Equipment Envy

Hi,

As a rep for power and hand tools, my padded pocketbook is well aware of ‘EQUIPMENTENT ENVY”. “Of course this $30.00 jig saw will be good to build that birdhouse, but just feel the difference in this $200.00 model.” I of course am just as guilty as the guy that buys the more expensive saw when it comes to my own hobbies.

My lowly Nikon CP8800 is, IMO, about equal to the Oly 8080. Like every other amateur I have illusions of printing that razor sharp, perfectly framed, 32 x 24 print. Have done a couple of these and even my friends think they are great (or so they tell me).Most of my shooting is outdoors with static objects in decent lighting so most of the reasons to jump to a DSLR are not valid.

AH but “Equipment Envy” has reared it’s ugly head and I have to have a DSLR. I am convinced the 4/3 system is here to stay and will improve in the future. The E-300 is the one I will be buying for a plethora of reasons. This brings me to the problems that could result from this purchase.

1.Will the two Kit lenses give me as sharp a 32 x 24 print as an Oly 8080 if shot in RAW and properly processed with PS CS?

2.Will the ED lenses that are now available and the ones coming in the last quarter give me a noticeably better 32 x 24 print if shot within the f stop limitations of the EZ lenses?

If the kit lenses fail to equal an 8080 I will defiantly have further EE. That means another $1,500 for the 11-22 and the 50-200 at a minimum and am not sure if I want to subject myself to that. Any thoughts you have on this would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ken

... anybody's... Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Minolta, Olympus. And you'll always think it will make you a better photographer (it probably won't).

regken said:

1.Will the two Kit lenses give me as sharp a 32 x 24 print as an
Oly 8080 if shot in RAW and properly processed with PS CS?

Click to expand...

A qualified yes. You need to understand that since the E-300 has a larger sensor than a C-8080, the focal length to achive a specific field of view will be greater, so depth of field will be less on the E-300, for a given f-stop (this is physics, not a quality issue).

regken said:

2.Will the ED lenses that are now available and the ones coming in
the last quarter give me a noticeably better 32 x 24 print if shot
within the f stop limitations of the EZ lenses?

Click to expand...

A tripod will give you noticeably better 32 x 24 prints with any camera.

regken said:

If the kit lenses fail to equal an 8080 I will defiantly have
further EE. That means another $1,500 for the 11-22 and the 50-200
at a minimum and am not sure if I want to subject myself to that.

Click to expand...

The 11-22 is significantly wider than the 14-xx lenses (more than you might expect). And then there's the 7-14. The extra 50mm and speed of the 50-200 over the 40-150 is significant, but so is the size and weight.
The 50 is exceptionally sharp (and reportedly, the 150 and 300).

You'll want all of them, plus everything that's on the drawing board. But under the conditions you describe, all you may need are the kit lenses.

Denny Colvin said:

regken said:

1.Will the two Kit lenses give me as sharp a 32 x 24 print as an
Oly 8080 if shot in RAW and properly processed with PS CS?

Click to expand...

A qualified yes. You need to understand that since the E-300 has a
larger sensor than a C-8080, the focal length to achive a specific
field of view will be greater, so depth of field will be less on
the E-300, for a given f-stop (this is physics, not a quality
issue).

Click to expand...

The DOF doesn't bother me, just worried about the sharpness.

Member said:

A tripod will give you noticeably better 32 x 24 prints with any
camera.

Click to expand...

Old Farts like me tend to use a tripod at least 90% of the time.

Member said:

Member said:

If the kit lenses fail to equal an 8080 I will defiantly have
further EE. That means another $1,500 for the 11-22 and the 50-200
at a minimum and am not sure if I want to subject myself to that.

Click to expand...

The 11-22 is significantly wider than the 14-xx lenses (more than
you might expect). And then there's the 7-14. The extra 50mm and
speed of the 50-200 over the 40-150 is significant, but so is the
size and weight.
The 50 is exceptionally sharp (and reportedly, the 150 and 300).

