Digital Cameras Ratings

This is a good middle of the road camera at the 8 mega pixel level, and I enjoy using it.I would buy it all over again.The pictures are clear.Low light issues can be corrected in the editing mode on your PC.It’s compact and lightweight, so I can keep it in my front pants pocket.Go on, buy it!

Product Description
FE stands for Fun and Easy. That’s just what the Olympus FE-330 point-&-shoot digital camera is about. It also offers power and possibilities to get the best possible pictures (and movies) in a wide variety of situations. The FE-330 is ideal for anyone looking for an ultra-slim camera that offers a powerful zoom, easy-to-use features and amazing image quality. The super-slim, pocket-sized body is easy to carry and comfortable to hold; perfect for taking great pictures on the go. The FE-340 has a 5x optical zoom that gets 60% closer to the action when compared to a 3x zoom; with an ultra-compact, precision-crafted Olympus lens. Always get the best shot with 19 Shooting Modes. The preset Shooting Modes optimize your camera’s settings for sharp, brilliant photos. Modes include Portrait, Sunset, Night Scene, Sports, Landscape and many more. Capture and share your fondest memories in full motion using AVI Movie with sound. Lastly get superior image quality with a high-resolution 8-megapixel CCD. Make large prints, or even crop, without losing detail. 5x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom lens – 6.3 – (36 – 180mm equivalent in 35mm photography), 8 lenses in 6 groups, 4 Aspherical lenses F3.5 – F5.6 Aperture Range 2.7 LCD 2 Steps Brightness Adjustment Focus Range Normal mode – Wide – 0.6m – infinity, Tele – 1.0m – infinity, Macro Mode – Wide – 0.1m – infinity, Tele – 0.6m – infinity 1/2000 -1/2 sec. (up to 4 Sec. In Night Scene mode) Shutter Speed Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 ISO Built-in Flash with Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-in, Off Flash modes / Range – 0.1m – 3.9m @ ISO 800 Wide USB Connector, Audio/Video Output System Requirements – Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.3 or later Approximate Battery Life – 240 Shots Approximate Unit Dimensions – 3.8 x 2.3 x 0.7; Unit Weight – 4.1 ounces without battery & media card

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus FE-330 Blue 8.0 MP Digital Camera w/ 5x Optical Zoom, Image Stabilization

I don’t think you will fine faster focus on another machine, except in low light. This camera has more options than you can imagine and it works quite well. I sent the camera in because I had a focus issue with the 70-300 lens and I wasn’t sure if it was the lens for the camera. It ended up being the camera and it took less than two week from the day I sent it to the day I got it back. Even if the camera wasn’t so good, I would still give a good review just for how good Olympus performed. The image quality is very good. Anymore I don’t think you can go wrong with any brand of Dslr, get the one that does what you want.

Product Description
The Olympus E-30 is the newest addition to the interchangeable-lens digital SLRs (single lens reflex) within the Olympus E-System lineup. This new 12.3-megapixel, FourThirds-compliant camera reinforces the company’s commitment to the standard. Positioned as a mid-level model, this new digital SLR camera is intended for anyone who wants to express their creativity through photography, whether they are just starting out or are a professional with years of experience behind them. The E-30 is a camera that has the speed of the E-3 and the freedom to express oneself with a variety of new creative features, from Art Filters that will let you control the way the image looks from a grainy black and white film to exaggerated colors. From the ability to shoot traditional multiple exposures in Live View for a wedding photographer, to the untraditional multiple exposure of the artistic, the E-30 is the camera for the creative shooter who wants to think differently and shoot in new ways.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus E30 12.3MP Digital SLR with Image Stabilization with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

I have had the E-620 for about a week and i moved from a E-510. E-510 was my first DSLR and using that over the years i have been very satisfied and happy with the 510 especially due to the in body image stabilization and lens line-up. Liveview was also a plus over competitors but i never really used it unless it was really dark or i needed to manual focus.

