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Thinking of picking up a DSLR. - Page 2

post #16 of 214
5/20/07 at 3:46pm
From what i've read on 4:3 systems, since the lens and the sensors were both designed hand and hand for digital and for the exact sensor size, that there is no cropping when the image comes through the lens like there is with 35mm lenses that are used on dslrs. And if i remember corrctly, the viewfinder on my e-300 is like only 95% or 98% of the actual image.

More info -> http://www.olympus-europa.com/consumer/dslr_7045.htm
and -> http://www.four-thirds.org/en/about/benefit.html
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post #17 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermitt View Post
A 4:3 'Lens' system is not 'way' smaller than any of the other dslr sensors.
good article -> http://www.calicocat.com/2005/01/oly...-standard.html

In fact, the multiplier for 4:3 lenses is X2 so a 50mm lens is equivilant to a 100mm in 35mm format. My 50mm/f2.0 Zuiko was almost $500
Well that is exactly my point, since the 'four thirds' system uses a smaller sensor, the crop factor increases (to 2.0) compared to Nikkon's and Pentax' (both crop factor 1.5) and Canon's (1.6) sensors.

I do not say that Olympus' Fourthirds aren't any good (nothing less then the competition), but i wouldn't recommend them as a first DSLR, this because (at least as far as i know within the Netherlands) wider angle (which you'll need to get the same effect) means less common and pricier.
I haven't done a huge amount of research for lenses for the Fourthirds system but i do think the 2x crop factor limits the maximum wide angle (non-fish eye).

Unless you already know you aren't going to use 'extreme' wide angles, or i am terribly wrong, i stand my point that a Olympus isn't a great ''my first DSLR''.

[Edit: oh, i see that this ain't the problem as jjcha said, .....still, my logic sense make me think otherwise though]

Btw, live-view is kinda strange in a DSLR, but handy for someone who wants a a PnS like system. (however i don't like the way Olympus integrated it in their DSLR, the bad color preview, and that the picture is angled for example (both mode-A))
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post #18 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:21pm
I'm thinking of getting a DSLR as well.
Lens question:
What's the difference between a EF-S 18-55mm lens and a EF 50mm f/1.8?
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post #19 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:24pm
My oly (e-300) doesn't have any live 'preview' that displays on the lcd. but i can preview through the viewfinder by having the mirror swing out of the way and see what the sensor is seeing.
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post #20 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickknutson View Post
I'm thinking of getting a DSLR as well.
Lens question:
What's the difference between a EF-S 18-55mm lens and a EF 50mm f/1.8?

The EF-S 18-55mm lens is a zoom lens, most of the time kit lenses have a aperture of f/3.5-5.6, a average amount of light sensitivity.

The EF 50mm f/1.8 is a prime, a non-zoom lens. Primes gives a few advantages compared to zoom-ers as they are specifically made for a single focal length only.

Less chromatic aberration (purple fringing at high contrast points)
Less distortion
More sensitive to light (in same price class)
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post #21 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickknutson View Post
Lens question:
What's the difference between a EF-S 18-55mm lens and a EF 50mm f/1.8?
EF-S only works with Canons that have a crop like the Rebel series and 30D. If you want to use your lenses with film cameras, or if you think you'll upgrade to a 5D or 1D series...then you may just want to focus on EF lenses.

The EF 50mm is a standard "normal" lens on a 35mm camera (or 1Ds/5D). It's a fixed prime, so it's going to have better optics then the 18-55mm zoom. General rule of thumb is that a prime will be sharper and faster then a zoom (at least at similar price points). The EF-S 18-55 on a rebel would roughly be the same as a 24-85mm lens on a 35mm camera. While the optics may not be as good as the 50mm prime, it will be more versatile and let you configure it to be wide, normal, or telephoto (though it's not terribly wide nor telephoto). With the 50mm on a 1.6x crop body, the lens is going to act more like a telephoto portrait lens. You'll have to step back further if you're going to frame a closer object. The maximum aperture for the 50mm is 1.8, while the EF-S is 3.5-5.6. This means that you'll need slower shutter speeds, and will possibly have more issues with motion burr/ camera shake in low light with a smaller aperture.

