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First specs of E300

I have not used any of the new Olympus lenses, but common wisdom is that wide angle zooms always have some distortion, usually not a small amount. You might want to consider a prime lens if lack of distortion is essential, but your choices are limited: a Canon or Nikon DSLR with expensive wide primes (17mm), or maybe something exotic like the Epson RD-1 with a Leica 21mm or the Leica R9 with Digital back and the fantastic ultra-wide 15mm (all of which will cost a pharaoh's fortune!)... Maybe I'm wrong, as I said I have no direct experience with the new Olympus lenses, but when has any wide zoom been distortion free?

Good luck! - marc
 
I had an opportunity to play with a pre-production E-300 yesterday. I'm looking forward to working with it longer once they're in full production. at 8MP It will actually have a resolution advantages over the E1.
It was nice to handle and even with firmware still to be corrected I found it pleasant to use.

I've been shooting previously with the C-2040, 3040 and currently the 740UZ and C-5060. I've always liked Olympus' ergonomics.
 
Has anyone had experience using both the E-300 and the E-1? If so, how do they compare? Any recommendations?
 
I've not used either the E-300 or the E-1, but if you haven't looked at it already, DCRP runs some detailed reviews of digital cameras. The link for the E-300 is and the E-1 is
 
I have an E1 and E300. The E300 is good but I have only taken about 300 pictures with it. The E1 is very special to me (think OM 1-4 series)and gives great 12x16's on my Epson P2200. I have had it since Oct 2003 when they were released and taken about 8500 pictures with it. The software with the E300 could use a great deal of improvement. I use raw on both and process with Olympus Studio or Adobe Camera Raw. My choice would be the E1 but megapixels sell cameras. My car has more horsepower, mine is bigger that yours, etc. F Roberts
 
Yes, I am now shooting with both an E-1 and an E-300, and before I go any further - I am in the Olympus Visionary program and am given equipment... That said - the E-1 is definitely the better built, better featured camera. In fact, I don't think there's any question that it is as well built, and ergonomically superior, to the top Canon and Nikon cameras costing 2 to almost four times as much. Yes, the 5 mgp is limiting, particularly in terms of cropping. On the other hand, as I've said before, 5mgp can produce large, gorgeous images.

The E-1 is definitely noisier at 800 and up than the current Canon generation. But the noise problem was much reduced with one of the firmware updates, even though it wasn't part of the official list of fixes. I routinely shoot at 800, and don't have any problems doing so. If I have to go to 1600, I can. Let's not forget that 1600 film is "noisy," and so, for that matter, is tri-x at 800 - which is my film and speed of choice.

The E-300 is clearly the competition for the Digital Rebel, etc. It's well built for the money - has a solid feel to it, but is certainly not an E-1; but then it's not intended to be. Despite, or perhaps because of, the higher pixel number, the E-300 is definitely noisier at 800 and 1600 than the E-1, but the 800 is okay. At this point, I would kill to see two E-300 features ported over to the next iteration of the E-1 - the black and white mode, which is not only the best I've seen in any digital camera; it is superior to what I get shooting in color and using the FredMiranda plug-in in PS. It really IS black and white, and if you shoot raw with JPG, you get that black and white and a color "neg." The second 'feature' is the autofocus on the E-300, which is improved over the E-1. The E-1 autofocus is good and fast, but there are some problems with the 50 f2 macro, and some hesitancy in low light with the 50-200. With the E-300, the 50 f2 is a dream - no focusing delay at all; it's just 'bang on.' And the 50-200 focuses faster.

If you're looking for a pro camera, the E-1 is it. The only question would be do you buy now, or wait for the next iteration, which is said to be reasonably fast approaching. But if you're looking to save money, and the 8mgp is important to you, go for the E-300.

B. D.
 
I am only in the Olympus Owners Club. I send $, they send cameras. I sent a lot for the 300mm but do not regret it. BD is correct in his review above. With the announced agreement with Panasonic it should put them in a much better position to compete with Canon and Nikon and really help the 4/3's system. F Roberts
 
They did NOT give me a 300 - damnit! - which I hear is an incredible lens. I had a brief loan of a 150 f2, and even though I am not a long-lens shooter generally, that is a long lens I do hope to own some day - stunning results, and handholdable even at relatively low shutter speeds. If you don't insist on being on top of your subject, it can be a terrific portrait lens - even though 300 mm (35 equiv) is definitely long for portraits.
 
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