Digital Camera Buyers' Guide - Year of the SLR
by Wesley Fink on November 23, 2007 6:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
Prosumer Picks
Photo Hobbyists usually have an investment in a particular lens line and that influences their buying decision. It also seems emotions run high among photography hobbyists, so we wouldn't dare make a hard recommendation in the prosumer area or we'd be ducking rocks. However, it is hard to ignore the Sony A700 with the incredible AF speed, shooting speed, body-integral image stabilization that works with all lenses, and the same 12.2MP CMOS sensor as the coming Nikon D300 - a camera that will cost around $1800. There is also the gorgeous hi-res 3" screen. The D700 is a fantastic camera body.
The problem with Sony right now, however, is that the existing inventory of Minolta lenses is dwindling and prices are increasing for good used Minolta lenses. Sony hasn't introduced enough new Sony and Carl Zeiss lenses to fill the void - or at the very least Sony hasn't shipped the ones they've previously discussed. The ones they have shipped are also very expensive compared to any competing system. Perhaps the A700 is the push Sony needs to do something positive about a better and more available selection of lenses, which is the reason to own an SLR in the first place.
Nikon and Canon have the lens area covered in spades, but the Canon 40D, while a very capable camera, breaks little new ground. It is very fast in focusing but the sensor is the same resolution as the entry Canon XTi and the AF module appears similar to the 30D. The only real improvement is a faster new Digic III processor. You do get auto sensor cleaning carried over from the XTi, a 3" screen that is unfortunately low-res compared to the Sony and Nikon, a very fast 6.5FPS shooting speed, and Live View, copied from Olympus.
The Nikon D300 has that gorgeous 3" screen like the Sony and the fast, low-noise 12.2MP sensor further improved by Nikon electronics expertise. The only real feature you get on the Nikon that's missing from the Sony A700 is Live View. Nikon also introduces their first auto sensor cleaning system. Veterans will tell you that the most important feature you get is the Nikon lens family.
The Olympus E-3 breaks new ground for Olympus. If you consider it a full pro model with the full dust and splash sealing, it is a bargain at around $1699. It also is a long overdue update for the outdated Olympus AF modules in past Olympus DSLR cameras. Olympus has improved the AF with each new model line but 3-point AF just wasn't competitive. The new Olympus system is competitive and very fast and it will likely find its way into cheaper future Olympus cameras.
While we weren't really watching Olympus has put together a really impressive lens line up for 4/3 cameras, with many very fast f2.8 and f2.0 zoom lenses, an 8mm fisheye, fast super wide zooms, some of the longest telephoto lenses available in any system, and a group of very good performing and cheap kit lenses. Leica and Sigma have also added a few 4/3 mount gems. If it isn't already too late, those looking at the current Olympus 4/3 system are likely to be very pleasantly surprised.
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Wesley Fink - Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - link
I'm sure the answer to a better Photo Editor would be you. We understand you are disappointed that Anand did not hire you to write for AT, but the years of criticizing the Editors he did choose to hire is getting very tiring. You really need to get over it and move on.KorruptioN - Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - link
Burn.strikeback03 - Monday, November 26, 2007 - link
The Sigma lenses for 4/3 are not designs purely for 4/3 as the Oly lenses are - they are mount adaptations of existing lenses such as the Bigma.Some notes on the different implementations of AF in Live View between the different manufacturers might have been useful, as well as noting that the best AF performance will still be obtained through use of the real viewfinder.
Finally I agree with the need to go physically try a camera before buying. For example the reviews at DPReview typically complain about the grip of the 400D/XTi, while praising the A100. However I find that the 400D is much more comfortable as my pinkie just curls up below the body, while on the A100 the grip is too long to do that, but too short for the pinkie to actually grab, so my pinkie just kinda hangs in space.
melgross - Monday, November 26, 2007 - link
[quote]The Sigma lenses for 4/3 are not designs purely for 4/3 as the Oly lenses are - they are mount adaptations of existing lenses such as the Bigma. [/quote]That's correct.
As far as I'm concerned, the 4/3 system, which I was initially excited about upon its announcement, is not worth the long term purchase of the equipment.
Olympus could have used the image circle of the APS C sensor for a larger image sensor, which could have been done, but chose not to. So, instead of having a magnification of possibly 1.4 to 1.3x, it's 2x. A poor choice. Also, if they hadn't done that, all APS C sensor lenses would have the same magnification as Olympus's lenses, and better S/N, rather than worse.
As they made no concession to size when designing the cameras and lenses for this system, there is no advantage there either.
It seems to be a bastard system to me, and conveys no advantage.
frombauer - Monday, November 26, 2007 - link
... the largest (or tiniest) problem with 4/3 cameras like the Olympus. The ridiculously small and dim viewfinder. It's like looking through a small tunnel. Simply not practical. Just looking at any Nikon or Canon VF makes a world of a difference. I'm not even talking about the 5D.Wesley Fink - Monday, November 26, 2007 - link
I generally agree, and even the Pro E-1 was pretty small and dim. However,Look throught the E-3 viewfinder with a standard 1.15x viewfinder. I suspect any doubts that a 4/3 viewfinder can be huge, bright, and very easy to use will disappear. It took a few years but the E-3 viewfinder is definitely a huge leap forward for the 4/3 system.Johnmcl7 - Saturday, November 24, 2007 - link
The Digilux 3 is the Leica branded version of the Panasonic DMC-L1 and they're both relatively hefty cameras when compared to the smaller E-410/E-510 cameras or even their Olympus sibling the E-330. Although not anywhere near as big as something like the 5D, the Digilux 3 is bigger than the E-510.The Digilux 2 was a smaller camera (Leica version of the Panasonic LC-1) which may be the one you're thinking of although this wasn't an SLR despite the similarity in design to the L1/Digilux 3.
Also, the E-3 doesn't have a lens cleaning feature:
"The E-3 is also the first Olympus pro model to feature built-in flash, and it's dust and splash sealed. Auto lens cleaning is a feature, image stabilization is built in and works with all lenses, and the latest incarnation of Live View with a fold out articulating LCD screen is featured."
I assume you're referring to the sensor cleaning feature?
This section refers to the E-510 having multiple cross type sensors:
"However, the autofocus is still a weakness in an otherwise very capable system. It uses the somewhat dated 3-point autofocus, but cross sensors provide for greater sensitivity. "
Or at least that's how I read it, of the three AF points only one of them is a cross type (the centre one) while the other two are vertical only.
John
Johnmcl7 - Saturday, November 24, 2007 - link
...turns out it was posting them despite it erroring and not showing initially...Wesley Fink - Saturday, November 24, 2007 - link
Yes I was thinking of the 2 as they long similar. Thanks for the info. I have corrected the reference.Johnmcl7 - Sunday, November 25, 2007 - link
Thanks for the correction, the other errors (E-3 lens cleaning and E-510 AF) are still there though.John