Olympus OM-10 + 14-42mm Lens - $499 @ Amazon

[tdawg]

Amazon currently has an Olympus OM-10 + 14-42mm Lens bundle discounted $200. Bundle can be had for $499. This is pretty damn good for someone looking at moving to an interchangeable lens camera system or want to explore mirrorless on the cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPQ09NA?ref_=gbps_tit_s-3_1102_60b0c363&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[dodger2020]

Probably nitpicky but it's important to point out this is not the OM-10 (which is a very old SLR film camera). This is the <deep breath> OM-D E-M10 <whew> It's mirrorless like the OP mentioned.

 

[Nunya]

I've been wanting to get a nice camera for the wife, but know nothing about them. Is this a good enough deal to get it instead of waiting for BF?

 

[Boze]

I've been wanting to get a nice camera for the wife, but know nothing about them. Is this a good enough deal to get it instead of waiting for BF?

You're in luck... as it happens, I know a lot about mirrorless cameras because my older brother is a photojournalist with work that is frequently featured in National Geographic Traveler and, occasionally, NatGeo itself, and because where he lives, professional photographers on the cutting edge are few and far between... this means every time I call him or visit him, we talk about cameras for about two hours.

Or more.

He made the switch to mirrorless about a year ago with this camera - the Sony a6000 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mirrorless-Digital-Camera-16-50mm/dp/B00I8BICB2/ - and then switched up to Sony's higher end mirrorless offering this year, the A7R II, which is a 42.4 MP camera (a6000 is 24.2 MP, but unlike the $3000 A7R II, it can be had for $628 with an 18-55 lens).

He calls the a6000 probably the best mirrorless camera on the market under $1000. His photos and statements have been used by reviewers. He has done joint photo shoots with really big names in the industry like Zack Arias, and he was even the reason that Zack started using some mirrorless cameras.

So, I told you all this, to tell you... he knows WTF he's talking about. My brother is very open-minded and soft-spoken - literally the opposite of me. I'm very direct, sometimes harsh, and I have no problem clearly saying something sucks or does not suck.

But he has made it very clear to me over many, many phone calls that always devolve into the latest discussion of what new lenses, lighting equipment, new Sony firmware updates, etc., that Sony is ahead of everyone in the mirrorless market right now.

I would spend the extra $130 and get another 8 MP worth of image data, along with some of the best video recording in its class ($400 - $800 range).

 

[brainhulk]

You're in luck... as it happens, I know a lot about mirrorless cameras because my older brother is a photojournalist with work that is frequently featured in National Geographic Traveler and, occasionally, NatGeo itself, and because where he lives, professional photographers on the cutting edge are few and far between... this means every time I call him or visit him, we talk about cameras for about two hours.

Or more.

He made the switch to mirrorless about a year ago with this camera - the Sony a6000 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mirrorless-Digital-Camera-16-50mm/dp/B00I8BICB2/ - and then switched up to Sony's higher end mirrorless offering this year, the A7R II, which is a 42.4 MP camera (a6000 is 24.2 MP, but unlike the $3000 A7R II, it can be had for $628 with an 18-55 lens).

He calls the a6000 probably the best mirrorless camera on the market under $1000. His photos and statements have been used by reviewers. He has done joint photo shoots with really big names in the industry like Zack Arias, and he was even the reason that Zack started using some mirrorless cameras.

So, I told you all this, to tell you... he knows WTF he's talking about. My brother is very open-minded and soft-spoken - literally the opposite of me. I'm very direct, sometimes harsh, and I have no problem clearly saying something sucks or does not suck.

But he has made it very clear to me over many, many phone calls that always devolve into the latest discussion of what new lenses, lighting equipment, new Sony firmware updates, etc., that Sony is ahead of everyone in the mirrorless market right now.

I would spend the extra $130 and get another 8 MP worth of image data, along with some of the best video recording in its class ($400 - $800 range).

does sony have any fast primes? like a 20mm 1.4 or 1.2?

