Olympus Evolt Series

[dipin]

We had a Circuit City close where we live and had to stop by (actually 4 times) The last two days the store was open they only had Olympus cameras left. The 520 sold for $385. The Sony A200 sold for $349(it sold out a couple of days earlier). I missed out on getting a flash by a few minutes for $85. I did buy a BLM-01 battery for $10 (even though it doesn't fit my model camera). I'm looking at getting a camera that's built like a tank and has seals for harsh weather. Also bought CF 4g for $9.

The CC near me had the fl-36r for $120 and the 70-300 for $200. My brother had just bought his too, for about 80 dollars more.

Too bad everything they had on sale I already had.

By the way, I'm also a member of the fourthirdsphoto forum. Never had this happen before, identifying the same person in two different and unrelated message boards. I've even commented on some of your photos there (diogo is my name there)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The CC near me had the fl-36r for $120 and the 70-300 for $200.

This is the one lens left I want to get. Are you saying they had them in Circuit City stores for $200? Good deal! I'll have to check mine out. Amazon has them for around $260, and that amount has been fluctuating a bit.

obm, love the gull shots!

 

[Pugrpooh]

This is the one lens left I want to get. Are you saying they had them in Circuit City stores for $200? Good deal! I'll have to check mine out. Amazon has them for around $260, and that amount has been fluctuating a bit.

obm, love the gull shots!

I want this one too! I'm not finding the reach I want with the 40-150 at times and I'd really like the longer reach for our trip to Alaska this summer. I'm watching a couple on ebay but I'll probably wait a little bit before I purchase one.

For those of you who have the 70-300, do you find there's more of a learning curve with this lens? I've read on other forums that it takes some practice to get good shots.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Actually, someone (at work) was just telling me a few minutes ago that there is some "fine tuning" you have to do when shooting which, he said, takes a little getting used to. (Oh good, another thing to get used to. )

 

[oogieboogieman]

Actually, someone (at work) was just telling me a few minutes ago that there is some "fine tuning" you have to do when shooting which, he said, takes a little getting used to. (Oh good, another thing to get used to. )

There is definately a learning curve! I like the lens alot. It is a lot bigger lens than the 40-150( it will make you re-think your carry bags) It balances very well with the 410. You guys with the 510/520's will love the fact you have IS. Less learning curve with those 2-3 extra stops. Right now the only thing I wish that lens had was a range limiter.

 

[oogieboogieman]

This is the one lens left I want to get. Are you saying they had them in Circuit City stores for $200? Good deal! I'll have to check mine out. Amazon has them for around $260, and that amount has been fluctuating a bit.

obm, love the gull shots!

Thanks for the comments on the gull shots. This lens is the one that got me in trouble with my wife.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It is a lot bigger lens than the 40-150( it will make you re-think your carry bags)

I know, my friend at work has it and I tested it out on his 510. It's actually part of the reason I haven't bought it yet. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to carry it around. I'll probably have it by summer, though. You can't beat it for bird shots. My in-laws have a great yard for shooting birds and I've been a little frustrated with the reach of the 150. My coworker shoots a lot and he's got some amazing wildlife/nature shots.

This lens is the one that got me in trouble with my wife.

Oh yes, I remember that.

 

[JoeDif]

This is the one lens left I want to get. Are you saying they had them in Circuit City stores for $200? Good deal! I'll have to check mine out. Amazon has them for around $260, and that amount has been fluctuating a bit.

obm, love the gull shots!

I just saw a news article that Circuit City will be shutting down all of their remaining stores and liquidating all their merchandise. Not to make light of a terrible situation for all those workers involved, but us Oly uses should be able to get some discounted equipment since they were the only box store to carry Oly accessories.

 

[oogieboogieman]

When they closed one of the C.C. here in Dallas I bought a couple of things including a BLM-1 battery for $10. It dosen't fit any camera that I have but one I've been looking at. I'm looking at a model that's has weatherproof seals that won't cost alot. It's called the Olympus E-1. Yes it is a 5mp camera that is older but uses the 4/3rds lenses. I've found them in good shape w/low shutter counts for $275.00. I must get ready for our trip in rainy season in August.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

When they closed one of the C.C. here in Dallas I bought a couple of things including a BLM-1 battery for $10. It dosen't fit any camera that I have but one I've been looking at. I'm looking at a model that's has weatherproof seals that won't cost alot. It's called the Olympus E-1. Yes it is a 5mp camera that is older but uses the 4/3rds lenses. I've found them in good shape w/low shutter counts for $275.00. I must get ready for our trip in rainy season in August.

