Here are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities
of any given camera model. The images are altered only in
terms of size and sharpness after reduction and by the JPEG
compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned, assume that
any marbling or artifacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however,
that they still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL LIFE PHOTO
This subject is photographed in a room that has a mix of fluorescent and incandescent light, but which is not brightly lit. The camera's flash is used to add fill light. The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.
The FE-300 has a surprisingly powerful flash that lights
a very reasonable area, even at 50 ISO, the CCD's lowest sensitivity
setting.
The auto white balance handles the mixed lighting perfectly
and produces an image that has accurate colours.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/30 sec.
Res.:
4000 x 3000
Flash:
On
Quality:
SHQ
ISO:
50
File
Size:
4.26 MB
Focal Length:
35 mm (35 mm Eq.)
The high resolution of the CCD makes
it possible to obtain a detailed image, as can be seen in the
small section cropped from the original image shown below.
ZOOM PHOTO
Now we zoom in on a specific area. The intent is to test the sharpness of the image at the zoom's maximum setting. The camera remains at the same distance as with the preceding photo.
Although the maximum telephoto of the FE-300's 3X zoom is
equivalent to a 105 mm, the 12-megapixel CCD is able to yield
a detail-rich image.
The image contains very little noise, even in the shadow
areas, and retains the accurate colours observed with the
wide angle shot.
Just like a number of other Olympus cameras, the FE-300 has
two macro modes. However, the focusing distances each of these
offers are considerably different than most other cameras
that have both a Standard Macro mode and a Super Macro mode.
Set to the Standard Macro mode, the FE-300 can focus on a
subject that is from 30 cm (1 ft) to infinity, while the Super
Macro mode provides a focus range that covers from 10 cm (3.9
inches) to infinity, and which locks the zoom at the wide
end and turns off the flash.
Set to the Super Macro mode the
camera is able to focus on a subject that is 10 cm (3.9 inches)
from the front surface of the camera, approximately 7 cm (2.7
in.) from the front element of the lens. At this distance,
the FE-300 is able to capture a field of view that measures,
approximately, 5.5 cm (2.14 in.) horizontally.
At this distance, there is no serious distortion and the
image is very detailed. Worth noting, however, as there is
no means to control the aperture the camera uses, it is best
to provide plenty of light for the subject and try to have
the camera use as small an aperture as possible to maximize
the depth of field.
BUILDING PHOTO
This image is our outdoor test. The architecture of the building, in particular the angled girders, immediately show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed entrance can also often reveal the quality of the exposure.
The wide angle shot of the building reveals a slight chromatic
aberration — the purple highlight under the building's
canopy — but no visible barrel distortion.
The exposure is quite good, but in this case gives noticeable
preference to the shadow areas of the building as these are
quite bright.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/80 sec.
Resolution:
4000 x 3000
Flash:
Off
Quality:
SHQ
ISO:
50
File Size:
4.25 MB
Focal Length:
35 mm (35 mm Eq.)
We can also note some graininess
in the areas of the image that are not directly lit by the sun.
ZOOM PHOTO
Zooming in on the entrance of the building, the
shadowed entrance takes on a greater importance for the metering
and can cause an overexposure of sections that are directly
lit.
At the telephoto end of the zoom, the FE-300 captures a
very well-exposed image that entirely avoids any overexposure
and which still manages to show detail in shadow areas, as
can be seen by the fact that the small sign on the right hand
door of the building is legible.
Yet, as has been observed before, the deeper shadow areas
of the image are slightly grainy.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.7
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/160 sec.
Resolution:
4000 x 3000
Flash:
Off
Quality:
SHQ
ISO:
50
File
Size:
5.8 MB
Focal Length:
105 mm (35 mm
Eq.)
NIGHT PHOTO
Since this camera is capable of long exposures, a photo taken at night is included here.
Aperture: f3.3; shutter
speed: 1/2 sec., 200 ISO.
The Olympus FE-300 provides
no control over the aperture or the shutter speed. As a result,
capturing a night time shot depends entirely on the camera's
program. And, although the camera has a maximum exposure time
of 4 seconds in the Night Scene mode, it records an image
that is quite comparable to what can be seen with the naked
eye, and does not overexpose sufficiently to produce an interesting
photo.
At the lowest sensitivity of 50 ISO — the level least
prone to noise — the FE-300 records an image that is
too dark to be of interest.
Increasing the sensitivity to 100 ISO yields a somewhat brighter
image, but one that is still — in our opinion —
a touch too dark. The 200 ISO level, however, in combination
with the noise reduction processing the camera applies automatically
to the image, yields a better image that strikes a balance
between noise and detail.
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Test Photos
