Olympus E-330

Last updated
Olympus E-330
Olympus E-330. Zuiko Digital ED.jpg
Overview
Type Digital single-lens reflex
Lens
Lens Interchangeable Four Thirds mount
Sensor/medium
Sensor 17.3 x 13.0 mm Four Thirds System Live MOS sensor
2x FOV crop
Maximum resolution 3136 x 2352 (7.4 effective Megapixels)
Film speed ISO 100 to 400 in 1/3, or 1.0 EV steps
Limiter for 800 or less / expandable 1600
Storage media CompactFlash Type I/II, Microdrive, xD-Picture Card
Focusing
Focus modesSingle AF ( S-AF )
Continuous AF ( C-AF )
Manual Focus ( MF )
S-AF + MF
C-AF + MF
Focus areas3-point TTL Phase Difference Detection System
Focus bracketing 5/7 frames ( 2-step focusing available in each mode )
Exposure/metering
Exposure modesProgram automatic
Aperture automatic
Shutter automatic
Manual setting
Scene programme
Scene select
Exposure metering TTL open-aperture metering system
Metering modes Digital ESP metering (49-point multi pattern)
Centre weighted
Spot (approx. 2%)
Spot with Highlight control
Spot with Shadow control
Flash
Flash Built in Pop-up, Guide number 13m at ISO 100, hotshoe
Flash bracketing 3 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1EV steps
Shutter
Shutter Computerised focal-plane shutter
Shutter speed range1/4000 sec - 60 sec
Bulb mode (up to approx. 8 minutes)
1/180s X sync
Continuous shooting 3 frame/s up to 4 RAW/TIFF images or
JPEG (depending on memory card size, battery power, picture size, and compression)
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical 0.93x Porro prism
Image processing
White balance 7 settings ( 3000K - 7500K )
+/-7 steps in each R-B/G-M axis
WB bracketing 3 frames. 2/4/6 steps selectable in each R-B/G-M axis
General
LCD screen2.5" (63.5 mm) TFT LCD, 215,000 pixels
BatteryBLM-1 Li-ion battery
Weight Approx. 550g ( body only)

The Olympus E-330 is a DSLR launched on 30 January 2006, using the Four Thirds System lens mount standard. Its main feature is its live image preview functionality, permitting an image to be previewed on the LCD screen. While live image preview is not new in compact digital cameras, the E-330 is significant because it was the first digital SLR to offer this feature. With the ability to digitally zoom in 10× before taking a picture, it is very well suited for exact manual focussing, for example in macro photography.

Unlike many other digital SLRs, the E-330 used a second sensor in the viewfinder chamber which was fed by splitting 20% of the light from the viewfinder. The advantage of this implementation is that the camera's autofocus and exposure systems are fully functional and there is no shutter lag. This mode is known as Live Preview A. The E-330 also offers a liveview mode using the main sensor known as Live Preview B or Macro Live Preview; however on initial release, autofocus in this mode was disabled, but firmware update 1.2 released on 22 June 2006 allowed autofocus to take place on pressing the AEL/AFL button, dropping the mirror briefly to allow AF lock to be acquired. There is additional shutter lag due to the extra close/open at the beginning and the end of the exposure cycle. Sony have adopted a similar liveview implementation in their digital SLRs which also place a second sensor in the viewfinder chamber although a moving mirror to allow all light to go to this sensor avoids the dark viewfinder problem the e-330 suffered from.

The E-330 also offers a 7.5-megapixel image sensor, and has an articulated LCD monitor which tilts up and down for waist-level and over-the-head photography. It was the first interchangeable lens DSLR to offer this feature.

The E-330 uses Olympus' patented Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system to shake dust from the sensor during startup and when requested by the user; this largely eliminates the problem of dust accumulation on the surface of the image sensor.