Click to expand...

Not worried about the speed because I normally shoot in good light. The question for me is if shot within the f stop range of the kit lenses, are the more expensive lenses much sharper?

Thanks,
Ken

Hello Ken,

I have not used the kit lenses, so I'll give half an answer based upon what I've read in this forum...

regken said:

1.Will the two Kit lenses give me as sharp a 32 x 24 print as an
Oly 8080 if shot in RAW and properly processed with PS CS?

Click to expand...

Rumor has it that the 8080 lens is manufactured in the same facility and is on par with the current ED Zuiko lenses. It's an excellent lens. Anecdotal evidence in this forum suggests the kit lenses are not as sharp as the 14-54mm and the 50-200mm. (Some might dispute the 14-45mm/14-54mm comparison.)

regken said:

2.Will the ED lenses that are now available and the ones coming in
the last quarter give me a noticeably better 32 x 24 print if shot
within the f stop limitations of the EZ lenses?

Click to expand...

You will probably get better photos from the upgraded lenses when shooting aperture for aperture. The upgraded lenses are also faster so you will have more opportunity to use them where the kit lenses cannot go.

regken said:

If the kit lenses fail to equal an 8080 I will defiantly have
further EE. That means another $1,500 for the 11-22 and the 50-200
at a minimum and am not sure if I want to subject myself to that.
Any thoughts you have on this would greatly be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Subjecting yourself to the 11-22mm and the 50-200mm is pain of the best type. Just wait until you see photos from the 150mm f/2.0. That's the next painful purchase I'll have to make. I'm a macho man, I can deal with the pain.

--
Cheers,

Jim Pilcher

Waking up this monring in Estes Park, Colorado. Hundreds of elk outside my window. A foot of snow on the ground. It's a beautiful day.

If money is no object then there is the schlep factor. How much equipment can you carry. I force myself to go out with a specific lens ie; the 50 mm macro with an E1. Next time with the 11-22 mm. Eventually you have lenses that are used so rarely that you feel guilty owning them.

If a sharp 24X32 is required just buy a view camera and really solve the problem. And if money was no problem one can always hire someone to lug all the equipment around!

James Pilcher said:

regken said:

1.Will the two Kit lenses give me as sharp a 32 x 24 print as an
Oly 8080 if shot in RAW and properly processed with PS CS?

Click to expand...

Rumor has it that the 8080 lens is manufactured in the same
facility and is on par with the current ED Zuiko lenses. It's an
excellent lens. Anecdotal evidence in this forum suggests the kit
lenses are not as sharp as the 14-54mm and the 50-200mm. (Some
might dispute the 14-45mm/14-54mm comparison.)

Day Hiker said:

2.Will the ED lenses that are now available and the ones coming in
the last quarter give me a noticeably better 32 x 24 print if shot
within the f stop limitations of the EZ lenses?

Click to expand...

You will probably get better photos from the upgraded lenses when
shooting aperture for aperture. The upgraded lenses are also faster
so you will have more opportunity to use them where the kit lenses
cannot go.

Day Hiker said:

If the kit lenses fail to equal an 8080 I will defiantly have
further EE. That means another $1,500 for the 11-22 and the 50-200
at a minimum and am not sure if I want to subject myself to that.
Any thoughts you have on this would greatly be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Subjecting yourself to the 11-22mm and the 50-200mm is pain of the
best type. Just wait until you see photos from the 150mm f/2.0.
That's the next painful purchase I'll have to make. I'm a macho
man, I can deal with the pain.

Click to expand...

The logical answer then seems to be to buy the body with no lens and spring for the 11-22 and the 50-200 up front. Live with those two until the last quarter and buy the 35-100 when that comes out.

Any better answer?
Thanks,
Ken

sounds like the recipe for the 8080. I chose between the 8080 and E-300 and bought the E-300 with a 14-54mm. The primary reason for my dslr purchase was to pick up a couple of extra stops for early and late day shooting for wildlife, as well as the quicker focusing that was required under these conditions. Next purchase, the 50-200mm for this fall and winter's wildlife photography.

