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[OM] Re-post from DP Review forum (long but worth it)

Subject: [OM] Re-post from DP Review forum (long but worth it)
From: Jez.Cunningham@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 08:48:26 +0200
I think it's worth copying this to the list - it makes encouraging reading!
jez


Olympus SLR Talk
Subject    E10, 10D pro : Why 4/3 WILL succeed.
Posted by    David Nee  [CLICK FOR PROFILE]
Date/Time    4:09:29 PM, Monday, June 09, 2003

Hi all,

By way of introduction, since I've been here a 1.5 yrs but haven't posted
very often, I'm a 19 yr pro wedding/portrait guy. I've used Nikon,
Hasselblad, Mamiya TLR & 645, Bronica ETRSi, and since 12/01, 2 E10's, a
D30 & D60, and now a 10D. I've enjoyed using all of them - some more than
others. With over 20K images on my E10's, and over 30K images on my Canons,
I feel qualified to offer my take on the impending arrival of the 4/3
system. Many opinions have been voiced, with the majority wishing Oly would
"get it done already", and that it may be too little/too late. I
respectfully disagree, and anxiously await this new system's arrival.

Here's why I think it WILL succeed:


1) You can be late to the party, as long as you're dressed appropriately,
and know how to dance.

By this I mean a first-rate product can always be successful. Yes, many
have given up waiting on Oly, and moved on to other brands. Even though I
own and love my 10D, though, it's not perfect. Details to follow.

2) 5 MP is enough, if they're the RIGHT Megapixels.

I know many say that won't be enough, but I disagree. When I decided to go
all-digital, I sold my first E10, bought a used D30, and waited many weeks
for my new D60 to arrive. After doing an outdoor portrait of 3 sisters with
the D30, shooting at ISO 100 in RAW, A pro friend and I were blown away by
the quality of the 11x14 I made. We both felt it looked like 645 MF image
quality - no noise, perfect colors, and beautifully sharp. The quality of
the 3MP CMOS sensor was so good, I almost cancelled the D60 order for
another D30. I'm glad to have the extra resolution now, especially for
large groups and cropping, but it was a revelation. I also know pros who
use 4MP 1D's for weddings, and are thrilled with the output. With a sensor
that is 4x the surface area of the E10/20, the image quality CAN be plenty
good enough.

2a) The 6MP competition is REALLY just 5MP, too.

Don't shoot me - it's true. Every 10D wedding/portrait 8x10 I make starts
out as an 8x12 in-camera. Then 1/6 of every file gets removed in printing.
The same is true for every 4x5 proof, and every 16x20 wall print. In other
words, the 4/3 aspect ratio is much more efficient than the 3/2 ratio of
35mm. In America the 8x10 is king. That's 1 reason why I moved from square
format Hassy to 645. The 4/3 ratio of the E10 gives me an 8x10.66 inch
file, or 7x5.25 inch file. So all standard print sizes are very close to
what you see in the camera. I never re-canvas E10 files in Photoshop to fit
4x5 or 8x10 mat openings, but occasionally have to with Canon files. I WANT
a pro DSLR with a 4/3 aspect ratio, just like I had for years on my Bronica
ETRSI.

3) 4 lenses are enough to start with, because they're the RIGHT lenses.

Simply put, it's frustrating picking lenses for the 1.6x Canon crop factor.
To have the range and WA of Oly's standard 14-54mm (28-108 equiv) zoom, a
Canon guy needs a 17-40L and 28-70L to get quality. For portraits, I lived
for years with the Nikkor 105mm lens, and the Bronica ETR 150mm (90). A
50mm (80) often feels too short, but an 85mm (136) is often too long in the
studio. The Oly 50/2 will provide macro and the perfect 100mm effective
length. Sports guys get the 50-200 (100-400) and 300/2.8 (600), both
weighing much less than their Canon/Nikon counterparts. The zooms both use
67 mm filters. Assuming Oly adds a 10 or 12mm prime soon with the same 52mm
filter the 50/2 uses, they'll have the full range well covered.

4) The 4/3 will "just feel right".

Why? Look at every web story that has photos of the 4/3 system. What do you
see - a body that looks like a mature grown-up E series. Thank you Oly! In
all the years I've been a photographer, I've never had a camera "fit" me
better than the E10. The controls are exactly where I'd want and expect
them. The grip is perfect. The offset lens makes it so nice for left-eyed
photographers like me. The 4/3 carries on this tradition. Bring it on!

5) It WILL be fast enough, with better AF.

Look at the Oly 4/3 websites - the first adjective used on 1 of them is
speed. Oly knows image buffering speed is 1 of the 3 major complaints with
the E10/20, with AF performance another sore spot. They simply won't blow
it like they did with the E20. Count on it.

6) It WILL be lower noise.

The 4x larger sensor, especially if they stay at 5MP, will dramatically
improve the noise characteristics. With the 2 stops of extra DOF that the
4/3 chip gives over 35mm, and about 2/3 stop more than the 10D's 1.6x
sensor, I think the 4/3 just needs great quality at 400 ISO, with a useable
800.

7) It WILL be rugged.

Oly has committed to a pro-spec/build camera. From my experience with
E10's, it's a given. My pro friend works at Stratton Ski Resort here in VT,
and they bought 7 E10's when they first came out. None of them failed after
being used daily 3-5 hrs on average, in 0-30 F, high humidity conditions.
That's why I went with the E10 a year later for my ski photo business.
That's why I bought a 2nd E10 this past winter. In January, TRUST was my
E10 out in -2F weather on MLK Weekend for 3 hrs at a time, performing
perfectly with a DPS9000 attached. Trust is not merely given, it's earned.
I trust the E10 more than any other electronic camera I've ever owned, with
only the all-mechanical Nikon FM2 and Hassy 500CM's being better.

8) It WILL be ready.

With partner Kodak's 14N intro fiasco fresh on their minds, trust that the
4/3 system will be ready for sale WHEN it goes on sale.

9) It WILL be priced right - as long as IT'S RIGHT.

If the product is as good as it CAN be, pros will buy it. I'm 1 of them who
anxiously awaits it's arrival. Thanks for reading this long-winded opinion.
I truly believe Oly can and will be bringing out a great product soon. See
you then!!! Peace all! :-)

Dave




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