Used an e-420 today....

[Raist3d]

didn't buy it because they were only for sale with the 14-42 kit.

Anyway, I have to say, I am pleasantly impressed. I will post later some ISO 1600's I took on the store but basically:

- Camera dials look more pro, easier to use with the new color/dents
- LCD is definitively a night/day difference. Big, nice, great DR/color showing up, whites show subtleties.. didn't try in daylight so dont' know on that.
- I can say right now there's NO BANDING at high ISO. I even pushed a RAW from ISO 1600 to ISO 6400 (2 stops) and nothing!
- Dynamic Range seems indeed improved over e-410
- color is definitively more E-3 like for sure too.
- noise seems to have improved by 1/3 to 1/5 stop (probably 1/3rd) over the e-410


Contrast AF- unfortunately it's slow but what surprised me is that there's still a bit of "mirrod dance" when you fully depress the shutter. Maybe I had it in hybrid mode (don't think so), but it's not e-330 live view mode A. That said, it's faster than it was before in that lag, and competitive, perhaps even better than the E-3 prefocused in live view.

The contrast AF speed itself is slow. We are talking about 2-4 times the speed of a typical fast contrast AF P&S of nowadays (comparing vs Fuji F810). Not unusuable for candid shots of subjects that are not moving that much but not good for say sports.

- confirmed the remote flash command system of the E-3 is there, un full capacity with all the options

- view finder, as expected is the same size.
- Olympus seems to have increased some configuration options that were not on E-410
- didn't try face recoginiton :-P
- Shadow adjustment tech works as good as on E-3 pretty much. In fact, I would say better because there's no banding now!

Ill post the raw shots I did later.

- Raist

[dannn]

thanks for the info...

[Raist3d]

This snapshot is taken at ISO 1600, in RAW but the e-420 jpeg engine just like the E-3's (and e-410) is pretty good at giving a good result from the get go, so it's very close to these results. I did no more tweaking except turning the noise filter off, and the SAT on/off to show.

Keep in mind that turning SAT on/off is not the same as shooting with SAT on because the camera will protect the highlights even more when shooting by reducing the exposure by 1/3rd to 1/5th a stop and bring the shadows up.

First the link to a full conversion- noise filter off, ISO 1600:

http://raist3d.typepad.com/secretfil...s/P1013573.jpg

Conversion with SAT on/off. Sat on the left, normal on the right:



Examining the tonal range and DR using lightZone after the conversion from Oly Studio:



I find the e-420 seems to have done a better job and how it transitions the whites and make the output richer.

--
Raist3d (Photog. Student & Tools/Systems/Gui Games Developer)
Andreas Feininger (1906-1999) 'Photographers — idiots, of which there are
so many — say, “Oh, if only I had a Nikon or a Leica, I could make great
photographs.” That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. It’s
nothing but a matter of seeing, and thinking, and interest. That’s what
makes a good photograph.'

[Raist3d]

Please note that turning SAT on/off in RAW won't give exactly the same result as having shot with it (unless you are using manual exposure) because the camera will underexpose by 1/3rd to 1/5th of a stop to protect the highlights even further and rely on bringing the shadows with SAT (i..e even more DR in the final JPEG).

The E-3 behaves the same.

[Paul Shields]

Hi Raist. I had a play with an E-420 today too - it had the pancake lens attached. Not much different to the E-400 in feel - I think there's a slightly more curvaceous shape but that was about it. The pancake lens was fun, and if I can find a converter for their ORF files I'll even post a few (Lighroom didn't seem to know what to do with it). I was in the wrong type of environment to really try out the pancake. The focal length was wider that I anticipated. Probably a great pocketable landscape lens, and would work well on the street I guess, though framing would need to be carefully done. There was also a Sigma DP-1 there but I wasn't able to prise it from the owner's bosom .

[Raist3d]

Originally Posted by Paul Shields

Hi Raist. I had a play with an E-420 today too - it had the pancake lens attached. Not much different to the E-400 in feel - I think there's a slightly more curvaceous shape but that was about it. The pancake lens was fun, and if I can find a converter for their ORF files I'll even post a few (Lighroom didn't seem to know what to do with it). I was in the wrong type of environment to really try out the pancake. The focal length was wider that I anticipated. Probably a great pocketable landscape lens, and would work well on the street I guess, though framing would need to be carefully done. There was also a Sigma DP-1 there but I wasn't able to prise it from the owner's bosom .

