ssterian01
07-05 01:33 PM
Thanks a lot, prem_goel.
I will probably have to change emplyers based on EAD and lose my H1B status and she will lose her H4. Before that, I intend to put her into ESL(English as a Second Language) school to get her an F1 visa so she can stay inside US until I get my I485 approved
I read eveywhere and talked briefly to my lawyer about it and he had no objections and didn't raise any red flags so I assumed it would be fine to proceed with F1 plan.
Now I have to give a second thought I guess. I will go to my lawyer and try to get all the answers.
I understand the risks involved with me getting the I485 denied. I heard there are very low. Also, I read that adding F1 to I485 app is allowed and usual procedure, are you sure it might be rejected ? (my wife entered as H4 in the country, then will go on F1). I know there is always a chance to get denied.
How big would the combined risks be to get screwed here (wither 485 denied or F1 spouse not added on I485)? Like very low, low, medium or likely ? :)
Thanks a bunch
I will probably have to change emplyers based on EAD and lose my H1B status and she will lose her H4. Before that, I intend to put her into ESL(English as a Second Language) school to get her an F1 visa so she can stay inside US until I get my I485 approved
I read eveywhere and talked briefly to my lawyer about it and he had no objections and didn't raise any red flags so I assumed it would be fine to proceed with F1 plan.
Now I have to give a second thought I guess. I will go to my lawyer and try to get all the answers.
I understand the risks involved with me getting the I485 denied. I heard there are very low. Also, I read that adding F1 to I485 app is allowed and usual procedure, are you sure it might be rejected ? (my wife entered as H4 in the country, then will go on F1). I know there is always a chance to get denied.
How big would the combined risks be to get screwed here (wither 485 denied or F1 spouse not added on I485)? Like very low, low, medium or likely ? :)
Thanks a bunch
wallpaper “The Perks of being a
cooler
07-07 03:23 PM
Continuation..
My wife is working as an independent contractor(1099-misc) on an EAD. I am also on EAD on W2(full time employment).
We file our taxes jointly and hence instead of making advance payments/estimated tax payments quarterly, cant I just have my company withhold more money from my paycheck every month?
That would make things so much more easier..
My wife is working as an independent contractor(1099-misc) on an EAD. I am also on EAD on W2(full time employment).
We file our taxes jointly and hence instead of making advance payments/estimated tax payments quarterly, cant I just have my company withhold more money from my paycheck every month?
That would make things so much more easier..
xtronics
11-02 10:26 AM
Thanks Prashanti
What is the approximate time for the perm labor to get approved in current situation? I know we can apply for premium processing for I-140. Premium processing is 3 months?
Please let us know when you get a chance.
What is the approximate time for the perm labor to get approved in current situation? I know we can apply for premium processing for I-140. Premium processing is 3 months?
Please let us know when you get a chance.
2011 The Perks of Being a
trueguy
08-28 11:19 AM
Ron sent an inquiry and here is the answer he got
Ron also says
Visa Bulletin says
So I predict the EB3 RoW Oct bulletin will be what it was on June Bulletin but EB3 China and India will not be the same as June bulletin.
When they say "Continued Heavy Demand", what does it mean? Howcome there can be demand with Older Priority Dates? Labor Substitution is no longer possible so there can't be new demand with Older PD. So howcome PD goes back? Does anybody have insight into that?
Ron also says
Visa Bulletin says
So I predict the EB3 RoW Oct bulletin will be what it was on June Bulletin but EB3 China and India will not be the same as June bulletin.
When they say "Continued Heavy Demand", what does it mean? Howcome there can be demand with Older Priority Dates? Labor Substitution is no longer possible so there can't be new demand with Older PD. So howcome PD goes back? Does anybody have insight into that?
more...
whitecollarslave
01-23 01:37 PM
$1000 is a lot for Premium Processing and VSC is profiting a lot from this. They are running a business for sure....
Its only extensions which are a long time.
USCIS is self-funded from application fees. They don't get any other funding as far as I know. So, sure they are running a business.
I know its not cheap, but atleast there is a way. I have been in this long enough to know times when it took a long time without an option of premium processing.
You can always make your employer pay for the fees.
Its only extensions which are a long time.
USCIS is self-funded from application fees. They don't get any other funding as far as I know. So, sure they are running a business.
I know its not cheap, but atleast there is a way. I have been in this long enough to know times when it took a long time without an option of premium processing.