Some things on the E-510 that were aging and were kind of the few weak points of the entry level E series was the 3 point autofocus system, small viewfinder and low light focusing. The lcd was so so too but for an SLR i don’t see why a high pixel LCD should be important.. sure its good to have one but its not important.
Anyhow the E-620 really improves all these problems and really becomes a strong no compromise camera; worthy of buying just because its excellent.. not because its great value as was the case for me for the E-510.

1) The viewfinder is much larger; suitable for manual focusing.
2) now has 7 points – 5 cross (which is better then any entry slr .. d5000, t1i etc included). — now that Ive had sometime to try out the imager AF; ill say that although its not the fastest AF system (talking about the hybrid mode as i don’t have compatible lenses for standalone imager mode) — it works very reliably in low light conditions; better then the phase detect sensor on its own. Using liveview to compose night shots many times i found my e510 hunting and eventually taking out of focus shots forcing complete manual focus– hybrid mode definitely lets you use AF in seriously dark conditions.
3) nice flipping LCD which again trumps the other 2 boys in the group in terms of utility.
4) Much better tone curves/gradation/dynamic range.. people argue .. i don’t know.. i just know that highlight and shadow information is retained very well. Of course jpgs turn out nice due to the gradation but there is dynamic range improvement visible in raw too.

Some things that have continued to be Olympus selling points
5) in body image stabilization
6) Excellent body quality… compare it to canon entry levels and see what i mean
7) Very strong, potentially the best lens line-up out there. kit lenses being outstanding value for money — you can start taking good photographs right away.. unlike kit lenses from others.

Some other feature like the Art filters and multiple exposure (over laying multiple photos) are just a side for most people. Id say all of them are aesthetically pleasing filters and fun to try– if you use them, you still have your raw file to do off camera processing. But id say that these features to me are like the video recording by canon and nikon — just a pleasant aside but not really what dslr photography has been about (at least in the past).
The issue of high ISO with oly has always been there, some thoughts:
I like the extra ISO steps and use the ISO 160 as standard ( people say 200 gives best DR in comparison to 100 — but i think 160 is slightly better then 200)
In contrast to canons move up to 15MP for the 50D and t1i– Olys move from 10 to 12.3MP you will find actually better high iso performance then the E-510 and 520. ISO 1250 is about comparable to 1600 of others. id say upto ~ 1250 is useable. Notice that 15MP and over the APS-C pixel density actually goes above the 10MP 4/3rd sensor. Essentially low light performance in APS-C cameras has been going down (or staying stable at best) across the board. So if you want to take pictures of football games in pitch dark at 6400 ISO4/3rds or APS-C is not what you are looking for. Generally the solution to low light is not pumping up the ISO the first course of action is of course flash- with regards to that E-620 allows a lot of functionality with the Fl-36R/50R units including built in wireless flash support (no need for carrying a transmitter)
Over all for an mid entry SLR you will be very happy with the E-620. Another factor is ergonomics and i like holding an Olympus but that you will have to try and compare yourself– happy shooting!

-updated to include thoughts on Imager AF and wireless flash support

Product Description
The world’s smallest and lightest D-SLR with built-in Image Stabilization and a portable creative studio! The new Olympus E-620 combines the technical sophistication required by Pros, with easy-to-use functions desired by hobbyists. As a result, ambitious photographers everywhere can now take creativity to a whole new level. Shoot outside the box with the world’s smallest and lightest image-stabilized digital SLR. The DSLR that puts creative freedom in the palm of your hands. Six creative in-camera art filters, Multiple Exposure shooting and a swivel Live View 2.7″ HyperCrystal III LCD offer artistic freedom and endless creative possibilities. The 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor and TruePic III+ processor provide exceptional picture quality. With in-body Image Stabilization and small 16.76-ounce body, the E-620 is a camera that truly lets you shoot outside the frame.Face & Background Control for beautifully balanced exposures of foreground subjects and background scenery Comfortable viewing with Autofocus Live View 2.7 Multi-angle HyperCrystal III LCD with Live View for greatest flexibility and real-time monitoring Built-in I.S. with max. 4 steps efficiency Great image performance and large variety of bright dedicated-to-digital lenses thanks to Four Thirds Standard High-precision, 49-zone metering system Auto gradation adjustment to prevent blown highlights and blocked-in shadows Live simulation function (effective monitoring) Pre-control over White Balance & exposure compensation Preview of shadow adjustment technology (SAT) for maximum image results 5x/7x/10x magnified view for precise focusing Ergonomic design of body, control buttons and GUI for easy operation AE/AF lock functionality for individual customization Accurate White Balance with two sensors High-speed data writing and lossless compression for quick processing Optional power grip ideal for portrait shooting and long bat

