The
Olympus Camedia E-10 is closer to an SLR type camera than any previous
digital camera from Olympus. Housed in a solid aluminium body, one with
a noticeable weight, the E-10 gives the impression of having been designed—and
built—to withstand the occasional indignities endured by most vagabonds.
The E-10 is ready to travel, ready to put its 4 megapixels to work.
To control the weight
of the camera (over a kilogram with the batteries installed), Olympus
designed it with a very comfortable, wide, rubber-clad grip and which
supports a shutter release tilted at a 45º angle towards the front
of the camera.
One more item can be found on the front of the camera: a
"Quick Reference White Balance". This is a small button,
located on the body between the upper grip and the lens, that makes it
possible to set the white point instantly, under any lighting condition.
A glance at the upper
portion of the E-10's grip reveals a large array of buttons and controls
clustered around a LCD panel measuring 3 x 2 cm (1 1/8"
x ¾"). Most prominent on the right of the display, is the
Mode Dial which offers 7 positions with the On-Off switch
underneath:
Manual
mode
Shutter
Priority
Aperture
Priority
Program
Playback
Print
Reserve (DPOF)
Setup/Connection
Flash
modes and Image quality, controlled by two small buttons in
front of the display, can be combined to act as instant reset of the E-10's
settings to their factory defaults. To their right, a large dial called
the Sub Dial is used interchangeably with the Main Dial
(located on the upper back of the body, and visible in the photo below),
to make selections. There is only one exception: in Manual Mode
the Sub Dial controls shutter speeds, while the Main Dial controls
apertures.
To the Sub Dial's left, a White Balance button makes it easy to change
white balance pre-sets, in combination with either the Main or Sub Dials.
Directly
below the LCD display, a button labelled SM/CF controls whether
a SmartMedia, or a CompactFlash card will be used to record the image
(the E-10 works with both). Nearby, another button marked LIGHT,
lights-up the display itself.
Finally, the AEL (Exposure Lock), is placed right on the edge of
the body.
The
left side of the Olympus E-10 is far from bare. Metering (ESP Average,
Centre-Weighted and Spot) is selected near the top of the viewfinder housing,
while immediately below, a button lets the user select from Multiple
Exposure; Self-Timer and Remote Control operation, the
latter being supplied with the camera. Further to the left are connections
for a wired remote control and a standard flash (both with screw-on caps);
the built-in flash pop-up button; Macro Mode button; Exposure
Compensation; and an Autofocus/ Manual Focus selector.
One
of the most important features of the Olympus E-10 is its optical TTL
viewfinder. The exit pupil is wrapped in a wide rubber trim, and diopter
correction is provides by a rotating ring immediately behind it.
The eyepiece is also equipped with a shutter, opened and closed
by a small lever on its left side, which ensures that light will not enter
the eyepiece and reach the CCD during long exposures.
The viewfinder itself is nothing short of perfect, presenting a bright
and precise view of 95% of what will be photographed. It is complemented
by a comprehensive LCD readout.
The
E-10 takes the search for near perfect ergonomics one step further: an
articulated LCD screen, for those times when the subject is so placed
that it makes the TTL viewfinder impossible to use.
Without a doubt, the Olympus E-10 is one of the best designed digital
camera to date, and with its introduction, Olympus has raised the bar
significantly. There are few compromises in its ergonomic design, and
this clearly deserves a "hats-off" from anyone who appreciates
a thoughtfully engineered product.
a
"Quick Reference White Balance". This is a small button,
located on the body between the upper grip and the lens, that makes it
possible to set the white point instantly, under any lighting condition.
