Invest further in Oly gear?

[KYclimberAdam]

Hi,
I have an E-420 that I purchased as my first DSLR about three years ago. Since then I've spent loads of time snapping pictures and exploring the function of my camera. These days I'm to a point where I confidently shoot in full manual mode all of the time. That said, all I've ever used is the kit 14-42 kit lens.

On a recent trip to Costa Rica I started feeling like I wanted something other than the standard kit lens. I wanted a bigger zoom for wild life and something faster for sunsets, dense forests, etc. So, when I got back in the states, I started looking for a good normal prime that is fast and a zoom lens.

The real problem is that I'm just not convinced I want to invest further in the 4/3rds system. With Olympus discontinuing all of the three and two digit E-series cameras I can't convince myself that spending money on glass for the 4/3rds format is really a good idea. I want to justify buying nice glass by thinking that it will be usable on a nicer camera down the road. However, in the time since I bought my 420 (early 2009) Olympus has released only one new camera, the E-5 which doesn't spark any lust in my eyes.

I love my 420 because of it's small size and portability. I can easily take it backpacking, rock climbing, etc and I've used in on many multi-week alpine excursions. However, lately I'm wondering if it is just too much of a compromise in all fronts. Now that mirror less systems are growing in popularity, finding something that takes as good or better pictures that is more compact and lighter seems very possible. And the flagship models from other brands seem to far outshine my 420 and even the e-5 (based on tech specs and everything I read online).

Maybe I would be better off with something like the PEN (or other mirroless system) for use on backpacking and climbing trips and a higher end DSLR (pentax k-5 is luring me in) for actual photography.

Am I overreacting? I feel like if there is a chance I'm going to switch systems then I should do it now, while I'm not heavily invested in Olympus. But I love my 420 so much.

If you're an olympus user that thinks I can justify investing further in this system, can you recommend any lenses in particular for shooting outdoor activities such as rock climbing, cycling, and landscapes? I also enjoy street photography from time to time.

Thanks so much for any input you may have on my situation.

[ssssnake529]

I really believe that you will be happier with a mirrorless camera system.

Your described uses sound very similar to mine. I climb, backcountry ski, backpack, etc. and have found that reducing the bulk and weight of my camera system is very useful.

A mirrorless camera not only reduces the size of the camera, but the mirrorless design also allows the lens to be smaller as well.

It sounds like you don't currenly have a big investment in your current DSLR system. My advice would be to change over to a mirrorless system.

That said, there are a bunch of mirrorless options right now.

I use an Olympus PEN camera (E-P2) . Advantages are that it is relatively small and compact, it has in-camera stabilization, and there are a number of very good lenses available for the micro 4/3 format. Olympus 9-18 zoom; Panasonic 20mm prime; Olympus 45mm prime are three excellent "native" micro 4/3 lenses that would cover all the bases except for a long "wildlife" zoom. For a long zoom, you could either get a native micro 4/3 lens like the Olympus 40-150, or get a fast non-zoom telephoto with a micro 4/3 adapter.

Disadvantages of the PEN system cameras are that the 4/3 sensor size is not as big as some of the newest competitors, which means that their high ISO/low light performance won't match the bigger sensor cameras. (although the in-camera image stabilization will allow you to shoot lower ISO without hand-shake in many situations.) Another disadvantage is that the PEN system requires a separate, accessory view finder if you want to use a viewfinder to compose your pictures rather than use the LCD screen.

The newer competitors to the PEN cameras tend to use slightly larger sensors, which can provide slightly higher image quality (although 4/3 is already really good) and better high ISO performance. The Sony NEX-7 is probably the leader in mirrorless cameras right now, and the newly announced Fujifilm X-Pro1 is likewise a contender for the top spot. Both of these are almost full frame sensor cameras, with pro-level features.
However, these cameras are significantly more expensive than the PENs, and the lens selection is pretty sparse right now compared with the array of lenses available for the PEN. The combination of the camera and lens for the NEX and the Fuji are also bulkier than the equivalent camera/lens combo for the PEN.

If I were in your shoes, I would base my decision in part on timing. If you feel the need to upgrade in the next 12 months, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a PEN camera (make sure you get one that has the viewfinder accessory) and some nice micro 4/3 lenses to go with it. You will find that it delivers excellent image quality, and terrific creative control in a very compact package. However, if you are in no hurry, (and you can afford the significantly higher prices) you can wait and see if the NEX-7 or X-Pro1 systems are more to your liking. (Right now, the X-Pro 1 isn't actually for sale, and the NEX-7 lens selection is very sparse.)

I've been very happy with my PEN E-P2. That said, I am always intrigued by new things, and the NEX-7 and X-Pro 1 look to be very excellent options as well.

I hope this helps some.

[xinman]

I have an e-620 that I love and have been very happy with. I'm not quite ready to upgrade but I somehow doubt that I will be sticking with Olympus. Here's my reasons. Even if they have awesome glass they have shown me they are willing to drop an entire line from their cameras, a line which I felt I belonged to. I don't feel like upgrading to the next step and the smaller cameras aren't really for me. Also, the accessories built for Olympus seem to be less available. I was looking for radio flash triggers and none of them support ttl flash like they do for other brands. And lastly, you have to take into account the scandal that broke around October last year with Olympus. That could kill there company in the end. When I am ready for an upgrade I will likely look at Canon, I've always loved their cameras in the past.

Just my 2 cents.

[KYclimberAdam]

Thanks for the input guys.

I went by my local camera shop today. I like the staff there and I respect what they have to say.

I first started looking at some lenses to fit my 420 just to see what they had. But when I started talking to David (the guy at the store) he, in a round about way, brought up the same conclusion I'd already reached. Investing further in Olympus isn't really a good idea right now. I don't feel like he was just trying to sell me a new camera since they don't even have in stock, and don't know when they are going to get the camera I was interested in, the Nikon d7000.

I held the d7000 and WOW, it felt intuitive and the location of the aperture/shutter dials was exactly where my fingers fell when gripping the camera. The one thing I didn't like was having to press a couple of buttons to get to the ISO setting. I think it was something like "INFO->ISO->scroll to selection". Looking at the manual online, it seems that first press might not be necessary, but that is how the shop guy showed me to do it.
The body really felt like it was molded from my hand and that was definitely more important.

I picked up a Cannon 60D and didn't like it nearly as much. I had to 'reach' for the adjustments and the grip didn't feel nearly as comfy.

I wish someone in town carried Pentax because I'm really interested in the K-5. I'd like to see how it feels in hand compared to the d7000. THe controls look much the same, so maybe it would be similar. I also think the ISO is more accessible on the K-5. But if no one in town sales Pentax, that is a reason to go Nikon. I did manage to get my fingers on a K-r at a local big box electronics store, but I can't be sure how the K-5 and K-r bodies compare.

I think I'd like to get the D7000 or K-5 to use as my more serious photography camera and pick up a used E-PL1 (they have used ones at the shop for CHEAP) as my camera to cary into the backcountry. It looks like I could unload my 420 on Craigslist for a little more than the cost of a used E-PL1, so I might start exploring that as an option.

[sk66]

The D7000 has a setting you can enable which is called "easy ISO" which makes ISO changes just turning the thumb dial. ....Also on all Nikon's ISO changes are normally one button on the back and one thumbwheel to change.... The "overall settings" for ISO are in the menus.