Olympus E-330 "live view" DSLR
By Staff writer
The Olympus E-330 not only brings consumers the benefits of Olympus’ designed-for-digital E-System, it also offers ‘Live View’ – constant subject framing via a rear-mounted LCD monitor. In addition, this is camera also offers variable angle LCD giving users additional freedom to take difficult and tight shots.
Key features: 7.5 MP, zoom depends on lens, ERP $1999
(Do you own this model? Leave feedback with your thoughts and experiences)
As more consumers are now looking to upgrade their digital camera or move to purchasing their first digital SLR, the Olympus E-330 combines the accurate framing and focusing benefits of an SLR camera with the convenience and ease-of-use of a compact digital camera. As with all Olympus digital SLR cameras, the E-330 is fully equipped with the acclaimed Olympus Dust Reduction System.
For compact digital camera users who have never used a digital SLR before, the inability of a digital SLR to display a live view on its rear-mounted LCD monitor was a deterrent. ‘Live View’ and the variable angle LCD Monitor makes the E-330 perfect for digital SLR newcomers and provides additional ease-of-use for more experienced digital SLR users who want maximum flexibility to take previously difficult to frame shots.
The E-330 is a truly revolutionary digital SLR camera that maximises the inherent advantages of digital photography, and opens the door to a whole new style of SLR shooting.
Live View
AF Digital SLR Camera with a Live View System Full-Time Live View (Mode A)
Although some models have offered a 30-second black-and-white view or an enlarged view of just the central portion of the frame, the position of the main mirror in front of the taking sensor has made it inherently difficult for digital SLR cameras to offer live view framing like that found on compact digital cameras.
The E-330, however, allows full-time live view framing via a rear-mounted LCD monitor. This feat was made possible by incorporating a CCD dedicated to full-time live view in the optical path of a porro mirror system like the one used on the E-300. By displaying signals from this dedicated CCD on the LCD monitor, the system allows the simultaneous realization of autofocusing and live view, something that has been considered difficult to achieve with conventional roof-prism type SLR cameras.
Live View Mechanism Schematic Diagram
Live Preview Function
The preview function allows users to visually confirm depth of field at the currently applied aperture setting. When shooting at smaller apertures with a conventional SLR camera, however, the depth of field can be difficult to confirm because the lens admits little light, and the image in the viewfinder is quite dim. The E-330’s Live View system overcomes this problem with a new Live Preview function that automatically increases the brightness of the LCD monitor display as needed, thereby making it easy to confirm depth of field at any aperture setting.
(The preview function is offered as a Drive button custom setting. A ‘Mode B’ preview setting is also available when using Mode B Macro Live View.)
Variable Angle LCD for a Digital SLR
The E-330 is equipped with the same 2.5-inch, 215,000-pixel HyperCrystal LCD monitor for which the E-500 has been widely praised. In addition to offering a wide viewing angle and excellent visibility in bright light, it boasts photo-quality image display. This enables photographers to easily and comfortably take high or low-angle photos without assuming an awkward position, the monitor features a variable-angle mechanism that allows it to be tilted downward by up to 45°, or upward by up to 90°. In addition, the monitor offers improved visibility when shooting outdoors in bright daylight.
Precision Optics
To enable Live View shooting, the E-330 uses a newly developed 4/3-type, 7.5-megapixel Live MOS image sensor instead of a dedicated still-image, full frame transfer CCD like the sensors used in the E-1, E-300, and E-500. Boasting a photo-sensitive surface area that is approximately three times larger than that of a conventional CMOS sensor, the new sensor has a wide dynamic range that makes it capable of capturing subtle tonal gradations, and uses approximately 50% less power than a full frame transfer CCD.
In addition, a 5V low-voltage dedicated processing technology assures low noise, and the sensor photodiodes are deeply embedded in silicon to isolate them from noise-causing elements on the chip surface. As a result, users can obtain clear images with reduced graininess and white noise when shooting in low light.
No More Dust!
For Digital SLR owners, dust on the image sensor is a nightmare! Dust or debris in the form of pollen or tiny hairs appears on your photos as unsightly black dots. With the E-330 you no longer need to worry, as this camera and the entire Olympus E-system range is fully equipped with their exclusive Dust Reduction Technology. Hours of post-production and retouching time can be saved when dust on the image sensor is no longer an issue.
Image sensors have an electrical charge that attract dust, resulting in spotty images that has caused photographers to spend more time cleaning up rather than shooting their images. When you’re capturing your family’s memories or taking shots to keep for a lifetime, it’s essential to have a clean image sensor.
31 Shooting Modes — More Than Any Other Digital SLR
The Scene Select modes featured on the E-500, which allow users to simply select the type of scene they are shooting and have the camera automatically apply optimum exposure and shooting parameters, have been further strengthened on the E-330. Five new scene modes have been developed and a total of 20 Scene Select modes are offered. In addition, the large mode dial gives users direct access to four essential SLR exposure modes (Program AE, Shutter-Speed Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual Exposure) and seven Scene Program AE modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, etc.). With 31 shooting modes in all — more than any other digital SLR — the E-330 is designed to satisfy the needs of a wide range of users.
E-330 Features
- Live View
- Macro Live View
- Live Preview Function
- Large Variable Angel LCD Monitor
- Newly developed 4/2-Type, 7.5-Megapixel Live MOS Sensor
- Dust Reduction System
- 31 Shooting Modes
- 49-Segment Metering System for Accurate Exposure Control
- Spot Metering Mode with Highlight/Shadow Control
- 5 Picture Modes
- White Balance Modes
- Wide Range of Bracketing Functions
- Light Box Playback Function
- High-speed Autofocusing
The Olympus E-330 is available from selected retailers for $1,999.
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