|
|
 send article  hardware newsletter  article comments (2)  Lowest prices check
Olympus E-10 Digital Camera Review - PAGE 1Daryl Grant - Friday, April 27th, 2001
Introduction
Over the past number of years, digital photography has moved from its hobbyist roots into the mainstream photography market. Even during the past year, filmless cameras have seen their share of development in they way of speed, improved quality and lower prices, making digital photography more attractive for enthusiasts and professionals alike. The benefits of digital photography are undeniable which means this tread should continue for quite a while.
One camera that has received a lot of attention is the Olympus E-10. It is the flagship of Olympus' filmless digital camera line and rightly so - it is the world's first 4 megapixel digital camera in the sub $2000 market. It is the sister model to the E-100RS that we reviewed last month. Where the E-100 RS rests slightly more on the semi-pro side of the fence (in terms of picture quality), the E-10 is a full fledged professional contender. At around $2000, that probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, but the question people want answered is "does the E-10 deliver?".
The features of this camera are definitely impressive, giving it a unique appeal within the digital camera world. Here is a quick look at what the E-10 has to offer:
Specs
Features
4 megapixel, 2/3 inch CCD delivering up to 2240x1680 pixel resolutions
USB or serial port connectivity (USB cable included)
Pre-Capture function captures images before the shutter button is fully depressed
iESP multi-patterned, center-weighted, spot and multi-spot light metering
Manual and Auto Focus
Apertures from f/2.8 to f/8.0, depending on zoom setting
Shutter speeds from 1/640 to 2 seconds
Compatible with Digital Print Order Format (DPOF)
Adjustable ISO equivalents (80, 160, 320, auto)
Program Automatic, Aperture Priority; Shutter Priority and full manual controls
Time-lapse, sequence (3fps up to 4 sec), and auto-bracketing modes
Adjustable white balance (quick reference, preset or auto)
Supports JPEG (compressed), TIFF (uncompressed), and RAW image formats
15 JPEG quality settings:
o resolution: 640 x 480 / 1024 x 768 / 1280 x 960 / 1600 x 1200 / 2240 x 1680
o compression: 2.7:1 / 4:1 / 8:1
Components
Optical viewfinder with information display and focusing screen
1.8-inch, TFT color LCD monitor (tilts up 90 degrees and down 20)
4x optical zoom (9-36mm -- 35-140mm equivalent in 35mm)
Internal 32MB SDRAM buffer
Features non-rotating 62mm filter threads
Support for both CompactFlash (Type I and Type II) and SmartMedia memory cards
Powered by 4 AA alkaline, NiMH, NiCd, or lithium batteries (2 Lithium CR-V3 batteries included)
Build-in flash
Hot-shoe for add-on flash
5 pin TTL connector for FL-40 or PC sync
Red eye reducing flash
Support infrared and wired remote controls (infrared remote included)
Some of the more interesting features that could do with a little spot-lighting: the support for both SmartMedia and Compact Flash memory cards; the optical viewfinder (the electronic viewfinder on the E-100RS was a gripe of mine); the pop-out and rotatable LCD display which allows pictures to be taken above and below a photographer’s vantage point; 15 JPEG quality settings (5 resolutions and 3 compression settings); and the time-lapse capability, with intervals ranging from 1 minute to 24 hours.
The 4x lens (9 to 36mm -- 35-140mm equivalent in 35mm) is built-in to the camera (ie: it is not removable), but it does feature non-rotating 62mm filter threads, which provides the opportunity for some later additions.
Overall quite a nice feature-set for a camera in this price range.
|
|
forums
Digg this!
del.icio.us