Where do I start

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I guess I've been living in a hole in the ground and missed the 4/3 revolution so far. Rolling Eyes

But today I looked in a camera shop window and saw an Olympus 4/3 camera and figured out it had interchangeable lenses.
I like the equipment we use to take pictures, I love the tactile qualities of my manual focus lenses. But I struggle with keeping up with technology, which is why I missed this 4/3 stuff.

I've read just about everything on this section of the forum, I've looked at the various adaptors available, and I'm still a bit confused.

I have a selection of M42 lenses, Pentax lenses, Canon FD lenses and a couple of Canon EOS lenses, but I'm not bothered about the EOS stuff as they are either very average lenses or filled with fungus.

I use a Pentax K10 and love it, but it has to be said that it's a big and heavy old thing that I sometimes don't want to carry about, I still use my old Canon G5 for those occasions.

My old film camera's are virtually unused, I have a battery in a Canon Ae1p and a Praktica MTL50 but they rarely see any film.

Am I right in thinking that some, maybe all, 4/3 cameras can, with the right adaptors etc, be used with the lenses that I have?

I know the registration distance difference between the Canon FD and Pentax make the Canon lenses unusable on my K10, but if there's a 4/3 alternative then I will be very happy to be able to use my Canon glass again.

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

my understanding is that most any lens can be adapted to 4/3s cameras. however fd lens adapters require inclusion of a glass element in the adapter which many find degrades the resulting images, as well as maybe also increasing the focal length.

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

The more I look, the more appealing one of these camera's becomes.

I wouldn't forsake my K10, or whatever DSLR comes after it, but as an additional camera I can't see a better alternative.

pat donnelly · Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:19 am Post subject: FD glass

I think rebelyell is thinking about the difficulty using FD/FL glass on EOS cameras?

There are full, glassless, infinity focus adaptors for FD/FL to m4/3 and possibly Sony NEX as well.

You are getting interested at just the right time, too! All the first adopters, sad but wealthy people, are selling the first m4/3 cameras and some lenses too for half what they paid. The choices now are wider so that buying second-hand and using for a while will enable a full survey as selling on will cost you little. There are differences in approach by the manufacturers.

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

yes pat youre exactly correct, i was referring to my experience with fd on eos. by your post i guess my assumption that those adapter issues transferred over to m43 was incorrect. sorry for the inadvertant misinformation.

pat donnelly · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:43 pm Post subject: RebelYell

No harm, no foul.

I keep looking as FD glass, but its value is still increasing, so others are aware of how versatile these new cameras are!
They will even take EOS lenses.

But we all like manual focus, the best!

robertro · Joined: 14 May 2009 Posts: 61

The Micro 4/3 bodies can be adapted to all of these. The ones I've listed above are interesting because many are still available for reasonable prices because they do not adapt well to regular 4/3 or Canon EF mounts.

trev · Joined: 30 Jun 2010 Posts: 580 Location: North Wales - UK

Thinking of one of those micro 4/3 cameras myself, as I'm fed up with lagging around a bloody great big and heavy DSLR or even a film SLR. My problem is when I pinch my wifes wee digicam I have trouble seeing what I'm trying to compose on the viewing screen in bright light. Are the micro 4/3rds effected in this way too?

pat donnelly · Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:35 pm Post subject:

Hiya!

We usually hood over the lcd or else buy the EVF available for some models of m4/3 cameras. Hoods cost $10 from HK, Delkin brand. Good. The G1 has a twistable lcd screen and others may have too, so angling that screen, will shade itself from the Sun.

The weight is a big consideration. The c mount lenses are very light, even tho metal and glass, occasionally, plastic if you want hyper light or an effect. Keep a larger body 'cos FF lenses will crop out twice the length if you want to invest the best lenses?

If Nikon go 16mm the world is our oyster!

trev · Joined: 30 Jun 2010 Posts: 580 Location: North Wales - UK

Thanks for that, I'm keeping an open mind at the mo though

dude163 · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:14 am Post subject:

Hmm

this is a lot to think about!

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 3232 Location: The Netherlands

Lloydy, your story reminds me of my own: I also owned a K10d but left it at home a lot: too bulky. This finally made me decide to sell my K10d and buy an Oly E-P1. Quite regret it now.

Although the E-P1 is an excellent camera in combination with the m4/3 AF lenses, I find it a pain in the ass with manual focus lenses, especially when you're used to the easy focusing of a dSLR. To be honest, I find it very hard to obtain accurate focus with the LCD screen. Even with the Oly's Manual Focus Assist (magnification of 7x or 10x), it's pretty difficult (image on LCD vibrates a lot because of magnification). Also, ask yourself the question whether you can live with the extra image crop that a 4/3 sensor will give you.

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

casper i had exactly the same problem and was at my wits end with the ep1. then i got the bright idea to tade it and a couple of old lenses in for a new ep2 with clip on viewfinder. wow! did that make an incredible difference. the vf is totally amazing especially in low light. this camera has now gone from the worst mf focusing to near the best (i still prefer my 5d with focus confirm adaoters). if you have the time and inclination you should give it a try--it will male a world of diference!

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 3232 Location: The Netherlands

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

I tried the Olympus EPL-1, EP-2 and the clip-on EVF in a store the other day (my mother got the EPL-1 as a present for my father), and while the EPL-1 is nice and costs much less, the EP-2 has a *gorgeous* LCD screen (and a more elegant design). I was also curious about the EVF as I read great things about it, but frankly while its resolution is good and it must be useful for mf, I was less than impressed: there's no comparison with an optical viewfinder (but I guess you all know that).

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 3232 Location: The Netherlands

bogolisk · Expire: 2011-11-18

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

ludoo the olympus evf is so much better/easier to use in low light than optical vf its not even close. miles ahead. best low light vf ive ever seen by far.

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

I don't doubt it, but in decent or half-decent light, an OVF is so much nicer and clearer. Anyway, as I discovered using the Digilux 2 for a couple of days, even a crappy EVF is more than enough to frame a picture, once you get used to it. And the Olympus one is supposed to be the best ever made for a consumer camera.

RioRico · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:16 am Post subject:

I'll bump this thread because I'm close to the OP's quandary: What 4/3 camera to get, if any?

Now, I mostly use my Pentax K20D, some P&S's, and more rarely PK and M42 and 120 film cameras. Most of my lenses are PK or M39/M42, with an increasing number of enlarger and projector lenses to use on bellows. And my lens line-up is very nearly full.

I see small fast cheap cine lenses offered, and I'd like to try some, but they aren't suitable for a PK/M42 camera. Also, I am cheap, and don't intend to spend US$500 for another camera body. That just will not happen.

So I would like suggestions for the *cheapest* 4/3 or m4/3 body of any quality, and where I might find such. I just missed an E-510 for a bit over US$200, which was beyond my budget right now, but would be affordable in a week or two. Let's say that my budget maximum would be around US$220, but I would feel better if I spent much less. What are my chances?