Ultra-compact Olympus E-400 DSLR announced today

[Ian]

Our hands-on preview of the E-400 with nearly 40 illustrations is now accessible, but our server problems continue so, as I write, the article is not showing on the front page of DPNow - sorry about that. Click on the link above to go to it directly or use: http://dpnow.com/3006.html

It's about the size of an Olympus OM-4 from the film era and that was a *small* film SLR. It also has a new 10 megapixel Four Thirds sensor. It's the new Olympus E-400, announced today.

You can also see the official press release and some photos.

Ian

Is the viewfinder better than E500?

Kodak or Panasonic CCD?

Thanks!

[Ian]

Originally Posted by omboy

Is the viewfinder better than E500?

Kodak or Panasonic CCD?

Thanks!

The viewfinder is exactly the same layout as the E-500, though the illuminated spots for the AF points have a more discernible etching on the focus screen and the lights are better defined. I'd say the brightness is very marginally brighter than the E-500, though I couldn't really see any difference in magnification.

Olympus won't reveal who makes the CCD. I assumed it was a Kodak one because it's a CCD rather than Panasonic's LiveMOS construction, but a lot of other people are assuming it is a Panasonic CCD.

Ian

[DTD]

I have an E-1 which I really like and still use my OM1s. None of the other E-series releases have interested me.
The E400 does seem dinky – if it had analogue controls like the Panasonic DMC L1 – I'd buy one. As it is, I hope it sells well, but I hope they do show the E-1 replacement at Photokina.

[Ian]

All the hints to the press from Olympus that have reached me indicate that there won't be a public revelation at Photokina, but there is a commitment to reveal the E-1 successor at PMA instead, next spring. Olympus want to stress that they are committed to a genuinely professional standard product, but they need time to to do it right. In other words, they haven't abandoned the pro segment.

Ian

[DTD]

Thanks Ian, that confirms what I have heard. But I was hoping to see a prototype this month even 'under glass'.

I'd imagine at launch any replacement would be a bit too rich for me (the E-1 certainly was!) but I do find I need more than 5mp, but love the E-1's build quality and ergonomics.

I'm also concerned that Olympus have missed the boat in the higher end market.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by DTD

Thanks Ian, that confirms what I have heard. But I was hoping to see a prototype this month even 'under glass'.

I'd imagine at launch any replacement would be a bit too rich for me (the E-1 certainly was!) but I do find I need more than 5mp, but love the E-1's build quality and ergonomics.

I'm also concerned that Olympus have missed the boat in the higher end market.

Market research suggests that in terms of the consumer market, the penetration of DSLRs is still a small fraction of the peak for film DSLRs and the suggestion is that the DSLR peak will be several times larger than the film SLR market penetration. So there is plenty of sales potential there.

As for the pro market, there are still plenty using film! Lots of early adopters will be upgrading and it's quite normal for people to change platforms from time to time. Olympus was able to make a lot of pros switch to the OM system back in the late 70s, remember.

Ian

[DTD]

I'm interested in the market research you mentioned.

Could you suggest a reliable place to find some statistics about camera useage etc?

It ties in with an idea I've been toying with for a project.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by DTD

I'm interested in the market research you mentioned.

Could you suggest a reliable place to find some statistics about camera useage etc?

It ties in with an idea I've been toying with for a project.

All the camera companies will quote snippets of information in press conferences derived from data that they buy from companies like GFK, etc. In theory they aren't supposed to give this information away

Your best bet is to search for market research or market intelligence companies that specialise on the consumer electronics retail segment. Often if you contact these companies they are happy to release a limited amount of data as along as they are given full credit.

Ian

Originally Posted by Ian

All the hints to the press from Olympus that have reached me indicate that there won't be a public revelation at Photokina, but there is a commitment to reveal the E-1 successor at PMA instead, next spring.

Ian

Hi,

Found this at http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/news/200...photokinae.cfm

"In addition, we will be exhibiting a concept model of the successor to our current Olympus E-System flagship, the Olympus E-1 digital SLR."

Regards

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi,

Found this at http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/news/200...photokinae.cfm

"In addition, we will be exhibiting a concept model of the successor to our current Olympus E-System flagship, the Olympus E-1 digital SLR."

Regards

Great - that's very welcom news, but not what we were told at the E-400 launch in Hamburg

Ian