I'm somewhat surprised there hasn't been any chatter yet about the E-330 - there sure has over on the LUG, a major Leica list!
I've been shooting with the E-330 for about two weeks now and have a number of impressions, the first of which is that this new sensor and the improved metering system can make the next generation of the E-1 a truly competitive pro-camera - and if the "live view" LCD is on the "E-2" it will, for some people, be a Canon-killer.
Here are links to numerous E-330 images:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/album373 - all shot with the E-330 - posted to show what it can do, not to show great art. But note the second and third photos - of the rude young lady ;-); those totally back-lit shots were made using matrix metering, and the exposure's right-on, the color/skin tone is terrific. The shot of the dog is also pretty amazing given the lighting and the use of matrix metering. Then note the photo near the end of the first page of the baby - that's shot at 1600 iso and there was no attempt to clean up or reduce noise - I think it's better than 1600 film. And finally, on the second page, take a look at the portrait of the young man with the beard. It was shot at 400 iso. All the back and white, by the way, was produced in-camera.
Next, take a look at these shots from the Bethlehem Steel works - only a few of the obvious telephoto shots were taken with the E-330 - the telephoto stuff was shot with the E-1 using the new 35-100 f2http://gallery.leica-users.org/album370
As far as I'm concerned, this sensor is much better than that in the E-1 - much better noise supression; better color; better over all 'look.' And the meter is also more accurate than that in the E-1.
The 'live view' lcd is a terrific feature, particularly as it swings out from the back. It still needs refinement - it's extremely dark in low light, and the image you view on it doesn't change to reflect adjustments in exposure. But it's a first try at something, and I have no doubt it will improve.
The camera itself is an ergonomic improvement on the E-330, without being a radical departure from the earlier model. The mirror viewfinder system provides a small, dim, view, and isn't nearly as good as the viewfinder on the E-1, or even as good as the E-500. But then they don't have 'live view.'
B. D.
bdcolen@mit.edu
I've been shooting with the E-330 for about two weeks now and have a number of impressions, the first of which is that this new sensor and the improved metering system can make the next generation of the E-1 a truly competitive pro-camera - and if the "live view" LCD is on the "E-2" it will, for some people, be a Canon-killer.
Here are links to numerous E-330 images:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/album373 - all shot with the E-330 - posted to show what it can do, not to show great art. But note the second and third photos - of the rude young lady ;-); those totally back-lit shots were made using matrix metering, and the exposure's right-on, the color/skin tone is terrific. The shot of the dog is also pretty amazing given the lighting and the use of matrix metering. Then note the photo near the end of the first page of the baby - that's shot at 1600 iso and there was no attempt to clean up or reduce noise - I think it's better than 1600 film. And finally, on the second page, take a look at the portrait of the young man with the beard. It was shot at 400 iso. All the back and white, by the way, was produced in-camera.
Next, take a look at these shots from the Bethlehem Steel works - only a few of the obvious telephoto shots were taken with the E-330 - the telephoto stuff was shot with the E-1 using the new 35-100 f2http://gallery.leica-users.org/album370
As far as I'm concerned, this sensor is much better than that in the E-1 - much better noise supression; better color; better over all 'look.' And the meter is also more accurate than that in the E-1.
The 'live view' lcd is a terrific feature, particularly as it swings out from the back. It still needs refinement - it's extremely dark in low light, and the image you view on it doesn't change to reflect adjustments in exposure. But it's a first try at something, and I have no doubt it will improve.
The camera itself is an ergonomic improvement on the E-330, without being a radical departure from the earlier model. The mirror viewfinder system provides a small, dim, view, and isn't nearly as good as the viewfinder on the E-1, or even as good as the E-500. But then they don't have 'live view.'
B. D.
bdcolen@mit.edu