 

[sammykhalifa]

I have an E-M10 and like it a lot. Sony might have nicer cameras but the M4/3 lens catalog is better.

 

[CuriousMike]

I've been wanting to get a nice camera for the wife, but know nothing about them. Is this a good enough deal to get it instead of waiting for BF?

I own this camera. It went on sale for the same price ~ 3 months ago.

I also briefly owned the A6000 that Boze discusses above; I replaced it with the OMD.

For most people, I believe the differences in actual photo quality will be indiscernable.
As a matter of fact, I got rid of the A6000 because I found it was held back by the "kit lens" (the lens that comes with the camera). If you plan on replacing the kit lens on the A6000 with a lens that will cost more than the camera itself, then I would recommend the A6000.

If you want to buy the camera, use the kit lens and possibly buy an additional lens to meet a specific need in the future, I would whole-heartedly recommend the OMD EM10.

If I could compare the two cameras in computing terms,
1 - iPhone6 is a recent Dual-Core Pentium. Does most everything well assuming good conditions.
2 - EM10 is an i5 2500k
3- A6000 is an i5 2600k

Side note: The OMD feels significantly more upscale in your hands than the A6000. The A6000 feels... middle of the road. The EVF (electronic viewfinder, what you use to compose your photo if you don't use the larger back LCD ) feels like it's a VCR-Camcorder viewfinder from 1994.

Loads and loads and loads of reviews and sample photos for any camera you want to research.

If you have any opportunity to go into a physical store and handle cameras, that would be best.

 

[sammykhalifa]

For most people, I believe the differences in actual photo quality will be indiscernable.

:thumbsup:

When I was first looking at cameras a few years back, someone reminded me (and I liked it enough to keep repeating it to people) that every awesome photograph you've ever seen throughout the history of photography was taken with a camera not as good as the one you're looking at.

I like my E-M10 a lot. My first "real" camera was an E-PL2 and when it was time to upgrade it seemed like a natural jump. (Well, I really wanted an EM1 but my bank account didn't, haha.)

 

[Boze]

does sony have any fast primes? like a 20mm 1.4 or 1.2?

Sony has a standard prime that's 35 mm, F1.8. If you're specifically looking for a 20mm, the best offering they have is an F2.8.

 

[Boze]

Let me end the discussion with this. The a6000 is not for novices. Its for seasoned photographers, be they amateur or professional. If you don't know what terms like "white balance", "auto focus points", "ISO", etc. mean, then this camera is way over your head, because its power is unlocked through manual settings, not through taking shots with the dial set to "auto" and the kit lens installed.

If you aren't going to be spending at least another $1200 on glass, don't waste your money.

 

[CuriousMike]

Let me end the discussion with this.

OK, Captain.

 

[mikeford]

To the BF part, almost always its best to wait.

 

[you2]

When you buy a camera you buy a system. However, if all you need is a camera and not a system; the best option is the camera you will use not the one with pretty specs on paper. There seems to be three popular systems in the semi-small department. Fuji, Sony and micro 4/3 (olympus/panasonic) (there are about 4 more systems I'm not mentioning including one that outsells all three of the mentioned systems combined). There are no right answers here. Yes the sony has the highest density sensor and therefore is capable of producing the most detailed, with regards to raw resolution, image. But that doesn't mean it is capable of producing the best (most pleasing) image and it doesn't mean you the user will be willing to actually use the camera to make the image. The advice I give is try the camera and see which ones fit your hands and you are willing to carry with you; look at a few images on the web and see which ones you find pleasing (this is a bit harder since it depends a bit on the person who took the image but if you look at enough of them you will begin to see some patterns). To be honest the reason the camera market is being decimated by cell phones is not because cell phones produce the best image but because people are willing to carry them and use them as cameras since they have them available.
-
Having said this the fact that the olympus/panasonic has better (and more) lenses available and is a bit smaller than the a6000 doesn't matter if you only intend to use the kit lens and sadly most of the lenses for the sony are not that great (a few of them are and many of the advance amateur use tripods, very expensive lenses and sometimes third party lenses adapted to fit on the camera of their choices. Anyone using a kit lens does not fit this category.
-
Btw the fuji is not a bad system and the x-t10 is nearly the same size as the om-10 but the fuji has slower response and higher price tag than the olympus. Also the sensor is radically different from the olympus (and sony) with a particular look that some like and others hate.
-
Last but least I can't recommend or not recommend any of these cameras; it really is up to the user to decide what works for them.

