Dear Olympus, I didn't want to be 'that' guy...

Dear Olympus (and Panasonic, although you didn't promise what Olympus did),

I didn't want to be 'that' guy, I wanted to be something different, you know...

... so I bought into m4/3...

... and after a month I realized that I am just 'that' guy. I became very proficient in changing lenses, it takes me now only a couple of seconds. But I didn't want to be 'that' guy. I didn't want to carry pounds of gear, 2, 3, 4 or more lenses and constantly switch between them. Because then I am 'that' guy, am I not?

So please, Olympus (and Panasonic for that matter), PLEASE take your sensors and PLEASE send me:

• one RED fixed lens fish eye (180 FOV) compact
• one BLUE fixed lens short zoom compact, say 22-66/2.0
• one PINK fixed lens long zoom compact, say 66-240/2.8

I will be happy with - say - LX3 level of manual adjustments.

I am sure that you can craft the lens elements so that the compacts will be really compact. And I will not have to feel like 'that' guy. I will be OK with smaller sensor, say LX3 smaller sensor. And I will be ok with small purse to carry these three small bodies, can you make them under a pound and something? all of them?

I promise that in return, as soon as I receive them, I would send you my (for now) precious GH1, 7-14,14-140, and 20, and as a bonus you will receive also Helios 58mm/2.0 with adapter.

Thank you!

kashtan said:

Dear Olympus (and Panasonic, although you didn't promise what Olympus did),

I didn't want to be 'that' guy, I wanted to be something different, you know...

... so I bought into m4/3...

... and after a month I realized that I am just 'that' guy. I became very proficient in changing lenses, it takes me now only a couple of seconds. But I didn't want to be 'that' guy. I didn't want to carry pounds of gear, 2, 3, 4 or more lenses and constantly switch between them. Because then I am 'that' guy, am I not?

So please, Olympus (and Panasonic for that matter), PLEASE take your sensors and PLEASE send me:

• one RED fixed lens fish eye (180 FOV) compact
• one BLUE fixed lens short zoom compact, say 22-66/2.0
• one PINK fixed lens long zoom compact, say 66-240/2.8

I will be happy with - say - LX3 level of manual adjustments.

I am sure that you can craft the lens elements so that the compacts will be really compact. And I will not have to feel like 'that' guy.

Click to expand...

kashtan said:

I will be OK with smaller sensor, say LX3 smaller sensor.

Click to expand...

I can understand much of what you're after, but this one makes me stop. If you're OK with a small sensor, why not get an LX3 with WA converter? You'd be 2/3 of the way there, with a kit that weighs around a pound. Add the latest and greatest TZ and you're done. (Though you won't quite get your fast zoom wish. Laws of physics, yadda yadda.)

kashtan said:

And I will be ok with small purse to carry these three small bodies, can you make them under a pound and something? all of them?

Click to expand...

So... you want to be the guy carrying three different compacts? I hope you realize you might be even more of a niche market than the interchangeable-lens crowd and possibly even the interchangeable lens-sensor module folks.

I'd suggest pretending the 14-140 is your only lens for a while and see how that works for you. Or at least, leave the house with only one lens at a time just to see if you can survive.

You must be a really cool guy. And you obviously don't think about your needs before making purchases.

mattmtl said:

I'd suggest pretending the 14-140 is your only lens for a while and see how that works for you. Or at least, leave the house with only one lens at a time just to see if you can survive.

Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. I have suffered the temptation to get a bunch of lenses too, to cover the range, and be prepared for whatever it is I'm going to encounter when out shooting. The reality, however, is that most of us (myself definitely included) are just not that good. Most of us should be focusing on photography, not lens choice, and definitely not while out in the field.

Choose one, or maybe two lenses to take out with you, and get into the groove with that lens. You'll find you take better pictures when you take some factors (like lens choice) out of the equation. That lens you choose can be a weird one - a big tele or an ultra-wide - and you'll build up a style/interpretation using that lens and get some neat pics. Instead of trying to document what you see (boring) you'll be more inclined to use what you see to create images.

mattmtl said:

I'd suggest pretending the 14-140 is your only lens for a while and see how that works for you. Or at least, leave the house with only one lens at a time just to see if you can survive.

Click to expand...

The problem is that I am unable to predict the future. So on one trip, only a few seconds apart, I may want to capture the colors one way



and the light different way



Or I want to capture the place one way



or different way



And some places I'd like to capture VR360 for which I am awaiting 8mmFE from Panny. Having said that I am facing bigger issue then just inconvenience when changing lenses. You know, the weather, sometimes is not perfect...

So I'd like to just grab a (color coded camera and shoot whatever I want to shoot. As you can see I am no photographer, I just like to document places and (my) life, although sometimes some pictures just pop up.

Like these frankenstein trees





or this canyon taken with LX3



So yes, I want several targeted compact cameras with GOOD lenses and sensors, superzooms won't cut it, I just can't look at the soft tele they produce and I know law of physics won't allow to make good compact superzoom no matter what.

mjohnston said:

mattmtl said:

I'd suggest pretending the 14-140 is your only lens for a while and see how that works for you. Or at least, leave the house with only one lens at a time just to see if you can survive.

Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. I have suffered the temptation to get a bunch of lenses too, to cover the range, and be prepared for whatever it is I'm going to encounter when out shooting. The reality, however, is that most of us (myself definitely included) are just not that good. Most of us should be focusing on photography, not lens choice, and definitely not while out in the field.

Click to expand...

I don't disagree with that, at all. I spent last year with LX3 and took some nice pictures home. But I also missed many others. Or I was stitching way too much to make up for missing wide...

Although I agree that what I want may be a niche we could be all very surprised by the market response, I doubt I am the only one tired of changing lenses yet demanding ultimate picture quality and control.

kashtan said:

mjohnston said:

mattmtl said:

I'd suggest pretending the 14-140 is your only lens for a while and see how that works for you. Or at least, leave the house with only one lens at a time just to see if you can survive.

Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. I have suffered the temptation to get a bunch of lenses too, to cover the range, and be prepared for whatever it is I'm going to encounter when out shooting. The reality, however, is that most of us (myself definitely included) are just not that good. Most of us should be focusing on photography, not lens choice, and definitely not while out in the field.

Click to expand...

I don't disagree with that, at all. I spent last year with LX3 and took some nice pictures home. But I also missed many others. Or I was stitching way too much to make up for missing wide...

Although I agree that what I want may be a niche we could be all very surprised by the market response, I doubt I am the only one tired of changing lenses yet demanding ultimate picture quality and control.

Click to expand...

I'm sure we'd all love to have one lens that does it all without ever requiring a change, but as you know there are always tradeoffs and compromises.

The 14-140, though I haven't used it myself, strikes me as coming about as close as you can get to a true all-purpose lens on a relatively large sensor.

Perhaps that plus an ultra-wide compact cam (LX3, if you still have yours) is the way to go for you? That way you have 24-280 equiv. covered with two cameras. If the LX isn't ultra-wide enough for you, you could fit an adaptor tube and conversion lens and never remove them. You could put both in one smallish bag, and never have to change a lens again, simply reach for one of your two cameras.

...but at least some of your pictures are wow.

I've found that a good balance between not being limited too much by my gear (i.e. having enough focal lengths), and not having my creativity limited by too much choice in gear at hand, is having two well chosen lenses. For my DSLR it's one fast standard zoom and a macro lens, and for m4/3 it seems to be a wide angle pancake and a tele zoom. Though I've just started out with the second combo, I'm determined to make it work for me.

But between my m4/3 & APS-C digital systems, 35mm film camera, and two medium format systems, I guess I'll remain "that guy" even if I only have one camera and one or two lenses with me at any given time. I don't care, though.

Where did you take the photo of the waterfall hitting the sandy beach? Cool shot. I like the one of the canyon as well. The first two photos didn't appear.

As far as being that guy: Do you really want to be that guy who carries around three different little cameras? And has to remember to charge three different batteries and juggle memory cards from three different cameras?

Personally I would rather carry one camera with a few small lenses that stay tucked away until I need them. Less fuss in my opinion, but I don't mind changing lenses. A three lens m4/3 kit fits in a very small bag compared to a three lens APS-C or full frame DSLR kit. I shoot with a Nikon D200 as well and sometimes, when I'm out for a shoot, I don't mind being "that guy" at all! But yes, there are times when I appreciate the fact that my GF1 with 20mm f/1.7 is compact and less noticeable.

Ciao,

Sean

sean000 said:

Where did you take the photo of the waterfall hitting the sandy beach? Cool shot. I like the one of the canyon as well. The first two photos didn't appear.

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It's Alamera Falls at Point Ryes. I think the pic is geotagged. It was kind of a shot which made me realize I couldn't take it without 7-14. The only PP on that shot is 'poor man HDR' alas lifting shadows and dropping highlights. Shooting RAW is AWESOME!

As for the post itself - it was meant to be kinda wet dream. I realize that I can't get what I want so I am sensing that sooner rather then later I am getting EPL1 as a body for 7-14 and I am going to make my dream compacts on my own, sorta 'proof of concept'. The extra stops on 7-14 thanks to IBIS body would come real handy sometimes.

Kuivaamo said:

...but at least some of your pictures are wow.

Click to expand...

Thank you!

Kuivaamo said:

I've found that a good balance between not being limited too much by my gear (i.e. having enough focal lengths), and not having my creativity limited by too much choice in gear at hand, is having two well chosen lenses. For my DSLR it's one fast standard zoom and a macro lens, and for m4/3 it seems to be a wide angle pancake and a tele zoom. Though I've just started out with the second combo, I'm determined to make it work for me.

Click to expand...

I strongly recommend 7-14. Great lens. I find myself 'all set' with 7-14 and 14-140, I don't use 20 much unless there is really insufficient light or I play with DOF. Having said that - if new Oly lenses 9-18 and 14-150 turn out to be good I might switch to these for the sake of portability.

kashtan said:

As for the post itself - it was meant to be kinda wet dream. I realize that I can't get what I want so I am sensing that sooner rather then later I am getting EPL1 as a body for 7-14 and I am going to make my dream compacts on my own, sorta 'proof of concept'.

Click to expand...

I'm waiting for the rumored 6.5mm-500mm F1:0.95 pancake m43 lens with OIS ..