** Olympus E-520 or Canon - please help ***

[mazungu12]

Hello

I'm asking the community for their opinion - i used to shoot Canon before, and don't have any complaints really. I've always liked the Olympus line tho, and have shot C-8080 and others, and so i'm considering that with the prices of the new 50D hovering around $1400, it's a bit pricy for my application, which is mostly landscape shooting and street photography and

I know the 50D is not in the same niche as the E-520, but I'm not interested in doing a 1-to-1 compare of something in the Canon line that is equiv. to the E-520 like an XSI - my focus is only low light for astro/night, the 40D/50D are better. (long explanation)

The Olympus E-520 with Kit lens costs around $650 where I live, and therefore the price delta between the 50D and E-520 would let me save almost $800.

So I ask Olympus folks - based on my requirements above, can i safely switch loyalties back to Olympus and if i go to the E-520, are any of these concerns going to be an issue for me?

1) the reports of dynamic range issues? (i.e. highlight clipping) ?

2) will night shooting with the Oly-520 result in any dynamic range problems for me? Is the noise at ISO 800/1600 going to be so obstrusive for my night shots it's not going to be worthwhile? In other words, is the Oly-520 a good low light camera?

3) Can any of you folks provide an extremely sharp lens in the mid-telephoto range that I can use for razor sharp landscape shots?

thank-you to everyone who can help answer my questions.

cheers

kari

 

[Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov]

The Olympus E-520 with Kit lens costs around $650 where I live, and
therefore the price delta between the 50D and E-520 would let me save
almost $800.

That answers your question right there.

So I ask Olympus folks - based on my requirements above, can i safely
switch loyalties back to Olympus and if i go to the E-520, are any of
these concerns going to be an issue for me?

1) the reports of dynamic range issues? (i.e. highlight clipping) ?

2) will night shooting with the Oly-520 result in any dynamic range
problems for me? Is the noise at ISO 800/1600 going to be so
obstrusive for my night shots it's not going to be worthwhile? In
other words, is the Oly-520 a good low light camera?

No one can say what will be a problem for you. You'll just have to look at pics and tests and make that conclusion for yourself.

Of course, the E520 will have more noise at higher ISOs, but it has in-camera IS, so many times it can actually use a lower ISO. Then again, if you're using a tripod, you won't need high ISOs at all unless you're shooting moving subjects.

3) Can any of you folks provide an extremely sharp lens in the
mid-telephoto range that I can use for razor sharp landscape shots?

The 12-60/2.8-4 is your friend.

thank-you to everyone who can help answer my questions.

Look, there are people that will swear up and down that the 50D is the way to go, others will tell you only a fool buys something other than Olympus. Still others will say that the only way to take a decent pic is with FF.

So, what can you believe? That the E520 costs $800 less and does a pretty good job for what you want to do. But you're a fool if you don't buy a 1DsIII. J/K!

 

[jimbeaux]

It's all about the Glass... Canon is not consistent and can't compete with Olympus qaulity.

 

[Clark666]

Street photography is more difficult with the E-520 because of slower autofocus and noisier high-ISO images. Of course, you can just use bursts for street photography and live with the lower success rate. The in-body IS will help you get shots that the 50D won't allow without using a higher ISO.

I am willing to bet that a 15 MP 50D landscape photo will look better than a 10 MP E-520 image.

If you use AEB for your landscape photos, you need to also get a remote cable, the infra-red RM-1 requires pressing the release three separate times; of course the 50D doesn't use an infra-red remote, so you need a cable for that too!
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75673106@N00/

 

[Darrell500]

I am willing to bet that a 15 MP 50D landscape photo will look better
than a 10 MP E-520 image.

Thanks for the link to your gallery some very nice photos. I will take issue with you though if you are saying that more megapixels make better pictures. Maybe the $800 more 50D will take a better pictures but are you saying it's do to megapixels? As for real life though, average folks like me won't be able to see any difference. Believe me I have tried comparing the E-520 photos on this site to the recently posted 50d's, I think the E-520's look better to my untrained eye. Anyway to each his own, I would pocket the $800 or better yet sell the 14-42mm kit lens and use the money saved to purchase the 12-60mm.

Darrell

 

[Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov]

It's all about the Glass...

It's not all about the glass. It's all about the system, your needs, your wants, your ability, and what you can afford.

Canon is not consistent and can't compete with Olympus qaulity.

Canon, like all the other systems, delivers IQ well beyond the ability of most photographers. To say that Canon cannot compete with Olympus' quality is like saying Olympus cannot compete with Canon's technology. Blanket statements like that are just fuel for silly back and forth arguments that go nowhere.

 

[gnarayan]

look there is plenty of glass capable of razor sharp landscapes

The reports of highlight clipping are slightly overblown but I'd suggest making up your own mind on this by downloading plenty of available RAW files and simply playing with them.

The IS with the 520 can help a lot with lowlight but not easily with motion blur - there are plenty of examples of lowlight street photography on flickr with a 510 or 520 to judge. Obviously they are with appropriate lenses - trying to use the kit lens for street photography at night is not exactly the best idea but it is possible.

The real headache here is astrophotography - the cameras are limited to 30 minute exposures maximum and you want to use ISO 400 or lower IMHO. You can and indeed ought to stack but this is not really the strong suit of the camera.

--
C&C always welcome.
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarayan/

 

[dgrogers]

It's all about the Glass...

