I love
digital SLRs and do just
about all my shooting with
them. D-SLRs have a couple
of drawbacks, however.
Dust can settle on the
image sensor each time
you change lenses, and
you can’t see the
image live on the LCD monitor
or tilt the monitor for
odd-angle shots as you
can with compact digital
cameras.
The new Olympus EVOLT E-330
is a D-SLR that eliminates
both problems. Its Supersonic
Wave Filter (a feature
shared with all Olympus
E-series D-SLRs) automatically
vibrates dust off the image
sensor every time you switch
on the camera. It’s
very effective: I’ve
never noticed a dust spot
in any of the more than
5,000 images I’ve
shot with Olympus D-SLRs.
The camera’s big,
2.5-inch Live View LCD
monitor (a feature unique
to the E-330 among D-SLRs)
not only shows the image
live as you compose, but
it also pulls away from
the body and tilts up and
down for easy high- and
low-angle shooting.
I still generally prefer
to focus and compose in
the time-honored SLR way,
using the SLR viewfinder
rather than an external
LCD monitor. But there
are times when the consumer-style
live-viewing and tilting
monitor is very useful.
For example, I like to
shoot straight up with
wide-angle lenses to record
geometric patterns created
by power lines and such.
But my back doesn’t
like it, especially when
I crouch down to get more
of a power pylon in the
shot. With the E-330, I
tilt the LCD monitor up
and compose comfortably
standing or crouching.
I also found the tilting
monitor handy for low-level
shots and for aerial photos.
The plane I usually shoot
from has a little side
window that can be opened
in flight, and with a conventional
eye-level SLR finder, shooting
through it is a bit awkward.
With the E-330, I can compose
using the monitor without
slouching forward at the
controls.
Live View operation is
simple. When you want to
use it, just press the
Live View button next to
the viewfinder eyepiece.
There are two Live View
modes, A and B, easily
activated by pressing the
A/B button next to the
Live View button, then
rotating the main dial
to choose A or B.
In A mode, you get Full-Time
Live View: The LCD monitor
works like the one on a
compact digital camera,
showing the image live
and in real time. The AF
system functions in the
normal manner or you can
focus manually. But be
sure to close the eyepiece
shutter when your eye isn’t
at the eyepiece to keep
stray light from entering
and causing erroneous exposures.
In B mode, you get Macro
Live View. The SLR mirror
flips up and locks, so
the eyepiece shutter isn’t
needed. But since the light
can no longer reach the
TTL AF sensor, focusing
is manual only. In B mode,
you can zoom in on the
live monitor image for
easy manual focusing. Incidentally,
the manual focusing ring
on the E-330 is electronic.
The advantage is that you
can set the camera so that
infinity-to-close-up is
clockwise or counterclockwise
to suit your preference;
the disadvantage is that
it lacks the “feel” of
mechanical manual focusing,
which takes a little getting
used to.
One caveat with Live View:
Obviously, no dioptric
eyepiece correction is
available for the LCD monitor,
so if you need eyeglasses
for near viewing, you’d
better take them (or a
loupe) along if you intend
to focus using the LCD
monitor rather than the
SLR finder.
Of course, Live View is
just the E-330’s “marquee” item.
This is a full-featured
D-SLR, capable of handling
just about any D-SLR shooting
need. Image quality is
excellent at lower ISO
settings and good at higher
ones, and AF and metering
performance are very good.
Despite its flat-topped,
odd-for-an-SLR shape (which
actually helps make possible
the Live View feature),
the E-330 feels good in
the hands, and it’s
easy to make any desired
camera settings.
SPECIFICATIONS Sensor
Size: 7.5 MP, Four-Thirds
size Lens
Equivalent Factor: 2.0x Shutter
Speeds: 60 to 1/4000
sec., and Bulb Flash
Sync: up to 1/180
sec. Built-In
Flash: Yes Shooting
Speed: 3 fps Size: 5.5x3.4 2.8 inches Weight: 19.4 ounces Street
Price: $999 (body
only)
STANDOUT FEATURES
• Tilting,
2.5-inch Live View
LCD that shows you
what your lens is seeing
as you shoot
•
Supersonic Wave Filter
automatically removes
dust from the sensor
each time you switch
on the camera
•
Four-Thirds-format,
7.5-megapixel NMOS
image sensor is bigger
than sensors in compact
digital cameras, resulting
in lower noise and
better color, especially
at higher ISO settings
•
Slots for both CompactFlash
and ultra-compact xD
memory cards
•
Unique, comfortable,
flattop SLR camera
design introduced in
the EVOLT E-300
I love
digital SLRs and do just
about all my shooting with
them. D-SLRs have a couple
of drawbacks, however.
Dust can settle on the
image sensor each time
you change lenses, and
you can’t see the
image live on the LCD monitor
or tilt the monitor for
odd-angle shots as you
can with compact digital
cameras.