So those are the pros/cons of a 50mm prime vs 18-55mm zoom
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post #22 of 214
5/20/07 at 4:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermitt View Post
My oly (e-300) doesn't have any live 'preview' that displays on the lcd. but i can preview through the viewfinder by having the mirror swing out of the way and see what the sensor is seeing.
. . . I'm not sure if i get this correctly, . . . that what you are explaining is the whole point of a SLR right?


[edit] after re-reading this about 4 times, i really have to give Olympus some Kudo's.
.. sooooooo, the mirror swings out of the path to the optical viewfinder, so the CCD gets the picture, then somehow you can preview it on that very same viewfinder ????
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post #23 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Nobax View Post
The EF 50mm f/1.8 is a prime, a non-zoom lens. Primes gives a few advantages compared to zoom-ers as they are specifically made for a single focal length only.

Less chromatic aberration (purple fringing at high contrast points)
Less distortion
More sensitive to light (in same price class)
Many of these characteristics are from the optics of a lens: I wouldn't say that a prime or zoom would automatically have better distortion or CA. Focal length has an effect on lens distortion, and it will be evident whether the lens is fixed or variable focal length. A poorly designed lens is going to emphasize CA, lens distortion, have flare up, and will not have good bokeh.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Nobax View Post
. . . I'm not sure if i get this correctly, . . . that what you are explaining is the whole point of a SLR right?
Seems various dSLR makers are looking at ways of draining the battery life in order to get live preview Olympus and now the Canon 1D MkIII. Looks like the Olympus 330 has two ways of live preview...one of which is the method that Hermitt describes:
Quote:
The E-330 achieves live view in one of two ways; in A Mode ('Full-time live view') the mirror stays in place and you can continue to use the viewfinder, the live view image is produced using a small secondary CCD sensor in the viewfinder chamber (as suggested by me five years ago). In B Mode ('Macro live view') the mirror flips up, the shutter opens and the live view is provided by the E-330's unique 'Live MOS' sensor. There are significant differences between the two modes:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse330/
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post #24 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Davesrose View Post
Seems various dSLR makers are looking at ways of draining the battery life in order to get live preview Olympus and now the Canon 1D MkIII. Looks like the Olympus 330 has two ways of live preview...one of which is the method that Hermitt describes:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse330/
Hermitt has a E-300, that thingy hasn't got the Live-Preview. But i think its infused with some very strong magic, i guess.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Myself, Sir Nobax
[edit] after re-reading this about 4 times, i really have to give Olympus some Kudo's.
.. sooooooo, the mirror swings out of the path to the optical viewfinder, so the CCD gets the picture, then somehow you can preview it on that very same viewfinder ????
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post #25 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Figo View Post
I just bought a D50 as my first real camera and couldn't be happier - I'd never taken anything beyond random snapshots with P&S before.

The main problem is the nightmares about having the D50 stolen :P (especially in Spain....)
You can get insurance to cover your camera and your lenses. The added insurance is very cheap and covers any kind of loss including dropping a lens and breaking it.
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post #26 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Nobax View Post
Hermitt has a E-300, that thingy hasn't got the Live-Preview. But i think its infused with some very strong magic, i guess.
oh....OK, I just looked up the E-300 now DPreview doesn't say anything, but maybe Olympus put this function in in a firmware upgrade. Instead of viewfinder, I think Hermitt meant LCD panel. It looks like the E-300 doesn't have a viewfinder prism, but uses a series of mirrors instead. One main mirror is what swings and exposes the sensor. Since it swings, I wouldn't think it's semi-transparent. Canon developed some fancy mirror that can both reflect light up to the viewfinder, but also pass it on to the sensor for live preview on their Mk III. IMO, these just eat up your batteries....the whole point of me getting a dSLR was so that I wouldn't be using the LCD as much!!!!!!

