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The Olympus EVOLT E-410 is a new entry level DSLR announced by Olympus today. It features a 10 megapixel sensor (Four Thirds N-MOS), a 2.5 inch LCD (with 230,000 pixels), live view mode, 49 segment iESP metering, center weighted average metering, three types of spot metering, ISO of 100-1600, shutter speed of 60-1/4000 and a large variety of scene modes.
There are a variety of pricing configurations for the Olympus EVOLT E-410 including:
EVOLT E-410 body Estimated Street Price: $699 USD
EVOLT E-410 with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $799 USD
EVOLT E-410 with both ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 and ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899 USD
Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E410
Portable Powerhouse Meets Any Challenge with 2.5-Inch Live View LCD, 10-Megapixel Imaging Sensor and Proven Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
CENTER VALLEY, Pa, March 5, 2007 – Olympus today announces the EVOLT E-410 digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera – easy enough for the first-time user, advanced enough for the serious photographer. High performance and functionality are packed into a surprisingly portable and simple-to-use body. The E-410 is the best value in its class (available in three configurations beginning at $699.99 for the body) and is loaded with innovations, including:
* Live View LCD enables users to compose shots from a variety of angles other consumer digital SLR cameras just can’t match;
* 10-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor generates super high-resolution images that can be cropped or blown up to poster size without sacrificing image quality;
* TruePic III for superior image quality in all lighting situations;
* Dust Reduction System ensures spot-free photos, so users can spend more time taking pictures and less time removing unsightly specks from digital images with computer software; and
* Extremely portable and lightweight body complemented by two new ultra-compact digital specific lenses that won’t weigh you down and encourage users to take it along on vacations or any family outing.
Innovative 2.5-Inch Full Time Live View HyperCrystal LCD
The E-410 offers ease-of-shooting and greater flexibility with the Live View LCD. Composing photographs is easier as subjects can be seen on the Live View LCD, which offers a wide 176-degree viewing angle. This enables images to be effortlessly taken from angles that would typically be difficult with a traditional optical viewfinder – which is still the only option on many competing digital SLR cameras. Interacting with subjects, such as toddlers and pets, is also possible thanks to the Live View LCD, which enables pictures to be taken while holding the camera away from your face.
The E-410’s big and bright 2.5-inch LCD display with approximately 230,000 pixels includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, and enables images to be beautifully displayed in vivid color – both in preview and playback. The HyperCrystal LCD also provides a wide viewing angle, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The larger LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.
“The E-410’s Live View LCD is appealing to many consumers moving up from digital point-and-shoot cameras as many of these consumers have never used an optical viewfinder,” said Richard Pelkowski, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The Live View LCD is also perfect for capturing up-close macro shots of flowers and jewelry. Coupled with the underwater housing, the Live View LCD also makes underwater photography easy, where looking through a traditional optical viewfinder is extremely inconvenient.”
Detailed, Bright and Colorful Photos with 10-Megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor
The E-410 is loaded with an impressive 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives users the flexibility to blow-up their prints to the large sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-410 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity, and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.
Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.
TruePic III for Image Clarity
Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce noise in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.
Two More Lenses Added to World’s Largest Selection of Digital Specific Lenses
The versatility of the Olympus E-System comes from delivering the largest selection of “Designed-for-Digital” lenses – more than any other manufacturer to date. Olympus’ Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses come in a wide range of focal lengths to achieve the best image result in any given situation, and impress with their spectacular clarity and edge-to-edge sharpness.
The E-410 one-lens outfit includes a compact, Zuiko Digital ED 14 – 42 mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 84mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3x ED Glass zoom lens covers the range most frequently used in everyday photography and weighs just 7.5 ounces, offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches (0.25 m) are also possible throughout the zoom range.
The E-410 two-lens outfit adds the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 (80-300mm equivalent) Lens, which provides users with greater telephoto power for far-away shots in a compact size. This telephoto lens is smaller than many standard zoom lens at 2.6 inch diameter x 2.8 inch length and a weight of 8.8 ounces – a real benefit for anyone who wants to pack a powerful zoom lens without taking up much space. It also has great close focusing abilities, and is able to capture a subject up-close from a distance of 31.5 inches (.8m). Consumers won’t break the bank to get this great focal flexibility. For a mere $100.00, the two-lens kit includes the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150MM telephoto zoom lens – a $279.00 value!
Both lenses are exceptionally compact, allowing unimpeded mobility. They are sized for comfortable handling and designed for maximum image quality at an excellent price. Most important, these new lenses have the world-renowned ED lenses that deliver stunning high-quality images.
All E-Series cameras support the Four-Thirds Standard whereby Olympus and various other manufacturers produce high-quality Four-Thirds-compliant lenses and accessories that are specifically designed for digital SLR image capture. Because the E-410 is part of the Olympus E-System, it is compatible with a large and growing range of Olympus E-System accessories to further enhance personal shooting styles and applications. This includes the full line-up of Zuiko Digital Specific lenses and flashes.