You can always make your employer pay for the fees.
lazycis
01-15 10:48 AM
Hi!
I was wondering if you guys know any link on Dept on labor (or uscis.gov) that says that employer is responsible for all the legal(lawyer) fees. I work for a government firm and they only pay H1b fees that they are supposed to pay to USCIS. At the same time, they force me to hire a lawyer (I cannot file it myself) and they want me to pay for the lawyer.
I was wondering if you know of any law that I can show them and ask them to pay for the same.
Thanks in advance :)
-Supported the million dollar drive
Title IV, Pub.L. 105-277 (October 21, 1998) "Workforce Improvement Act" (ACWIA) of 1998
Sec. 413 (a)(vi)(II)
"It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an application under this subsection to require an alien who
is the subject of a petition filed under section 214(c)(1), for which a fee is imposed under section 214(c)(9), to reimburse, or otherwise compensate, the employer for part or all of the cost of such fee."
http://www.nafsa.org/_/Document/_/acwia_-_american_competitiveness.pdf
Legal fees may be different.
I was wondering if you guys know any link on Dept on labor (or uscis.gov) that says that employer is responsible for all the legal(lawyer) fees. I work for a government firm and they only pay H1b fees that they are supposed to pay to USCIS. At the same time, they force me to hire a lawyer (I cannot file it myself) and they want me to pay for the lawyer.
I was wondering if you know of any law that I can show them and ask them to pay for the same.
Thanks in advance :)
-Supported the million dollar drive
Title IV, Pub.L. 105-277 (October 21, 1998) "Workforce Improvement Act" (ACWIA) of 1998
Sec. 413 (a)(vi)(II)
"It is a violation of this clause for an employer who has filed an application under this subsection to require an alien who
is the subject of a petition filed under section 214(c)(1), for which a fee is imposed under section 214(c)(9), to reimburse, or otherwise compensate, the employer for part or all of the cost of such fee."
http://www.nafsa.org/_/Document/_/acwia_-_american_competitiveness.pdf
Legal fees may be different.
more...
plassey
08-29 12:32 PM
Close this poll please.
2010 perks of being a wallflower
madmonkey
05-18 02:59 PM
to be honest dude, for 300k, you are not going to get anything worth your while in Gaithersburg or rockville. You want the best schools - in the rockville area, that is the Wooton high school. In that school district, you will find a 30 year old town house for $325 possibly. Even thats tough to find.
If you are not particular about Wooton district, then your search area is larger. Urbana is a good bet if you dont mind the commute, but as some else posted, find a place close to work, theres no fun in commuting 1 hour up and 1 hour down each day.
If you are not particular about Wooton district, then your search area is larger. Urbana is a good bet if you dont mind the commute, but as some else posted, find a place close to work, theres no fun in commuting 1 hour up and 1 hour down each day.
more...
ps57002
10-19 10:40 AM
I replied to your case on too.
This is what uscis faq says
Q : I have received my receipt notice, but when I check my case online it does not appear. How do I get my case added to the system, so I can check on the progress of my case? NEW
We have had an unprecedented number of applications filed in the last few months. Our efforts to enter these applications into our systems have caused a delay in the transfer of information from our case control system to the Case Status Online system. We are seeing delays of up to three to four weeks between receipting of your application and its status being available online. We are reviewing solutions to resolve the situation as soon as possible
So it's possible your case hasn't been inputted yet.
My situation is ok. It was my error in putting in wrong receipt number..i'm ok with 4 receipt numbers, 4 cases ap/ead/140/485. It's in god's hands as to RFE or rejection though that would be a pain for uscis to cash all 4 checks then to reject/refund.
Jai mata di
This is what uscis faq says
Q : I have received my receipt notice, but when I check my case online it does not appear. How do I get my case added to the system, so I can check on the progress of my case? NEW
We have had an unprecedented number of applications filed in the last few months. Our efforts to enter these applications into our systems have caused a delay in the transfer of information from our case control system to the Case Status Online system. We are seeing delays of up to three to four weeks between receipting of your application and its status being available online. We are reviewing solutions to resolve the situation as soon as possible
So it's possible your case hasn't been inputted yet.
My situation is ok. It was my error in putting in wrong receipt number..i'm ok with 4 receipt numbers, 4 cases ap/ead/140/485. It's in god's hands as to RFE or rejection though that would be a pain for uscis to cash all 4 checks then to reject/refund.
