You see Jim? You probaby thought I was being flip at 02.55 PM yesterday - but no, it's the truth. As that guy who made movies once said: nobody knows anything about anything in this business. What the same guy knew but didn't say was that it is all in the mind.
I can remember that when the little Oly E3 thing came out people were raving about it, that it was a breakthrough, the greatest thing since sliced bread (if you buy into that concept as being great) and that Oly had stumbled onto the New Way. Within months the mood had shifted and we began to read all about noise, overpriced great optics but with soft files (go figure) and on and on.
As someone here said - you have to taste and try and conclude for yourself. If you have had no serious film experience in your background you are at a huge advantage and stand an enormous chance of finding instant satisfaction.
Rob C
Rob,
I've had the Four-third stuff. The E3 was not that small. It is indeed agreat camera in itself, rock solid, you could use it as a hammer if you wish. Totally waterproofed. Oly lenses are extremely good. But a great camera in itself is nothing because other brands are also doing cameras.
If you took the E3 as a great tool it is fine, if you took the E3 as a pro camera then Canon, Nikon and Sony are doing much better AND for much less money.
This Oly was at the time they released it, an enormous mistake from Olympus MD, specially because they claimed the pro market. It did not have any succes.
The politics involved behind the scene is difficult to understand. When Sigma released the DPs, they cutted down the prices very soon after understanding the real sale potential, but the E3 is still selling today at the same price as a Sony Alpha 850, wich is completely exotic.
Oly did really some inovations, like the sensor cleaning that is the best I ever had, no one dust ever and never cleaned the sensor one time...they are capable of doing things at the best, but I feel sad to see that all this "savoir-faire" if not directed in a correct path is destined to failure.
Now, they have all this line of fantastic Four-third lenses, some pro versions are impressive, but they don't know what to do with them. That is why they redirect their politics to Micro-four-third wich is a better or at least a more inteligent interpretation of what they wanted to do with the Four-third.
I don't know, and expressed my concerns here, for how long this is going to stay true regarding the coming competition.
Yes, as you said, this market is pretty much based on the
beleive.
Cheers.