By Ian Burley
13th September - 2001
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After a little over a year since its introduction as the world’s first 4 megapixel consumer digital camera, Olympus has upgraded the ground-breaking Camedia E-10 SLR in the guise of the 5 megapixel E-20P (left). Today Olympus also announced a 2 megapixel version of its entry-level Camedia C-1 digicam, which is dubbed the C-2 (see below).
Numerous improvements
The new E-10 numbers improvements that go well beyond the increased resolution of its 2/3rd inch CCD sensor. Many of the improvements we’ve seen in other recent Olympus cameras, including night time noise reduction, pixel mapping and revised menu system are there.
In addition, the 118,000 pixel LCD view screen is more responsive, there is an exposure histogram display mode and the Compact Flash memory card port has been beefed up to officially accept IBM Microdrives. Like the E-10, the E-20 also accepts SmartMedia cards and comes with a 16MB example. For absolute picture data retention, there is now a Raw (uncompressed) data file option. One thing the E-20 still doesn’t offer is a movie clip mode.
The E-20 retains the E-10’s 4X zoom lens and compatibility with E-system flash, battery grip and add-on lenses. We don’t yet have UK pricing, but it’s expected that the E-20 will come in at much the same price as the current E-10 price of around £1,200 inc.VAT The E-10 will continue to be available at a reduced price.
Camedia C-2
Rig
ht at the other end of the Camedia range is the new C-2. This is a slim-line easy to use ‘Mu’-type capsule camera that is fitted with a 2 megapixel CCD sensor instead of the C-1’s 1.3MP chip. Both models have non-zooming lenses and a fully automated exposure system. The C-2 now gets a faster maximum shutter speed of 1/800th second. A generously sized 16MB SmartMedia memory card is included.
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