Jai mata di
hair The Perks of Being a
go_gc_way
06-20 03:06 PM
I think too that it may not become current.
But with new year Quota released in Oct (October?), how much it will move forward?
--> 2003 March ? or 2004 Jan?
When Retrogression introduced last year, for India the PD if I remember correctly was in 99 which now has moved to 2003 Jan, this I think because of addition of unused numbers?
Why would it not move an year by October this time , yes gravity of the situation .. please explain more clearly with numbers.
Thanks in advance for looking in to my request.
But with new year Quota released in Oct (October?), how much it will move forward?
--> 2003 March ? or 2004 Jan?
When Retrogression introduced last year, for India the PD if I remember correctly was in 99 which now has moved to 2003 Jan, this I think because of addition of unused numbers?
Why would it not move an year by October this time , yes gravity of the situation .. please explain more clearly with numbers.
Thanks in advance for looking in to my request.
more...
desi3933
03-15 06:59 AM
Thanks coopheal, desi3933.
But in case of switching from H1b to EAD (while working for H1b/GC sponsoring employer), there is no termination, changes in the employee�s eligibility or change in job duties. So no requirement to cancel H1b.
Incorrect!
Switching from H-1B to EAD comes under change in employee's eligibility. That's the reason new I-9 is filed (to reflect change in employee's employment eligibility).
_______________________
Not a legal advice.
US citizen of Indian origin
But in case of switching from H1b to EAD (while working for H1b/GC sponsoring employer), there is no termination, changes in the employee�s eligibility or change in job duties. So no requirement to cancel H1b.
Incorrect!
Switching from H-1B to EAD comes under change in employee's eligibility. That's the reason new I-9 is filed (to reflect change in employee's employment eligibility).
_______________________
Not a legal advice.
US citizen of Indian origin
hot I#39;m filming Perks Of Being a
looneytunezez
04-24 01:58 PM
"date of actual move"
Thanks,
LT
Thanks,
LT
more...
house The Perks Of Being On The Set
jyothu
07-18 04:19 AM
The only way he can get more H1B is by staying out for 1 year, especially since he is already in India. In order to take advantage of the 485 filing, he MUST be on a legal status in the U.S. His legal status does include being your dependent, i.e L2 or H4 (if you are on H1B). Basically, in order to do that, he has less than a month to obtain a dependent visa and move to the U.S. This would mean that he would have to trade the possibility of getting an H1 with that of receiving an EAD in a few months.
Also note that the H1 visa quota is full for 2007 and 20008 as of now. So, it is not a guarantee that he can get an H1 visa even for next year. Perhaps he could fly here on a dependent visa, not work for a few months until he gets an EAD and then resume his career in the U.S.
In any case, I would strongly urge you to consult an attorney immediately.
Also note that the H1 visa quota is full for 2007 and 20008 as of now. So, it is not a guarantee that he can get an H1 visa even for next year. Perhaps he could fly here on a dependent visa, not work for a few months until he gets an EAD and then resume his career in the U.S.
In any case, I would strongly urge you to consult an attorney immediately.
tattoo THE PERKS OF BEING A
payal_nag
10-25 02:57 PM
my husband's I-140 just got approved in a week's time. We were still waiting for the receipt number, instead the lawyer said she had received the approval paperwork!
more...
pictures The Perks of Being a
kaarmaa
05-04 11:48 AM
What happens, once he moves to the new employer and his present employer withdraws I-140? For any subsequent H1 transfers/extensions will he will need to have an approved I-140, which is not withdrawn ?
Could there be issues, if new employer does a lay off what happens when perm/i-140 is pending or not filled yet
Correct. Withdrawn I-140 cannot be used to transfer or extend a H1 that has expired (after 6 years).
The following statement may be incorrect. Please consult an attorney
You can again transfer to a new employer for the reminder of the H1 validity without I-140 or PERM. After it expires, to extend or transfer again, you would need an approved PERM or I-140.
Could there be issues, if new employer does a lay off what happens when perm/i-140 is pending or not filled yet
Correct. Withdrawn I-140 cannot be used to transfer or extend a H1 that has expired (after 6 years).
The following statement may be incorrect. Please consult an attorney
You can again transfer to a new employer for the reminder of the H1 validity without I-140 or PERM. After it expires, to extend or transfer again, you would need an approved PERM or I-140.
dresses nina-dobrev-perks-of-being-a-
eb3_nepa
03-07 08:57 PM
Excellent -- have you got in touch with Jay to help him, or are these just sitting on the sidelines suggestions?
