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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Any E-500 users??
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 03/30/2006 01:30:19 PM · #1
I'm thinking of getting myself the E-500 with the 14-45 kit lens and OM-adapter (to use with my 28mm, 50mm & 70-210mm film lenses)

Anyone got any feedback/advice on this camera before I blow £650

Particularly interested if anyone uses the OM adapter, or if you know where I can get it cheap other than ebay

Thanks
Kirsty
 03/30/2006 01:35:25 PM · #2
Its a great camera and I love it! I also have the MF-1 that I bought at the local camera store for around $100.00 also picked up a nice used 50mm 1.4f lense. The actual ratio its closer to 100mm lens. But it takes some great pictures!
 03/30/2006 01:41:19 PM · #3
Can't comment on the adapter, but I love the camera!
 03/30/2006 01:41:28 PM · #4
How do you find the metering with the MF-1? Is it a pain to use stop-down metering, and is it accurate?

Thx
 03/30/2006 01:55:30 PM · #5
Originally posted by kirsty_mcn:
How do you find the metering with the MF-1? Is it a pain to use stop-down metering, and is it accurate?

Thx


Spot metering will not work right, I always using it in manual mode with the adaptor anyways. I usually bracket some test shots using different exposure times getting the light and aperture right. Just takes experimenting like anything else.
03/30/2006 03:05:22 PM · #6
I'd suggest getting a third party adapter instead of the MF-1. For some reson Olympus' allows focusing slightly past infinity. Plus you can be get an adapter off ebay for much less. I've bought both a m24 and Nikon adapter from the seller cirrusgao. I just wish I had seen them before I bought my first Nikon adapter for $175 from cameraquest.com.

I would suggest getting the AS-ME-1 eyepiece if you are planning to do much manual focusing, especially in low-light or with slower lenses. If you 50mm is faster than f2 you will have to dial in some exposure comp.

I just sold my E-500 cause Olympus dropped the price of the E-1 to less than $700, and I bought a E-1. If I was buying now I'd buy the E-1 first, the e-300 next (better buy for the same image pipeline & better construction), and then the E-500. Of course I do miss that 2.5" screen.
 03/30/2006 03:11:31 PM · #7
Originally posted by hyperfocal:

I just sold my E-500 cause Olympus dropped the price of the E-1 to less than $700, and I bought a E-1. If I was buying now I'd buy the E-1 first, the e-300 next (better buy for the same image pipeline & better construction), and then the E-500. Of course I do miss that 2.5" screen.


So how is the image quality of the E1 vs the E500? Hows the low light performance with higher ISO. Besides the better construction of the E1 and it being a 5MP vs 8, what made you switch?
 03/30/2006 05:57:00 PM · #8
I thought the E1 only had 4.something MP??
 03/30/2006 06:08:25 PM · #9
Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:
I thought the E1 only had 4.something MP??

Its 5MP DPReview

im just wondering what the advantage is to switch from an E500 to an E1. And if the price is going down so much, are they going to be unvialing a E1 replacement soon?
 03/31/2006 05:39:50 AM · #10
Originally posted by hyperfocal:
I'd suggest getting a third party adapter instead of the MF-1. For some reson Olympus' allows focusing slightly past infinity. Plus you can be get an adapter off ebay for much less. I've bought both a m24 and Nikon adapter from the seller cirrusgao. I just wish I had seen them before I bought my first Nikon adapter for $175 from cameraquest.com.

I would suggest getting the AS-ME-1 eyepiece if you are planning to do much manual focusing, especially in low-light or with slower lenses. If you 50mm is faster than f2 you will have to dial in some exposure comp.


I saw cirrusgaio's adapters on ebay, but theere were a couple of comments on the adapters not working as well as expected (among a LOT of positive comments) Maybe I will bid on some of his then.

I'll check out the eyepiece, but my budgets pretty tight after finding out the price of the adapter :S I definitely want to use manual focus, and I'm used to a split image prism thingy
 03/31/2006 12:02:30 PM · #11
Originally posted by MQuinn:


im just wondering what the advantage is to switch from an E500 to an E1. And if the price is going down so much, are they going to be unvialing a E1 replacement soon?

So how is the image quality of the E1 vs the E500? Hows the low light performance with higher ISO. Besides the better construction of the E1 and it being a 5MP vs 8, what made you switch?


Besides the rugged water resistant factor that is important to me since I spend much time in the woods, there are many other benefits to the E-1 over the E-500. One is the separate LCD for camera data. Although for most uses the dual display nature of the E-300 & E-500 doesn̢۪t bother me most of the time, the LCD can be a pain for manual focusing because of the brightness while focusing. I know it can be turned off, but I̢۪d rather be taking photos than constantly pushing buttons.

