[Leica] Olympus E1 - sorta OT

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Just a couple quick responses Will - and we are on basically the same
wave length -
When I mentioned sensor size and pixel count, I was primarily referring
to what I'd characterize as the mini-sensors in even the high end
P&S/prosumer cameras. They were noisy at 5 mgp and they become really
bad at 8. The D20 D60 sensor is larger, and has large pixels, which
would seem to leave some room for reducing the pixel size and increasing
the pixel count. And, of course, the software/firmware is making
enormous strides.

At some point I was told that the Olympus engineers designed the 4/3
chip to eventually be capable of a 25 mgp count, so I assume they think
they're going to be able to deal with the noise issue. I certainly hope
to see noise improvements in the E2 - or whatever it's called - but if
the noise levels are the same as they are in the E-1, but I have twice
as many pixels, I can more than live with it. 

Best
B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Will von Dauster
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 1:51 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: [Leica] Olympus E1 - sorta OT


On Apr 10, 2005, at 9:52 AM, B. D. Colen wrote:

> http://gallery.leica-users.org/B-D-COLEN-PAW/Blossom

Nice flower pix, especially the first. The E-1 photos have a _very_ 
nice look to them.

> Shot with the Olympus E-1 -"the Barnack camera for the digital era?"*-

> *Erwin Puts, 9 April, 2005.

Yup. Slips nicely into a photo vest pocket Erwin... or, well, not. Of 
course, neither does the LC1.

Now, if I might respond to few comments, including BD, who also wrote:

>> The limiting factor is NOT the resolution - it's the sensor size. I
>> have
>> an 8 mgp P&S with a typically-tiny sensor, and an E-1 with a 5mpg 4/3
>> sensor - the 8mpg gets noisy by 400 iso and is a joke at 800. The E-1

>> is
>> fine at 400 and useable up to 1600, or in desperation, 3200. More 
>> over,
>> I can blow the E-1 images way up, and can't go as far with the 8 mgp
>> camera. Taking the LC1 or similar camera up to 8-10 mgp wouldn't 
>> improve
>> things - it would probably make them worse.

I certainly agree with most of what is said above, although I still 
firmly believe that even an excellent 5MP is not enough for my use. As 
to increasing pixel count necessarily increasing noise within the same 
physical sensor size, reality has not born this out. To whit, the 
improvement in all respects in the high-ISO range of photographs taken 
with the Canon 20D versus the 10D: Same sensor size, smaller receptors, 
better images, QED. In other words, when it comes to computer 
technology, and that's what we're talking about these days, 
essentially, all other things are seldom equal as the technologies - 
plural, to be more correct - improve.

Having said this, I am a big Olympus fan, having used the OM system 
professionally for a few years, and having owned the E-10 and E-20n. 
Once the - oh, I don't know - E2 comes out at hopefully 10MP, as usable 
at ISO 1600 as the 20D, I am very likely to pick one up.

Allow me to also lament Leica's slowness in seeing the potential market 
for the Digital M. Props to Cosina/Epson, but let's get that price down 
to $1299. Yeah, I know.

Will von Dauster

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