BerkeleyBee, I have contacted Jay but i am not sure how much i will be able to help with this one in particular. I have a few questions:
1) What exactly does the membership drive entail?
2) How does the process work?
3) Is there a team already established? If it is then how many members does it have?
BTW i DID attend the conference call, but due to connection problems, i was not able to follow the membership drive part. If a team is already established, then the point i was trying to make was, some members of that team can work on converting existing "free" members to "paid" members.
BerkeleyBee, I have contacted Jay but i am not sure how much i will be able to help with this one in particular. I have a few questions:
1) What exactly does the membership drive entail?
2) How does the process work?
3) Is there a team already established? If it is then how many members does it have?
BTW i DID attend the conference call, but due to connection problems, i was not able to follow the membership drive part. If a team is already established, then the point i was trying to make was, some members of that team can work on converting existing "free" members to "paid" members.
more...
makeup perks of being a wallflower
Ann Ruben
01-08 11:26 PM
There are really two questions here. First, are you eligible for unemployment compensation? And second, will applying for unemployment compensation adversely impact your application for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident?
The answer to the first question is controlled by the law of the particular state in which you worked and/or reside. In theory, to be eligible one must have worked long enough that an adequate amount of UC insurance was paid into the UC system, AND one must be willing and ABLE to accept new employment. The law varies from state to state with respect to whether someone in your situation qualifies as "ABLE" to accept new employment. If you let me know where you reside and work, I can try to provide further guidance as to eligibility for UC benefits.
As to the second question, (assuming your I-140 has been approved and your I-485 has been pending for more than 180 days) under the INA, when your PD is reached and your I-485 is adjudicated, you are required to have the intention to take up an offer of permanent full time employment in the same or similar occupation for which your LC was granted. This is a prospective requirement, and your employment status prior to the actual grant of AOS is relevant only to the extent that it supports or undercuts your ability to prove that you have an appropriate offer of full time employment which you intend to take up. There is no requirement that you be employed while you are waiting for your priority date to become current and your I-485 to be adjudicated. However, being unemployed or employed in an entirely unrelated occupation could trigger USCIS to perform a more searching inquiry into the bona fides of the prospective AC21 qualifying job offer and your intention to accept it.
To the best of my knowledge, USCIS is not notified when an AOS applicant applies for UC. Similarly, I am not aware of any cases where an UC claim triggered an RFE. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to act on the assumption that USCIS is aware of UC claims and be well prepared to prove one's intention to take up a bona fide offer of AC 21 qualifying employment once your PD is reached.
The answer to the first question is controlled by the law of the particular state in which you worked and/or reside. In theory, to be eligible one must have worked long enough that an adequate amount of UC insurance was paid into the UC system, AND one must be willing and ABLE to accept new employment. The law varies from state to state with respect to whether someone in your situation qualifies as "ABLE" to accept new employment. If you let me know where you reside and work, I can try to provide further guidance as to eligibility for UC benefits.
As to the second question, (assuming your I-140 has been approved and your I-485 has been pending for more than 180 days) under the INA, when your PD is reached and your I-485 is adjudicated, you are required to have the intention to take up an offer of permanent full time employment in the same or similar occupation for which your LC was granted. This is a prospective requirement, and your employment status prior to the actual grant of AOS is relevant only to the extent that it supports or undercuts your ability to prove that you have an appropriate offer of full time employment which you intend to take up. There is no requirement that you be employed while you are waiting for your priority date to become current and your I-485 to be adjudicated. However, being unemployed or employed in an entirely unrelated occupation could trigger USCIS to perform a more searching inquiry into the bona fides of the prospective AC21 qualifying job offer and your intention to accept it.
To the best of my knowledge, USCIS is not notified when an AOS applicant applies for UC. Similarly, I am not aware of any cases where an UC claim triggered an RFE. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to act on the assumption that USCIS is aware of UC claims and be well prepared to prove one's intention to take up a bona fide offer of AC 21 qualifying employment once your PD is reached.
girlfriend The Perks of Being a
vxb2004
04-28 08:29 PM
If you dont mind, can you keep us updated.
I will really appreciate that.
Sure I will. Hope this soft LUD is not a big deal.
I will really appreciate that.
Sure I will. Hope this soft LUD is not a big deal.
hairstyles nina dobrev perks of being a
CaveMan232
10-22 12:50 AM
How long would this whole process take by the time 140 is approved?
