OK, can't afford M8. What about D3?

[cnguyen]

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The D3 format is half the size of the FF 35mm so .... the DOF is much bigger everything will be sharp and it's hard to isolate subject with blur backgrounds. I handled the D3 at leica days and found it's reall big. Bigger than the D2 and chunky ! The leica itself is outstanding I'm planning getting it for my Olympus E-500. Price on Panasonic L1 started out around $2000 and now down to $1499 while the Leica version is still at $2499. I have an M8 on order and just bought a dlux3 so I'm out of cash for awhile. One wonders how viable the 4/3rds format . Not sure how popular the format is...

[Jean LeBlanc]

I don't know the specifics of the D3. But in general the 4/3 cameras from Olympus have very good imaging at the lower ISO settings. At higher ISOs the detail goes away with the noise reduction. It wouldn't surprise me if the same were true of the D3, since the reason for all the high ISO noise is the small sensor.

 

But if you're happy with ISO 100 and 200, it's perhaps worth looking into further. Most of the available lenses are from Olympus, and they make top quality lenses, have been for many years. Given its limitations, I think it's a viable system.

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[Enrique Santa]

I have been waiting for for the digilux3, to upgrade my dlux2, finally I went to a pana center in Madrid to try the l1, because D3 was delayed in Spain. I get impressed by the Leica lenses, but the cam with battery and lenses is heavy and I don´t feel confortable to handlle it, so finally I bought an Oly E 400 that is just 1000€ to 2500€ D3 and have 10 megapixells and a noise supressor system better than Pana and leica. I think It´s a great cam, you can see camera-labs test. At 1600 iso you get noise but the detail is still there, so you can use a noise supressor, at 800 is absolutly usable, and is about 600gr even wit lenses. I hope Leica developes a real sucesor -compact- for the D2, D3 is very big, expensive and heavy for me. Anyway I´m saving for Leica 4/3 lenses I hope the price of it will be not to much far from Oly-pro.

[Guest stnami]

At 1600 iso you get noise but the detail is still there, so you can use a noise supressor

and as soon as you do this you lose the detail, so it is not a real solution.

I hopped off the Oly train as the E-330 (pana L1/D-3 1st generation) was heading in the wrong direction away from the positives that the E-1 had to offer. The 500,400 are entry levels and there was no real effort placed in to come up with a better camera, made to compete against the lower end nikons, sonys and canons. Top line oly lenses are too heavy for the E-400

If they chuck a 4/3 into a fixed focal and manual overide we are on another path.....see you in half a decade on that one if we take the current situation in account

[Enrique Santa]

Stnami E 400 is not a pro cam , but I think is in the right way for 4/3 system. For me as an amateur is the right choice, with this and my dlux 2 I´m a happy man. Please take a look at this, and get your own opinion about some comparative with other entry-level cams, and L1 from Pana.

 

Olympus E-400 full review Cameralabs introduction

 

The cam support all the oly lenses, and I hope Leica-pana also.

I have took some pics at 1600 asa. I think you can print them at small sizes without noise suprresor, anyway is the best result at this ASA I have ever seen in a 4/3 slr cam.

 

If you like take a look at,:

 

Flickr: Photos from montoablasa

 

I´ll be glad if you like some one of my pics .

 

I think this cam with leica glasses could be even more great.

[MrEd]

D3 with Leica prime lenses might be ok.

 

Ed.

 

 

 

 

.

[Guest stnami]

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Enrique

Yea I realise that about the E-400 and to me pro is a word used too often for the wrong reasons........ but Oly have a line of lenses which is called their Pro line fantasic, relativly expensive stuff but too heavy for the 400 body to use comfotably.

