Camera Labs

I'm planning to buy either the E30 or the E620, but it's a difficult decision.
The most important aspect in this decision is the image quality. Are there any serious sites already who compare both camera's?

Other pro's and con's:
E30, pro: top lcd, level, same battery as my E500, larger viewfinder
E620, pro: smaller, lighter, cheaper

The E30 has other pro's, but not so important to me: faster shutter speed, faster continuous shooting, more AF points, 2 control wheels.

So what do you think?

Hans

_________________
Olympus E-500, 12-60, 40-150, 70-300

E3, not E30.

Best image quality of all of them.

but dont take my word for it

http://gallery.photographyreview.com/sh ... ympus+E-30
http://gallery.photographyreview.com/sh ... ympus+E-3+
http://reviews.photographyreview.com/bl ... pressions/

_________________
E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

Ja, I know that you like the E3 better , but I'm not convinced, not even of the image quality. If I look at the samples from your link at ISO 200, the E30 seems sharper (i compare the text) and from all reports it has better dynamic range. At ISO 1600 the E30 seems to have a little more noise, but the detail is about the same.

Apart from that the cash back action for the E3 has finished and prices have gone up as well and it's larger and heavier.
The E3 is now 1099 euro and it was 1049 euro - 200 euro cash back = 849 euro. It was a great deal and actually and even better if you would take the 8-18 lens or the F50R flash instead of the cash.

_________________
Olympus E-500, 12-60, 40-150, 70-300

Hans-

LOL! Yes, we know Atomic likes the E-3 better! FYI, here's a link to some noise comparison testing between the E-3 and E-30. The noise does seem higher on the E-30.

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/43/e3-e30-noise.html

I'm actually thinking about the same question too of E-620 v. E-30. As well as several other ones related to more lenses to buy! I really shouldn't be buying anything else, but I really want to have a camera with a swivel LCD, which is great for low angle shots and self-portraits.

Regarding the E-30, the top LCD doesn't do anything for me. But the larger viewfinder and the extra stop of image stabilization (as claimed) certainly do.

I like the E-620 for its price (about $300 cheaper in the US) and size, but I am a bit concerned about weight balance for larger lenses. When I use the 14-54 in my E-410, it just feels way off. The LCD is supposedly a bit better on the E-620, so that would be nice because I like to use the LCD for macro shots.

Oh well ... at the end of the day, I'll probably refrain from buying either one for at least a few more months. I know my skills have certainly not outgrown any of the cameras I have right now! I'll probably end up using that $$ to buy more lenses.

Let us know what you end up getting so that we can all experience the joys of getting a new Oly through you!

_________________
Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

Just saying, for the money, the E3 is just a better deal than the E30. I mean, IMO the vastly cleaner high ISO image in the E3 already puts it above the E30, and thats before taking into account the larger view finder and weather sealing that the E3 has over the E30. Hans, your 12-60 will go very good with a weathersealed body...

Now whether or not the E3 is a better deal than the E620 is a different matter. For me, I settled that going from the E510 to the E620 is not worth the money because the specifications of the E620 and the image quality where not significantly different from the E510. However going from the E500 to the E620 might very well be worth it for you. But then again, I decided that the difference between my E510 and the E620 wasnt significant enough for me to justify the cost difference between the two, maybe you [Hans] should also consider either the E510 or E520 for a cheaper upgrade and invest the rest of the money into a 50mm or a 50-200 for example?

_________________
E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

Unless you're pixel peeping, you'll hardly see any difference between the images of the E-3 and E-30. There is a slight difference in noise, but that's so minuscule that you won't notice it if you're not pixel peeping.

On the other hand, the E-3 does exhibit a very drastic colour shift when shooting at ISO 3200. That is far worse than any small increase in noise found in the E-30 photos.

_________________
PhilipGoh.com

On the third hand, my E-3 has been so wet that I could have soked a cloth with it, and drained it to fill a pint sized glass with water.

That you could not do with the E-30.

_________________
Olympus shooter and a calm voice of reason.

I was out in the rain for several hours during the Houston International Festival. I had my E410 w/ me, but put it away, because of the rain. Could have used an E3 today.

_________________
Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

IMO, iso3200 is such a last ditch effort that the colorshift is not the biggest concern for me. I'd rather have a cleaner image even if the colors are off.

_________________
E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

Geez, we were having a good whine about high ISO noise performance there and you had to get all realistic and practical with us.

_________________
PhilipGoh.com

Sure thing!

Y'know, I've seen people drop their E-3s into rivers. And pick them up. And then put them down into the river again, and snapping of a few pictures for fun, and still being able to use their E-3s without problems (but I would advice against that).

What appeals with the E-3 is not the high ISO performance (it's sub par that of the 40D, A700 and D300), it's the build that makes it so special. It's probably the bests weather sealing you can get without getting a 1Dmk3 or a D3, and it's also the best build you can get without getting one of those, I would hazard to guess.

When you consider the E-3 or the E-30, your question should be what you need, and what you don't need. And the reason we're all using Olympus is obvious, and I'm saying it loud and clear, we have one of the most superb lens lineups in the market today.

_________________
Olympus shooter and a calm voice of reason.

I agree about the lenses, I have the 12-60 and I'm very happy with it.
The E3 is a fantastic camera, great build and great weather sealing, but for me those are not the most important things about a camera. Weight and size are more important to me and at the moment the E3 is also more then 200 euro more expensive then the E30.

So my conclusion for now is that the E30 and the E620 have (almost) identical image quality. Compared tot the E3 the IQ at low ISO (till 800) is better, but above that the E3 is a little better.

When the E620 is available at my usual store, I will try it and then I will decide.

Hans

_________________
Olympus E-500, 12-60, 40-150, 70-300

For me, the E-620 would be the preferred camera of those two.

_________________
Olympus shooter and a calm voice of reason.

I ordered a E-620 from Henry's in Canada over the weekend.

Then I canceled it yesterday. Couldn't quite figure out the whole brokerage, tariff, tax, and other fees that might be applicable after the camera crosses the border. So decided not risk it, and canceled the order.

_________________
Olympus E620 | 25/2.8 | 50/2 | 12-60 | 14-42 | 14-54 | 40-150 | 70-300
Olympus E-P2 | Panasonic GH2 | 20/1.7 | 14-42 | 14-140
Leica M7 | M9 | 21/4 | 35/1.4 | 50/2.5 | 50/1.5 | 70/2.5 | 90/2
Sony NEX-3 | 16/2.8| 18-55
My FlickR!

Hello there, Thank you for sharing information.

Would you tell Gordon about add Olympus E-3 or E-30 in this?

Camera Labs Buyer's Guide:
The best semi-pro digital SLRs
http://www.cameralabs.com/buyers_guide/ ... DSLR.shtml