[nostatic]

He was talking about the dynamic range of slide is narrower than film, much like jpeg vs RAW.

To be fair, I think asking older people who don't use PC all the time to work on RAW is a bit of a tall order. I work on computer all day and even I don't bother with RAW. Becuase I don't like to spend the extra time on the work flow.

There are software solutions that create zero difference in workflow between jpg and raw (eg Aperture).

[whatever7]

There are software solutions that create zero difference in workflow between jpg and raw (eg Aperture).

Do you think a guy who has shot slide for years (someone who is in his 50s or older) has a PC that has the spec and space to do it. Give me a break.

[Art Vandelay II]

Answer from Samsung is VERY STRONG.

Ultra-Precise LED Electronic ViewFinder 1620x1080p/250Hz 3:2 resolution
-1X magnification and 100% coverage
-3" AMOLED 960x720 (720p) 3:2 display
- APS-C CMOS sensor 14.6 megapixel 3:2
-100-6400 ISO
-4 frame per second
-Video HD 720p/30fps
-Audio stereo

Sounds strong for sure, but I wonder how small it will be. If it's not smaller than the K-7 then I'd rather just get the K7. It looks fairly large in this pic:


But on a good note; the VF looks flippin huge there.

However, I'm still extremely skeptical of Samsung building a lens system without Pentax's help though. I have no fear that Olympus (and even Panasonic to some degree) will produce some high quality glass, so I would buy a m4/3's and just assume Olympus will deliver the goods on the glass, but Samsung has exactly zero experience and history as a lens builder. Kind of skeery. Come on Pentax...get to work.

[uccemebug]

Do you think a guy who has shot slide for years (someone who is in his 50s or older) has a PC that has the spec and space to do it. Give me a break.

He's just turned 70 and his PC would certainly not be up to the job. Moreover, he's not interested in scanning his backlog of slides and negatives, and I can't really see him bothering with workflow at the moment.

But of course, he *could* do it: he spent many years designing, building and running test facilities as part of the R&D lab he ran in the oil patch. What I hope is that some years from now he doesn't decide that he wants to go back and do things with his travel photos (e.g. his recent trip to Turkey) that he can't do because he shot JPG.

[er1kksen]

Have a look at texture of fabric - almost no details.

Pentax K20D ISO 1600 (NR OFF): sample

Olympus E-P1 ISO 1600 (NR OFF): sample

Now look at the fabric wheels. In the dark red fabric the K20D clearly retains more detail... but that's the only one. In all the others the E-P1 retains more detail. Acutance seems to be higher with the E-P1. The K20D has more chroma noise while the E-P1 has more grain-like luma noise, and it's a very tight texture. More detail is present in all areas of the E-P1 image.

What this doesn't tell us about is how it'll perform at high ISOs in poor lighting. Nonetheless, this little camera is definitely impressing me a lot. My definite next camera purchase will be a K-7; my K20D is currently my work camera and the K-7 addresses its shortcomings. If I can afford one in the future, though, an E-P1 is almost certainly going to show up in my pocket and probably go with me more places than my bigger pentax will...

[nostatic]

Do you think a guy who has shot slide for years (someone who is in his 50s or older) has a PC that has the spec and space to do it. Give me a break.

I know plenty of people in their 50s (and 60s and 70s) who have Macs that will run Aperture or iPhoto (including my 83 year old father). Is there a maximum age requirement at the Apple Store?

Yes, give me a break. I need one.

[whatever7]

I know plenty of people in their 50s (and 60s and 70s) who have Macs that will run Aperture or iPhoto (including my 83 year old father). Is there a maximum age requirement at the Apple Store?

Yes, give me a break. I need one.

LOL, let me get this straight. So if your old man doesn't like to shot RAW you will buy him a Mac and Aperture? What about your uncle, will you buy him one too?

iPhoto was a hand down the worst software Apple had ever made up till version 3. That speak for volume your taste in software.

[nostatic]

LOL, let me get this straight. So if your old man doesn't like to shot RAW you will buy him a Mac and Aperture? What about your uncle, will you buy him one too?

iPhoto was a hand down the worst software Apple had ever made up till version 3. That speak for volume your taste in software.

