs in this price range are pushed to the people with money looking for a point an shoot camera and the Nikons and Olympus models are pushed to people like me that know a little but want to know more and have room to grow.

On the subject of grow, does anyone know where Olympus is taking the E line of cameras and what we can expect to see in the near future?

The reason I ask that question is because I don't have the cash to truly play in the photography world the way I would like too. When people say go Nikon because of the glass and flash options; thats not a huge concern for me since I don't have the money to spend on glass or flash in the first place so I will be playing with the lens it ships with for the first six months to a year anyway.

I am someone who wants to learn how to take a picture and learn the lingo. I have to admit that some of what you all are talk about is a little over my head at this point but this is how one learns! I feel that I am doing a rather good job with the Dimage Z1 (people want to pay me for my work now) I have now but I am moving on and I would like to know more. Really I want to know all ther is, I love photography and to tell you the truth this is the first place I have been (including where I live) where the people talking are just as passionate about Photography as I am.

I thank you for your time, your knowledge and your work (for those who post their work to this forum or have a website of their own).

I thank the people of DPREVIEW.com for this forum! Well Done!

Please keep this thread going. As you experience the pros and cons of your camera no matter the model, share your experiences! Since the E300 is new I am sure there is much more to talk about.

I still have lots to read and lots to learn before I purchase.

Thanks again

Kelly

KuroNeko · Jan 9, 2005

Hey kelly, that was me before buying my E300 last week

. Eitherway you'll be learning lots of things with the Nikon or with the Olympus. I bought the E-300 because the lens lineup of the 4/3 system wasn't a big concern for me, as I won't be spending any money on lenses in quite a few months if not a year. Anyway with the new lenses comming in 2005 I don't think there's anything uncovered (someone correct me).

Kellyscayman said:
The reason I ask that question is because I don't have the cash to
truly play in the photography world the way I would like too.

I am someone who wants to learn how to take a picture and learn the
lingo.

Kellyscayman · Jan 9, 2005

We seem to be finding out the same info and sharing the same feelings. Love the Olympus but the Cash flexability of the Nikon family is hard to ignor.

I guess the next step would be to have a look at what Olympus' plans to do with the E line of cameras. New lenses, flashes, etc.

Does anyone know where Olympus is posting the future of the E line of cameras? I am checking their website but I am missing it if its there at all.

Since I don't have the cash I am going to have to make the best of what ever lens the camera ships with. I normally will be doing alot of in my home pictures in low light conditions and then outside landscape pics while I am learning and saving for the next step. I will be doing a little event photography for fun and a little extra cash, so I am going to have to learn to deal with what ever I have.

Kelly

Alastair Cassels said:
Lenses. Nikkor lenses are plentiful. 20 odd years plus of AF lenses
that are useable on the D70. As cash is a bit tight then picking up
2nd hand lenses will be important for me. These things are barn
pricey new. As I like to do a lot of portrait work I was looking
for the D70 kit plus a f1.8 50mm. I can add a speedlight and case
for under £1000 ($1900)

With Olympus ( I have a c5060 currently) I am a bit concerned about
the kit lense limitations although I admit I don't know enough
about it. Anyone with spare cash seems to advocate a 14-55mm F2.8
but it is about £400 here in the uk and all of a suddenthe package
cost escalates. Of course there is little or no used lens selection
yet.

My heart says Olympus but my head and wallet is thinking that Nikon
might be the more flexible way.

What would be a decent 2nd lens for the e300?

Kellyscayman said:

I am doing the research trying to figure out my next step in the
Digital Photography world. Its down to the D70 or the E300.

I have been reading the forums and there is a pile of info to go
through. What I would like is for people to post their likes and
dislikes of each camera. If you have been using the camera please
share your throughts!

Lets make this an education!!

Thanks.

Kelly

Click to expand...

Kellyscayman · Jan 9, 2005

Thats grest to hear! I am excited about my purchase but its looking more and more like I will be getting an E300.

As for the new lenses for the furture, can you post a link to where Olympus is talking about them as I seem to be missing it on their site?!

IF you can please email some of your work! Or send me a link to a site where you post your work. I am always wanting to see the work of people using the E300 no matter their experience.

Kelly

KuroNeko said:
KuroNeko said:

The reason I ask that question is because I don't have the cash to
truly play in the photography world the way I would like too.

I am someone who wants to learn how to take a picture and learn the
lingo.

Click to expand...

wrwcfa · Jan 9, 2005

Does anyone have any thoughts about the 14-45 lens versus the 14-54?

I'd like the little faster lens and I read somehwhere (I beleive it was on the MyFourThirds site) that the body may be sold separately in a couple of months. The extra cost for a faster lens worth it? I looked at the E-300 today and really liked how it felt and looked. Very solid. Longer term, adding the 40-150 would seem to cover a lot of ground. Any thoughts would be most appreciated. I've learned a lot from reading the comments posted on this forum.