 

[sammykhalifa]

The fujis look really cool to me, but I'm far enough into m4/3 at this point it would not make any sense.

Anyhow, if you're interested in the Olympus, another place to look is the refurbished Olympus site. They have pretty good prices and 15-20% off sales pretty often. (Though theses sales sell out of the "good stuff" pretty quickly--be sure to get on their mailing list).

http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/outlet_store?icn=topnav&ici=savingsnav_outlet-text
http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/out...cn=topnav&ici=savingsnav_outlet-recon-cameras

http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/out...icn=topnav&ici=savingsnav_outlet-recon-lenses

 

[Crotulus]

I've been tossing around the idea of upgrading my old Canon XSi. I was thinking about either moving to a Canon 70D or going full frame with a 6D. Currently however I'm intrigued by the small 4/3 cameras. Doing a bit of research it looks like these Olympus cameras are pretty awesome for a hobbyist or professional.

What may just push me over the edge is this deal from B&H

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._v2040401u020_om_d_e_m5_elite_mirrorless.html

$499.99 for the Olympus OM-D-EM5 plus kit lens seems to good to pass up. I'm thinking of eventually pairing it with the Olympus 12-40 f2.8. Is there any reason not to jump on this or wait for the Mark II version?

Thanks!

 

[Bitman]

I've been tossing around the idea of upgrading my old Canon XSi. I was thinking about either moving to a Canon 70D or going full frame with a 6D. Currently however I'm intrigued by the small 4/3 cameras. Doing a bit of research it looks like these Olympus cameras are pretty awesome for a hobbyist or professional.

What may just push me over the edge is this deal from B&H

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._v2040401u020_om_d_e_m5_elite_mirrorless.html

$499.99 for the Olympus OM-D-EM5 plus kit lens seems to good to pass up. I'm thinking of eventually pairing it with the Olympus 12-40 f2.8. Is there any reason not to jump on this or wait for the Mark II version?

Thanks!

Check the reviews. I've been happy with my Panasonic GH2, and the specs look very similar. GH2 used is not much cheaper than this. But as with all things DSLR, the lenses are far more important. If you have Canon lenses, you'll want a Canon camera, or look into a Metabones Speed Booster to use those lenses with an m43 camera.

 

[Crotulus]

Check the reviews. I've been happy with my Panasonic GH2, and the specs look very similar. GH2 used is not much cheaper than this. But as with all things DSLR, the lenses are far more important. If you have Canon lenses, you'll want a Canon camera, or look into a Metabones Speed Booster to use those lenses with an m43 camera.

That Metabones Speed Booster looks to be priced about the same as a nice lens. My two go to lenses now are the Canon nifty 50 f1.8 for low light and a Sigma 18-250 for out and about. Nothing very fancy. The Sigma on a m43 would be way out of balance.

Don't the Olympus OMD's and the Panasonic m43 use the same lens mount? I was under the impression that they take the same lenses but the Panny needs IS in the lens but the Olympus is in body IS.

 

[sammykhalifa]

There are some feature differences but a lot of it just comes down to what body you like better.

 

[gorcorps]

I've been wanting to get a nice camera for the wife, but know nothing about them. Is this a good enough deal to get it instead of waiting for BF?

I would buy it now, don't open it, and see if something comes around on BF. Amazon allows anything starting on Nov 1st to be returned up until the end of January.

You can't lose