GMKrishna
05-04 09:12 PM
I wanted to share my success story of getting I-485s re-opened with the help of IV last week. Let me start with the end result first and those interested in details could read further!
Synopsis
After 4 months wait since the wrongful denial of our 485s, I contacted Immigration Voice (IV) core team for help on April 25, 2011 as a last resort. On the next day morning (April 26th), I received a phone call from USCIS Headquarters in D.C. and the officer informed that Service Center approved my MTR and reopened 485s, and I should receive system updates in a day. At the end of the day, I got email updates confirming re-opening of 485s. It was an incredible moment in my life to receive a call from USCIS about my case. I am very grateful to the IV leadership and its deep relationships within USCIS and DHS. Prior to contacting IV, I filed an expedite request with USCIS, contacted Ombudsman, and contacted my Senator as well. I received standard responses but no positive result. Adding fuel to the fire, my EAD was due to expire in July 2011.
At the end, even though I never anticipated issues with my 485, I was very happy to see that my active participation with IV�s advocacy efforts over the last few years opened up several options for me to seek help.
Prologue
During the middle of last year my attorney moved their offices and we filed a new G-28 for address change. After couple of months of this address change, during early Nov�2010 USCIS apparently sent a NOID asking for AC21 employment letter to the old address of the attorney. USCIS did not send text or email even though both me and my attorney subscribed to the notifications. USCIS did not even send a copy of this notice to me. After 30 days of original notice, USCIS updated their system that their mail was returned. This was the first time we came to know about the outstanding notice from USCIS. We immediately contacted USCIS and requested for a copy of NOID. In the meantime, 33 days elapsed, and USCIS promptly denied I-485s of me and my family. I have been working on EAD and it was due to expire in July 2011.
Life after denials
I requested my company for AC21 letter and after receiving the employment letter, my attorney filed I-290B MTR around the end of Dec�2011. I continued to work as usual using my EAD. After couple of months of waiting, I requested USCIS to expedite. Their response was to wait 30 days. Nothing happened. Then, I simultaneously contacted my Senator�s office and Ombudsman. I promptly received responses that they would look into this and I should expect a response from USCIS within 15 days. Based on these responses, I should have received approval by the first week of April. Again, nothing happened until the 3rd week of April. I was becoming wary of my EAD expiry and applying for renewal within 90 days of expiry.
IV�s Advocacy Days in D.C.
I have been a donor for the last few years and actively participated in advocacy days of 2010 and 2011. During this year�s advocacy event, I met IV core team and explained my case. Based on their advice, I waited to see if USCIS responds by mid of April. After long wait and exhausting all options, I requested help from IV. As I mentioned, within 24 hours, I got the approval of MTR and our status was restored!
Though not everyone gets into this kind of trouble, it is very heartening to note that there is someone (IV) behind us to help when in need.
Final Request to Readers:
As someone who associated with IV for the last few years and after going through this ordeal with USCIS, I recommend all those waiting in line or waiting to be in line (for GC) to start associating with IV. No matter how little time or money you could afford to work with IV, every minute and every cent is well worth it! Please Get Involved with IV! Thanks.
Synopsis
After 4 months wait since the wrongful denial of our 485s, I contacted Immigration Voice (IV) core team for help on April 25, 2011 as a last resort. On the next day morning (April 26th), I received a phone call from USCIS Headquarters in D.C. and the officer informed that Service Center approved my MTR and reopened 485s, and I should receive system updates in a day. At the end of the day, I got email updates confirming re-opening of 485s. It was an incredible moment in my life to receive a call from USCIS about my case. I am very grateful to the IV leadership and its deep relationships within USCIS and DHS. Prior to contacting IV, I filed an expedite request with USCIS, contacted Ombudsman, and contacted my Senator as well. I received standard responses but no positive result. Adding fuel to the fire, my EAD was due to expire in July 2011.
At the end, even though I never anticipated issues with my 485, I was very happy to see that my active participation with IV�s advocacy efforts over the last few years opened up several options for me to seek help.
Prologue
During the middle of last year my attorney moved their offices and we filed a new G-28 for address change. After couple of months of this address change, during early Nov�2010 USCIS apparently sent a NOID asking for AC21 employment letter to the old address of the attorney. USCIS did not send text or email even though both me and my attorney subscribed to the notifications. USCIS did not even send a copy of this notice to me. After 30 days of original notice, USCIS updated their system that their mail was returned. This was the first time we came to know about the outstanding notice from USCIS. We immediately contacted USCIS and requested for a copy of NOID. In the meantime, 33 days elapsed, and USCIS promptly denied I-485s of me and my family. I have been working on EAD and it was due to expire in July 2011.