It's not all about the glass. It's all about the system, your needs,
your wants, your ability, and what you can afford.

Canon is not consistent and can't compete with Olympus qaulity.

Canon, like all the other systems, delivers IQ well beyond the
ability of most photographers. To say that Canon cannot compete with
Olympus' quality is like saying Olympus cannot compete with Canon's
technology. Blanket statements like that are just fuel for silly
back and forth arguments that go nowhere.

Have you seen the results from the 50mm 1.4 review? No wonder you don't think it's all about the glass.....

Kidding....but the funny thing is I do think Canon has better technology and Olympus has higher quality glass. JMHO.

--
dgrogers

http://www.pbase.com/drog

 

[Bijan_iran]

I have E-520 and yet to find te optimum setting to avoid BANDING even at ISO100! Same pictures taken by C-8080 in identical settings, conditions do not show anything like that. The noise of 8080 pictures can be handled by Ninja, but E-520 banding is there to stay!

I would say if you do street photography at nights, even 12-60 may not save you from BANDING issue, but would give you sharper pictures.

 

[photo_owl]

I have E-520 and yet to find te optimum setting to avoid BANDING even
at ISO100! Same pictures taken by C-8080 in identical settings,
conditions do not show anything like that. The noise of 8080 pictures
can be handled by Ninja, but E-520 banding is there to stay!

I would say if you do street photography at nights, even 12-60 may
not save you from BANDING issue, but would give you sharper pictures.

nice of you to pop in shouting that at the top of your voice - especially as it's the first time you have mentioned this here.

to the OP - I also think that if you are setting out to buy into a system with astro as a critical (even of small) element then I wouldn't get the 4/3rds. You are simply not playing to it's strengths. I would recommend that you get the canon or nikon.

--

• enjoy your camera equipment -

 

[bjarne]

There are probably as many concerns and deciding factors as there are photographers. Trying to compare cameras or systems on a simple linear scale is futile.

What decided me on Olympus was a weekend shooting with my son's excellent Cannon with an L-series zoom covering the range I knew I'd use most. I liked the feel and the images, but the weight got to me.

So, for me, quality/weight was the deciding measure (not the only one, e.g. I used OMs for a long time, just the deciding one).

 

[Wolfe_boy]

(My first post, so please be gentle...)

I just went through the same discussion with myself.... XS1 vs. e-520... went with the Olympus because of the ergonomics and the fact that in the photography I do (mostly daylight, people shots, nature, etc.) any performance limitations related to high iso's will be negligible. So, to answer your questions as well as I can...

1. DR might be smaller than Nikon/Canon, but I find it to be perfectly usable in a variety of lighting situations. You just need to be aware of it. No camera will take a picture spanning 12EV, and even 10EV is pushing it with most cameras. Shoot accordingly.

2. High ISO on the e-520 isn't disappointing, but the quality does degrade. It degrades on an XSi as well, which I would assume to have similar performance to a 50D, but not as much. In my own personal testing, Canon deals with 800-1600 ISO's better.

3. 12-60 SWD for certain. I'd also let you know about the 50mm 2.0 (100mm equiv). It's sharp, and 100mm is about mid-tele range, and it's sharp as can be. I lust after this lens, and the guys down at Don's & McBain's are tired of me looking at it. Next year, I think it'll be mine.

Good luck!

 

[SirSeth]

Both routes are good, but may not be equally good for you. I'd say you have to try both cameras in the store. I like Oly. Canon is all right, but the marketing blitz and the one minded users (not even camera related issues) get me down. It just so happens, though that Oly meets my needs.

Now, I've tried night photography with my E-1. It's just not a strength. I don't know about other Oly cameras, but the E-1, "bleck!" It's good at many other things and I adore it. From what I've seen, the 5D is the best for night shots. I'd look for a used one. I can also image that the 40D would best 4/3rds for night. Look for a used one.

But like you say, for your budget, an E-520 is a very good choice for 90% of the other shots. I'd vote trying both, and you could always get an old film SLR for astrophotography with either choice.

Cheerio,
Seth

--
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?

--
wallygoots.smugmug.com
wallygoots.blogspot.com

 

[Dennis_tennis]

Based on your post. You are price sensitive hence I would say go with the E520 which cost lots less and is a big bang for the buck camera.

Whatever limitations you face, you can deal with. the 14-54 is a good choice if you don't need that much telephoto.

 

[mazungu12]

Thanks everyone who replied my post - I picked up the E-520 with 12-42mm and so far have been more than pleased with the output.

I have noticed that when I zoom in 14x, the edges are bit jaggy compared to the XSI (in tests), however that is of little concern to me. Does anyone know what the % zoom factor the 14X is equivalent to? Is it 140% zoom?

I am now going to set aside the $ i saved by not going to the 50D for the f2.8 lens that was recommended here.

I have not yet tried the astrophotography, we will see.. however I am enjoying the camera too much and the Image Stabilization (IS) is fantastic.

cheers

kari

 

[BushmanOrig]

If you ever wonder, make a nice A4 print of one of your best pictures and you will have enough motivation to try your best to get another 100 good ones.

Never fall into the trap of joining the PC gang sitting in dark smoke filled rooms studying bad quality pictures they took in their backyards at pixel level to screem their findings on forums....

Hope you have a great time with that new lens of yours........I will also be off to the shops today, hmmm

Best

Siegfried

--
Community of Photographers
http://www.photographyisfun.ch

 

[olycan]

good choice and please do post some pics..