Quote:
The E-300's optical porro finder uses four mirrors (one sideways swinging) to bend the light up from the lens and to the viewfinder eyepiece. This design allows Olympus to keep the dimensions of the camera down but as discussed leaves it looking unconventional. The actual view is slightly darker than the E-1, it's also a little more 'tunnel like'. The viewfinder does feature a dioptre adjustment wheel on its left side.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse300/page3.asp
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post #27 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Davesrose View Post
EF-S only works with Canons that have a crop like the Rebel series and 30D. If you want to use your lenses with film cameras, or if you think you'll upgrade to a 5D or 1D series...then you may just want to focus on EF lenses.

The EF 50mm is a standard "normal" lens on a 35mm camera (or 1Ds/5D). It's a fixed prime, so it's going to have better optics then the 18-55mm zoom. General rule of thumb is that a prime will be sharper and faster then a zoom (at least at similar price points). The EF-S 18-55 on a rebel would roughly be the same as a 24-85mm lens on a 35mm camera. While the optics may not be as good as the 50mm prime, it will be more versatile and let you configure it to be wide, normal, or telephoto (though it's not terribly wide nor telephoto). With the 50mm on a 1.6x crop body, the lens is going to act more like a telephoto portrait lens. You'll have to step back further if you're going to frame a closer object. The maximum aperture for the 50mm is 1.8, while the EF-S is 3.5-5.6. This means that you'll need slower shutter speeds, and will possibly have more issues with motion burr/ camera shake in low light with a smaller aperture.

So those are the pros/cons of a 50mm prime vs 18-55mm zoom
Thanks for the information! Very informative.
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post #28 of 214
5/20/07 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Nobax View Post
. . . I'm not sure if i get this correctly, . . . that what you are explaining is the whole point of a SLR right?


[edit] after re-reading this about 4 times, i really have to give Olympus some Kudo's.
.. sooooooo, the mirror swings out of the path to the optical viewfinder, so the CCD gets the picture, then somehow you can preview it on that very same viewfinder ????
Exactly When i set my OK button to 'preview' and i press it, i can hear the mirror swing out of the way and you can actually ever so slightly see the contrast and/or exposure change while still looking through the viewfinder. The E-300 doesn't have a prism 'hump'. the mirror swings to the side. It was a firmware upgrade to add that feature to the e-300, and no, it's not the lcd. The lcd only shows the photo 'after' it is shot.

Edit: After trying to find the specifics, it is called DOF preview and was included in the original firmware version. "To act as a Depth of Field Preview, closing down the diaphragm to the selected aperture so that the field of view can be seen in the viewfinder."

Edit: I guess the way that I understand this is that with dslrs, the apreture doesn't move until after you click the shutter button, the DOF preview actually closes the lens to the selected apreture setting for you to view the desired results before snapping the photo. So I was mistaken about it showing what would be the sensor's view.
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post #29 of 214
5/20/07 at 6:22pm
One thing that I've found while using the 50mm fixed lens is that you have to keep moving back farther aaway to get more of anything into the frame. I guess that is one of the biggest conviences of having the tele and zoom lenses on hand
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post #30 of 214
5/20/07 at 7:41pm
i just helped to shoot a wedding yesterday.

put it short ... i was the only one shooting with a nikon. everyone else had canons. i bought a nikon for the build quality and ergonomics. canons are cheaper than nikons and have better noise levels than the nikons. my advice ... buy a canon 350d(rebel xt) or a 400d (rebel xti) if you can afford the extra for the xti.

you'll be better served if you want to try out lenses and there will be more spare batteries around etc etc (and i bet canon don't have a problem with lense supply whereas nikon do ... although i believe nikon glass is better than canon glass)
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