Underwater Photography
An Underwater Case (PT-E-03), five lens ports and a flash housing enable adventurous photographers to capture the delights of the aquatic world down to depths of approximately 131 feet (40 meters). The EVOLT E-410’s Live View mode makes digital SLR photography a breeze for both the first-time or experienced underwater photographer.
Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Handle Light and Ergonomic Design
The EVOLT E-410 is extremely portable, measuring 5.1 inches (129.5mm) by 3.58 inches (91mm) and 2.1 inches (53mm), excluding protrusions, and weighing 13.4 ounces (380 grams) body only. The new camera has a classic penta-mirror design that is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day. Beyond its portable size, the E-410 delivers unparalleled ease of use – from menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate, to automatic settings for every imaginable situation.
While the E-410 includes a full range of manual control options to customize your creativity, it also has 30 shooting modes designed to provide the ideal settings for a variety of shooting situations automatically. These include Digital Image Stabilization, Night Scene, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, Underwater, and Candle Light to name a few, as well as an xD Panorama mode (for use with Olympus xD-Picture Cards). Users also benefit from special color modes and the possibility to apply a variety of Black & White filters.
A new high-power rechargeable battery is included with the E-410 so that users can keep shooting for extended periods. Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.
Availability
The Olympus EVOLT E-410 Digital SLR will be available in May 2007. It includes: EVOLT E-410 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Software CD-ROM, Manuals, Warranty card.
US Pricing / Product Configurations
EVOLT E-410 body Estimated Street Price: $699
EVOLT E-410 with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $799
EVOLT E-410 with both ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 and ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899
Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E410
DPNow has Part 1 of a review of the Olympus E410, and writes, "One feature that works better than most is Olympus' dual mode control display. Like most other more affordable DSLRs, there is no secondary LCD status display, just a large 2.5 inch colour display that serves to display pictures taken (not forgetting live view, of course) as well as view mode and settings status. Most cameras simply present a system of menus, but since the E-500 was introduced, by pressing the OK button, you can use the navigation buttons to highlight settings displays that, once highlighted, become adjustable, without delving into a menu, by turning the click-stopped settings adjustment dial. The system is brilliantly effective and you can choose between two display sizes, one with larger legends, though less options displayed. Conventional menus are also available via the 'Menu' button, or by clicking a highlighted option again using the OK button."
CNET has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-410 and writes, "In general, the E-410 is capable of producing very good photos; in that respect, it differs little from competitors like the Nikon D40x and Canon EOS Rebel XTi. It takes a little more effort to get there, however--a bit of an absurdity given Olympus' marketing it as a nonthreatening step up for the point-and-shoot photographer. If the Live View mode or compact design appeals to you, go to your local retailer and give the Evolt E-410 a try to make sure that their appeal lives up to your expectations. ... Olympus' compact dSLR for newbies, the Evolt E-410, is a decent choice if you're looking to save space in your bag, but issues with its automatic exposure and white balance make it an unsatisfactory option as a first dSLR."
Gizmodo has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "Outdoors, with plenty of light, proved to be the best environment for shooting in the E-410's automatic modes. Colors came out rich, with decent contrast most of the time. Though I typically prefer the viewfinder for shooting, the high-contrast display did well in the blazing sunlight for both Live View and post-shot review. Shooting with a flash indoors was a mixed bag. If there was enough ambient light, the flash filled in only what was necessary, and shots came out bright without that artificial sheen. In instances with lower natural light, however, the camera took a while to make the focus, exposure and light adjustments before committing to the shot."
CameraLabs has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The biggest problem facing the E-410 though is undoubtedly the lack of viable anti-shake options. ... Ultimately if stabilised optics aren’t a priority, the E-410 is a great choice. The body is extremely portable without compromising handling or comfort, the control system quick and easy to use, the SSWF filter remains the best around, and the Live View facility is both fun and useful. As such we can Highly Recommend the E-410 to anyone who wants a small and light DSLR, although we’d advise close comparison with the forthcoming E-510."
Megapixel has a review of the Olympus E410 and writes, "With its excellent image quality, be it at the lowest JPEG compression or with the RAW format, its complete set of shooting modes, its advanced Live View mode, or even its effective dust reduction system, the Olympus Evolt E-410 has one of the best price to value ratios of cameras currently on the market. Moreover, the advantage and value that the 2-lens kit offers should place this camera high on the list of any person wanting to move to a digital SLR camera."
DPReview has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "Default image quality is good, if not as crisp as the competition. However, if you play with the settings for a while, or more specifically turn Noise Filter off and set Sharpness to -2 (to compensate for the default high sharpening used to overcome the softening effect of the Noise Filter) you'll see that the camera is capturing just as much detail (if not more) than other ten megapixel digital SLRs, and that the lens is more than up to the job too. So what's the final word? At the end of the day I found myself quite liking the E-410, it's a grower that offers great value for money in a small compact package, has some real stand-out features and hasn't been crippled to 'fit into the range' like similar models from other manufacturers. Just make sure you turn off the Noise Filter!"
