[Leica] E3 - E330 comparo was D Vario on E3

[cummer at netvigator.com (Howard Cummer)]

HI Gary,
First let me say how much I enjoy the Lympa Log - your input has been  
a great inspiration for me getting into Oly DSLR cameras and using my  
R lenses on them. Since posting the original message I have figured  
out how to use the magnification in Live View on the E3 and I  
absolutely second your thoughts about missing the Live View instant  
mode from the E 330. Perhaps the E4 will get it right again.
Cheers
Howard.
On 5 Feb 2008, at 9:37 PM, lug-request@leica-users.org wrote:

> Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:49:27 -0800
> From: Gary Todoroff <datamaster@northcoastphotos.com>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] D Vario on E3 - was HK Winter shot
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
>
> Howard - the Olympus E3 manual shows a 7x/10x magnification
> capability for focusing your Leica lenses - see page 32. For me,
> reading the E3 manual halted all my plans and expectations for the
> latest from Olympus. I think you used the perfect term for the E3 -
> "retrograde". The E-330 was so revolutionary. The E-3 is so
> disappointing. It's as if General Washington was in the boat crossing
> the Delaware on that stormy night, then said, "Let's just go home and
> celebrate Christmas instead." For me, nothing on the E-3 can make up
> for the lack of the E-330 Live View instant mode. If I were shooting
> sports, maybe the E-3 would be OK, but what I really want is an E-340.
>
> It even irks me that the magnification feature on the E3 uses the
> same clumsy menu dance as on the E-330. Plus when you are focused,
> you can't just touch the shutter button to go into shoot mode, but
> must search for the OK button. The two magnifications should have
> been 5x and 10x. The new 7x option is still too much magnification if
> you are hand-holding. 10x is great on a tripod, but 5x would have
> allowed for good hand-held focus. A rifle target shooter might use a
> 12x scope, but a hunter uses a 4x. Same idea. Olympus engineers
> are  spending too much time in their cubicles, I think.
>
> I'm sure the E-3 will be a very capable camera in your hands, but I
> am grieving for what it might have been. After the wonders of the
> little Oly C-8080 and then the live view creative features of the
> E-330, I was expecting a professional camera that would have combined
> the best features of those cameras, along with some of the ideas that
> Olympus users suggested.  Instead, we got a Nikon/Canon clone. Well,
> maybe this is the window of opportunity for Leica? However, I suspect
> they may not be getting outside their cubicles too much either.
>
> Gary Todoroff
> Lympa Log - http://northcoastphotos.com/Lympa.htm
>