Should I have got the Oly E510 instead?

[stevage]

Well, under a bit of pressure I bought the K10D*, which is what I'd been leaning towards for months anyway. But I'm now going through a little post-purchase shock. Never having used a DSLR before it's hard to be certain I got a good buy.

First impressions: It's big and heavy. Going from the compact Fuji Finepix F10 it's a big change to have something heavy and solid around your neck, and to need both hands to take a photo. The controls are actually pretty intuitive, considering that most of the terms were just concepts I'd read about but never used - didn't know that bracketing requires you to actually press the shutter release 3 times, for example. But overall, the user interface is really good, and the two thumbwheels are handy.

Trouble is, when I was trying out this and the Oly E510 in the shop, I just didn't know what I was looking at - not a very informed decision from that point of view. So in the end, given that the two cameras seemed very equal in most respects (ie, good priority modes vs liveview, weathersealing vs small compact size), I got the one that was cheaper by $200.

However, now that I have a better understanding of how it works and what all the options do, I wonder if I would have gone the other way...

Anyone who can convince me that size/weight is not that important would be very much appreciated :)

Steve
* Ok I actually got the Samsung GX10, but same diff. Except the menus look much prettier than what I see in the K10D review.

[coldrain]

Yes, the K10D is big and heavy.
It is better in a number of ways than the E-510 though... MUCH bigger view finder, nicer image format, better sensor performance where noise is concerned.

Weathersealing is useless, unless you like to be out in heavy rain making photos.
It is mostly a marketing gimmick, only really useful for reporters and sport photo journalists who do have to be out in rain and sandstorms.

If you find the K10D too heavy, then I'd look at the Canon EOS 400D/XTi instead. It does not have the drawbacks of the Olympus, and has even better noise performance than the K10D. It also is small and light, the reason I chose the 350D (XT) 2 years ago, less to lug around.

[rhermans]

It's big and heavy
That feeling might change fast enough, It was my first impression to but now 6 months later my trusty point and shoot just feels like a toy. But thats me I can't feel what you do.


The controls are actually pretty intuitive, considering that most of the terms were just concepts I'd read about but never used - didn't know that bracketing requires you to actually press the shutter release 3 times,

Thats a new one for me, normally you would press the small button on the left/top/backside of the camera and turn the front wheel to start the bracketing, never done what you just said.

For as far as I have read about the oly e510, in comparison with the pentax K10d they are rather similar, only the k10d also have some inovating settings, the Sv and TAv are some improvements that in my book would make it the winner (including the weather proofing)

[rhermans]

Weathersealing is useless, unless you like to be out in heavy rain making photos. It is mostly a marketing gimmick, only really useful for reporters and sport photo journalists who do have to be out in rain and sandstorms.

IMHO it's not only a marketing gimmick, dslr's are always affected by dust (I know it's an overblown point - never as bad as people tell) and it helps.

drawbacks of the Olympus
Help couldn't find any good review, again IMHO there are no bad DSLR's on the market at this point. At this point in time it's not the camera that doesn't preform it's mostly the photographer. :rolleyes:AND this also counts for me.

Ronny

[stevage]

Well, a week on, I'm not really much closer to knowing whether the Olympus is better, but it would cost a fair bit to switch over (the Samsung aka Pentax was 1180 AUD with kit lens, whereas the Oly E510 is 1500 AUD with equivalent lens). I've played with the Oly since last posting, and yeah, it's much smaller and lighter, but I don't really like the interface much.

The K10D really seems very intuitive to me. Took it to a party and had a lot of fun - the shooting rate, even with flash and autofocus, was a huge improvement on my old compact. Too bad I accidentally left it at ISO 1600 for most of the evening :( Still a lot to learn here, nothing that I can blame on the camera so far.

Now I'm just trying to get a couple of secondhand lenses for it. The new 50mm primes are ridiculously expensive, in the order of $3-400+, whereas second hand ones from earlier series are like $50.