Regards,

Bill

Guy Parsons · Jan 9, 2005

The Oly lens "road map" is at....
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_files/zuiko_sched0405.pdf

and you can sort of guess what focal lengths are involved for the new releases coming.

It seems there will eventually be three lines of lenses with some blurring between lines maybe - consumer, prosumer, and pro.

The press release that showed the link to the "road map" is at....
http://www.olympusamerica.com/oai_pressDetails.asp?pressNo=276

For me there is no alternative in my decision, I will get E-300 very soon, depending on home finances after Christmas spending frenzy. The D70 doesn't even figure for me despite the fact that I own a truckload of Nikon lenses and accessories. I see that to get the best quality out of the Nikon range, you have to dump all the old (film) lenses and buy new "optimised for digital" lenses at great expense anyway. Why not do it right from the start and go Olympus, who designed it as digital from the very start of the 4/3 design?

Regards.......... Guy

hartcons · Jan 9, 2005

I hadn't seen anything quite like the 14-54 in terms of low F capability and weight for my d70 so I sprang for that when I got the e-300 kit (figuring the 14-45 would be a good backup lens and something to pull out if I go to the beach or some other harsh environment). I also mistakenly thought the 14-54 had ED glass (I hate purple fringing so I've been springing for ED lenses whenever possible hoping to avoid that problem). I find that with the 14-54 I can focus closer than the rated distance (and closer than with the kit lens) and I get a faster shutter speed using the flash than with the kit lens. The 14-54 is heavier than the kit lens but seems to balance well on the camera.

a couple shots with the 14-54 toward dusk:
http://www.myfourthirds.com/document.php?id=6579

If the sun ever comes out again I'll shoot the same scene with both lenses.

Folks generally seem to have good things to say about the kit lens so if you don't require the lower F capability then your money might be better spent on say the 40-150 and FL-36 external flash. I don't know if the kit lens is compatible with the 1.4x teleconverter but I think that costs more than the 40-150 anyway.

--bruce

wrwcfa said:
Does anyone have any thoughts about the 14-45 lens versus the 14-54?
I'd like the little faster lens and I read somehwhere (I beleive it
was on the MyFourThirds site) that the body may be sold separately
in a couple of months. The extra cost for a faster lens worth it?
I looked at the E-300 today and really liked how it felt and
looked. Very solid. Longer term, adding the 40-150 would seem to
cover a lot of ground. Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
I've learned a lot from reading the comments posted on this forum.

Regards,

Bill

wrwcfa · Jan 9, 2005

hartcons said:
a couple shots with the 14-54 toward dusk:
http://www.myfourthirds.com/document.php?id=6579

If the sun ever comes out again I'll shoot the same scene with both
lenses.

Folks generally seem to have good things to say about the kit lens
so if you don't require the lower F capability then your money
might be better spent on say the 40-150 and FL-36 external flash. I
don't know if the kit lens is compatible with the 1.4x
teleconverter but I think that costs more than the 40-150 anyway.

--bruce

wrwcfa said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about the 14-45 lens versus the 14-54?
I'd like the little faster lens and I read somehwhere (I beleive it
was on the MyFourThirds site) that the body may be sold separately
in a couple of months. The extra cost for a faster lens worth it?
I looked at the E-300 today and really liked how it felt and
looked. Very solid. Longer term, adding the 40-150 would seem to
cover a lot of ground. Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
I've learned a lot from reading the comments posted on this forum.

Regards,

Bill

Click to expand...

hartcons · Jan 9, 2005

I think as long as the lens has a D designation it should work well with metering and flash. My favorite lens for the D70 is my 70-300D and it has an aperture ring. I also have a Quantaray 28-200D with aperture ring that also seems to do a good job (some of my favorite photos have come from the mid-range of this lens).

Guy Parsons said:
The D70 doesn't even figure for me despite the fact that I
own a truckload of Nikon lenses and accessories. I see that to get
the best quality out of the Nikon range, you have to dump all the
old (film) lenses and buy new "optimised for digital" lenses at
great expense anyway. Why not do it right from the start and go
Olympus, who designed it as digital from the very start of the 4/3
design?

Kellyscayman · Jan 9, 2005

Well done Guy! Thank you for the links..

Also great point on the old lens of the Nikon. Go digital all the way. It sounds like you need to be a Photoshop expert when using the older lenses to get the colours just right.

Thank for making that point as that will just about put me over the edge and get the E300.

But of course like you one needs to recover from the holidays before the magic can happen! You never know what other info may come out ways!

Thanks again

Kelly

Guy Parsons said:
The Oly lens "road map" is at....
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_files/zuiko_sched0405.pdf

and you can sort of guess what focal lengths are involved for the
new releases coming.

It seems there will eventually be three lines of lenses with some
blurring between lines maybe - consumer, prosumer, and pro.