The camera offers the following "scene" modes: Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Children, Sport, High Key, Low Key, D Image Stabilization, Macro, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Fireworks, Documents, Panorama, Beach & Snow, Underwater Wide, Underwater Macro.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and the Leica Digilux 3 are both built using the same basic inner mechanism from the Olympus E-330, and thus also share the live preview function. Unlike the E-330 however, neither the L1 or Digilux 3 incorporated the second sensor in the viewfinder chamber and could only produce the liveview output from the main sensor. They still suffered from the same darker viewfinder as they shared the same mirror to divert 20% of the light for the non-existent secondary sensor. However, they were able to use AF on the main sensor by briefly dropping the mirror from their launch, and offered live histogram, live white balance preview and live metering during main sensor Live Preview, which the E-330 did not. On the other hand, all three manufacturers suggested that the eyepiece should be blocked during main-sensor live preview to prevent light ingress affecting the process, but only the E-330 included a built-in eyepiece shutter, operated by a lever next to the eyepiece.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-lens reflex camera</span> Camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system

A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured. With twin lens reflex and rangefinder cameras, the viewed image could be significantly different from the final image. When the shutter button is pressed on most SLRs, the mirror flips out of the light path, allowing light to pass through to the light receptor and the image to be captured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic viewfinder</span> Viewfinder using a small screen

An electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a camera viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is displayed on a small screen which the photographer can look through when composing their shot. It differs from a live preview screen in being smaller and shaded from ambient light, and may also use less power. The sensor records the view through the lens, the view is processed, and finally projected on a miniature display which is viewable through the eyepiece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point-and-shoot camera</span>

A point-and-shoot camera, also known as a compact camera and sometimes abbreviated to P&S, is a still camera designed primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing, automatic systems for setting the exposure options, and have flash units built in. They are popular for vernacular photography by people who do not consider themselves photographers but want easy-to-use cameras for snapshots of vacations, parties, reunions and other events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital single-lens reflex camera</span> Digital cameras combining the parts of a single-lens reflex camera and a digital camera back

A digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1</span>

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 is a bridge digital camera announced by Sony in 2005. It featured a 10.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a size typically used in DSLRs and rarely used in bridge cameras. This was the first time such a large sensor was incorporated into a bridge camera. Besides the APS-C sensor, the DSC-R1 also featured a 14.3–71.5 mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, providing for an angle of view equivalent to 24–120 mm on a full frame camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridge camera</span> Camera with features between point and shoot and mirrorless/SLR.

Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between relatively simple point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable-lens cameras such as mirrorless cameras and single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs). They are often comparable in size and weight to the smallest digital SLRs (DSLR), but lack interchangeable lenses, and almost all digital bridge cameras lack an optical viewfinder system. The phrase "bridge camera" has been in use at least since the 1980s, and continues to be used with digital cameras. The term was originally used to refer to film cameras which "bridged the gap" between point-and-shoot cameras and SLRs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live preview</span>

Live preview is a feature that allows a digital camera's display screen to be used as a viewfinder. This provides a means of previewing framing and other exposure before taking the photograph. In most such cameras, the preview is generated by means of continuously and directly projecting the image formed by the lens onto the main image sensor. This in turn feeds the electronic screen with the live preview image. The electronic screen can be either a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EOS-1D Mark III</span> Digital camera model

The EOS 1D Mark III is a professional 10.1 megapixel digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) camera body produced by Canon. The EOS 1D Mark III was announced on February 21, 2007 and is the successor of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and was first released in May 2007. In late 2009, the camera was succeeded by the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. One of the main benefits of the new Mark III, over the previous models, was the added functionality of Live view, allowing users to take pictures while looking at an LCD screen. While it had the same outdated software as the older 1D series cameras, it had a much improved button layout, which is still used today. It also had improved wireless capabilities over the Mark II. The new WFT-E2 was much smaller than the previous WFT-E1 for the Mark II. The new transmitter could now also connect via a USB port. This allowed the optional addition of a GPS unit and wired PC connectivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympus E-3</span>

The Olympus E-3 was until 2010 Olympus Corporation's flagship camera, positioned as a professional DSLR camera. It is the successor to the Olympus E-1, which was launched in November 2003. The E-3, originally codenamed Olympus E-P1, was announced on 17 October 2007. The E-3, like the other cameras in the Olympus E-series, conforms to the Four Thirds system. It was succeeded in 2010 by the Olympus E-5 professional DSLR flagship camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10</span>

