Olympus E-30
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17 years ago
Olympus E-30 review
In terms of image quality, performance, features, and design, the Olympus E-30 stacks up well against other digital SLRs in its price range. Its creative features are a plus, and we very much liked having the swing-out LCD screen.
17 years ago
Olympus E-30
Even though it's billed as a mid-range digital SLR camera, the Olympus E-30 is one of the better models on the market for inexperienced users who are thinking of making the switch to a D-SLR but have been scared off by all the dials and buttons.
Pros:
- Live View mode works very well
- good on-screen menu system
- fast performance
- more than 30 shots in high-speed burst mode
- useful scene modes
Cons:
- Optical viewfinder is uncomfortable to use
- images displayed noticeable noise at ISO 400
- no physical focus mode switch
17 years ago
Review: Olympus E-30
Olympus E-30 The new E-30 digital single-lens reflex camera (SLR) from Olympus combines a solid feature set with a truly creative personality. Its foundation is comprised of a sturdy body design that feels comfortable in the hand; a swing-out 2.7-inch LCD, 12.3-megapixel image sensor (providing...
Pros:
- Image stabilization in camera body
- Unique features such as Multiple Exposure and Digital Leveler
- Support for multiple aspect ratios
- Exposure bracketing in three or five frames
- Real-time focusing in Live View mode
- 98 percent field of view through optical viewfinder
Cons:
- No movie mode
- Battery charger requires cord instead of plugging directly into wall outlet
17 years ago
Olympus E-30
Targeted towards enthusiasts, high-level amateurs and photo hobbyists, the E-30 finally fills the hole in the Olympus dSLR line-up between the entry-level E-420 and E-520 cameras, and the high-end, professional E-3 . For the body only, expect to pay a price of AU$1,799.
Pros:
- Art filters are great fun
- Support for multiple exposures
- New 14-54mm kit lens is good
- Image quality is consistent
Cons:
- Live view is frequently laggy
- Antiquated menu system and graphics
- Loud
- slow autofocus in live view
17 years ago
Olympus E-30 review
When we tested the Olympus E-3 in January 2008, we described it as ‘...a fine all-rounder and a jewel to use' and duly awarded it a mark of 90% and a coveted WDC Gold Award. We praised its build, image quality and general interface, and it looks like those comments must have filtered their way back...
Pros:
- Free-angle LCD screen
- build quality
- light body
- button layout
Cons:
- Pointless Art Filters
- tends to underexpose
- JPEG ISO performance
17 years ago
Olympus E-30 review
Perhaps Olympus should have called it 'The Morph' because that's what the E-30 is: it's the perfect morph between the Olympus E-520 and the company's top-end E-3 professional model. The E-30 shares many of the E-3's key features at a price more suited to these straightened times.
17 years ago
Olympus E-30
With the highest resolution of the range, the E-30 isn't the highest specification. But what does it have that the others don't?
Pros:
- Super fast autofocus
- Good noise control
- Nice landscape results
- Good build quality
- 5EV exposure compensation
- 5EV image stabiliser
- Improved autofocus in live view
- Expanded metering system
Cons:
- Muted colours on colour chart
- Slight cast in portrait mode
- Purple fringing in high contrast areas
17 years ago
The E-30 ($1299, body only) is a midrange digital SLR that fits between the E-520 and the flagship E-3 in Olympus' line-up. The easiest way to describe the E-30 is this: take the E-3, subtract the weather-sealing, then add a higher resolution sensor, a new image processor, a larger LCD, and "art...
17 years ago
Olympus E-30
Front view of the E-30 with the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II lens. (Source: Olympus.) The body designs and ergonomics of the E-30 and E-3 look quite similar, although the E-30 has even more button controls than its 'big brother'.
Pros:
- You're looking for a small DSLR camera that can accept a wide range of relatively compact lenses
- You'd like to choose from the widest possible variety of image aspect ratios when shooting JPEG files
- You require sophisticated in-camera image stabilisation and effective dust reduction technology,
Cons:
- You want to shoot video (the E-30 can't)
- You're a low-light photography enthusiast or a sports photographer who requires faster continuous shooting speeds than 4 frames/second
- You're not prepared to grapple with the complexity of the controls and menu system
17 years ago
Olympus E-30: Hands On
The new Olympus E-30 ($1,300, estimated street, body only) has six of these in its ample bag of tricks, along with some high-end capabilities inherited from the flagship Olympus E-3. It's also the first Olympus DSLR to crack the 10-megapixel barrier, with a 12.3MP Live MOS sensor.
4.2
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