Steve

[Guilhem]

didn't know that bracketing requires you to actually press the shutter release 3 times, for example.

Surely not (!) - maybe you haven't got the camera set to continuous 'motordrive' shooting mode. Am I right in understanding you can set the K10D to bracket 3 or 5 AEB shots? One of the primary reasons for me upgrading will be for improved HDR captures (though I understand dynamic range isn't exactly stella, I was hoping 5 AEB bracketing would see to that)


* Ok I actually got the Samsung GX10, but same diff. Except the menus look much prettier than what I see in the K10D review.

Might explain it. GX10 isn't quite as feature rich as it's Pentax sister.

EDIT: by the way I've been agonising between the Oly 510 & K10D for months now, I have to say now having handled both of them powered up for forty minutes in a shop I have categorically come down on the Pentax side. In terms of tools there's no comparison. You'll adjust to the weight. The Canon D30/5D and the Nikon 200D are perhaps more analogous in terms of ergonomics, bright pentaprism viewfinders etc but much more expensive. And if in-body image stabisation is important to you there's only one way to go

[tonay]

I'm on the same fence Evolt 510 vs Pentax K10D- any other opinions?

[fotolama]

The controls are actually pretty intuitive, considering that most of the terms were just concepts I'd read about but never used - didn't know that bracketing requires you to actually press the shutter release 3 times, for example.
Well, no, you don't need to pres shutter release button three times for bracketing. Pres and hold it, camera wil take three/five consecutive shots in a burst.

Trouble is, when I was trying out this and the Oly E510 in the shop, I just didn't know what I was looking at - not a very informed decision from that point of view. So in the end, given that the two cameras seemed very equal in most respects (ie, good priority modes vs liveview, weathersealing vs small compact size), I got the one that was cheaper by $200.

However, now that I have a better understanding of how it works and what all the options do, I wonder if I would have gone the other way...

Anyone who can convince me that size/weight is not that important would be very much appreciated :)

Well, IMHO the only reason why E-510 should be chosen over K10D is the price. I mean: if price of E-510 would be considerable lower than price of K10D. However your case is just opposite and you've made the right purchase.

Yes, Olympus is lighter and smaller, however K10D is much superior in ergonomics, it's more convenient camera to control.

Have you upgraded wirmware of your camera? Newer versions of firmware add very nice features: you can set ISO adjustments to e-dials in Av, Tv modes, wireless flash and so on.

[fotolama]

The K10D really seems very intuitive to me. Took it to a party and had a lot of fun - the shooting rate, even with flash and autofocus, was a huge improvement on my old compact. Too bad I accidentally left it at ISO 1600 for most of the evening :( Still a lot to learn here, nothing that I can blame on the camera so far.
Use Auto ISO. Very useful and very well implemented feature on K10D.
I usually shoot in Av mode with back e-dial set to aperture control, front e-dial set to ISO control. You can change iso by turning front wheel. In case you want to switch back to Auto ISO, you just press green button.
TIP: assigning one of your e-dials to ISO control will make ISO display in top LCD panel and viewfinder PERMANENT.

[Razr]

Yes, the K10D is big and heavy.
It is better in a number of ways than the E-510 though... MUCH bigger view finder, nicer image format, better sensor performance where noise is concerned.

Weathersealing is useless, unless you like to be out in heavy rain making photos.
It is mostly a marketing gimmick, only really useful for reporters and sport photo journalists who do have to be out in rain and sandstorms.

If you find the K10D too heavy, then I'd look at the Canon EOS 400D/XTi instead. It does not have the drawbacks of the Olympus, What might those Olympus "drawbacks" be?

[coldrain]

What might those Olympus "drawbacks" be?
Do you have a selective reading problem?:D

Re-read the 1st paragraph.