Life after denials
I requested my company for AC21 letter and after receiving the employment letter, my attorney filed I-290B MTR around the end of Dec�2011. I continued to work as usual using my EAD. After couple of months of waiting, I requested USCIS to expedite. Their response was to wait 30 days. Nothing happened. Then, I simultaneously contacted my Senator�s office and Ombudsman. I promptly received responses that they would look into this and I should expect a response from USCIS within 15 days. Based on these responses, I should have received approval by the first week of April. Again, nothing happened until the 3rd week of April. I was becoming wary of my EAD expiry and applying for renewal within 90 days of expiry.
IV�s Advocacy Days in D.C.
I have been a donor for the last few years and actively participated in advocacy days of 2010 and 2011. During this year�s advocacy event, I met IV core team and explained my case. Based on their advice, I waited to see if USCIS responds by mid of April. After long wait and exhausting all options, I requested help from IV. As I mentioned, within 24 hours, I got the approval of MTR and our status was restored!
Though not everyone gets into this kind of trouble, it is very heartening to note that there is someone (IV) behind us to help when in need.
Final Request to Readers:
As someone who associated with IV for the last few years and after going through this ordeal with USCIS, I recommend all those waiting in line or waiting to be in line (for GC) to start associating with IV. No matter how little time or money you could afford to work with IV, every minute and every cent is well worth it! Please Get Involved with IV! Thanks.
ComicDom1
December 21st, 2007, 01:11 AM
First I want to say hello to everyone because I have not been on this site for a while. Second, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season.
Recently, I have been taking a good hard look at the Olympus E-3. I came to Canon Digital in the early days of the 1D after shooting many different digital cameras including Olympus.
I was well pleased using my E-10, E100RS, E-20, and UZI but when I got the 1D in my hands it was as if a whole new world opened up for me again.
Like many others, I have been following the development of Olympus Camera's. Many of us switched to other brands because we grew tired of waiting for Olympus to produce a DSLR that might be able to compete with the offering from Nikon or Canon. The move to producing a full frame 4/3's sensor was interesting as well. When Olympus finally did release the E-1, it offered a great build including a splash proof body, and some very high quality glass. Unfortunately it lacked in a few area's and although interesting, unless you shot at lower ISO, it was not a camera for people who liked to shoot in low light and sporting events.
I realize, that not everyone has the same requirements for a camera. There are many users the E-1 body worked for. I finally picked one up after the prices fell to a very low point, and I could not resist the deal. I have found the image quality very good if you stay within the limits of the camera.
Finally the E-3 arrived in November and Olympus had made many upgrades in this body. I was very curious as to how competitive IS built in the body of the camera would work. I was also interested in the speed and tracking of the new auto focus system, and if Olympus had really improved on the noise levels of the camera at Higher ISOs. Although many in the Olympus SLR forum at DPR will claim that Noise is no problem at High ISO, my experiences with the camera told me different.
I do have to say, I found the E-3 very well built. The viewfinder is very bright. With the Grip attached, the E-3 felt very similar in my hands to my Canon 1D and 1DMKII.
One of the promises that Olympus made was that the 4/3 system was going to provide us with a smaller lighter Camera body with smaller lenses. While this might be true for some of their mid range cameras, it is certainly not true for the E-3 or E-1 with the grip attached. When sitting on the floor next to my 1D and 1DMKII bodies, I did not find much difference in their size. Lenses might be another story but yesterday, I compared the Olympus 35-100mm to the 70-200 2.8 IS lens and found that the Olympus lens was actually slightly heavier. Unfortunately Olympus has not produced any faster primes like the 85 1.8 of Canon. You really do not have good comparisons of lenses because most of what Olympus produces are variable zooms with the exception of a couple of lenses. Olympus also seems to advertise that they cover the focal length of lenses better than any other manufacturer. Since they include lenses from Sigma and Lecia/pany in this claim, I find difficulty in accepting that. Certainly if I have to consider a lens, I would prefer it was from the maker of my camera, but thats just a personal preference based on past experience.