 

I got rid of my Oly gear, mind you I thought hard about getting a E-400, almost did but with no prime 35mm and under I decided against it. The Leica 25 is too long (50mm in SLR terms), I always liked Oly but they can't offer anything for now, there is always the future

 

I love the colours in' la tienda de los reflejos a' great shot

 

Iruela Valley in Credos now that's where I would love to visit, looks like a nice place to sit and. My next trip after re-buiding the kitchen is up your way... Morocco may have to take a wander further north.. maybe September... yea bugger the M8 for a while

[MarkM6]

.... the DOF is much bigger everything will be sharp and it's hard to isolate subject with blur backgrounds...

 

Photoshop's "Lens Blur" is your friend!

[sdai]

You guys all know that a brandnew E-330 is on sale at Adorama for 570 US dollars only ... no?

[Enrique Santa]

Thank you very much for your answer Stnami. please Let me know if you will come to Spain, I´ll be glad to show you some good places to go.

[biglouis]

If you want a taste of M photography, and can't go M8 right now, why not consider one of the film bodies?

 

Have the lab scan your prints to CD during developing and you've got the best of both worlds.

 

Thanks.

 

Allan

 

I'm seriously contemplating doing this myself.

 

I was thinking of a M6 with 35mm and 90mm lenses and doing exactly what you say, getting photo CDs.

 

Am I completely mad or should I just keep saving (for the next 10 years ha ha ha) for a M8?

 

LouisB

[Guest stnami]

Enrique that's what I liked about Oly, good quality is produced straight out of the box,it is and creates great of colour . Mind you the 11-22 is a fantasic lens, loved it for landscapes though infinity focus was a bug. Looking foreward to more of your images like the layered shop one . Malox looks pretty cool

Imants

[Ecaton]

Alison, I was also looking at the D3 but because of a lack of user feedback and reviews I started hanging around the Panasonic forums looking for comments about the more common L1. I found a lot of positive comments about the camera, especially the Leica lens. However, for what it does and the photos it produces, most of the Panaphiles feel that the L1 is overpriced. These are people who love and use Panies regularly. If they feel that the L1 cost too much, what am I to think about the D3 which cost about $1000 more than the L1? So, instead I bought an Olympus E-330, which are heavily discounted at Adorama, to see if I'll like the 4/3's system.

 

Went through exactly the same review process and ended with the Oly E-500 with the 18-180mm lens, which is available at a bargain considering its qualities. If the L1 prices continue to drop, I might buy one simply to get its excellent Leica lens, though (and put it on the Oly)! Hope the next generation D4 or L2 will have less flaws and, provided my 4/3 expecrience will be convincing, buy one of the two.

[Guest stnami]

Martin the Leica lenses will or are available stand alone

[Riley]

Leica D lenses will be added to in time

the current OIS works in mode 2 on Oly bodies

its rumoured to be US$1,300

[jank]

Lowest mail-order advertised price for L1 is now $1149 US with Leica glass.

The Leica glass should then be available for about 800?

Jan

[sdai]

I've seen a Japanese vendor selling the 14-50 ASPH on eBay for 750 US.

[Riley]

the four thirds sensor is 17.3 x 13mm, and when

compared with the APS-C of 22.5 x15 that has been historicly more than acceptable for this level of camera. its just silly to compare everything with FF when there are but a few cameras that have it, and those are very expensive professional builds less suited to amateur use

 

bokeh is of course more of an issue, but in balance DoF isnt, you work with what you have. and on that.... the available DoF when matched to full frame sees the FF shooting at significantly higher iso to reach the depth. in that sense the four thirds is well displaced, tho you will never hear the canon crowd quote that view, its just not to their advantage

 

sdai

are you sure that was the VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 lens, i havnt seen that lens anywhere without the body, and thats way cheaper than i was led to believe, good news for the oly crowd as it has something going for it, maybe some longer lenses with OIS would help

[MJLogan]

I have amazingly little trouble getting shallow DOF with my D3, even at the long end of the zoom. The flowers are about 1/2" across.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[MJLogan]

An interesting experiment with an old fully-manual 50mm Oly OM-mount lens, in twilight. The car taillights were accidental. Neither of these photos is meant to be great art--I was just seeing what the camera and the lenses could do.

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