Should I buy a 4/3 system camera?

[fentiger]

I've been looking at various cameras as my first Digital SLR and have started to favour an Olympus E500. My only concern is that there seem to be very few independant 4/3 lenses available (and the Olympus lenses are quite expensive). While I'm sure the twin lens kit would be more than enough for my needs initially I'm concerned that as my photography skills (hopefully) increase I'm going to regret not getting a more common mount type. Am I right to be worried or is it just early days for the new lens system?

[coldrain]

Am I right to be worried or is it just early days for the new lens system?
Hard to answer, it simply is too early to tell. If Olympus can make a profit and make their 4/3's system a success, then you dont have to be worried. If they don't get it a success and they have to can it in a year or two, you do. We can't see into the future... safest bet is Canon and Nikon, in this respect.

[Norm in Fujino]

I've been looking at various cameras as my first Digital SLR and have started to favour an Olympus E500. My only concern is that there seem to be very few independant 4/3 lenses available (and the Olympus lenses are quite expensive). While I'm sure the twin lens kit would be more than enough for my needs initially I'm concerned that as my photography skills (hopefully) increase I'm going to regret not getting a more common mount type. Am I right to be worried or is it just early days for the new lens system?

Regret is hard to gauge. I can't believe that Olympus will be abandoning the 4/3 system any time soon, given the recent investment they've made in advanced lenses (as you note, with costs to match). They're in a partnership with Panasonic and it will be interesting to see what this next year brings in the way of a new body to replace the E-1 (which is still a great camera, btw, and now available with some sizable discounts). If lens collecting is a hobby, then you should go to another mount, but the Zuiko lens coverage is well thought out, so if you decide to go 4/3 you can get a great deal of coverage with just a few lenses--also remember that lenses of equivalent quality from the other majors (C/N) are expensive, too. Sigma has three lenses availble in 4/3 mount, and you can get adapters to shoot virtually any brand of lens on 4/3 cameras in manual mode.