e1 autofocus - errr - someone cure me

amazed at the build quality of this e1
not amazed at the autofocus of the e1
amazed at the feel of e1

not amazed at the small resolution (didnt realize how small 5 megapixel feels after 8)

nothing i didnt know.... yet.... the truth still sucks

maybe that famous g* P guy had a point about cave shooting

everyone on nikon forum talking about the lightening fast autofocus of d200 has me scratching my head

e3 please come soon =(

i knew what i was jumping into with resolution... and as others have mentioned the e500s autofocus seems faster than e1... was hoping it wasnt true

i better learn to get good with manual focus until e3 comes... hopefully with much improvements...

anyway... i think ive got that virus in my head right now that says better equipment is going to make me a better photographer... someone help and SHOW ME SOME beautiful pics from your E1

I have only had the e1 a short time. However, I can tell you, it is a great camera. I do not think the AF is a problem. It is slower than some DSLRs, but acceptable and accurate.

Todd Kim said:

amazed at the build quality of this e1
not amazed at the autofocus of the e1
amazed at the feel of e1
not amazed at the small resolution (didnt realize how small 5
megapixel feels after 8)

nothing i didnt know.... yet.... the truth still sucks

maybe that famous g* P guy had a point about cave shooting

everyone on nikon forum talking about the lightening fast autofocus
of d200 has me scratching my head

e3 please come soon =(

i knew what i was jumping into with resolution... and as others
have mentioned the e500s autofocus seems faster than e1... was
hoping it wasnt true

i better learn to get good with manual focus until e3 comes...
hopefully with much improvements...

anyway... i think ive got that virus in my head right now that says
better equipment is going to make me a better photographer...
someone help and SHOW ME SOME beautiful pics from your E1

Click to expand...

hey statik... i appreciate your input... i just need more practice and see some shots from myself that i really like... i just got it today and all my test shots have been indoors... im sure I just need some practice...

Also, its a meaner camera than my e500 so the learning curves deeper... =) i need to be patient... what are some of the settings that seem to work for you as far as sharpness, saturation, etc....

After the Fuji S2 and the Kodak 14nx, the autofocus on the E1 is fast and accurate, as long as (IMHO before i get my bottom smacked for stating an opinion as absolute ;-) you stick to the middle sensor. Accurate multi-point autofocus would, of course, be wonderful...maybe in the next Olympus pro body?

I've yet to print from the E1 so i don't know what it will look like compared with the 14mp of my other camera. i do know I can use the results pretty much straight from the camera, as opposed to variable amounts of processing with the other two cameras i mentioned - and it can't (IMHO) be beaten for colour.
Flick.

... to learn to use your camera before looking for the next best thing. From your posting history I see that you have had an E-500 since november, didn't like the build quality in combination with the heavier lenses like your 35-100 F2, so traded it in now for an E-1, and already you're thinking about the next thing.

I've had my E-1 for six months now, have taken about 5000 shots on the way, and learned my way around what the camera likes, doesn't like, and how to work around the latter. I didn't want other people to post shots that showed that they could use the camera, I wanted to learn how to use the camera myself. Just browsing through this forum showed me enough shots taken with the E-1 that I'd never be able to take, so I know that currently I'm the limitation in my setup. So all I can do is practice. A lot.

I love my E-1, even when it isn't the worlds most advanced camera. Although my previous film SLR had no AF (a Minolta X-700), and my previous film P&S had no AF and no distance metering (a Minox GT-E), so I think the E-1 is very advanced in a way. But sure, it's challenging. 5 MP is less forgiving than 8 MP, since it'd be best if you didn't have to crop your image. It forces me to learn how to get the composition right when taking the shot. Autofocus is sometimes a bit slow in darker situations. It forces me to think about focussing myself, and even use manual focus. There's no VR or IS. It forced me to work on my shooting technique (holding, controlling breathing etc.) when on safari, using the 50-200 with 1.4TC. I'm not telling I wouldn't like more MP, faster AF, or VR/IS. I'm just saying that I can live without them, and I don't believe the camera is actually stopping me from getting images that I would get if I had another camera. Then again, I'm a bit of a "the glass is half full" person, where others keep saying the glass is half empty. I believe this all will make me a better photographer. I try to get things right when taking the shot, and not spend too much time in the digital darkroom. And when it works and you get a great image, esp. if it's a JPEG straight out of the camera, it's very rewarding!

I can imagine that if you're not in it for the sheer fun of taking pictures, but take images that pay for your bread, getting the most advanced tool might be a necessity for some. You can control things your self, but if you don't have the time or luxury to take the time to work on a shot, the camera will make tons of decisions for you, and you can always correct the camera in post processing. That's just not my type of photography. But who am I to say that? I'm just in it for the fun of it, and not relying on it to pay my bills. If I "miss" a shot because I couldn't compensate for the camera, it's no big deal. For a pro, that will be something else. So just my 2c.

Todd Kim said:

i just got it
today and all my test shots have been indoors

Click to expand...

I find that the E-1's AF performs much better in good light. Indoors, the AF works but can be a bit of a drag (literally). You get used to keeping the lens in the neighborhood of the correct focal distance and then pointing it at a high-contrast region. On the other hand, in reasonable light outdoors I find the AF to be a pleasure to use and don't find myself wishing for anything more.

