Olympus Digital SLR Cameras |
Page updated: March 2008 |
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One thing's for sure about the Olympus digital SLR cameras: they're ground-breaking. What follows is a list of "firsts" associated with the Olympus digital SLR line:
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The only missing "bonus" feature from these cameras was an image stabilization system. Well, not anymore.
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The 4/3 System
All Olympus digital SLR cameras use what's called a 4/3 system, and this describes both the sensor (it is neither a CCD nor a CMOS sensor) as well as the connection from camera to lens (called the lens mount).
What's the big deal about this?
First, it is an attempt to move away from a lot of specialized digital SLR lenses toward a standard.
Today, if you get a Canon camera and a lens to go with it, that lens won't work with your Nikon camera. You've got to buy a separate lens for it.
But with the 4/3 system, any digital camera that follows the standard can use any 4/3 lens.
This means that you can use the same 4/3 lens on digital SLR cameras made by difference manufacturers. For example, you could take your 4/3 lens and attach it to a Fuji, Kodak or Olympus digital SLR camera (provided they all followed the standard).
The 4/3 sensor is smaller than other digital SLR sensors, which provides two advantages:
- The camera is very quiet because of a smaller mirror in front of the sensor.
- The 4/3 lenses are smaller and lighter because they don't have to light up a huge surface area. The 4/3 sensor is about half the size of a 35mm negative. While this doesn't mean that 4/3 lenses are half the size and weight of regular lenses, it helps.
Drawbacks of the 4/3 System
Adopting a new standard never comes without a few drawbacks, and there are certainly some to be aware of before you buy an Olympus digital SLR:
- Old Olympus lenses aren't 100% compatible - since the 4/3 system uses a new mounting system, old Zuiko lenses won't attach directly to the camera. If you have old Olympus lenses, you'll need to get a MF-1 OM Adaptor, which limits the functionality of the lens (e.g. manual focus only).
- There aren't many lenses - all of the 4/3 lenses have to be developed brand new for any camera that uses the 4/3 system. While the number of new 4/3 lenses grows constantly, there aren't quite as many to choose from as there are for cameras made by Canon, Nikon and Pentax.
- The standard may not be adopted - it's anybody's guess whether or not 4/3 is here to stay. If other camera makers don't buy into it, then there's not much advantage to a standardized system of lenses.
The E-330 and Live Preview
In 2006, Olympus announced the follow-up to their EVOLT E-300 digital SLR, and the new camera was a first.
The EVOLT E-330 was the first digital SLR camera to display a live preview of the image you are about to take on the LCD.
While this functionality is common on compact digital cameras, it is not on digital SLRs.
Digital SLR cameras use mirrors to reflect the image captured byt the lens up to the viewfinder. This system of mirrors (called a pentaprism) poses a technical challenge when it comes to the live LCD preview.
The E-330 leaped this technical hurdle and is not only the first Olympus digital SLR with live preview, but the first from any manufacturer.
The Latest Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
Olympus E-410 |
Release Date | June 2007 |
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| Key Features | 10 megapixels, dust control, compact and light | |
| Uniqueness | Live view | |
| Great For | Travel | |
| Level | Beginner | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $495 | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel xTi, Nikon D40x | |
| The E-410 packs a lot of punch into its compact frame. Even though it's almost the same size as a compact digital camera, it still includes dust control and a live view LCD screen, making the transition from compact to SLR much easier. | ||
Compare prices for the E-410 at Shopzilla , Amazon or Adorama
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Olympus E-420 - NEW! |
Release Date | May 2008 |
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| Key Features | 10 megapixels, dust control, face detection, expanded dynamic range | |
| Uniqueness | Smallest and lightest | |
| Great For | Carrying anywhere | |
| Level | Beginner | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $600 | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel xTi, Nikon D40x | |
| The E-420 is billed as the smallest and lightest digital SLR camera you can buy (size: 5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in. | 129.5 x 91.4 x 53.3 mm ; weight: 13.4oz. | 380g). This is especially true when you pair the camera with the new 25mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens. Despite its compact size, the E-420 includes a dust control system, live view LCD, face detection autofocus and expanded dynamic range. | ||
Olympus E-510 |
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Release Date | July 2007 |
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| Key Features | 10 megapixels, dust control, compact and light | |
| Uniqueness | Live view | |
| Great For | Travel and low-light | |
| Level | Intermediate to advanced | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $585 | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel xTi, Nikon D40x | |
| Identical to the E-410 in many ways, the E-510 includes one important enhancement: a built-in image stabilizer. The stabilizer will work with any Olympus lens that you attach to the camera, and will help when taking photos of still subjects in low light without flash. I've selected the E-510 as the best digital SLR of 2007. | ||
Compare prices for the E-510 at Shopzilla , Amazon or Adorama
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Olympus E-3 |
Release Date | November 2007 |
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| Key Features | 10 megapixels, dust control, live view, built-in image stabilization, weather sealed | |
| Uniqueness | Fast autofocus | |
| Great For | Action and low light | |
| Level | Intermediate to advanced | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $1,700 | |
| Competitors | Canon 40D, Nikon D300, Sony DSLR-A700 | |
| The E-3 is the flagship Olympus digital SLR camera, designed with professional photographers in mind. Advanced amateurs with enough pocket change will benefit from the E-3's 5 photo per second shooting speed, dust control system, built-in image stabilization, live view LCD (that flips out from the camera body and rotates), weather sealing and an ultra-fast 11-point autofocus system. New accessories for the E-3 include the HLD-4 battery grip (for longer shooting) and two new flash units (FL-50R and FL-36R) that can be activated wirelessly from the E-3's main flash. | ||
Compare prices for the E-3 at Shopzilla , Amazon or Adorama
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