New User/New Olympus Owner

[Brian]

Hello guys. I'm new to this forum and a new Olympus Camera owner. I bought the E-500 after going to the local camera store to buy the Canon Rebel XT. I liked the Canon until the shop owner introduced to the E-500. Instantly I loved the feel and sound of this camera. After about 20 minutes playing and drewl coming out of my mouth, I laid out the cash and couldn't wait to get home to play with my new toy. I'm also a member on the PSE forum, who are Canon diehards. I'm sure they all have their camera's in their bedrooms at night with a soft light pointed at them and they say their prayers to them ever night. We usually have someone come on the forum to ask "What Camera Should I buy". I guess that's like going to a Chevy convention and asking what make of vehicle to buy. I've searched for quite some time to find this forum of Olympus owners. The other forum was starting to convince me that I'd purchased the wrong make of camera. I found a camera shop in a neighboring city who has sold all makes of camera's for over 30 years. After 30 minutes of over my head camera talk, he convinced me that I most certainly did buy the right and best camera. He sells all the popular makes but still thinks that Olympus is by far the best that's out there. I think I'll bookmark this site and fill myself with your opinions of Olympus and how great it is.

Thanks for your time,
Brian

[E B]

The E-500 is a good camera that will do you justice. Looking forward to seeing some of your images. When you get your external flash you might try out my recommended flash setups:

http://www.fourthirdsphoto.com/vbb/s...ead.php?t=1322

[timbertoes]

great going, welcome aboard.

That Camera shop.....would make a great sponsor/advertiser for this board

[timbertoes]

BTW, whats the camera shop ? do they have a web site ?

[tspore]

welcome brian.
I know we have over 1000 members here who are in the same boat as you. I haven't had any clients complain about my images, from the E-1, E-300, or E-330. The Canon's are nice, no doubt about it. but I love my Olympus cameras.

[ditto1958]

Hi Brian,

You have purchased an excellent camera. You have my permission to sleep soundly tonight.

As an Olympus owner you may have to get used to others who give you quizzical looks and seem puzzled by why you would have purchased a camera that was not a Canon or not a Nikon. You can just smile at them, though, knowing that you have the ability to take excellent images with your Olympus and that you won't be going home that night to try to clean dust off of your sensor.

Post some shots when you get some nice ones!

[Brian]

Thank you all so much for the warm welcome. I am so, so, happy to have found a warm and friendly forum of Olympus lovers. I'm going to sleep really well tonight. I've already taken some great shots with this camera and have just recently purchased the 35mm Macro and 14-54 lens. I went with the less expensive Macro because I don't know how much Macro shooting I will do or be interested in doing. I've been with Photoshopelements user forum for about a year now. It's a really nice forum with only one problem, "They're Canon Lovers". I see this forum makeup is the same as Elements, so this should be easy. I see you even have a gallery as well. I'm at work right now, but I'll get this forum set up like my other one so when I get responses to my threads, I'll get emailed to let me know. So glad to be part of your lives.

Brian

[tspore]

I am going to move this to the about me forum.

[Garry Frankel]

Yo Brian !

I came to my E500 through a somewhat similar path. I have since added an E1 as my "backup" because they are now less $$ than my E500 body on the eBay auctions.

I just take the approach when I see another shooter of saying "nice camera you got there" as they scowl at the "O" word on my camera strap.

If you are new to dSLR's then my only advice is to go out and take thousands of frames (it doesn't cost anything to do it). I think we all learn more from our mistakes than from the great shots anyway. Some folks get a little dissapointed because these things don't "shoot themselves" out of the box. That is the only way to become "one" with your camera. Then suddenly one day things start to work real well without you really thinking about it !!

Just make sure the Oilers win tomorrow night !!!

[Brian]

Thanks Garry. I'm an Oiler's fan, but I can't take the stress of watching the game. I can't deal with something that I have no control over. I enjoy taking lots of pictures and then diagnosing them on my computer and figuring out all the mistakes that were made. I can take good pictures, but I haven't learned to take great pictures. Time will teach me that part. If me and my wife go for holidays to the States this year, I'm hoping on finding a camera strap that has Olympus in big print on it. This is just a fun camera to have.