Lately, I've seriously considered a 8080 for my macros and lanscapes (deeper dof than the E-300 and less post-processing hassles) rather than purchasing the more expensive lens (50mm and 11-22mm) for my E-300. But that said, once bitten by the lens bug..........

Just the opinion of a gray-headed amateur whose skills aren't limited by the equipment! ))

regken said:

Hi,

Click to expand...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse300/page19.asp

This lens test should tell you if the 14-45 is sharp enough for your needs.

regken said:

The logical answer then seems to be to buy the body with no lens
and spring for the 11-22 and the 50-200 up front. Live with those
two until the last quarter and buy the 35-100 when that comes out.

Any better answer?

Click to expand...

Since the 14-54mm is widely considered the "dog" of the group (11-22mm, 14-54mm, 50-200mm), I'd say your plan has merit. Expect $2000 USD for the 35-100 f/2.0 though.

By the way, I consider my 14-54mm as good optically as the 28-70 f/2.8 L Canon lens I used for years on my film cameras. So, the term "dog" is relative.

Many will counsel you to include the 1.4 teleconverter along with the 50-200mm. Equipment envy never ends.

--
Cheers,

Jim Pilcher
Living on the High Plains of Colorado, USA

'It seems to me that photographing a camera is redundant.' -- Me

regken said:

The logical answer then seems to be to buy the body with no lens
and spring for the 11-22 and the 50-200 up front. Live with those
two until the last quarter and buy the 35-100 when that comes out.

Any better answer?

Click to expand...

A few points:

The 'double lens' kit for the E300 is such a good deal that I wouldn't have thought it worth NOT getting it - even if you sell the lenses off privately later when you buy 'better' ones (if you see the need of course)

As has been mentioned, some of the high end Olys have fixed lenses of extraordinary quality compared to a normal point and shoot. While you will undoubtedly benefit from stuff like a true optical viewfinder and minimal shutter lag, prepare yourself for the possibility of buying an SLR and not really getting much better quality than the 8080 for a great deal of the shots.

And remember that quality wise, there isn't THAT much in it between the 8MP of the E300 and the 5MP of the E1. So depending on how much the E1 kit is, I'd certainly be considering that, because you'd get the 14-54.

You could of course live with the 8080 and see what's around the corner higher resolution wise? Its not as if you don't have a camera, and the longer you leave it, the more lens range there will be - and possibly more body choice as well!?!

Its never ending!!!!

doh

Big Ga said:

While you will undoubtedly benefit from stuff like a true optical
viewfinder and minimal shutter lag, prepare yourself for the
possibility of buying an SLR and not really getting much better
quality than the 8080 for a great deal of the shots.

Click to expand...

And don't forget the learning curve required with RAW if you haven't been doing it already

--
http://www2.gol.com/users/nhavens
A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

regken said:

The logical answer then seems to be to buy the body with no lens
and spring for the 11-22 and the 50-200 up front.

Click to expand...

I got the 11-22 and the 50F2 macro, later added the 50-200. I LOVE that macro lens! But I agree skip the kit lenses if you have high expectations.

regken said:

Live with those
two until the last quarter and buy the 35-100 when that comes out.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan to me..

--

Stacey

hvg said:

If a sharp 24X32 is required just buy a view camera and really
solve the problem.

Click to expand...

I agree, you won't get sharp 24X32's from an 8MP camera. Even 16X20's are pushing it IMHO.

--

Stacey

For many purposes my little Canon Powershot S330 produces images just as good as my E1.

However, I'd never consider going back to a P&S, even one like the 8080, because I'd miss:

• the optical view finder
• the manual zoom ring (some P&S cameras have this)
• the speed and responsiveness (P&S cameras are getting there)
• the ergonomics and ease of access to controls

Danny.
http://danny.oz.au/