Photography Press has a review of the Olympus E410 and writes, "Metering and focusing are excellent. The former is a 49-segment system with Digital ESP centre-weighted average, spot and highlight or shadow based spot metering. It’s flexible and reliable and flash metering I found to be rather good too. ... A camera packed to the gunnels with so much excellent kit and user control might cost twice as much; the E400 I criticised for being to dear, now pricing is much better and as a result I can heartily recommend the E410 to anyone because the other bonus of this model is it is available world wide."
DCResource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT-E410 and writes, "In some ways, the Olympus EVOLT E-410 reminds me of the Pentax K10D. Both cameras are capable of taking great photos, but you'll need to adjust some settings first. It would've been nice had Olympus not applied so much noise reduction at the default settings, but at least there's a way around that. Once you've done that -- and maybe adjusted the color saturation -- you'll find the E-410 to a be a good entry-level digital SLR with a handy (but imperfect) live view feature, dust reduction, and snappy performance. I personally would spend the extra $100 for the EVOLT E-510, which is larger and easier to hold, and it has built-in image stabilization as well. Whichever one you choose, both of these new EVOLTs are worth a look."
ePhotozine has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The E-410 is good for shooting in small bursts and has that RAW option for better quality. The image quality in general is fine, with admirable control of colour fringing and plenty of detail at higher ISOs. There's a point to note about the focal length shift on the E-410 and that is because the CCD is small, the focal length for each lens is shifted by a factor of two. So, the 14-42mm kit lens is actually 28-84mm. It's slightly harder to get to grips with than either the Nikon or Canon cameras, so for outright beginners, one of those two would be better. Otherwise, if you can live with the handle-less grip, the E-410 beats the Canon EOS 400D and the Nikon D40x in the 10Mp, entry level DSLR stakes fairly easily."
PhotographyBLOG has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "most of the audience for this camera will likely be upgrading from a point and shoot compact and therefore in the main wanting to shoot portraits of family and friends with a bit more ‘pep'. It's in this area that the Olympus E-410 excels, delivering sharp, flattering portraits with vividly healthy skin tones. Distortion aside, the lens is capable of delivering commendably sharp images to boot."
ThinkCamera has a review of the Olympus E-410 DSLR and writes, "The camera delivers excellent out-of-camera JPEGs, although the dynamic range isn't that, er, dynamic. You seem to tread a thinner line between blocking up shadows and blowing out highlights than usual on this camera. ... Most of the limitations here are small, and so is the camera. That's the big point here; this is a camera that's small and light enough not to take up the bulk of the crazy hand luggage restrictions UK air travellers have to suffer. We reckon that, among rock-hoppers, mountaineers and world travellers, the Olympus E-410 is the camera of choice."
Trusted Reviews has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The 10-megapixel Four Thirds sensor, while physically smaller than the APS-C sensors found in most other DSLRs, still produces an equivalent level of fine detail, and high ISO noise control is as good as anything else on the market. As with the E-510, there is perhaps marginally less dynamic range than an equivalent APS-C camera, but if so it is barely noticeable. All in all, the E-410 produced extremely good image quality under all circumstances, despite the lousy weather available during my test period. ... Although currently slightly more expensive than some of its competitors, the E-410 has several advantages, not least its compact dimensions, low weight and useful live view feature. It also offers fast performance, extremely high image quality and a very wide range of creative control. If you want a highly portable DSLR and aren’t too bothered about image stabilisation then the E-410 would make a rewarding enthusiast’s camera."
Imaging Resource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "The Olympus E-410 is a handsome and handy little SLR, one I could have easily fallen in love with. Though its Live View mode is not what it many will think, introducing extreme shutter lag, it is quite useful on occasion, allowing you to get shots you couldn't otherwise. Its small size and light weight let me take it along more often, and it was nimble and easy to adjust to my needs. Autofocus in low light was weak, however, resulting in many a missed shot; and its tendency to blow highlights and underexpose the mids left some shots similarly out of reach. As has been the case with every Olympus SLR I've reviewed, though, I managed to get some very good shots with the E-410. Some of them, unfortunately, were a lot of work, either before or after capture. Manually tweaking the contrast to a lower setting helped reduce the blown highlights, so there is a way to deal with it if you know how. So it's a mixed bag. Easy to use, great design, perfect size, nice features, good lens; but sometimes getting a good shot is harder than it should be."
Vnunet has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "lenses used by the Olympus system – known as Four Thirds – offer twice the focal length of their 35mm equivalents, meaning the bundled 14-42mm zoom lens is equal to a 28-84mm lens on another manufacturer's SLR. So you get a bigger range from a physically smaller lens, even if it is just the standard 3x zoom (dividing the 42mm longest focal length by the 14mm shortest). There’s some barrel distortion – the edges of the picture curve very slightly – at maximum wide angle, but for the most part images are crisp and colour is naturalistic. To sum up, the E-410 has so many boxes ticked it’s hard to see where Olympus has made any oversights, and it represents a great camera for the first-time digital SLR user."
Posted by Darren in our Olympus category on March 05, 2007