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Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight for OM-D E-M5 Mark II (1 Viewer)

opticoholic

Well-known member
Just saw this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1116753-REG/olympus_ee_1_dot_sight_for.html

I can't count the number of bird photos I've missed because I've been too slow to acquire my target. I've tried a few different sighting methods on my camera and spotting scope, but so far nothing I've tried has worked perfectly. I still can't shake the notion that a perfectly designed easy-to-use sighting device would really help. This new Olympus device is kind of expensive, but looks like it is done very nicely... If I get the upcoming Olympus 300mm, I will definitely get this and try it. But wait: it seems it might only work on the new E-M5II, and I'm not sure I want to upgrade my Olympus body...:C

Although I imagined I might get the Olympus 300mm later this year, now I'm not so sure because the new compact Nikon 300mm f/4 VR looks pretty nice too... I'm guessing for birds in flight, the continuous autofocus with the Nikon system might still be better than the Olympus camera/lens, but that gap will narrow... In fact they just announced a firmware upgrade for the E-M1 that improves continuous autofocus. As good as Olympus in-body stabilization is, I also wonder if stabilization for long telephoto work is better when applied in-lens... When the new Olympus 300mm finally comes out we will have to post comparisons between different ~300mm systems (with teleconverters too).

Dave
 
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The press release says it's compatible with any camera with a hot shoe, so you should be OK there.

Thanks. I see that now on the Olympus product page. I'm also glad it says it runs on its own coin-size battery. I wonder if it will work on top of my Nikon D7100? I may find out someday!

Dave
 
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Hello,
I pre-ordered the EE-1 back on March 2 from B&H. Something must have slowed down the schedule for production and delivery because I only finally received it today. I just put it on my Nikon D7200 with my 500mm lens and WOW, it really works well. I was a little worried that the hood on my lens would be too big, but it works great. So far I've just been pointing it around my back yard and inside the house, but my first impression is very positive. Here is what I like:

  • how *bright* the sighting target is. It has a brightness adjustment from 1-5. Even in full direct afternoon sunlight, setting 3 or 4 seems plenty bright enough, both pointing at the sky and at stuff on the ground.
  • how natural or effortless it is to use. It is *really* easy to find the sight. It's just right there when you look. I think it could really speed up my target acquisition on both stationary and moving/flying birds.
  • how precise the controls are to adjust the target. The adjustment is easy to use, with little clicks that move the target just enough to get it perfect. I did quickly discover that getting it "perfect" is relative to your target distance. So if you set it to sight perfectly for a subject at 20 meters away, then point it at something that is only 5 meters away, you will notice that the target is a little off (low) when pointing at the closer subject. But that is something you can just keep in mind and it's so easy to adjust, that you can quickly adjust it for different shooting situations.
  • the "pop-up" design. Pushing down on the top of the device collapses it down with a click, both turning off the power and making it more compact, so it is less likely to get damaged or caught on something while walking. It also will help keep dust out while in storage.

It is made of plastic, so time will tell how well it holds up to use, but right now everything seems to work well and it looks like it should hold up as long as I'm careful with it. And the fact that it is plastic means it adds very little weight to your rig.

It is rather expensive, but if you're a serious bird photographer, a good sight like this could be the difference between getting your shot and saying, "Oh, damn! Another opportunity missed!" I've tried some other options and this is definitely the best thing I've found so far.

My only problem now is that I often like to use a flash for my bird photography, and now I will have to choose between using the flash and using this sight. I don't think there is any way I can use both at the same time... It will be one or the other. But I like this EE-1 so much that it will *always* be on my camera when the flash is not.

I'll try to follow-up after I've had a chance to use it in the field several times. I'll try to give an honest report as to whether I think it is increasing my success rate on birds in flight, etc. Unfortunately that could be several weeks.

Dave

PS. Michael: Sorry for the late reply. I did not even see your question until today!
 
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Thank you Dave for the very detailed review. Yes it is a little expensive but as you said it is the difference between getting your shot and saying, "Oh, damn! Another opportunity missed!". I am looking to purchase the Nikon P900 to get more distance but the P900 does not have a hot shoe for and external flash, oh well..
I would sure like to see your report as to whether you think it is increasing your success rate on birds in flight, etc.

Thanks again Dave.
 
I'm thinking of getting an EE-1, and I have a couple of questions for Dave and anyone else who's tried using this for a while. Are you still impressed? Is it as much help as you thought it would be?

Cheers



Jeff
 
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