4/3 mount lenses

[AlexisRhea]

I am still a total noob at this...

I am in love with the Olympus Evolt E500. For my needs, this camera should be great (for now and probably for quite some time). The main negative feedback I have received regarding this camera (aside from noise levels at high ISO) is that is uses 4/3rds lenses- and that those are not common so I would be limited in that respect. I also heard from a guy at the local camera shop that 4/3 mount lenses are going to be produced more so I probably won't have any issues. So, which is it? Rare find? More will be produced?
I mostly shoot nature/landscape and macros. I am also looking at getting into portrait and wedding in the future. I'm not much into sports/action shots, so the noise issue won't be a factor. The kit that I am purcahsing has these lenses: 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 & 40-150mm f3.5/4.5 & .50XPro Wide Angle Lens (macro). Will this be sufficient? Any other lens recommendations and/or 4/3 mount lens info?

I love this place!
Thanks so much for your feedback! :heart:

 

[Iron Flatline]

I wish I could remember where to find it, but I recently read a very articulate and multi-featured article describing exactly why 4/3rds will be around for quite some time. Basically it is a very smart market response - lots of companies who have either great technical expertise (Leica!!) or marketing skill (Olympus, Panasonic) are creating an open standard, rather than competing with the big three (Canon, Sony, Nikon).

There are not that many lenses yet, but the few that are available are good to very good. They do not yet make entry-level lenses, but are still priced quite competitively. Simply put: you're buying pretty good glass at relatively low prices that will serve well for a long time. Do not be afraid.

Check out Leica's 14-50mm f/2.8 OIS or its 25mm f/1.4 prime lens. These lenses are effectively made for what you describe - the first is perfect for weddings and portraits, and the prime is great for landscapes.

 

[AlexisRhea]

Thank you so much, IF! You just made my day!
Thanks for the tips on the lenses, too. I still have SO much to learn. I really appreciate your help.

 

[DSLR noob]

OOOoooohhhh Leica glass!

 

[Iron Flatline]

OOOoooohhhh Leica glass!

Although that is the appropriate response... *ahem*... ...

... I would like to add that I assume Tamron and Sigma, two major independent lens manufacturers, will probably bring out their lenses in the 4/3 mount at some point soon.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

tamron and sigma are both working on 4/3 lenses. If you go to their sites and look at the lenses it will say what mounts they are for, any many of them say "4/3 coming soon".

Also, with Olympus releasing two new DSLRs (including the 510) I would be shocked to NOT see production increase. No point in making new cameras if you arent going to make new lenses.

I think Olympus and the 4/3 system will eventually have a strong hold on the wildlife market. with a 2X crop sensor it becomes relatively cheap (compared to others) to get glass that reaches 600mm focal lengths and further.

 

[Don Simon]

Olympus offer a system that is genuinely different. As much as I like Pentax and used to like Konica-Minolta for dSLR systems, the technology and the systems really aren't that different from Nikon, all being based on Sony sensors. Olympus is different, and they actually innovate. The 4/3 sensors may not handle high ISO levels well at the moment, but does that mean the technology will never improve? Besides, we all have different priorities and preferences... the ability to shoot in low light with high sensitivity was a priority for me, but that didn't lead me to choose Canon as received wisdom would suggest. In other words, variety is good, choice is good, Olympus making and selling camera systems is good.

Leaving the general Olympus flag-waving aside for the moment, more to the point, Olympus are bringing out new bodies fairly regularly, and the professional successor to the E1 is on the horizon, so if anything I would imagine lens availability and third-party production should increase.

 

[Peniole]

Nice buy, you bought the same kit I got. I'm mainly nature and landscape oriented too, and I love mine to bits. Even the low light capabilities of the camera with a long exposure (as long as you keep at at ISO400 or below) is noise free, the subtractive NR works very nicely.

Oh Iron Flatline, thanks for the leica 25mm tip, definitely checking out that one