Olympus Digital SLR Cameras and Lenses-01

The Olympus system of digital single-lens reflex (SLR) bodies and lenses was a clean sheet of paper design, introduced in 2003. Olympus and Kodak asked the following questions:

• Does it make sense to make digital camera sensors in the 24x36mm frame size from the 35mm film days?
• If one is going to use smaller sensors than the old film format, why lug around huge lenses designed to cast an image large enough to cover the old 24x36mm frame?

Their answers were "No, no, and here is the Four Thirds system of cameras and lenses designed around a 13x17mm sensor." The result is the world's most compact camera system capable of professional results. The Olympus system should be seriously considered by photographers specializing in travel or those whose shoulders are aching. Note that the aspect ratio is 4:3 rather than the 3:2 of 35mm film and most digital cameras. The 4:3 aspect ratio is closer to old standard paper sizes, such as 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20, and older film formats, such as the 4x5 view camera. It is probably a better aspect ratio for portraits and not as good for landscape.

The Four Thirds system included a design for a brand-new lens mount. Functionally this is very similar to the Canon EOS lens mount, introduced in 1987, with an all-electronic interface between camera and lens. The mount diameter, however, was reduced from Canon's 54mm to about 44mm, similar to the Nikon F-mount. A 44mm on a film camera is a bit tight, but the dimension is vast compared to the size of the image circle for a Four Thirds sensor and therefore provides lens designers with a lot of flexibility. When looking at Four Thirds lenses, multiply by 2 to determine the 35mm equivalent in angle of view, e.g., a 14-42mm zoom lens for an E-system body will work the same as a 28-84mm lens on a 35mm film camera.

If you are new to photography, start with the photo.net article "Building a Digital SLR System."

Contents

1. Olympus DSLR Bodies
2. Nomenclature
3. History
4. Normal Lenses
5. Wide-to-Telephoto Zoom Lenses
6. Wide-angle Zoom lenses
7. Telephoto Zoom Lenses
8. Wide-angle Prime Lenses
9. Telephoto Prime Lenses
10. Macro Lenses
11. Teleconverters
12. Flashes
13. Accessories
14. Underwater
15. Starter Olympus DSLR Systems
16. More
17. Discontinued Cameras and Lenses