I have been using Olympus cameras for as long as I can remember and I currently use:
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-400
Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm ED F2.8-4.00 SWD lens
Olympus Zuiko 70-300mm f4.0-5.6 ED lens
various other lenses & a lensbaby
Olympus Fl-50r wireless flash
Kata bags and straps (see below)
Adobe Photoshop (still very much an amateur at this!)
The main reason why I have stayed with Olympus and the 4/3rds system is their glass. I believe that Olympus still make some of the finest lenses out there and I absolutely love the sharpness of my 12-60mm SWD. Another reason has to be the feel of the cameras themselves - they actually feel comfortable in the hand and I think they are a pleasure to use. The weight factor is a bonus too - I must be the biggest whinger when it comes to carrying camera bags and kit! Incidentally my travel photography is made much easier by owning a great camera rucksack from Kata (I own a DR-467 & 4651 - both in fetching pink!)which enables you to attach the camera strap to the bag straps which take the weight of your kit. No more pulling on the neck!
The last couple of times I have upgraded I must admit that I have seriously considered going over to the other side...Nikon (although the other day I was seriously considering saving up for the Canon EOS 5D mark II)! I have used Nikon camera's in the past and have always been impressed with the output but somehow they just don't feel the same. However, I'm beginning to think that I've made a mistake in investing so heavily in the Olympus E-XX system WAHHHHHH! These thoughts are not without reason as it was announced towards the end of last year that the Olympus E system is now dead...well I say that it was announced it was actually more hinted at. It looks as if the future of Olympus is going to be in their mirrorless Pen series and micro 4/3rds rather than in SLRs. This as well as the fact that Olympus E-series cameras are so far behind Nikon and Canon (and others) in terms of low light photography. Noise still does seem to be a problem. Since I now plan to take my slow start in microstock photography to a more serious level I also need to consider image resolution and size, which again is greater in other camera systems.
So I have a dilemma...change now to another system with all of the expense that that move entails or wait...wait to see if Olympus can pull something out of the bag in the dSLR arena. I rather hope they do!
What are your thoughts on the so called "death" of the 4/3rds system which is being also being discussed on dpreview Olympus forums?
