Toronto Photography Meetup Group

My date with your mom (and a full shaker of salt) has been confirmed also.

More E-5 and E-P3 (?) rumours posted. PMA is only a few weeks away now, so I'll wait for the official announcements.

Slight update on my schedule for the meet-up. I could make lunch on Feb 21. After that I'm tied up 'til the 25th but could make it before Feb 21st (except not Feb 10th) and after Feb 25th.

Thanks for trying to organize this Rob.
Bruce

Mom's 84 years old. Have fun in church and at the bingo hall after.

You mean she doesn't like the Ex?

Local pro Olympus shooter Doug Brown of torontowide.com may be available to attend on the 28th.

I'm willing to miss the event if he's going to show up.

Well I guess that's a non issue then since he said he might be able to make it on the 28th, which is a day that you said you couldn't.

FT Fashion shoot using Olympus E-1...

I was flipping channels and came across a fashion shoot on TV for "FQ" (Fashion Quarterly) magazine, and I happened to notice the "Olympus" strap on a camera...the photographer was using an Olympus E-1. The copyright date for the program was 2007.

There are several additional airings of this episode coming up:
- Sat 1/30 8:30-9:00am 40 BRAVOC
- Sat 1/30 11:30-12:00am 40 BRAVOC
- Sun 1/31 6:30-7:00am 40 BRAVOC
- Mon 2/1 4:30-5:00am 40 BRAVOC

I was getting antsy for another meetup (plus someone PMed me today asking about the next one), and looking back through the messages it was June 11th last year that we had our BBQ meetup.

No wonder I was thinking about it.

Sassette76 also mentioned a meet, a while back, now that the hubbub in her life is starting to settle a bit

I heard a rumour that this group sometimes does Olympus meet-ups...

It'd be cool to meet some other Olympus shooters, since everyone I know uses either Canon or Nikon equipment.

yes, we can discuss how olympus is screwing the pooch and themselves by not releasing equipment anyone wants to buy.

It might be fun to do it in person for a change

We were talking about a summer BBQ on top of a tall building like we did last year, but it never happened.

I was considering hosting host one at our usual Yonge/Davisville haunt at the Bull & Firkin (my neighbourhood) once I get the Panasonic 3D lens (assuming it is what they claim it is); but that wouldn't be until whenever they release it as there's currently no release date.

I actually wasn't going to get a Micro FourThirds camera at all, but the 3D lens (again if it does what I hope it will) will make me change my mind since I now do 3D photography with two P&S cameras mounted on a metal bar; to be able to carry a single P&S sized camera to do the same type of photography would make things a lot easier.

I was really hoping to host another Oly-B-Q but just have not had the time or energy this summer.

The usual Yonge/Davisville area would be good for a meetup for me, or anywhere in the Toronto area really.

The Bull & Firkin seemed to do the job pretty well, for most people, but there is the issue of table space. Putting stuff on the pool tables just doesn't feel right, to me.

It's the best that I've found though. Another place I tried out with the staff of the motorcycle mag I'm associated with and members of its riding club, in The Beaches area, was just too cramped. The food was also more expensive.

You might want to check out the Yellow Griffin pub at Bloor and Runnymede. They've got a second floor that's available for groups to use. I don't know how many Olympus users typically get together, but there's definitely enough room for the 20 or so members of a boardgame group that I belong to, that uses the space.

Not sure if they charge anything to rent the space, but they have really good food.

Their website says room for about 80 people, and booking the space is free.

however it is upstairs and now ever wheelchair friendly, just an FYI

Unfortunately the best area for meets at The Bull & Firkin isn't the best for wheelchair accessibility either, as it's up a short flight of stairs to the pool tables. I'd welcome any other suggestions, that would work better.

Just wonder does anyone shoot Panasonic micro four-thirds here? Are the lenses sharp? I'm curious because it's time for me to get a new camera now and if the camera is compact and light and the lenses are nice and sharp, that'll be perfect.

I think that mawz still has a G1.

Ok, I'm also looking at the Four Thirds too but some of the lenses they have are just way too heavy but then I can use an adapter and attach a micro Four Thirds lens, right??

I have the Panasonic GF1 (m4/3) and use the 20mm 1.7 pancake lens and 45-200 lens. They are both very sharp and not too heavy in relation to dslr lenses. I suggest going to a retail store and try out the camera and lenses to see if they meet your needs.

yeah, i'll have to remember to bring along my sd card

I have GF-1 and 20/1.7 and it's a very good camera - IQ is good enough at ISO400 to compete against the D200 which it replaced. At ISO800 things begin to fall apart a bit and were about as good/perhaps a bit worse than the D200 at ISO800 (which has a larger sensor).

AF is slower than most dSLRs, fewer AF lens options (than dSLR) though lots of MF lens options if you buy the necessary adapters, flash sync speed is slow 1/160th), the main advantage is it is lighter and more compact that most dSLR. The video quality is quite good as well but AF noise can be a bit annoying (picked up by the mic).

Personally, I'd wait until the next generation of u4/3 cameras are released before buying a GF-1 (especially if new as prices should be dropping).

I've seen used GF-1 bodies sell for as little as $300-350USD.

deleted - accidentally double posted...

I was looking at the GF 1 with the 20mm f1.7 lens and really tempted to buy it but then after reading some of the reviews, I kinda want to wait for the new model. Now you're saying the same things, I'm going to wait and celebrate the 4th Anniversary with my XTi then Thanks for your input, Ken.

Last I heard, he dropped the G1 for a Pentax K-x, and has most recently dropped the K-x for a Sony A33.