"all of them are superlative products, all of them are cameras that skilled shooters could easily use to do top-quality work, and all of them are more camera than most photographers really need at a minimum."
Update: see comments for Mike J's advice for choosing between an Olympus E-420 and a Pentax K20D.
12 comments:
Mike J sez it well again: any mid-level DSLR is great.
"all of them are superlative products, ..."
I think he is saying that all mid-level DSLRs are the greatest, not just great.
What it means in practise is that, if you buy any mid-level DSLR, you can confidently say "this is the greatest mid-level DSLR there is."
As to why he chooses to categorize cameras based on whether you shoot from the hips (mid-level) as opposed to closer to your face (high-level), I have no idea.
You'd think that any camera would be the greatest for both shooting styles.
[I don't think Mike uses the word "greatest".]
Makes you wonder why low-level cameras would sell at all, it's such a rarely used perspective.
You quoted him as saying "all of them are superlative products, ..."
Which you incorrectly interpreted to mean: any mid-level DSLR is great.
Positive: great, comparative: greater, superlative: greatest.
He did not say: "all of them are positive products, ..."
I've been looking at buying the Olympus E-620 (4/3 format). But, based on reading this article now I'm wondering about the Pentax K20D.
Does anyone have an opinion on the 4/3 format. I guess it's kind of new and not everyone builds lenses for it. Do you think I'd be shooting myself in the foot for going with the 4/3 format? For instance it's aspect ratio is 4:3 vs. 3:2.
TTL, I see what you mean.
I guess I read it as being superlative compared to other *types* of cameras, and compared to what they were like in the past.
(I do realize you were being a bit facetious.)
Tommy, even if the 4/3 format doesn't last, it will be years before it's an issue.
Olympus cameras seem to be very good.
On the other hand, 4/3 was supposed to give more compact cameras, and hasn't, not very much. Maybe the "micro 4/3" format will do that.
What lenses you need is a factor.
It's a tough choice, but really, this is just what Mike was addressing: they are all really good, just pick one.
Tommy,
I think you should go for the K20D. It's a better camera than the E-420 by far. Much better sensor. People have complained about "slow" autofocus, but I find that to be barely noticeable. The K20D is at a very advantageous price point right now. Plus, there is far, far more flexibility with lenses...I have used 30-year-old manual focus lenses on the K20D, whereas with the Olympus cameras the lens choices are severely limited. The K20D is in end-of-life pricing, which makes it a fantastic bargain.
Mike J.
Great, thanks Mike.
A couple of last things on the K20D vs. the E620. First of all, Mike was that a typo when you referred to the E420 vs. the E620 which I'm looking at?
So the difference in aspect ratio doesn't bother either of you?
The physical size of the sensor on the K20D is larger than the E620. Does this matter?
Also, according to some 4/3 stuff I've read, the lenses should be about 1/2 the size and weight because a 4/3 lense of 150mm is about equivelant to a 35mm lense of 300mm. Any comments on this?
I really appreciate your help here..I'm about to put down the old green backa dollar...
I don't really notice the aspect ration when I work.
A bigger sensor is better for low light performance, but not as dramatically as you might think.
For the long lenses, the 4/3 lenses are wonderfully compact, but they are also expensive.
Reading this made me want to see some of those old shows. The very first episode, Batman enters a club looking for The Riddler. A waiter asks him if he'd like a table. Batman says "No, I don't want to attract attention, I'll just stand at the bar."
This show was made at a time when in the comics Batman and Superman go to the mall in costume to do their christmas shopping!
Ill take Adam West's Batman over the psycho they've got int he movies today.
Note the new Pentax K-7.
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