The Lumix DMC-L10 is Panasonic's second digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR), a follow-up to the previous Lumix DMC-L1 model. It was announced in August 2007, and, like the Lumix DMC-L1, this model uses the Four Thirds System lens mount standard and contains some basic parts provided by Olympus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micro Four Thirds system</span> Digital camera design standard

The Micro Four Thirds system is a standard released by Olympus and Panasonic in 2008, for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses. Camera bodies are available from Blackmagic, DJI, JVC, Kodak, Olympus, Panasonic, Sharp, and Xiaomi. MFT lenses are produced by Cosina Voigtländer, DJI, Kowa, Kodak, Mitakon, Olympus, Panasonic, Samyang, Sharp, Sigma, SLR Magic, Tamron, Tokina, TTArtisan, Veydra, Xiaomi, Laowa, Yongnuo, Zonlai, Lensbaby, Kowa, Venus Optics and 7artisans amongst others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon D90</span> Digital single-lens reflex camera

The Nikon D90 is a 12.3 megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on August 27, 2008. It is a prosumer model that replaces the Nikon D80, fitting between the company's entry-level and professional DSLR models. It has a Nikon DX format crop sensor.

This article discusses the cameras – mainly 35 mm SLRs – manufactured by Pentax Ricoh Imaging Corp. and its predecessors, Pentax Corporation and Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.. Pentax must not be confused with Pentax 6x7 or Pentax 67 which are 120 medium format 6x7cm film cameras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1</span>

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 is a digital mirrorless interchangeable lens camera adhering to the Olympus and Panasonic developed Micro Four Thirds System (MFT) system design standard. Panasonic classified the GH1 as a hybrid stills/video camera and the GH1 was introduced and marketed as a higher end camera than Panasonic's first MFT camera, the stills only, non-video capable Lumix DMC-G1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirrorless camera</span> Compact camera with a user-removable and replaceable lens

A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display. The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic viewfinder. Many mirrorless cameras retain a mechanical shutter. Like a DSLR, a mirrorless camera accepts any of a series of interchangeable lenses compatible with its lens mount.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympus E-5</span>

The Olympus E-5 was Olympus Corporation's flagship camera, positioned as a professional DSLR camera. It is the successor to the Olympus E-3, which was launched on October 17, 2007. The E-5 was announced on September 14, 2010. The E-5, like the other cameras in the Olympus E-series, conforms to the Four Thirds System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Alpha 550</span>

The Sony Alpha a550 (DSLR-A550) is a midrange-level digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) marketed by Sony and aimed at enthusiasts, it was released in August 2009. The camera features a 14.2 megapixel APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor and features Sony's patented SteadyShot INSIDE stabilisation system which works with any attached lens. The Sony Alpha a550's main selling point is its dual Live View mode's, Sony's normal secondary; smaller sensor based Live View mode and another which uses the main sensor with no autofocus. The a550 also features a maximum of 7frame/s continuous shooting speed when operating in speed-priority mode and a maximum ISO of 1600 when in auto mode and 12800 ISO when in manual mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympus PEN E-P3</span> Digital camera model

The Olympus PEN E-P3 announced on 30 June 2011 is Olympus Corporation's seventh camera that adheres to the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system design standard. The E-P3 succeeds the Olympus PEN E-P2, and was announced in concert with two other models, the Olympus PEN E-PL3, and the Olympus PEN E-PM1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EOS 5D Mark III</span> Digital camera model

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is a professional-grade 22.3 megapixels full-frame digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera made by Canon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EOS 7D Mark II</span> Digital camera model

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II is a professional digital single-lens reflex camera made by Canon. It was announced on September 15, 2014 with a suggested retail price of US$1,799. It features a 20.2 effective megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, Full HD video recording at 60 fps, 10.0 frames per second continuous shooting, a 100% accuracy viewfinder that offers 1× magnification. It also features a 65-point auto-focus system, a built-in Speedlite transmitter and a new 150k RGB pixels + IR metering sensor. It was preceded by the Canon EOS 7D.