But if you really want a more longer list:

No fly by wire manual focus limbo
Better dynamic range of the sensor (better IQ quality)
Much better noise profile of the sensor (better IQ quality)
Not the weird on old TV standards based 4:3 format
Much faster 9 point AF system
More shallow depth of field possibilities
Bigger view finder
ISO 1600 instead of the fake ISO 1600 from the E-510 (which is actually ISO 1250)

Those are not just small niggles. The sensor just is a lot better, and you will be able to notice that in a lot of things, from the detail loss in JPEG or noisy results even in lower ISO settings when noise reduction is turned off with teh E-510, high lights and shadows which blow out sooner with the E-510.
While everything to do with images goes wider (movies, TV, panorama photography), Olympus went for the odd 4:3 format. A taste issue, sure. But I find it a downside.

The other two things I would not like all that much is the less shallow depth of field and the fly by wire MF.

What I do like about the E-510 is the feel, the live preview for certain situations, and the extra tele reach the smaller sensor gives.

[Razr]

Well, under a bit of pressure I bought the K10D*, which is what I'd been leaning towards for months anyway. But I'm now going through a little post-purchase shock. Never having used a DSLR before it's hard to be certain I got a good buy. [/yoi did. [quote] First impressions: It's big and heavy. "...that's not "heavy";/''eres 'EAVY:
my Canon EOS 1n w/BPE2 and f/2.8 70-200 zoom mounted:
Thats' HEAVY.
Sadly, SLRs have the many times onerous talk of introducing serious gear to those who have only been dabbling at the craft with "minor", pocketable gear.
Two "fast" lenses, camera bag and other out the door gear sends you out the door with about 15-18 pounds with DSLRs (any SLR). Going from the compact Fuji Finepix F10 it's a big change to have something heavy and solid around your neck, and to need both hands to take a photo. The controls are actually pretty intuitive, considering that most of the terms were just concepts I'd read about but never used - didn't know that bracketing requires you to actually press the shutter release 3 times, for example. Bracketing was an onenrous task "Back in the days". Today you set auto-bracket on most cameras and there you go. But overall, the user interface is really good, and the two thumbwheels are handy. Pentax always had "got it right" vis-a-vis ergonomics, going all the way back to their famous 42mm Spotmatics. [quote]
Trouble is, when I was trying out this and the Oly E510 in the shop, I just didn't know what I was looking at Like the K10D, built-in image stabilization, though the E-510 has an AUTOmatic sensor cleaning system that cleans every time you turn it on, the 4/3rds system of which LEICA, Panasonic and other "majors" have climbed on-board, an astonishing array of "Pro" lenses to include the stunning OLYMPUS 35-100 f/2.0 zoom, a 500mm zoom that weighs less than half-what a "normal" f/2.8 400mm lens might and so forth. So in the end, given that the two cameras seemed very equal in most respects (excepting for a plethora of fantastic superfast (per their focal lengths) lenses. good priority modes vs liveview, weathersealing vs small compact size), I got the one that was cheaper by $200. "Less expensive" did you say?
Remember, the E-510 come with two (2) kit lenses. However, now that I have a better understanding of how it works and what all the options do, I wonder if I would have gone the other way... Only if you'd want to go "Birding" with a lightweight (less than 60% of the weight of a normal 600 mm lens.) Anyone who can convince me that size/weight is not that important would be very much appreciated Would a f/2.8 600mm lens do? Or a 150 (300mm) f/2.8 MACRO?
How about a 25mm f/1.4 LEICA (or any genuine LEICA) lens on your E-510?
O5 a 50-500 (100-1000mm) f/4-5.6 birding lens that weighs less than most quality tripods? * Ok I actually got the Samsung GX10, but same diff. Except the menus look much prettier than what I see in the K10D review. The PENTAX K-10D has, by acclamation, the brightest (if not the “Prettiest”) DSLR viewfinder out there, damn the reviews.
*Did I mention the E-510 can shoot a 300-800mm (600-1600m) lens?