The latest free download of Oly Master and the latest upgraded Oly Studio handle it

- Raist

[alert_bri]

Hi Paul,

my offer stands... I'll swap the DP1 for an E-420 if you can get one! lol

If you fancy a trip down to Derbyshire next weekend, or maybe we could come closer to you... you could help with a test of the DP1 vs GRD2 vs GX100 vs LX1 vs D-LUX3?

Kind Regards

Brian

[Paul Shields]

Hi Brian

To be honest I'd be more interested in a DP-1 than the E-420 + pancake as I already have an E-400 and like it enough not to consider upgrading (maybe I'll pick up a pancake lens at a later date...).

Derbyshire hey? That's almost local compared to Skegness . You'll have to fill me in on the details mate - sounds quite intriguing .

[alert_bri]

I don't know - the 20MB RAW files are a bit tiresome... Olympus really should have offered a firmware upgrade. The E-420 is really nice and slick - I like the extra configurability and speed.

I'll e-mail you later when I know Rich's availability.

Cheers

Brian

[Mr. Pickles]

Don't listen to Paul. If he says he isn't going to upgrade, he will by weeks end....He said he was going all Canon too. Poof, week later the 5D was on the auction block...

[Raist3d]

I agree the DP1 would be more interesting if you already have an e-400.

That said, I *just bought* an e-420 w/ 14-42 kit lens (yeah, had to swallow a 2nd copy. Saw the camera was started to get out of stock and got scared). I will sell one of my copies (lens).

Brian- there is no way on Earth Ill swap my e-420 for the DP1 as my E-3 is going to a sale tomorrow night (found a buyer!). If I kept the E-3, I would probably have bought the DP1.

I think the DP1 does better than the impressions you have gotten so far, honestly. I am not denying it has its problems- but for once, shoot stuff with white and notice how well it handles it.

In low light it falls appart though.

I am super busy at work so I can't comment on the e-420 except that it's the cat's meow. It's better than I expected. You hear Paul? Better than I expected. The moment I start posting those E-3 colors in the e-420 size, you may reconsider. :-P Well but yeah, I agree with you. The DP1 seems like a more interesting addition than a e-420 for you having that Kodak sensor e-400.


- Raist

[Mr. Pickles]

Ha. Wait till it starts raining and you can't go out and shoot.....

[Paul Shields]

There are certainly some interesting discussions taking place on DPR about this comparison - thanks to Ricardo and Brian . I'm sure we could come up with some very interesting work on this if we had the time. I'd really like to compare the E-400/E-420/E-3 and throw in the DP-1 into the mix just for fun .

As for Mr P - he's right. I always say never until I say yes . Just bought an FL-50R 5 minutes ago on ebay even though I sold my last FL-50 saying I didn't need flash any more. Basically - never trust what I say as I'll prove myself wrong 30 minutes later .

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by Raist3d

I agree the DP1 would be more interesting if you already have an e-400.

That said, I *just bought* an e-420 w/ 14-42 kit lens (yeah, had to swallow a 2nd copy. Saw the camera was started to get out of stock and got scared). I will sell one of my copies (lens).

Brian- there is no way on Earth Ill swap my e-420 for the DP1 as my E-3 is going to a sale tomorrow night (found a buyer!). If I kept the E-3, I would probably have bought the DP1.

I think the DP1 does better than the impressions you have gotten so far, honestly. I am not denying it has its problems- but for once, shoot stuff with white and notice how well it handles it.

In low light it falls appart though.

I am super busy at work so I can't comment on the e-420 except that it's the cat's meow. It's better than I expected. You hear Paul? Better than I expected. The moment I start posting those E-3 colors in the e-420 size, you may reconsider. :-P Well but yeah, I agree with you. The DP1 seems like a more interesting addition than a e-420 for you having that Kodak sensor e-400.


- Raist

I hear you Raist . Listen, I'll grab a DP-1 like a shot if I found one going for a decent price. Not just yet though. Funny thing is, I'd pick one up just because of my interest in Foveon. Which means I'd probably be better off picking up a second hand SD model. But then I'd fall into the lens purchase hole... .

[alert_bri]

Congratulations Raist! very, very good call...

You're right about the DP1 - I'm sure it will grow on me (especially if Sigma put the effort into a firmware upgrade or two!) - but the E-420 is in another league of performance / utility as far as I'm concerned.

Paul, maybe we can do that test... let me work on it for the weekend

Kind Regards

Brian

[Raist3d]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

Ha. Wait till it starts raining and you can't go out and shoot.....

I hate you.... :-P

- Raist