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens

After owning an Olympus E-510 for 8 months I had been looking forward to an upgrade to the E-3.When Olympus announced the new E-30 in November the upgrade waters became a little muddied.I poured over the differences between the E-3 and the E-30 and then waited for some of the initial Olympus reviews to come out.I further waited to hear from the more well known internet Olympus users and bloggers to see what they had to say.After all, they were used to shooting Olympus and had done so with most of the models currently out.Once I knew that the E-30 performed similarly to the E-3 I knew now that I had to pick one over the other.But which one?

Basically, any camera purchase will be based on a personal style and liking and not everyone chooses the same system or the same camera within a system.Gotta love diversity!

What I knew about Olympus that I already liked were the Zuiko lenses, the in body image stabilization, the smaller, lighter (but not cheap feeling) bodies, the image quality, the live view, the intuitive design of the menu system, their dust reduction capabilities, and their built-from-the-ground-up digital system.

I chose the E-30 over the E-3 because of two main reasons:

One was the fact that the E-30 contained much of the innovation and performance of the E-3, but with newer technology.In the digital world, I felt that was a plus.

The second was the actual weight difference.While I think the weather sealed body of the E-3 is great for someone who actually will need it, I couldn’t see myself shooting in the rain.Since I have a bit of arthritis in my hands and wrists already, the lighter body of the E-30 was a better fit for me.

My thoughts on the overall performance of the E-30 is that it performs just as I had hoped it would.It’s fast and responsive.

The 11 point auto focus points were a nice jump from the 3 points with my E-510 and after figuring out how to change from one to the other, it became pretty easy to handle.

The larger 2.7 in screen was nice, not to mention the fact that it can tilt and swivel.I sort of missed the tilt and swivel option from when I owned a Canon S5 IS.

I noticed a difference in the dynamic range too.I wasn’t blowing out highlights as easily as I did with the E-510.Less “blikies” are always a good thing!

The image quality doesn’t disappoint and the 12.3mp allows for larger prints.

I haven’t used the art filters yet, but I’m sure it’ll be just one more thing that I can play around with.It definitely doesn’t distract or degrade the high quality you get with this camera!

If you want to upgrade from the E-4XX or E-5XX models this camera will not disappoint.If you are looking at this as a new DSLR purchase it will be a great camera for you as well.

Product Description
The Olympus E-30 is the newest addition to the interchangeable-lens digital SLRs (single lens reflex) within the Olympus E-System lineup. This new 12.3-megapixel, FourThirds-compliant camera reinforces the company’s commitment to the standard. Positioned as a mid-level model, this new digital SLR camera is intended for anyone who wants to express their creativity through photography, whether they are just starting out or are a professional with years of experience behind them. The E-30 is a camera that has the speed of the E-3 and the freedom to express oneself with a variety of new creative features, from Art Filters that will let you control the way the image looks from a grainy black and white film to exaggerated colors. From the ability to shoot traditional multiple exposures in Live View for a wedding photographer, to the untraditional multiple exposure of the artistic, the E-30 is the camera for the creative shooter who wants to think differently and shoot in new ways.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus E30 12.3MP Digital SLR with Image Stabilization (Body Only)

I have had the E-620 for about a week and i moved from a E-510. E-510 was my first DSLR and using that over the years i have been very satisfied and happy with the 510 especially due to the in body image stabilization and lens line-up. Liveview was also a plus over competitors but i never really used it unless it was really dark or i needed to manual focus.