I do have to give Kudo's to Olympus for improving both the frames per second, as well as the Auto Focus tracking and speed. I found the E-3 will track pretty well in a poorly lit gym. The E-3 also appears to write to the CF card pretty quickly. Why they included a slot for an XD card is beyond me. They would have been much better off to include a slot for the SD cards because of their high capacity.
I also qualified to be an Olympus Global Professional member. What this means is that I can get equipment to evaluate just like what CPS offers. Olympus goes one step further than Canon here because they will even loan you equipment while yours is in repair. So I had them send me a few items to try out. Some of the items I received was the EC-14 tele-converter, 150mm F 2.0, 50mm F 2.0 Macro, as well as a ring flash, and Fl-50R to evaluate. I think I need more time with the FL-50R and ring flash to know how I feel about them.
One of the reasons I wanted the 150mm F 2.0 (effective focal length of 300mm on the E-3) to test is because I wanted to see how it compared in weight and Image Quality to my 300mm 2.8L lens. I also wanted to know how well the E3 in body IS would work with it. Unfortunately I got side tracked because I noticed that my E-3 images contained quite a bit of noise from the images I shot and got consumed looking at that. I can tell you that the 150 and E-3 with grip combination felt very unbalanced in my hands compared to the Canon lens. The 150mm weights 3.4lbs but of course has the effective focal length of 300mm on the E-3 because of the sensor size. If we wanted to compare apples to apples, 300mm to 300mm or actual focal length, we would find that the Olympus 300mm weighs in at a hefty 7.2 lbs compared to Canon's 300mm 2.8 IS lens which is 5.6 lbs. Also the Olympus glass is much more expensive as well.
The problem here is that we are paying more for effective focal length just because the camera sensor is different. So in my view, we are paying more for less in the physical sense.
I mounted the 150mm on a monopod as well. Again compared to the 1D with the 300mm, even though the E-3 combination was lighter, it was not balanced as well and was more difficult for me to steady. I do attribute some of this with me being more experienced with the Canon Gear. There is another issue that concerned me here. I did not feel that the Tripod collar of the 150mm lens was made as heavy or as well as the Canon version.
I am currently going though several hundred exposures I have taken with various focal lengths of Olympus lenses. Since I felt my body has some issues because of noise, yesterday I returned it, the grip, and the 12-60 SWD lens to my vendor. I am waiting now for Olympus to send me another body to try out, so I can find out if it was me or the camera at fault. In the mean time, it seems that my findings are similiar to what Phil found in his DPR review of the new Sony that included the E-3 as well as the D300 and 40D.
In closing, I need to say that this all came about because not only was I interested in the development and capability of the E-3, there were also the noted problems of the 1DMKIII. At this point, I think my 1DMKII will still do nicely for sports. Since I pretty much own the Canon lenses I need, I am considering the 5D, but I want to also give the Olympus E-3 a fair chance, so I am going to wait to see if Olympus follows through on their promise to me.
I also am aware that there is a possibility that a 5D replacement may be announced at PMA next month. Of course I am basically interested in the best image quality, I do not know if I will wait for the replacement. Since the 5D has large photosites, I would think that the replacement would have more pixels so the image quality may be affected.
Thanks for Reading,
Jason
ComicDom1@aol.com
Recently, I have been taking a good hard look at the Olympus E-3. I came to Canon Digital in the early days of the 1D after shooting many different digital cameras including Olympus.
I was well pleased using my E-10, E100RS, E-20, and UZI but when I got the 1D in my hands it was as if a whole new world opened up for me again.
Like many others, I have been following the development of Olympus Camera's. Many of us switched to other brands because we grew tired of waiting for Olympus to produce a DSLR that might be able to compete with the offering from Nikon or Canon. The move to producing a full frame 4/3's sensor was interesting as well. When Olympus finally did release the E-1, it offered a great build including a splash proof body, and some very high quality glass. Unfortunately it lacked in a few area's and although interesting, unless you shot at lower ISO, it was not a camera for people who liked to shoot in low light and sporting events.
I realize, that not everyone has the same requirements for a camera. There are many users the E-1 body worked for. I finally picked one up after the prices fell to a very low point, and I could not resist the deal. I have found the image quality very good if you stay within the limits of the camera.
Finally the E-3 arrived in November and Olympus had made many upgrades in this body. I was very curious as to how competitive IS built in the body of the camera would work. I was also interested in the speed and tracking of the new auto focus system, and if Olympus had really improved on the noise levels of the camera at Higher ISOs. Although many in the Olympus SLR forum at DPR will claim that Noise is no problem at High ISO, my experiences with the camera told me different.
