Olympus E-330

Reviewed July 2006

Characteristics

The E-330 is equipped with a new type of sensor, called “Live MOS” by Olympus, that is described as blending the photographic characteristics of a CCD with the energy thriftiness of CMOS sensors.

Composed of 7.92 million pixels of which 7.5 million pixels — 7.5 megapixel — are effective; the Live MOS captures a maximum image size of 3136 x 2352 pixels. Measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, the sensor’s size results in a doubling of the 35 mm focal length of a lens when it is mounted on the E-330.

The sensor’s sensitivity starts at 100 ISO, and when using the P/A/S/M modes, or any of the 5 scene modes that are on the Mode Dial, sensitivity can be set to 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, or 400 ISO when the ISO Step is set to 1/3 EV. Moreover, when the ISO Boost option is enabled, sensitivity can be pushed to 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, or 1600 ISO.

Using the Standard established by Olympus (which is now used by Panasonic), the E-330 is equipped with a Four-Thirds lens mount, allowing it to accept not only Olympus Zuiko Digital lenses, but those made by Leica.

The E330 is sold as a kit with a Zuiko Digital lens 14 to 45 mm, f3.5-5.6, which includes a “perfect” hood, shaped to protect the lens from flare throughout its focal length range.

Moreover, the Zuiko digital lenses produced by Olympus offers the following optional lenses:

The shutter speed range of the E-330 covers from 1/4000 second to 60 seconds in most shooting modes. With the Manual mode, and using the optional infrared remote control, RM-1 — which is then indispensable — the B (Bulb) mode can be used, offering exposure times as long as 8 minutes.

The E-330 is capable of capturing images at any one of six image sizes and using the following image formats and compression:

The menu of the E-330 is the same, whatever the mode of the camera. However, the options accessible to the user vary according to other settings or the mode, the inaccessible options appearing as greyed-out.

The menu is composed of 5 sections, each identified by an icon in the left margin. The first section, Shooting 1, contains the following options:

• Card Setup: serves to erase all files on a memory card, or format either.
• Custom Reset Setting: normally all camera settings are retained when the camera is powered off, and when it is reset, it returns to its factory settings. In addition, the E-330 makes it possible to reset the camera to any one of two sets of previously configured groups of registered camera settings using Reset 1 or Reset 2.
• Picture Mode controls the way colours are recorded:
  • Vivid: increases saturation.
  • Natural, the default.
  • Muted: decreases saturation.
  • Monotone: saves a black and white image
  • or Sepia, saves a brown-toned image.
• Gradation provides two types of gradation: High Key, suitable for a subject that is mostly highlighted; Normal, the default, Low Key, suitable for a subject that is mostly shadowed.

• Resolution: HQ, SQ, RAW+SHQ, RAW+HQ, RAW+SQ, RAW, TIFF, SHQ (see above).
• Exposure Compensation: allows adjusting the exposure over a range of ±5 EV.
• Noise Reduction: turns On or Off the noise reduction system, which doubles the time required for a long exposure. When this option is active, the Sequential mode is not available.
• WB sets the white balance: Auto, Sun (5300K), Cloudy (6000K), Shadow (7500K), Incandescent (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), One-touch, and Custom (between 2,000 and 14,000 K).

• ISO: Auto, 100, 125, 160, 200 250, 320 or 400 ISO, and if the ISO Boost option is selected, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250 or 1600 ISO.
• Metering serves to select the metering pattern:
  • Digital ESP:
    • ESP + AF: the 49-segment pattern takes into account the focus point.
    • ESP: the 49-segment pattern does not take into account the focus point.
  • Centre-weighted.
  • Spot.
  • Spot HI: spot metering for subjects where the background is bright.
  • Spot SH: spot metering for subjects where the background is in shadow.

The second section of the menu, Shooting 2, contains the following options:

• Flash Mode: Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced Off, Slow Synch with Red-eye Reduction, Slow Synch with 1 Curtain, Slow Synch with Second Curtain, Full Power, 1/4, 1/16 or 1/64 power.
• Flash Compensation: to adjust the brightness of the flash, over a compensation range of ±2 EV in 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV or 1 EV increments.

• Drive Serves to select the shooting rate: Single Frame, Sequential, Self-timer or Remote (see the Ergonomics section of the review).
• AF Mode: Single AF, Continuous AF, Manual Focus, S-AF + Manual Focus, C-AF + Manual Focus.
• AF Mode: Auto, Right AF point, Centre AF point, or Left AF point.
• WB Bracketing: captures three images, bracketing the white balance established by the camera with one image with a red tone and the other with a blue tone; or by bracketing the white balance with one image with a green tone, and one with a magenta tone.