Perhaps you would do better to pray for a drought.
Love you, Dear!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

 

[dipin]

This is the one lens left I want to get. Are you saying they had them in Circuit City stores for $200? Good deal! I'll have to check mine out. Amazon has them for around $260, and that amount has been fluctuating a bit.

obm, love the gull shots!

Here in georgia most, if not all, the circuit city stores are closing down, so you might not find the same price.

The strange thing though is that was really an example of why Olympus lags behind the big two in sales: marketing and shelf space.

This was a CC that was closing down, in its final days. Even the shelves and everything had price tags on, and 3/4 of the store was already emptied out. There were several olympus items still available, but here's the thing: they were all kept at the bottom of the display, locked behind glass. If you werent specifically looking for it, you'd miss it. Meanwhile, the canons and nikons took all the main display space.

I know Olympus is not as big as canon and nikon and therefore cannot offer the same margins, but they need to work better at a store level to put their stuff on display. When I bought my own 510 a year ago, I had to specifically ask for it at the store I bought it, because it wasnt on display either and the salesperson didnt even recognize the name (the e-510 part, not the olympus part)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I agree, dipin. You do have to go out of your way to find Olympus gear.

Hey, I noticed they have Canon and Nikon picture a day threads. I was thinking maybe we could try for a picture a month thread.

 

[JoeDif]

I agree, dipin. You do have to go out of your way to find Olympus gear.

Hey, I noticed they have Canon and Nikon picture a day threads. I was thinking maybe we could try for a picture a month thread.

Hey....we are rebels, what can I say

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Too funny.

I've been meaning to ask all of you:

What do you normally keep your settings on? Things like compression and such. Do you use the Wortniak recommendations?

 

[JoeDif]

Too funny.

I've been meaning to ask all of you:

What do you normally keep your settings on? Things like compression and such. Do you use the Wortniak recommendations?

For the most part I use the Wortniak recommended settings. One thing I've noticed with the 510 is that it has a tendency to overexpose outdoors so I usually set a -0.7 to -1EV on most of the camera meter readings

 

[Pugrpooh]

I agree, dipin. You do have to go out of your way to find Olympus gear.

Hey, I noticed they have Canon and Nikon picture a day threads. I was thinking maybe we could try for a picture a month thread.

I just took a series of shots of my dog using my OM 50mm. I just got a new laptop and I'm in the process of downloading Olympus Master when I checked this board.

I promise I'll post a couple tonight!

 

[Pugrpooh]

Okay, here are my favorites of the ones I took tonight, although I'm not real happy with any of them. I tried focusing through the viewfinder and also using live view with my reading glasses on, but I still haven't nailed the focusing down yet.

This was taken at 1.8. It's out of focus, but I like the pose.

This next is at 2.8 and I got the focusing down better on this one.

This is also at 2.8.

And this is at 5.6.

I'll have to get him earlier in the day -- he just didn't want to wake up. But come to think of it, he's like that all day!

 

[Pugrpooh]

Here's another one I took last week from our family room (through glass) using my 40-150mm at 150. I've also cropped it but no other editing.

I'm hoping for snow tomorrow! I've been waiting all winter and we've had nothing so far. It's snowing now and there's a dusting on the ground. They say we may get an inch or so.

If I can get some good snow pics, I'll post them tomorrow! Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Awesome, Lynn. I especially love #s 2 and 3. Make sure to post them on my Photographing Pets thread!

Can you explain to me exactly how it works for us to use older lenses? I know you need an adaptor and have to manually focus, but is there anything else to consider? Where to buy, EBay, Craigslist? I could use a fast zoom lens to shoot my son's indoor baseball practices this winter, and not sure if it would make sense to go this route. The new ones are quite expensive and I'm not sure it would be worth the investment since it's a fairly small segnent of what I shoot, though I will be sharing the pics with the rest of the team, and possibly the league. Maybe it makes sense to get the adaptor to have other inexpensive, vaired lens choices?