I do have to say, I found the E-3 very well built. The viewfinder is very bright. With the Grip attached, the E-3 felt very similar in my hands to my Canon 1D and 1DMKII.
One of the promises that Olympus made was that the 4/3 system was going to provide us with a smaller lighter Camera body with smaller lenses. While this might be true for some of their mid range cameras, it is certainly not true for the E-3 or E-1 with the grip attached. When sitting on the floor next to my 1D and 1DMKII bodies, I did not find much difference in their size. Lenses might be another story but yesterday, I compared the Olympus 35-100mm to the 70-200 2.8 IS lens and found that the Olympus lens was actually slightly heavier. Unfortunately Olympus has not produced any faster primes like the 85 1.8 of Canon. You really do not have good comparisons of lenses because most of what Olympus produces are variable zooms with the exception of a couple of lenses. Olympus also seems to advertise that they cover the focal length of lenses better than any other manufacturer. Since they include lenses from Sigma and Lecia/pany in this claim, I find difficulty in accepting that. Certainly if I have to consider a lens, I would prefer it was from the maker of my camera, but thats just a personal preference based on past experience.
I do have to give Kudo's to Olympus for improving both the frames per second, as well as the Auto Focus tracking and speed. I found the E-3 will track pretty well in a poorly lit gym. The E-3 also appears to write to the CF card pretty quickly. Why they included a slot for an XD card is beyond me. They would have been much better off to include a slot for the SD cards because of their high capacity.
I also qualified to be an Olympus Global Professional member. What this means is that I can get equipment to evaluate just like what CPS offers. Olympus goes one step further than Canon here because they will even loan you equipment while yours is in repair. So I had them send me a few items to try out. Some of the items I received was the EC-14 tele-converter, 150mm F 2.0, 50mm F 2.0 Macro, as well as a ring flash, and Fl-50R to evaluate. I think I need more time with the FL-50R and ring flash to know how I feel about them.
One of the reasons I wanted the 150mm F 2.0 (effective focal length of 300mm on the E-3) to test is because I wanted to see how it compared in weight and Image Quality to my 300mm 2.8L lens. I also wanted to know how well the E3 in body IS would work with it. Unfortunately I got side tracked because I noticed that my E-3 images contained quite a bit of noise from the images I shot and got consumed looking at that. I can tell you that the 150 and E-3 with grip combination felt very unbalanced in my hands compared to the Canon lens. The 150mm weights 3.4lbs but of course has the effective focal length of 300mm on the E-3 because of the sensor size. If we wanted to compare apples to apples, 300mm to 300mm or actual focal length, we would find that the Olympus 300mm weighs in at a hefty 7.2 lbs compared to Canon's 300mm 2.8 IS lens which is 5.6 lbs. Also the Olympus glass is much more expensive as well.
The problem here is that we are paying more for effective focal length just because the camera sensor is different. So in my view, we are paying more for less in the physical sense.
I mounted the 150mm on a monopod as well. Again compared to the 1D with the 300mm, even though the E-3 combination was lighter, it was not balanced as well and was more difficult for me to steady. I do attribute some of this with me being more experienced with the Canon Gear. There is another issue that concerned me here. I did not feel that the Tripod collar of the 150mm lens was made as heavy or as well as the Canon version.
I am currently going though several hundred exposures I have taken with various focal lengths of Olympus lenses. Since I felt my body has some issues because of noise, yesterday I returned it, the grip, and the 12-60 SWD lens to my vendor. I am waiting now for Olympus to send me another body to try out, so I can find out if it was me or the camera at fault. In the mean time, it seems that my findings are similiar to what Phil found in his DPR review of the new Sony that included the E-3 as well as the D300 and 40D.
In closing, I need to say that this all came about because not only was I interested in the development and capability of the E-3, there were also the noted problems of the 1DMKIII. At this point, I think my 1DMKII will still do nicely for sports. Since I pretty much own the Canon lenses I need, I am considering the 5D, but I want to also give the Olympus E-3 a fair chance, so I am going to wait to see if Olympus follows through on their promise to me.
I also am aware that there is a possibility that a 5D replacement may be announced at PMA next month. Of course I am basically interested in the best image quality, I do not know if I will wait for the replacement. Since the 5D has large photosites, I would think that the replacement would have more pixels so the image quality may be affected.
Thanks for Reading,
Jason
ComicDom1@aol.com
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