E-3 replacement

[prettorian]

Hi, I still have my old Oly E-3 with 14-54mm, 50-200mm, 11-22mm, 8mm fish-eye, flash, battery grip etc. etc. I already had to make some repairs like buying new LCD frame (it stucked and I broke it while opening it), had to replace some parts of lenses etc.
I am thinking what to do next. While there is no direct replacement for E-3 (yeah I can buy old E-5 but that is not very inovative). Or I can buy OM-D camera with adapter for my lenses but I don't like too much these kind of cameras.
Anybody who had the same issue?

[Big Greg]

I have moved from the e-30 / e-3 to the OMD EM1 and absolutely love it. I am still using my legacy 4/3 lenses for the most part with the adapter. It's a huge improvement in performance and image quality from the e-3. What is it about "these kind of cameras" that you don't like? Have you shot with one?

[Godfrey]

An E-M1 fitted with MMF-3 and battery grip is an excellent replacement for the E-3 or E-5. It's just a bit smaller, has a better sensor, better image stabilization, better viewfinder, etc. It's quieter and faster in operation, and is more configurable.

What don't you like about "these kinds of cameras"?

[MetilHed]

An E-M1 fitted with MMF-3 and battery grip is an excellent replacement for the E-3 or E-5. It's just a bit smaller, has a better sensor, better image stabilization, better viewfinder, etc. It's quieter and faster in operation, and is more configurable.

What don't you like about "these kinds of cameras"?

^^All of this. I love the EM1+MMF3+Grip as a replacement for my E-3.

[griffljg]

I became irritated and frustrated with Olympus' refusal to bring out an E-7 to replace my ageing E-3 (I gave the E-5 a miss), that I decided to jump ship to a full-frame Canon EOS 6D with a suitable array of decent quality lenses. The mistake that I made was to hang on to all my old Olympus gear as I didn't think that I would be able to sell it for very much.

The 6D turned out to be everything that I hoped it would be, except for the fact that it is a heavy beast to lug around.

However, I kept looking at all my old 4/3 Zuiko lenses "gathering dust" in my Old Camera Museum in my lounge room........ I heard that the OM-D E-M1 with the MMF-3 adaptor had fairly decent support for legacy 4/3 lenses. I took an old 70-300 4/3 lens along with me to a local camera store and tried it out on an E-M1 with an MMF-3 adaptor. I was most impressed........... My wallet was also quite a bit lighter.

I am now running two systems. - The E-M1 is my "take everywhere" camera, while I still use the 6D when I know that the lighting conditions are going to be challenging. From my point of view, the 6D is a superior camera to the E-M1, but it is literally twice the size. - I mean "literally"! The E-M1 is just so much easier to lug around everywhere that I am willing to forgo the very small improvement in IQ that the 6D gives me, except for when I know that I will really need it.

Did I make a mistake buying the Canon? - Probably. But I couldn't have said if I hadn't bought it. I can't deny that the 6D is superior to the E-M1. I just wish it wasn't so BIG and HEAVY!

I still have my old E-3 and comparing the flexibility and IQ of the E-3 with the E-M1, I am amazed at the improvement on the E-M1 while the size has been so much reduced.

[prettorian]

At first, I am not sure about quality using the converter for my old 4/3 lenses. If I would buy OM-D, I still would use old lenses which are much bigger ten m4/3 lenses so I save just some weight on camera.
But what bothered me most is the feeling, that Olympus still cannot catch up with the other brands, not because I need the last high-end model but because I am afraid they will dumped all camera division at they did it with E-gears. That's why I am afraid to invest to it again. Maybe the these little cameras are the right direction when I am looking to new Sony Alpha R II, I am just not sure if Olympus will be able to improve quality the same way as other brands do.
I am not missing anything on my E-3 except low-light quality what really bothers me when I am taking pictures inside the building with artificial lights. Last year when I wanted to open screen on my E-3, the frame broke down, so I had to buy new one, on my 50-200 lense I had to replace tubus inside and there are some other minor investments.. So I am still thinking if to invest further or dump it, buy Canon/Nikon and join the crowd.
There is also one big reason to buy OM-D, because right now I use my camera especially while traveling and taking pictures of my son. I stopped photoshoot in studio.

Just a question, can I use my FL-50R flash with the OM-D gear?

[BobT]

I went from the E-3 to an E-M1. The E-M1 so that I could still use my 4/3 lenses. However as time goes on the older lenses are looking heavier and heavier. First the 12-60mm went. Soon the 50mm macro will go in favour of the M.ZD 60mm macro. The 50-200mm SWD is beginning to looking like a big tuna compared to the rest and may also not stay around much longer. It seems to me that the purists who pride themselves in using manual everything, will not countenance selling their prized 4/3 lenses but the rest of us that need all the help we can get, will benefit from the new whiz-bangery of the m4/3 gear.

Regard in the viability of the Olympus Imaging Division, that's always in the lap of the gods but at least they are now in the black for the first time in 6 years, see http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56749363 .

I've been using the FL-50R on the E-M1 quite successfully. It will stay. One can never have too many flashes. Olympus has retained the flash remote control with m4/3.

[griffljg]

Just a question, can I use my FL-50R flash with the OM-D gear?

Yes. I do and it works very well with full support for TTL metering and the zoom facilities.

[Guy Roberts]

I have just bought an em1 second hand but haven't been able to try it out yet as the battery charger hasn't arrived yet (long story).
first impressions are that it is tiny, and hard to believe that it is better than the e5, and it will make the perfect travel camera.
i will get the mmf-3 as I have the 7-14 14-35 and 50-200.
I am a bit concerned that these lenses might be too heavy for the body for tripod use, not the 50-200 obviously.

[dh202]

I have just bought an em1 second hand but haven't been able to try it out yet as the battery charger hasn't arrived yet (long story).
first impressions are that it is tiny, and hard to believe that it is better than the e5, and it will make the perfect travel camera.
i will get the mmf-3 as I have the 7-14 14-35 and 50-200.
I am a bit concerned that these lenses might be too heavy for the body for tripod use, not the 50-200 obviously.

The 7-14 and 14-35 are just fine on the EM-1, for both tripod and handheld. You just need to be a little extra careful.

[darkesha]

Hi, I still have my old Oly E-3 with 14-54mm, 50-200mm, 11-22mm, 8mm fish-eye, flash, battery grip etc. etc. I already had to make some repairs like buying new LCD frame (it stucked and I broke it while opening it), had to replace some parts of lenses etc.
I am thinking what to do next. While there is no direct replacement for E-3 (yeah I can buy old E-5 but that is not very inovative). Or I can buy OM-D camera with adapter for my lenses but I don't like too much these kind of cameras.
Anybody who had the same issue?

Used but mint E-5.
Huge upgrade compared to e-3 but obviously very natural as compared to figuring out new system menus and other quirks of micro 4/3 system.
I had e-3 and have e-5 and multitute m4/3 bodies but e-5 is my go to camera.