Which Camera to dip toe in water

[Spy]

Re: Which Camera to dip toe in water

Thanks for the informative response.

Another question, I know they are different, but which is the better lens in terms of quality and value between the Panasonic kit 14-42mm and the Panasonic 14mm Asph Prime lens ?

I ask as I am contemplating one of the GF3 kits but if I get on with it, selling the GF3 body and keeping the lens to use on an OMD M5

[StephenL]

Re: Which Camera to dip toe in water

At some point you will want to go for the higher quality lenses and move to primes, I suspect. The 14mm Panny is a good lens with a reasonable maximum aperture. Might I suggest you partner it with the Oly 45mm?

As an aside, about 5 years ago I moved from Canon FF to Olympus, and have never looked back. With the E-M5 things are very rosy!

[DJMC]

[Spy]

Re: Which Camera to dip toe in water

You are not far wrong David.

One of the otehr reasons of dipping the toe in with a cheaper body is to see what happens on the OMD front i.e. price drop and/or new model in the winter.

My intention is to either get a used E-PL2 with Olympus lenses or a new GF3 with Panny lenses which I can then use on an OMD body.

There are two GF3 kits, one with a 14-42mm and one with a 14mm prime hence my question.

[DJMC]

Re: Which Camera to dip toe in water

You are not far wrong David.

One of the otehr reasons of dipping the toe in with a cheaper body is to see what happens on the OMD front i.e. price drop and/or new model in the winter.

My intention is to either get a used E-PL2 with Olympus lenses or a new GF3 with Panny lenses which I can then use on an OMD body.

There are two GF3 kits, one with a 14-42mm and one with a 14mm prime hence my question.

Having the XZ-1 with its great low f stop lens and the PL2 with not so great low light ability m14-150 lens, and always having been a zoom lens fan, I think it would be great to have the choice with the OM-D of zooms+high ISO or primes+cropping. The PL2 doesn't have either the high ISO capability or sensor size to do as well. Still way too pricey for me though!
Having said that, I could sell all my other 43 and m43 kit and afford one but the OM-D teething troubles would still make me wait for a successor.

[ayewing]

Re: Which Camera to dip toe in water

I am a very recent convert to Olympus having bought a OM-D E-M5 and so far I am very pleased with it. I previously had a Pentax K-5 which is about the smallest fully featured APS-C DSLR and has very good high ISO capabilities as well as good ergonomics. I had looked at the MFT systems previously but was put off by the sensor limitations and limited high ISO.

The OMD E-M5 is a "proper" camera with two control wheels as well as buttons and handling is not too different from a DSLR but without the weight and bulk. The advances in sensor technology have put it on a more equal footing with the APS-C DSLRS and the high ISO capabilities are at least as good. The built-in EVF is pretty good too. If you get a chance to handle an OMD that might be the clincher.

I must admit that in my case an additional attraction is the ability to use Leica (and other brands) lenses as I am a long time Leica user since film days.

If you can be patient and wait a bit the price of the OMD may fall but I get the impression that at present Olympus is selling then as fast as they can make them so it may be a few months before there is a significant drop.

Best of luck with your decision.

Archie