When did I say that? Answer - I didn't. I merely pointed out that there are software solutions that make raw a non-issue from a workflow standpoint.

I run Aperture and like it. I left iPhoto around v5 iirc (when Aperture went to v2 and became usable). But I know a lot of people who happily use iPhoto without incident (like my production designer).

Actually the worst piece of software that Apple made was iMovie in iLife '07. They took a great/simple video editing package and turned it into drivel. Luckily before then I had to jump to FinalCutPro for other reasons (needing to do multiple streams) and haven't looked back. They did fix iMovie in the current release, but FinalCut rocks...

[Sean Nelson]

You understand that the relationship of SLIDES:FILM is the same as JPG:RAW, right? So he's just continuing his modus operandi. (And I say this as a slide shooter from way back.)

Nope, don't understand that relationship at all. Can you explain it?

Actually, I typoed my statement, what I meant was SLIDES are to NEGATIVES as JPG is to RAW.

What I'm getting at here is that when you shoot slides, there's no "post-processing". You get whatever you get, and there's no opportunity for exposure correction, contrast adjustment, etc. etc. With negatives, you have a lot of latitude for adjustments when you make the print.

Similarly, with JPG you've got less leeway to fiddle with the image than you do with RAW.

So if your father is used to slides and the attendant requirement to get the exposure and framing etc. right with no opportunity for rescuing the image later, then JPGs might be right up his alley.

[Sean Nelson]

Do you think a guy who has shot slide for years (someone who is in his 50s or older) has a PC that has the spec and space to do it. Give me a break.

Hey, I'm over 50, shot slides for many years, and have a perfectly crumulent PC which I'm about to replace with a Core i7. (And in fact I DID go through all my slides and negatives and scanned them in.) Give ME a break!

[uccemebug]

Actually, I typoed my statement, what I meant was SLIDES are to NEGATIVES as JPG is to RAW.

...

So if your father is used to slides and the attendant requirement to get the exposure and framing etc. right with no opportunity for rescuing the image later, then JPGs might be right up his alley.

Gotcha.

Further to the EP-1, the major camera stores here in Tokyo seem to be holding massive promotions for the new model. From a friend who shoots a variety of brands, both digital and film:

"I went to Biccamera @ Kawasaki yesterday and there was so much EP-1 activities in the store. Banners here and there. There was even a small corner showing pictures of the original pen. In my 3-year stay in Tokyo I have never seen any pre-launch activities like the EP-1. And if you take a look at the latest [Japanese magazine], there is already a column showing how one can use one's EP-1 with various lenses. It's kind of funny, you should see it. Ah, poor Pentax chose the wrong timing to release her K7."

The main Bic Camera in Yurakutcho is the same, apparently.

[rparmar]

Hey, I'm over 50, shot slides for many years, and have a perfectly crumulent PC which I'm about to replace with a Core i7.

Crumulent? Is that some regional variation on crummy?

[uccemebug]

Crumulent? Is that some regional variation on crummy?

Use of such vocabulary embiggens us all.

[Art Vandelay II]

This is why I think this camera is going to be a true game changer and why I think Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Samsung should all start rethinking their strategies ASAP. I was chatting with a female friend last night and the subject of cameras came up, and I sent her a link to the E-P1. Her response was as follows:

Jenn:
- That camera is amazing.
- I just fell in love with it.
- I want the white one.
- I'm going to have to get one.

Women like her spend $200+ on shoes, $150+ on jeans, and $300+ on handbags just in the name of fashion. Spending $600+ on a camera because it is pretty makes perfect sense to them. It doesn't matter if Samsung's NX is actually better if it stirs no emotions. People like to feel a connection to what they're buying when dropping this kind of cash on a gadget. The first iMac in 1998 was no better than any other computer, in fact it was inferior to most from a pure tech standpoint, but it stood out in a crowd of beige boxes and simplified computing. The E-P1 could do the very same thing for high-end cameras.

Edit: Tom Hogan has a good article on his web page expressing similar concerns for Nikon after laying eyes on the E-P1.

[rparmar]

Use of such vocabulary embiggens us all.

Am suitably smiffed.