• AE Bracketing: to bracket the metered exposure over ± 1 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
• FL Bracketing: as with AE bracketing, allows capturing 3 images one at the metered exposure and two others bracketing it over a range of ±1 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
• MF Bracketing: the camera captures the image as it was manually focused, and then captures up to 6 additional images adjusting the focus in increments in front of and behind the focus point.
• Anti-Shock: this option serves to raise the mirror prior to a long exposure, preventing any vibration it might induce from affecting the image. Delays of 1 to 30 seconds can be selected.

The third section of the menu deals with the Playback mode:

• Slide Show: to play back single images automatically at a 5-second interval, or in groups of 4, 9, 16 or 25 images.
• Rotate: to rotate an image in 90° increments using the button.

• Edit: makes it possible to edit an already captured image. RAW format images can be processed for white balance, sharpness, etc., then saved using the TIFF or JPEG formats. Images captured as JPEG or TIFF can be converted to black and white, or sepia, or be processed for automatic red-eye reduction. Images can also be resized to 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, or 320 x 240 pixels.

• DPOF (Print Order): serves to mark images that will be printed. Images can be marked one at a time or all at once, and can be set to have the date and/or time of capture superimposed or not. The E-330 is PictBridge compatible and can be used to print images directly to a similarly compliant printer when connected directly to it via USB.
• Copy All: serves to copy all selected images from one memory card to another.

The next section of the menu, Custom, is the most extensive:

• ISO Step selects the ISO increment: 1/3 EV or 1 EV.
• ISO Boost: Off, On + NF (activates noise reduction), or On (without noise reduction).
• ISO Limit allows setting the highest ISO value that will be used: Off, 100, 200, 400 or 800 ISO.
• EV Step decides the step to use during exposure compensation: 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV.
• All WB Compensation: All Set or All Reset. This option makes it possible to apply a while balance compensation to all white balance presets at once.
• HQ: serves to select the HQ image size and its compression (1/4, 1/8, 1/12).
• SQ serves to select the SQ image size and its compression (1/2.7, 1/4, 1/8, 1/12).
• Manual Flash serves to set the output of the flash when using it for fill-in light: Full, 1/4, 1/16 or 1/64.
• Flash Intensity Control serves to adjust the amount of light emitted by the flash.
• Flash Synch allows adjusting the synchronization speed with an external flash: 1/60 or 1/180 second in 1/3 EV increments.

• Live View Boost: On or Off. Increases the brightness of the image on the monitor when using Live View in dark surroundings.
• Dial: serves to decide if when the camera is set to P the dial can be used to change the aperture and shutter speed combination; or if when the camera is set to M the dial controls the aperture or the shutter speed first.
• AEL/AFL serves to decide the function of the AEL/AFL button (AF-Lock in any of 10 ways), or auto exposure lock.

• AEL/AFL Memo: On or Off. When On, the button acts as a toggle switch, locking the exposure when pressed once, and unlocking it when pressed a second time. When set to Off, the exposure is only locked while the button is pressed.
• AEL Metering: allows selecting the type of metering associated with the AEL button.
• Quick Erase: to select whether or not a confirmation screen is displayed when an image is deleted.
• RAW + JPEG Erase to choose what type of file is erased: JPEG, RAW or RAW + JPEG.
• Function decides the function assigned to the button:
  • Drive (see the Ergonomics section of the review).
  • One-Touch white balance.
  • Test Picture.
  • My Mode: serves to capture images using groups of pre-established settings.
  • Preview: closes the aperture to the selected f-stop to ascertain the depth of field.
  • Preview B: allows ascertaining the depth of field when the camera is set to Live View Mode B.
• My Mode Setup: serves to save preferred camera settings into any of two memory banks.
• Focus Ring: allows selecting the direction of rotation of the manual focus ring.
• AF Illuminator: On or Off. Controls the AF assist lamp.
• Reset Lens: to decide whether or not the lens returns to infinity focus whenever the camera is turned off.
• Release Priority S: makes it possible to release the shutter even though the focusing process has not completed when the camera is set to Single AF mode.
• Release Priority C: makes it possible to release the shutter even though the focusing process has not completed when the camera is set to Continuous AF mode.
• Frame Assist selects the framing assistance superimposed on the image during Live View: Mode A offers a portrait assist (vertical or horizontal); and Mode B offers two types of grids or a scale.

The last section of the menu is the Setup section, and its contents are detailed in the Interface and Software section of the review).

As sold in North America, the E-330 kit does not include a memory card. However, the chart below provides the approximate numbers of photos that can be captured using a 1 GB CompactFlash card:

The E-330 has only one external connection, on its lower left side, that is protected by a soft rubber plug. The port supports 2 functions, the function being determined by the cable used:

• USB 2.0 High Speed Port
• Video Out, which allows connecting the E-330 to a television, either NTSC or PAL.

Both cables are included with the kit.

The camera kit includes a 110/240V 50~60 Hz battery charger (BCM-2) that has a power cable that that can be changed to fit power outlets anywhere in the world. Approximately 5 hours are required to fully recharge the battery.