The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum - Fine Art Landscape Photography

A couple from the new E-30

Posted By: tomh1000

A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 09:53 AM

A couple of shots from the new Olympus E-30. In short this camera is like a beefed up E-3 but of course without the weather sealing. I have only had the camera for a few days now but a couple of things that stand out in my mind is that Liveview works much faster then the E-3 and also love the mode dial on the top of the camera. Really miss that in the E-3. Both shots taken with the ZD 300 f/2.8 + TC 1.4.

ISO 100

ISO 800

Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 12:28 PM

Hey Tom,

Thanks for sharing!! Great shots. LOL, I have an E-30 that is just SITTING here because I don't yet have a battery for it. I am hoping to change this soon as I found a beautiful bird refuge not 25 miles from my home. Have you tried any of the art filters on the camera?

James

Posted By: Tony Bynum

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 06:31 PM

thanks for posting those. any noise reduction in the iso 800 shot?

the first one looks a bit over sharpened but otherwise the 300 2.8 Z with the 1.4 on the oly E-30 looks like it's a real player!

Posted By: Wacky roger

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 06:58 PM

Very pretty.

Posted By: Tucson Jim

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 07:58 PM

Tom:

I really like the light and the selective focus on the first shot.

I was thinking of upgrading from my E-510 in another year or so, but my inability to get reliable focus on birds in flight on a recent trip to Big Bend NP may have accelerated the process.

I have, of course, been waiting to see what James had to say about the E-30 first. No pressure, James. LOL

I'd send you a spare battery from my E-510 but it wouldn't fit.

I know this isn't a gear head forum, but I'm curious to know how well the E-30 locks on to a moving target?

Posted By: tomh1000

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 10:05 PM

Quote:

Hey Tom,

Thanks for sharing!! Great shots. LOL, I have an E-30 that is just SITTING here because I don't yet have a battery for it. I am hoping to change this soon as I found a beautiful bird refuge not 25 miles from my home. Have you tried any of the art filters on the camera?

James

I have not tried any art filters as of yet. To tell the truth not real high on my priority list. I really bought the camera as a backup to the E-3 but now that I have used it, it is starting to look like the E-3 may take a back seat to the E-30. Except of course on those rainy days

I will get around to playing with the art filters soon though.

Thanks for looking,
Tom

Posted By: tomh1000

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 10:17 PM

Quote:

thanks for posting those. any noise reduction in the iso 800 shot?

the first one looks a bit over sharpened but otherwise the 300 2.8 Z with the 1.4 on the oly E-30 looks like it's a real player!

Yea the first one does look a a bit over sharpened on my monitor (LCD) at work but not to bad on my CRT at home. It is getting old though. I really need to get a new one. I did do some noise reduction on the background but not the bird. It was a very overcast day and this is the reason I used 800. I was really surprised how well it turned out. If you CLICK HERE you can see 100% crop of the same shot.

Thanks for looking,
Tom

Posted By: tomh1000

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/07/09 10:27 PM

Quote:

Tom:

I really like the light and the selective focus on the first shot.

I was thinking of upgrading from my E-510 in another year or so, but my inability to get reliable focus on birds in flight on a recent trip to Big Bend NP may have accelerated the process.

I have, of course, been waiting to see what James had to say about the E-30 first. No pressure, James. LOL

I'd send you a spare battery from my E-510 but it wouldn't fit.

I know this isn't a gear head forum, but I'm curious to know how well the E-30 locks on to a moving target?

I like my 510. I told my wife that if I bought the E-30 I would probably sell my E-510. NOTE: as I said "probably"

I think I'm going to keep it! It's a nice little camera for those times you just don't want to carry a lot of gear around. SECOND NOTE: My wife wants to kill me

I have not had a chance to really see how well it tracks a moving target but it should do well. I only have any of the SWD lenses though still, I would think it would work as well as my E-3 if not better.

Thanks for looking,
Tom

Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/08/09 12:57 PM

Hey Tom,

Olympus sent me a battery yesterday (along with the 50-200 and two flashes). I look forward to comparing notes with you over the coming weeks. LOL, show more photos!!

James

Posted By: tomh1000

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/09/09 01:12 PM

Quote:

Hey Tom,

Olympus sent me a battery yesterday (along with the 50-200 and two flashes). I look forward to comparing notes with you over the coming weeks. LOL, show more photos!!

James

Glad to hear you got the battery. I'm guessing by now you had a chance to play with the camera a bit. Would also love to hear your comments on it. Here is one more shot from the other day at ISO 800. Again, all I did was do a little noise reduction on the background and left the bird alone. This is a very tight and a bit unnatural crop due to a bird feeder to the right I didn't want included in the shot. This shot is about 20% of the frame and then re-sized to 800x600

Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: A couple from the new E-30 - 04/10/09 03:35 PM

"Would also love to hear your comments on it. "

Honestly, I am still getting to know it. I am hesitant to say much until I am actually proficient using the camera. The first impressions are very nice though. Good build quality...the view finder is very nice (though not anywhere as nice as the E-3) compared to the E-520 I had in September. The control layout is a bit complicated compared to my Canon...particularly as it has a bunch of extra features that it does not have. Also, familiarity causes a problem. LOL, I am actually going to read the manual tonight. Give me a week or so so that I can really understand the functioning. That should eliminate the bias. I have decided to not take the Canon on any shoots with me for the next month EXCEPT for my pet shoots (in which I will incorporate both cameras). :P

One thing though that I am absolutely in love with...that in body IS. What a great feature. Also, on the shots I looked at (not much yet), ISO 800 is really clean (as you also demonstrated) in comparison to the E-520.

I practiced this morning at the National Wildlife Refuge. Assuming the weather holds, I am going to the Wetlands in NJ tonight. It may not hold though.

James