Also although many of the features are shared by the E-500, the function of features is easier to use. For example one-shot white balance and DOF preview is controlled by a single button on the E-500, forcing you to use the menus to change from one setting to the next. On the E-1 there is a different button for each. On the E-500 I love the different user settings, but they are accessed deep in the menus, where as the E-1 can set without going to the menus. There are several more of the functional differences that make the E-1 function more intuitive.

There is also no comparison between the viewfinders, with the E-1 being far superior to the E-500 (or the Nikon D100, D70s I̢۪ve owned). Also you can get a grid screen from Olympus and split prism from third party manufacturers. The E-500 is not replaceable as far as I̢۪m aware. It sounds crazy but I switched from Nikon to Olympus DSL̢۪s so I could take advantage of older great Nikon glass. On Nikons the older glass offers no metering, flash metering and only manual exposure only. Olympus offers metering, flash metering & aperture priority, but focusing with the E-500 can be difficult. The AS-ME-1 helps, but it still falls short of the E-1̢۪s VF.

As far as high ISO performance is concerned it is a nonissue with me. Before adopting digital I never shot color film over ISO50 and B&W ISO100 except for the occasional wedding (ISO 160) even though night photography was (still is) a passion. That is what tripods are for as far as I̢۪m concerned. In fact a factor for switching from Nikon to Olympus was that lowest ISO Nikon offered was 200. If high ISO performance is crucial, I̢۪d suggest not going with Olympus, but with Canon.

The 5MP of the E-1 serves me just as well as the 8MP of the E-300 or 500. If I need more I̢۪d just shoot film. The quality of the pixels is what matters to me, and the E-1̢۪s color is just outstanding. The E-1 is not the camera for everyone, but it fits me perfectly. Now I'm waiting for the E-3 that the rumor mill has on the maket in fall.

Message edited by author 2006-03-31 12:05:23.
 03/31/2006 12:26:29 PM · #12
I have the E300 have shot with a 500 and I also just bought an E-1 however I am keeping the E300 and will have 2 bodies. IMHO all of the E-series cameras have great advantages. One thing I dont like about the E-500 is the inavailability of a battery grip. The battery grip greatly increases battery life and makes a big difference in CAF speed for tracking fast moving objects. I bought the E-1 for a few reasons. ISO 3200 is available, its build and body are amazing. 3fps and 12 shot in any mode including raw before buffer is full. 12 continuous shots in 4 seconds. And even though its less MP then my E300 I am told the difference isnt really noticable because of the quality of whats taken. The E-1 can be bought at bargain prices on Ebay right now, one of the main reasons I bought one, at PMA they are SUPPOSE to announce the new Pro body to replace the E-1, thats why the prices have dropped so much. ALot of folks paid 2-3 times what I paid for mine just a year ago. And you cant forget one of the greatest advantages that OLY dSLRs have. The Oly sensor shaker to keep that annoying dust off the sensor and keep you shooting instead of cleaning your sensor.

MattO
 03/31/2006 01:44:20 PM · #13
Originally posted by hyperfocal:
The 5MP of the E-1 serves me just as well as the 8MP of the E-300 or 500. If I need more I̢۪d just shoot film. The quality of the pixels is what matters to me, and the E-1̢۪s color is just outstanding.


For scenes with lots of small detail, such as in landscapes, you can shoot a matrix (say 2x2 or 3x3) of overlapping pictures and stitch them together in software. Of course, this would only work on still subjects where the lighting was not changing but it would give you lots of detail and the ability to make big enlargements.
 03/31/2006 02:13:14 PM · #14
Just a quick clarification for anyone who is interested. I still have, use & love my E-300. Besides it makes a great pocket camera.



I just think that with the E-1 going for less than $700 new (I bought mine for $679 from B&H on 3-11-06), it is just too good to pass up for an E-500.
 03/31/2006 02:20:24 PM · #15
Originally posted by hyperfocal:
Just a quick clarification for anyone who is interested. I still have, use & love my E-300. Besides it makes a great pocket camera.



I just think that with the E-1 going for less than $700 new (I bought mine for $679 from B&H on 3-11-06), it is just too good to pass up for an E-500.


I bought my New E-1 for $445 from Cametta on Ebay last week. :-) And I got a grip yesterday for $145. E-1 arrives today in fact UPS just pulled up out front.

MattO
 03/31/2006 02:37:55 PM · #16
I don't like the E500 they don't handle well under pressure, and they can´t take a beating like the Canon :)



the E500 after a beating :)
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