Olympus’ challenge to 35mm system-based DSLRs starts in September
Olympus official press releases: here, here, and here.
Full detailed E-1 DSLR specifications.
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Today, 6AM British Summer Time, Olympus officially launched its E-System digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera system designed to the guidelines set out by the Four Thirds consortium founded by Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd and Eastman Kodak.
Olympus has been previewing the E-System to journalists in New York, Tokyo and Amsterdam. We attended the Amsterdam launch event, which was held in the grand auspices of the old Amsterdam stock exchange, under embargo until 6AM today.
Olympus made quite a song and dance of the event inside the old Amsterdam stock exchange
Below is a summary of the key features covered in the launch event. It’s an amalgamation of press release information and specifications, a question and answer session, discussion with Olympus engineers from Japan and some hands-on time with actual cameras (there were about a dozen on hand, though we weren’t allowed to shoot pictures to take away with us).
The new Olympus Four Thirds DSLR family is to be known as the E-System, with the E-1 model introduced as the first member of the E-System.
Pricing
Expected price of the E-1, to be reconfirmed when first supplies start shipping to the public in September, is approximately €2,000 excluding VAT (purchase tax), or GBP£1,384 (US$2,312) for the body only. No lens pricing is currently available.
Sensor and storage
Sensor resolution is 5 megapixels and the sensor is a full frame transfer type as opposed to the interline transfer type of most digital cameras with a live preview function. The E-1, like all other conventional through the lens (TTL) view mirror and pentaprism DSLR cameras, has no live preview facility.
The E-1 incorporates an infra-red filter in front of the sensor chip, but behind the focal plane shutter, that can be vibrated at 20KHz to dislodge dust particles that may have accumulated during lens changing.
Olympus says that the matching of the sensor chip characteristics and ‘telecentric’ optical design of Four Thirds lenses, means that optimum use of available sensor resolution is made. In other words, while some other competing cameras may have higher resolution sensors, Olympus says that in these cameras the use of lenses designed for film SLRs can result in less image information being recorded than the sensor is capable of.
Maximum shooting rate is 3 frames per second for up to 12 frames. Both RAW and JPEG versions of each image shot can be recorded at the same time. TIFF mode is also supported on its own.
A single Compact Flash card slot is provided in the E-1. The camera understands FAT32, as well as FAT16, format, so it can work with media cards greater than 2GB in capacity. The slot is Microdrive compatible. It looks like Olympus will supply the camera with a CF xD adapter and an xD card, though the bundled card capacity has not yet been finalised.
Lenses
Olympus lenses for the E-System are to be called Zuiko Digital lenses. An 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 (22-44mm equivalent) will be added to the range already revealed at PMA in March.
The ‘smart’ feature of Four Thirds lenses means that digital information about optical distortions and ‘corner shading’ (vignetting) can be gained from each lens and be incorporated in to image properties data. Software either in the camera or on a personal computer can use this embedded information to correct such distortions.
Two new software packages have been introduced to accompany the E-System: Olympus Viewer is an image management and thumbnailing package with a ‘digital lightbox’ feature and the second package,Olympus Studio, adds remote control of camera functions.
Both USB 2.0 Hi-Speed and IEEE1394 (Firewire) ports are included on the E-1.
There is no official Olympus adapter for OM 35mm system SLR lenses. Olympus acknowledge this would be mechanically feasible, but as the focal length multiplication factor would be 2x and these lenses were not designed with ‘telecentric’ construction, Olympus can’t recommend such a solution.
Autofocus
The E-1 camera is designed to accept interchangeable focussing screens.
Three individually selectable autofocus points are provided. AF is of the TTL phase difference detection type. We were allowed hands-on with the E-1 and various lenses and so far the AF experience is very positive with near silent snap-focus characteristics even in low light. Continuous AF mode is available for tracking moving subjects. You can choose a mode that allows you to manually fine tune the focus after AF has locked onto the subject. Zuiko Digital lenses have a servo-based or fly-by-wire manual focus ring and its direction of operation can be changed by the user.
Settings
The auto white balance system samples ambient light as well as the colour in actual images. Manual white balance is possible, as is custom white balance setting. It is possible to auto-bracket white balance settings in the same way as auto-bracketing exposure.
Both Adobe 1998 and sRGB colour space models are supported in the E-1.
ISO speed settings in auto exposure modes is restricted between 100 and 400, though one engineer we spoke to said this could be extended to include 800 by the time the camera ships. In manual mode you get ISO 800 anyway. Custom function settings can increase the range further to include 1600 and 3200 ISO.
Maximum shutter speed on the E-1 is 1/4000th second and the slowest speed is 2 seconds in auto mode, or 60 seconds in manual mode. A Bulb setting enables you to keep the shutter open for up to 8 minutes. The Flash synchronisation speed is 1/180th, though the new FL-50 flash unit has a strobe mode that enables it to be used in conjunction with any shutter speed, though at a lower power rating. The E-1 is compatible with the existing FL-40 flash unit. A ring flash model RF-11 is in the pipeline, as is a TF-22 twin flash for lens mounting.
An extensive custom settings feature on the E-1 is provided. Many of the buttons on the camera can have re-assigned functions. For example, the auto exposure lock situated by your thumb on the top right of the rear of the body as you face it can be assigned the function of, say, autofocus lock. After an all too brief play, first impressions suggest the new menu-system looks comprehensive and easy to navigate.
Power
As standard, the E-1 does not include the high capacity HLD-2 power battery holder/grip, which incorporates a portrait mode shutter release and other ancillary controls. Unlike the existing E-10 and E-20 Olympus cameras, there is no provision for use of AA batteries. Instead, a lithium ion rechargeable battery is used.
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