The EVOLT E-300 is a 100% digital SLR camera that eliminates any photographic limitations. A powerful 8 megapixel CCD combines with interchangeable Zuiko digital lenses, our exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter and other cutting-edge technologies for world-class images. Advances in design make for a durable and portable compact camera you can take and trust anywhere. With impressively fast shooting and operating speeds that ensure you never miss a photo op, and the ability to switch lenses and add flashes so you never miss a beat. Image QualityAlong with the advantages provided by the 8 megapixel Full Frame Transfer CCD and Olympus' exclusive dust eliminating Supersonic Wave FilterTM, images captured with the EVOLT E-300 benefit from a number of additional technologies as well. The full line of Zuiko Digital Specific LensesTM are compatible with the EVOLT E-300 and each is perfectly matched with the 4/3-type image sensor to deliver light more directly to each of the imager's pixels. By filling each pixel more precisely, the outcome is clear, accurate color, sharp contrast and bright images even at the edges. These lenses also feature their own internal CPU which allows them to directly communicate with the camera and transfer data specific to the lens being used to the software where corrections of potential distortions and aberrations occur automatically. Furthermore, the camera's TruePic TURBO image processor offers significantly improved image quality and combines with anti-blooming technology on each pixel to eliminate undesirable "artifacts," "moir̀©," and other aberrations that can appear. Moreover, because the EVOLT E-300 is a single lens reflex (SLR) camera and not an electronic viewfinder (EVF) camera, macro, portrait, nighttime and action shots receive distinct advantages in terms of focusing, brightness and speed when it comes to the detail of your images. Full Frame Transfer CCD
1 THE BEST SLR AND THE BEST LOOKING CAMERA I HAVE SEEN!
Before, I bought the E-300,I looked at the other SLR camera's and was impressed by some of them. But, not as impressed by the E-300. The E-300 caught my eye by it's looks and it's functions. Also, all things it can do! Plus it was easy to use! When I first started using the camera I was "VERY" impressed by how well the pictures were coming out. I am pretty impressed with the E-300! I am "GLAD" I choose this camera and I would not trade it in for anythings else.
2 Nice Digi SLR camera with this price
Nice pictures, good price, bring me total different feeling comparing with my other digi cameras.
3 The BEST Digital SLR!
I received the Olympus E-300 (EVOLT) for Christmas and I am extremely happy with the camera's performance. The look, the feel, handling, image quality and the many, many features are just what I was looking for in a DSLR. Unlike Canon and the very high-end Nikon 12 Mpixel DSLRs, the Olympus EVOLT uses a CCD focal plane chip rather than a less expensive, noisier CMOS imager chip. The imager chip used is the Kodak KAF8300CE, a high performance CCD. Since one of my intended applications is astrophotography, I am interested in the ultimate in performance from my DSLR. I would recommend this DSLR to anyone interested in having the best!
The purchase was from Adorama by way of Amazon.
4 Nearly Perfect
I compare the Evolt to the E20, which I owned for several years. In comparison, the Evolt looks like this:
1) Very lightweight.
2) Much higher dynamic range (in RAW), contrast, sharpness, shot to shot speed. No Photoshop sharpening required.
3) The nice E20 Manual/Auto Zoom switch is missing, but can be programed on the OK button.
4) Viewfinder shutter switch missing. Instead a tiny piece of plastic has to be slid manually over the viewfinder.
Really superslow is the solution for viewfinder shutter, which was a switch on the E20. That was excellent if you use it every few second for tripod shots with wired remote. Taking 100 shots in one hour you can just use the switch 100 times to look through the viewfinder. The Evolt on the other hand requires to peel of the rubber ring from the viewfinder and slide on a tiny plastic cover, which also could drop and disappear in the sand in a millisecond. This procedure is not suitable for being done every few seconds over and over again. That limits my usuall way of shooting with a tripod and a wired remote, checking the viewfinder for every shot. This is not possible with this camera the way it comes. But I will make my own viewfinder cover which should be removable in a fraction of a second, and put on again also as quickly, without removing the rubber-eyepiece.
The lens, when fully zoomed out, can be wiggled around for about 1mm in each direction up/down/sideways on the lens hood. This is also different from the E20, where nothing would extend when zooming. Everything happend completly inside and enclosed. I did not see any picture quality issues or dust-proof problems on the Evolt related to this yet.
Olympus reduced the price compared to the E1 to half, in order to enter the amateur market. Therefore they had to reduce production cost and leave out some convenience features, like viewfinder shutter switch, manual/auto-zoom switch, basic information LCD on top of the camera. But they still have dead pixel mapping in the camera menue, which is really good.
RAW to 16bit TIFF conversion is at this point of time in December 2004 only available in the Olympus Studio Software.
Rolf Bertram
www.PhysicalSystems.com
5 A preview rather than a review
It's got a lot going for it, but no one has seen pictures from a production model yet. See full preview here -
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/sbryan/reviews/E300preview.htm