Some things on the E-510 that were aging and were kind of the few weak points of the entry level E series was the 3 point autofocus system, small viewfinder and low light focusing. The lcd was so so too but for an SLR i don’t see why a high pixel LCD should be important.. sure its good to have one but its not important.
Anyhow the E-620 really improves all these problems and really becomes a strong no compromise camera; worthy of buying just because its excellent.. not because its great value as was the case for me for the E-510.

1) The viewfinder is much larger; suitable for manual focusing.
2) now has 7 points – 5 cross (which is better then any entry slr .. d5000, t1i etc included). — now that Ive had sometime to try out the imager AF; ill say that although its not the fastest AF system (talking about the hybrid mode as i don’t have compatible lenses for standalone imager mode) — it works very reliably in low light conditions; better then the phase detect sensor on its own. Using liveview to compose night shots many times i found my e510 hunting and eventually taking out of focus shots forcing complete manual focus– hybrid mode definitely lets you use AF in seriously dark conditions.
3) nice flipping LCD which again trumps the other 2 boys in the group in terms of utility.
4) Much better tone curves/gradation/dynamic range.. people argue .. i don’t know.. i just know that highlight and shadow information is retained very well. Of course jpgs turn out nice due to the gradation but there is dynamic range improvement visible in raw too.

Some things that have continued to be Olympus selling points
5) in body image stabilization
6) Excellent body quality… compare it to canon entry levels and see what i mean
7) Very strong, potentially the best lens line-up out there. kit lenses being outstanding value for money — you can start taking good photographs right away.. unlike kit lenses from others.

Some other feature like the Art filters and multiple exposure (over laying multiple photos) are just a side for most people. Id say all of them are aesthetically pleasing filters and fun to try– if you use them, you still have your raw file to do off camera processing. But id say that these features to me are like the video recording by canon and nikon — just a pleasant aside but not really what dslr photography has been about (at least in the past).
The issue of high ISO with oly has always been there, some thoughts:
I like the extra ISO steps and use the ISO 160 as standard ( people say 200 gives best DR in comparison to 100 — but i think 160 is slightly better then 200)
In contrast to canons move up to 15MP for the 50D and t1i– Olys move from 10 to 12.3MP you will find actually better high iso performance then the E-510 and 520. ISO 1250 is about comparable to 1600 of others. id say upto ~ 1250 is useable. Notice that 15MP and over the APS-C pixel density actually goes above the 10MP 4/3rd sensor. Essentially low light performance in APS-C cameras has been going down (or staying stable at best) across the board. So if you want to take pictures of football games in pitch dark at 6400 ISO4/3rds or APS-C is not what you are looking for. Generally the solution to low light is not pumping up the ISO the first course of action is of course flash- with regards to that E-620 allows a lot of functionality with the Fl-36R/50R units including built in wireless flash support (no need for carrying a transmitter)
Over all for an mid entry SLR you will be very happy with the E-620. Another factor is ergonomics and i like holding an Olympus but that you will have to try and compare yourself– happy shooting!

-updated to include thoughts on Imager AF and wireless flash support

Product Description
The E-620 comes with free angle live view in a small and light body. With the art filter and multiple exposure functionality, it is sure to expand your world of expressions. In addition, the image stabilization built into the E-620 means that image stabilization is available with all FourThirds lenses you may decide to use. Combined with the standard class lenses with light weight and high cost performance, image stabilization is always available throughout an approximate 33x zoom range from 18mm ultra wide angle to 600mm zoom, relative to 35mm film format, for everyone.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD (Body Only)

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