Perhaps I'm old fashioned but sometimes I wonder what all the fuss is about lightning fast autofocus, I remember many years ago an article in a magazine about the impossible photographers dream 'a An Autofocus Camera' just think how many millions of in focus photographs where taken before this wonderful innovation, I'm not knocking autofocus its an amazing thing but just look back and think how many famous photographers used the old method of auto focus remember Hyperfocal Distance, a certain Mr Bresson did amazing things with just a Leica with a 35mm lens, no autufocus or auto exposure, I have a friend whos only camera is a Kodak Retinettte and his worked out exposures are spot on, he is very happy with his camera and refuses to upgrade.
--
Baz

Yes, and there was a time in the not too distant past when the modern world got along without the aid of computers. Rather amazing.

If you are able to take stunning images with the E1, then you will be a great photographer.

The more advanced a camera gets, the fewer brain cells "turn on" when operating it.

If you get good with the E1, then you are good period!

--
-Who are the Chromats, and why are they aberrating?-

This has bouce flash, but was taken in almost complete darkness.



This was tracking a surfer with the 50-200. Now, I would like to add the power pack to speed up the AF even more, but it's working for me as it.



--
http://www.highsee3.smugmug.com

'A camera maker that simply copies others' idea has no right to call itself an original
maker in the first place.' -Mr. Maitani, creator of the OM photographic system.

Chromatic Aberration said:

If you are able to take stunning images with the E1, then you will
be a great photographer.

The more advanced a camera gets, the fewer brain cells "turn on"
when operating it.

If you get good with the E1, then you are good period!

--
-Who are the Chromats, and why are they aberrating?-

Click to expand...

Anyone person off the street can get bang on focus with the1D MK II's 45 AF points. Only a skilled photographer can do the same with 3 AF points. Think of the E-1 as a medicine ball.

(Okay Oly, I'm ready for 5 AF points ;-)
--
http://www.highsee3.smugmug.com

'A camera maker that simply copies others' idea has no right to call itself an original
maker in the first place.' -Mr. Maitani, creator of the OM photographic system.

You have upgraded the firmware in your body and lenses to the latest versions, haven't you?

It made quite a difference to AF, as I remember.
--
Andrew
FourThirdsFAQ - http://www.fourthirdsFAQ.com

Andrew you beat me to the firmware comment, it does make a difference. The other thing to point out is that the autofocus does not like flat colour. Most of the errors I get with not achieving focus have more to do with flat colour than low light. Having suffered with point and shoot autofocus I like to use a single focus point so I know what is being focused on.

Gary
E1, 14-54.

These were with the 50-200. Both were hand held and while the subjects were pretty stationary, the shot had to be composed and shot quickly as they don't stay still for long! Have you ever seen a squirel walk?





I wouldn't comment on low light focusing as it's not a concern to me, but the times I have tried I have had no problem and I for one wouldn't want a zillion focus points......one is enough........but that's me. As for the resolution, when I was prurchasing the a new camera we took identical shots with the E1 and E300 (both with the 40-150) and then printed 100% crops. There was very little difference between the 2, but the 8mp did have a little better resolution when looked at with a magnifying glass......and yes, we did do this. Again, not enough difference for me as I'm not really concerned with 100% crops......again, that was me.

Cheers
Larry O
http://www.pbase.com/losiowy
E10, Tcon 14B. Mcon35, FL36
E1, 50-200

Ooh! We've had some great rodent shots here recently, but that's the most unusual.
--
http://www.pbase.com/acam/

When I got my brand new just-shipped-from-Olympus-America E-1 a few weeks ago, it had firmware 1.1 rather than 1.4. It seems that Olympus has not changed their production process to include the updated firmware, but are relying on electronic distribution for that. One of the firmware versions after 1.1 added better low-light AF ability.

Do you think the E1 is in production?
--
http://www.pbase.com/acam/

Todd Kim said:

someone help and SHOW ME SOME beautiful pics from your E1

Click to expand...

These are not mine (I don't own an E1) but, what a camera!

http://www.pbase.com/ekchua/image/28023823

http://www.pbase.com/ekchua/image/51684063

http://www.pbase.com/ekchua/image/30570135

--
Michael KD

But I think it was in production long after firmware 1.1 was upgraded to 1.2 in June 2004.

By dim, I'm talking school gym with some of the lights off. (Still bright enough to read a book easily.) We were having our Christmas assembly yesterday and Santa came in. He wasn't moving quickly, just walking — but I couldn't lock focus and get a shot (at the right time). Even when he was standing still, I couldn't get the shutter to respond many times. (14-54, updated firmware, center focus point.)

I watched the auto-focus assist light on the FL-50 and it was not consistently working (in S-AF). It was sort of like the E-1 was saying to the FL-50: "No... I can do this myself! Well, no... maybe I can't. No, wait ... I think I've got it... nope..."

It may well have done better if the lights had been off, as the AF assist would have been invoked every time.

I know my BLM battery wasn't fresh — but it was far from flat.

I don't want to hear about switching to manual focus (though Oly's by-wire system has a very good feel to it) — I just want a much better result in dim light on the next E.
--
Barry

Equipment in profile.