I need a new Body ??? (dont we all) LOL

[Roosta]

Fellow Oyl users, I would like to throw a question out there. I'm thinking of upgraging to ?
The trusty E-330 has treated me well. I was thinking of a price range $1000.00 to roughly $1700.00, Not sure whether to go for a body and lens deal, or spend the money on body alone.

I use my E-330 at the moment to get shots of my son playing rugby,(40 - 150mm) ( the 70 - 300mm lens option will come into play) and alot of sea/land scape, also I'm into 4wdriving. A good shutter speed and lens combo is my feel, Mr Wrotniak lists the E5-- and E6-- series used inconjunction with the 70 - 300 a great combo, when you get used to it.

Would like the advantage to use it at nigth alot more aswell. Moon, stars, long exp stuff.

Have recently acuried some Cokin P series filter, so lens size shouldn't be a worry. Other filters will-can be used on my exsisting lens.

Can you please list positives and negatives (if any with the good o'l Oly) you have had.

Many thanks in advance.

Anthony AKA Blue, It's a red head thing.

[piXelatedEmpire]

Hi Anthony,

I have been shotting with the Olympus E620 & 70-300mm lens combo since January, and I love it. I mostly take bird & wildlife images, so I think this particular lens would be suitable for sports photography, providing the lighting is good. I don't have any experience with long exposure photography. Check my site in my signature for some example images

The above combo is lightweight, takes excellent photo's in good light. The 600mm reach is terrific. I've found the sharpest results are at around f8.0 with this lens. The onboard IS works well with this lens as well, and I don't use a tripod. The E620 sensor performs reasobaly well in low light, I have numerous images with very little noise upto ISO 1000.

Can't list any negatives with the E620 at this stage, as I haven't experienced any. The 70-300mm is a bit slow, and does hunt a bit in low light (which is expected). But the IQ is terrific for the price.

I've recently upgraded to the 50-200 SWD lens and WOW.. amazing images.

I've read some very good things about the E30 as well. The 100% viewfinder is appealing to me.

Olympus are rumoured to be releasing a new camera this month, so perhaps it is advisable to wait and see what they release, as this would probably reduce the prices further of the current models.

Cheers

[Roosta]

Thanks Adam, have looked at your pictures before when discussing the two lens, The Finchs, great shots, did get the news about 2 new oly lenses of dpreview, will keep my eyes out for new camera. The 620 was recommended to me via a friend who is very happy with it, and I took my body to Camera Electronic here in Perth and trialed to SWD, very nice lens, also found the 300 quite suited to my needs, would ahve to play with speed - app and iso like you say, but rather spend the money on the body first, better lens next. Mr Wrotniak also rates both the E-30 and E-620 as very close, view finder like you say and size.

Thanks again.

[olympuse620]

I would wait till after photokina where possibly Olympus may introduce a new 4/3 body, this maybe what you are looking for or it may push the price of other bodies down (E3). Go with a body that has IS, I am not sure of what models this entails or not except I know that the e620 does. Having said all of that I would not spend too much on the body but would look more to money on lenses. But it all depends on what type of pics you want to take. I get the impression (as I am only new to this) that an exceptional lens will lift a lower model body but a kit lens will only ever get a certain result with minimal improvement putting it on a top model body. Hope that makes sense.

[gcflora]

A cheap lens on a top model body may even produce worse results than on a cheaper body, especially if the the top model has higher resolution, as the more advanced body may show up lens defects more prominently. The inverse situation (putting an expensive lens on a less advanced body) is not true -- better lens == better photos in general

[Roosta]

Thanks, Craig. Hadn't looked/thought of the kit lens to better body issues or lack of quality to resolution. I was looking at getting the 70 - 300mm lens and a better body, but had quite a lot of feedback to get the 50 - 200 swd lens instead. The E-330 hasn't been bad to my, so it's sounding like I should get the better lens and may-be up-date my body at a later date.

[Wulfys Kingdom]

Downside of a long lens on an E330 is more camera shake as the E330 doesnt have IS. I use my E330 with shorter lenses (particularly primes and wide open it produces some wonderful images) and when I had my E510 used the 50-200mm on it (although I've changed to the E3 now lol).

[Roosta]

Did you have any props, ie mono - tripod for E-330 with 50 - 200 swd, and if not what suscuss rates and type of shots where you taking.

If using prop, how did the combo go??

This is the lens i'm looking at buying and have used the lens on a trial shot and noticed the weight, but thought it would be ok with mono pole.

Thanks.

[Wulfys Kingdom]

I can't really answer that as I havent really used the 50-200 on the E330. But when I had the 18-180mm there was a slight blur in photos when I used it at 180mm and not on a tripod.

I use the 50-200mm with the EX25 though and it's very heavy to manage for macros in that set up so a monopod helps, but in bright sunshine I havent had a problem hand held on the E510 or E3.

In any longer focal length a tripod should help, but the advantage of upgrading to a newer olympus body would be the in body stabilisation.

You may find that getting the 50-200 lens to start with a good option, then in the near-mid future upgrade the body as well if you feel you need it?

The E330 is a nice camera still. When I had to decide which to upgrade, I gave my E510 the boot lol. I'm not sure exactly why I like it -- the colours seem richer too.

[russrad]

Hi
I was keen to get the 55-200 SWD and the 12-60 SWD which are really fine lenses, but they are heavy and I found them pretty unbalanced on my very light E620. The kit lenses and the 70-300 are great on the 620, but I reckon if you are going to use better quality Oly glass you will find the bigger body - say an E30 more balanced. Excellent deals at the moment on E30 at Digital Camera Warehouse $1099.
cheers
Russ

[Roosta]

Thanks again, do like the E-330, but IS seems like a good idea, will be getting the 50 - 200 soon, so I guess I will find out, might twist the handbrakes arm enough to update the body aswell, E-620 or E-3, not sure there ??? full focus is also a great feature, blah blah blah.

[Roosta]

Thanks Russ, will look into that, I use a mono for my longer lens work, as I tend to use it at high focal speed, My son plays rugby, so it will get alot of work in that situation. Will look at DCW. Didn't take the size-weight into concideration of the E-620. So again thanks.

[Wulfys Kingdom]

lol DCW is where mine came from. I've only made that one order from them but good service

[piXelatedEmpire]

I was keen to get the 55-200 SWD and the 12-60 SWD which are really fine lenses, but they are heavy and I found them pretty unbalanced on my very light E620.

I've not had a problem with the bigger lenses on the E620, with and without a monopod.

[Roosta]

Thanks for that Adam.