Brian

[Shandy]

Welcome, Brian
I got my E-500 in exactly the same way: Went into the local camera shop with every intention of buying the 350, played with it for a bit, then the shop-guy said "try this" and handed me the E-500....

I like this place, and although I have hung around a few forums, this is the only one I've joined.

Looking forward to some posted shots.

Cheers
Andy

[Brian]

Thanks for the welcome Andy. It really amazed me how much better the E-500 felt over the 350. Olympus is a great camera and I don't mind telling anyone what brand I use. I've had compliments on the pictures I've taken, and most say, "do you use a Canon". I feel like punching them in the mouth and telling them to quite swearing at me .

Brian

[AnnF]

Welcome, Brian.

Ann

[Brian]

Thanks for the welcome Ann. Is it just me or is there not a lot of conversation on this forum? I also am a member at another forum that has regular conversation on an almost minute by minute time frame. We just talk about everything that has to do with life and editing photo's.

Brian

[finemom]

Brian,
I have never been able to see my cameras before I buy them. My camera store never has the new models. I went there to get my VF cleaned on my E1 and the guy showed me how to remove it and clean it. I mentioned I might want to sell the camera, since it's too big for my hands and he looked at me like I was crazy. I have a feeling with a little bit of pushing he might have bought if off me, but I kept it for tripod and monopod use. Don't know when in the world I would ever find a weatherproof camera. Everyone seems to be a Canon user, but when you switch lenses in dusty places with no hesitation you will be a happy camper. Out of an Oly inferiority complex I have checked out the Canons, over and over again and always come back to Oly. Now I don't even bother to read Canon reviews etc. Enjoy the camera and watch out for lens lust, it's contagious.

[Brian]

Hi ya Fine Mom. I actually went to buy the Canon Rebel, only to find that the E-500 was far better in feel and feature. I had another thread going here about Zuiko lenses. A Canon friend of mine in the US said that she has a 100mm Macro lens. Now does she mean a 50mm film size and it's converted to a 100mm, or is it a 100mm. I had the 35mm Macro and exchanged it for the 50mm Macro. I haven't seen any difference yet. What is the difference/advantage? I was hoping to photograph a spider and make him look life-size, but the Macro's don't do that. Do you have any knowledge on this matter?

Brian

[AnnF]

Brian,

I think it just depends on the circumstances. Some people are busy taking pictures rather than chatting. We have a LOT of quality discussions going on at different times. Some are on vacation, while others are working, etc.

We have a contest going on this month. You might like to check it out in the other forum.

Ann

[finemom]

Brain,
I'm too new at this to explain snce I don't understand this myself but if you post at technical someone will help you and therefore me. The thing about this forum is that even though it's not busy like the others, the answers are correct and there are no arguments. One correct answer is worth a lot and helps tremendously.

[Brian]

Thanks for letting me know Ann. What forum are you talking about? Are they Professional Photographers in the contest? I'm just a blue collar worker who takes pictures as a hobby. Hey Fine Mom, I posted the question else where and they answered it.

Brian

[AnnF]

Brian,

It's in the Monthly Contests forum of this site:

http://www.fourthirdsphoto.com/vbb/f...splay.php?f=26

It's for anyone here.

Ann

[Brian]

Thanks for the help Ann. I'm not familiar with how this forum works. I click on some one's picture from their thread, but nothing really happens, yet some take me to an enlarged picture. Those are some good panning shots. I practiced those about a month ago with my wife riding her road bike. I just couldn't get the effect I was looking for. It appears that your subject has to have some considerable speed to achieve the shot. I kept telling her, "faster, faster". She gave me a hand sign that indicated she wasn't pleased with my chanting . In time I will learn how this forum works. I think it's a place that really does interest me since I'm so addicted to photography. Of course that goes hand in hand with editing the photo afterwards.

Brian

[AnnF]

You can also send private messages to people by clicking on their name.
If you need help you can either send a private message, or just post in one of the forums and someone will answer.

Ann

[Garry Frankel]

Brian:

I think you will find panning easier if you use a longer lens.