05-22-2011, 12:59 PM
A bit depends on if she wants a couple of good zooms or a handful of primes.
I would consider the GH2 over the E-5 (esp given weight concerns). I think the olympus ssm lenses will auto focus on the Gh2 but not 100% sure haven't really paid much attention to compatibility rules between micro 4:3 and 4:3. The GH2 has a better sensors than the E-5 and (imho) a more interesting body.
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Olympus has some of the very best lenses and overall the 4:3 trims a bit off the weight; also their support and quality (for the optics) tend to be very high but their cameras are less special.
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Pentax has some of the best primes (as a set) but their ssm motors have had a high rate of failure and their support sucks (from what I've read; I do not use pentax first hand; but in usa there has been a large number of complaints with motoros failing in their newer zooms). A lot of folks like the K5
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I'm not a nikon user or lover and will let others comment; though it tends to be the heaviest system over all.
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Canon tends to be a few grams lighter than nikon but a lot heavier than olympus and pentax. There is no clear winner here as it depends on chosen body and lens (you picked the body above but didn't name the lens). Traditionally canon was a lot less expensive than nikon (usa) but int he past year this is now less so. In USA support for canon is excellent. For nikon less so and nikon USA will not touch imported nikon (grey market) product; mind you even if you are willing to pay the service they will refuse - we aren't talking warranty service here.
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Sadly I do not think there is a perfect system; yet every system is probably good enough. Depending on where your daughter lives I would try to actually examine the different products first hand. While I do not own minolta; when I played with a a900 I was extremely impressed with the over all feel of the body and lenses.
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As a reflection on what I said above; I use canon; have used olympus; avoid nikon; never used pentax. I have a special liking for olympus as a company (gh2 is panasonic) and think they have the very best lenses but think they made a mistake with 4;3. I have a special dislike for nikon usa policies; and I think hoya purchase of pentax was a bad thing and support for pentax will be difficult in usa (from what I've read has taken place the last few years).
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I add the above paragraph so you understand my bias.
I would consider the GH2 over the E-5 (esp given weight concerns). I think the olympus ssm lenses will auto focus on the Gh2 but not 100% sure haven't really paid much attention to compatibility rules between micro 4:3 and 4:3. The GH2 has a better sensors than the E-5 and (imho) a more interesting body.
-
Olympus has some of the very best lenses and overall the 4:3 trims a bit off the weight; also their support and quality (for the optics) tend to be very high but their cameras are less special.
-
Pentax has some of the best primes (as a set) but their ssm motors have had a high rate of failure and their support sucks (from what I've read; I do not use pentax first hand; but in usa there has been a large number of complaints with motoros failing in their newer zooms). A lot of folks like the K5
-
I'm not a nikon user or lover and will let others comment; though it tends to be the heaviest system over all.
-
Canon tends to be a few grams lighter than nikon but a lot heavier than olympus and pentax. There is no clear winner here as it depends on chosen body and lens (you picked the body above but didn't name the lens). Traditionally canon was a lot less expensive than nikon (usa) but int he past year this is now less so. In USA support for canon is excellent. For nikon less so and nikon USA will not touch imported nikon (grey market) product; mind you even if you are willing to pay the service they will refuse - we aren't talking warranty service here.
-
Sadly I do not think there is a perfect system; yet every system is probably good enough. Depending on where your daughter lives I would try to actually examine the different products first hand. While I do not own minolta; when I played with a a900 I was extremely impressed with the over all feel of the body and lenses.
-
As a reflection on what I said above; I use canon; have used olympus; avoid nikon; never used pentax. I have a special liking for olympus as a company (gh2 is panasonic) and think they have the very best lenses but think they made a mistake with 4;3. I have a special dislike for nikon usa policies; and I think hoya purchase of pentax was a bad thing and support for pentax will be difficult in usa (from what I've read has taken place the last few years).
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I add the above paragraph so you understand my bias.