Olympus Digital SLR Cameras and Lenses-02

Olympus Digital SLR Cameras and Lenses-02

Olympus DSLR Bodies

At any one time, Olympus seems to make one body similar in capability to midrange Canon and Nikon bodies and a bewildering array of light inexpensive bodies with performance similar to the very cheapest bodies from Canon or Nikon. All Olympus bodies are compatible with Olympus Digital lenses and Four Thirds System lenses from Sigma and Panasonic/Leica. The Olympus MF-1 OM Adapter, $85 allows limited use of old Olympus OM-system film format lenses in mostly manual mode.

Olympus was a pioneer in automated dust removal. All of the E-system bodies include a dust removal system that operates as the camera is switched off.

• Olympus Evolt E-330, $475 (review), 7.5 megapixels, released February 2006. This was the world's first digital SLR with a "live view" feature, similar to point and shoot digicams, allowing photographers to evaluate a potential image in the rear LCD prior to exposure. The camera has an unusual folded mirror system for the optical viewfinder and an unusual shape. Obsolete in terms of technical performance.
• Olympus Evolt E-410, $380, 10 megapixels, introduced early 2007. A tremendous step up from point and shoot digicams in terms of handling and practical performance without much of a step up in price or size. Three frames per second motor drive. 2.5" LCD display. Flash sync at 1/180th.
• Olympus Evolt E-420, 14-42mm kit, $540, 10 megapixels, introduced March 2008, a step up from the E-410 as the name implies, plus in-body image stabilization, and a 2.7" LCD display.
• Olympus Evolt E-510, $495 (review). Same as the E-410 plus in-body image stabilization, a tremendously useful feature since one of the big advantages of a DSLR over a point and shoot digicam is performance in low light.
• Olympus Evolt E-500, 14-45mm and 40-150mm kit, $589 (review), 8 megapixels, introduced late 2005. It is a mystery as to why this camera is still being sold.
• Olympus Evolt E-3, $1699, 10 megapixels, 800g with batteries, introduced late 2007. This is the professional Olympus body, with a rugged weather-sealed frame and fast autofocus. It has sensor-based image stabilization, a built-in flash, and wireless control of accessory flashes. The rear LCD is 2.5" (smaller than the competition). Flash sync speed is 1/250th. This is a better camera for sports than the 510 due to the 5 frames per second continuous drive speed. The E-3 accepts the HLD-4 battery pack/vertical grip, which includes an additional shutter release and replicates some other nearby controls for portrait-format images.

In looking at the megapixel numbers, you might be tempted to wonder how the Olympus system is competitive. There are point and shoot cameras with similar claimed resolution while the top-end Canon and Nikon bodies offer higher resolution. The 10-megapixel E-3 produces images that are 3648x2736 pixels in size. As explained in the Digital Cameras chapter of Making Photographs, 200 pixels per inch is sufficient for maximum image quality and prints from the E-3 should enlarge to 13.5x18" before suffering any quality loss due to a lack of resolution.