The press release that showed the link to the "road map" is at....
http://www.olympusamerica.com/oai_pressDetails.asp?pressNo=276

For me there is no alternative in my decision, I will get E-300
very soon, depending on home finances after Christmas spending
frenzy. The D70 doesn't even figure for me despite the fact that I
own a truckload of Nikon lenses and accessories. I see that to get
the best quality out of the Nikon range, you have to dump all the
old (film) lenses and buy new "optimised for digital" lenses at
great expense anyway. Why not do it right from the start and go
Olympus, who designed it as digital from the very start of the 4/3
design?

Regards.......... Guy

jedoaks · Jan 9, 2005

I was very close to buying the E 300 in Dec., but the choice of lenses and the new Oly system pushed me toward the D70. Proof it's not the camera, is the fellow a few threads up selling the 2 mp photos. Buy what you can afford and what feels good. Rich

hartcons said:
hartcons said:

The D70 doesn't even figure for me despite the fact that I
own a truckload of Nikon lenses and accessories. I see that to get
the best quality out of the Nikon range, you have to dump all the
old (film) lenses and buy new "optimised for digital" lenses at
great expense anyway. Why not do it right from the start and go
Olympus, who designed it as digital from the very start of the 4/3
design?

Click to expand...

willkelly · Jan 9, 2005

Tried the E300 at a local camera shop.
Had a few printed at my favorite store that uses the Fuji printer.
results were very much to my liking.
will be buying it soon.

thought it odd the 36 flash had only two AA batteries. can't quite figure what olympus was thinking not putting in a compartment for four.

wk

S Hess · Jan 10, 2005

sej1001 said:
Let's face some facts. In real world photography the
differences in resolution, noise, etc. are going to be very
marginal.

Take a look at the review samples and what you are saying seems to be utterly false. The noise from the Oly CCD is horrendous.

Bram Bos · Jan 10, 2005

S Hess said:
S Hess said:

Let's face some facts. In real world photography the
differences in resolution, noise, etc. are going to be very
marginal.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the review samples and what you are saying seems to
be utterly false. The noise from the Oly CCD is horrendous.

Which CCD are you talking about? I haven't seen any horrendous
noise anywhere. As usual, the trolls come in fast, greatly exaggerating
any minor thing they can find.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
My Travel Galleries (asia, middle east, latin america)
http://www.pbase.com/brambos

Keith217436 · Jan 10, 2005

Kellyscayman said:
I have had a few people recommend that I look at Canon or Pentax as
my First DSLR. From what I can tell around here in Winnipeg,
Canada the Canons (Rebel) or Pentaxs in this price range are pushed
to the people with money looking for a point an shoot camera and
the Nikons and Olympus models are pushed to people like me that
know a little but want to know more and have room to grow.

This statement is ridiculous. I think you are making a mistake by not considering Canon or Pentax. Contrary to what people say, why don't you go down to your local camera shop and actually hold all the cameras in your price range in your own hands. Look at all the features, ease of use, and then decide.

Kellyscayman · Jan 10, 2005

I do go to local shops to check out the units I am researching and that is where that statement came from.

Everyone on this forum and in the shops have their favs and the local sales people tend to push the products they like. Thats why I come to a forum like this where I get to hear the opinions of the people that have researched other models and have been using the models I am researching.

Thats why I have found this forum to be such a fantastic tool in my research. There are people from all over the world doing the same research or using the products and sharing their experiences.

Its good to hear that you think I should check out Canon and Pentax because like I say locally they are not pushed and on the forums I have been reading they are not the talk of the town so that is why I have not been looking at them. Now it looks like I will have too and that means more work for me!

But the good news in all of this is the Latest review of the E300 is in on this very site!! Plus they compare this unit to several other in this price range! NICE! http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse300/

Kelly

Keith said:
Kellyscayman said:

I have had a few people recommend that I look at Canon or Pentax as
my First DSLR. From what I can tell around here in Winnipeg,
Canada the Canons (Rebel) or Pentaxs in this price range are pushed
to the people with money looking for a point an shoot camera and
the Nikons and Olympus models are pushed to people like me that
know a little but want to know more and have room to grow.

Click to expand...

This statement is ridiculous. I think you are making a mistake by
not considering Canon or Pentax. Contrary to what people say, why
don't you go down to your local camera shop and actually hold all
the cameras in your price range in your own hands. Look at all the
features, ease of use, and then decide.

S Hess · Jan 10, 2005

Duh....the CCD in the e-300, check out the samples in the review, in my opinion it is unacceptably high.

Bram Bos said:
Bram Bos said:

Bram Bos said:

Let's face some facts. In real world photography the
differences in resolution, noise, etc. are going to be very
marginal.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the review samples and what you are saying seems to
be utterly false. The noise from the Oly CCD is horrendous.

Click to expand...

Which CCD are you talking about? I haven't seen any horrendous
noise anywhere. As usual, the trolls come in fast, greatly
exaggerating
any minor thing they can find.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
My Travel Galleries (asia, middle east, latin america)
http://www.pbase.com/brambos

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