Thomas;
I'll take a shot at it. I searched the web this AM after the Mike Johnston
post, cause I figured now if they are going to do it, then I should find out
what it is.
Here's where I did some reading (although I think it's mainly a reprint of
an Olympus marketing sheet:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02092410olydak43inch.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0104/01042701newolykodakslr.asp
and here's some pictures:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02092411olympus43show.asp
Maybe y'all have seen this stuff before, but it's all new to me.
First thing I want to say is look at the size of the prototype! Holy smokes,
Batman, no resemblance at all to anything OM. Looks like a Canon wunderbrick
on steroids. Why so damn BIG?
Second: That doesn't look like an 'introductory-priced' model. Get yer
wallets out.
Third: All my Zuikos are now paperweights.
Fourth: ooops, I'm supposed to be describing why *to* buy it, not *not to*
huh? OK, I'll try again.
First: Image quality would be the best available for given #pixels,
assumming a quality lens. According to what I've read, and it does make
engineering sense, the camera, lens and sensors are designed to work
together from the start. Focussing the light to properly strike the sensor
is a big advantage to this. Whereas the Ni/Ca/Pe solutions are more of a
compromise, using existing lenses, albeit a compromise I wouldn't mind
having the option of for my Zuikos, but I'm getting off it again.
Second: Interchangeability. You could buy an Olympus body, or a Kodak body,
or a Fuji body ... same for lenses. Assuming the bodies and lenses will
more differentiated from each other than, say, a Buick from an Oldsmobile,
this is an important consideration. You wouldn't be locked into Fuji bodies
and Fuji lenses for instance. You could mix and match the features and
lenses you want.
Now, IMHO Olympus HAD to do this standard thing more than they WANTED to.
Precisely because of what you've described - gotta buy all new bodies and
all new lenses - it's a total system change. Kinda like APS maybe? Well,
hopefully that was a bad comparison.
So, consider this: if it was ONLY Olympus introducing an all-new system,
well, who's the target buyer? Us OM'ers? Maybe, but there ain't that many
of us, and lots of us feel screwed by Olympus, similar to what you've
expressed. How about Nikon and Canon users, both film and diggie? Can you
see them flocking to a new Olympus 'standard'? I don't think so. Same for
Pentax, Sigma, etc. They've all got their own migration paths. That leaves
unbiased pros who'll pick the best system available, and point 'n shooters
looking to move up. There ain't that many of either of those types of folks.
But with Kodak and Fuji joining in, there's some momentum and some
credibility.
Third: Lens size will be smaller. And that matters, check out this quote:
"The impact of the more compact lens size will be especially marked on
telephoto lenses, making it possible to produce a Four Thirds System 300 mm
telephoto lens, for example, that offers performance equivalent to a 600 mm
lens on a 35 mm film SLR camera." That's a big advantage. Course, if the
camera is as big as that prototype,...
More than that, I'm sure there is.
George
>
> Oh the 4/3......
>
> I was thinking....What would the reason be to buy into this system?
> It's a "new" system that takes all-new accessories and is still
> mostly vapor. All of us zuikoholics have already been told that we
> will be left high and dry with our prescious, which will not be
> compatible with the 4/3. Nor will lenses from any other manufacturer
> be compatible for that matter.
>
> I took the concequence myself, and bought into Pentax when Olympus
> announced what we alreay knew: that the OM was not only dying but
> dead. Pentax recently announced that they will be releasing the ist-D
> digital body, compatible with their (entire) K-mount series of
> lenses, and with a really small form-factor - something which thus
> far has been what the 4/3 has been all about.
>
> Of course for me, that is great - but it still leaves me wondering,
> what does the 4/3 system really have to offer anyone at this point in
> time? Want small: go ist-d. Want big and feature full: go D100. Want
> full-frame and IS, go D30. What would the catch-phrase for the 4/3
> be?
>
> Olympus/Kodak/Fuji really have me puzzled with the 4/3 - anyone knows
> anything?
>
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