E500 - good first DSLR?

[chile7236]

can get one relatively cheap when compared to buying new...comes with ike housing and dome, 2 lenses (zuika...one is 11-22, forgot the other), 2 batteries and charger. all in excellent shape. seems like a good start but was wondering if it's going to be an improvement over an S100 or G12...thoughts/opinions? thanks.

edit: my goal is to see if i like toting around a DSLR set up and if i can use it effectively w/out breaking my govt subsidized bank...i would spend more money trying to house my old D40 than going with this E500.

[PHIL RUDIN]

I used the E-510 & E-520 in the Olympus housing and had great results. The 11-22 is a very nice lens. The other option for a much smaller package would be to go to one of the mirrorless cameras in a low end housing like the Olympus PEN housings.

Phil Rudin

[CoolTech]

Remember the E500 has no mirror and no screen view. You will need to look through the view port to take a picture

[chile7236]

I used the E-510 & E-520 in the Olympus housing and had great results. The 11-22 is a very nice lens. The other option for a much smaller package would be to go to one of the mirrorless cameras in a low end housing like the Olympus PEN housings.

Phil Rudin

still debating that, phil...the only plus in getting the E500 set up is that i'd also have a dome port...the con is that it's ike housed and i have an inon and S&S strobes.

Remember the E500 has no mirror and no screen view. You will need to look through the view port to take a picture

the pics i have seen of the E500 have a screen view...did i miss something? not that looking through a viewfinder bothers me...brings me back to NikV days

[PHIL RUDIN]

Live-view on the E-500 is not good. Using the optical viewfinder will be your best choice and I think Iklite housings have some type of pickup finder to assist with the view, the Olympus housing for the camera had a good pickup finder.

Phil Rudin

[CoolTech]

There is no live-view on the E-500, which was launched the second half of 2006. The E-330 was released the first half of 2007 and was the first live-view DSLR. The E-510 was the follow up to the E-500, and it featured live-view (I own the E-500 and the E-330)

The "screen view" you see on pictures of the E-500 are review images showing the image you just shot.

[EastEndDiver]

I used to shoot an E-330 (great Camera).Was the only Live view camera with no lag at the time.Not sure if any others have that no lag feature when using Live View.

I still have the Ikelite Housing and looking to sell it.Sold the Camera to a SB member.

I upgraded to the E-30 and have been very satisfied with that.

[chile7236]

Thanks, cooltech. Haven't fully committed so I will continue looking. Almost picked up a JDM GF3 with 2 lenses for $390 until I saw the menus are Japanese only.

[CoolTech]

I used to shoot an E-330 (great Camera).Was the only Live view camera with no lag at the time.Not sure if any others have that no lag feature when using Live View.

I still have the Ikelite Housing and looking to sell it.Sold the Camera to a SB member.

I upgraded to the E-30 and have been very satisfied with that.

EastEndDiver, PM me on the housing. I might be interested in a backup to my current housing