Testing / Performance

The graph below displays the same information portrayed above in a more quantitative manner. The circles are the ideal colors of the GretagMacbeth color chart, while the corresponding squares depict the colors produced by the EVOLT E-300. The line linking the two shapes represents the degree of error for that particular tone.

Although personal preference may stray from direct representation or realism, we assign color scores based on the camera’s ability to reproduce naturalistic tones, as they appear in the original scene. In this test, the E-300 did not perform favorably, earning just a 5.56 overall color score. This is the lowest color score of any digital SLR we have tested thus far. The dismal score expresses the camera’s inability to render tones accurately across the spectrum. Surprisingly, the colors which many digital cameras typically embellish, red and pink (often referred to as "skin tones,") are more accurately represented than some cooler hues, namely blue and green. With the exception of #13 and #8 ("blue" and "purplish blue,") all hues rendered by the E-300 strayed substantially from the ideal, creating a strong variance between the reproduced image and the original scene.

The 95% saturation score attained by the E-300 is short of most DSLRs, which generally hover in the 100-110% saturation range. This will lead images to appear flat and somewhat dull. The benefit to the E-300’s style of color reproduction is that when editing the images, it is generally easier to notice an increase in saturation rather than a reduction.

**Still Life Scene **

Below is a shot of our beloved still life scene, captured with the Olympus EVOLT E-300.

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Click on the above image to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: the linked file is very large!)](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=E-300-StillLife-LG.jpg)

Resolution / Sharpness*(4.55)
*Olympus highly touts the EVOLT E-300’s 8 megapixel imaging sensor, utilizing the camera’s resolution as a primary point of distinction within its price category. The camera is advertised with 8.15 megapixels on its Full Frame Transfer CCD, 8 of which are effective for imaging. To test the resolution of the E-300, we recorded several images of an ISO 12233 resolution chart under controlled studio lighting at a variety of aperture settings and focal lengths. The tests were conducted using the camera’s 14-45mm kit lens. The recorded exposures were then uploaded into Imatest Imaging Software to determine the exact number of pixels used to form the image. The results are reported both as an exact pixel number and as a percentage of the marketed resolution. When this test is conducted, cameras that score beyond 70 percent of their advertised resolution are considered "good," while those that score beyond 80 percent are viewed as "very good" and anything exceeding 90 percent is "excellent."

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Click on the above chart to view the full resolution image](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=E-300-ResCH-LG.jpg)

After recording numerous exposures of the test chart, we concluded the EVOLT E-300, using its 14-45mm kit lens, only utilized 4.55 of its 8 advertised megapixels for imaging. This is an extremely low score that is inferior to any DSLR we have tested to date and much more in line with substandard point-and-shoot models. The test shots were conducted at various aperture openings throughout the lens's focal range. We reported the highest score we could attain with the camera, which was shot at f/11 at 45mm (35mm equivalency).

Noise – Auto ISO*(6.54)
*For each model we review, we test the camera’s ability to handle noise when set on its Automatic ISO setting, as some users will heavily rely on it. Unfortunately, the E-300 is like many other digital cameras in this regard and contains a truncated sensitivity range in Auto mode. When set to Auto, the E-300 will only function within a 100-400 ISO range.

When using the E-300’s Auto ISO setting, the camera performed beyond expectation, earning a 6.54 overall score. The high Auto ISO score expresses the camera’s ability to accurately read the scene and adjust the sensitivity accordingly. Many digital cameras score low in this test because they do not accurately perceive the available light in the scene (exceeding 400 Lux) and push the rating higher than is necessary. This is not the case with the E-300 and users should feel confident using the automatic setting in a pinch.

Noise – Manual ISO*(6.85) 
*Well, the camera's performance using manual settings was as disappointing as its performance using auto settings was encouraging. Offering 100-400 sensitivity ratings with "boosted" 800 and 1600 ISO options, the allusion should be clear - noise on this camera will be an issue!

We tested the E-300’s ability to suppress noise at each available sensitivity rating and put the results into a regression analysis to determine an overall noise score. The noise levels are portrayed on the vertical axis of the graph below, with the correlating ISO settings plotted along the horizontal axis. 

The E-300 performed far more like a $300 compact camera than a $900 DSLR in our manual noise test. With the exception of its ISO 100 setting, images captured with E-300 were extremely noisy and significantly compromised. Even using the camera’s ISO 200 setting with "noise reduction" engaged, the captured exposures were fraught with monochromatic distortion. To compare, images attained from the EVOLT E-300 at ISO 400 contained significantly more noise than the Rebel XT produced at ISO 1600 and the EOS 20D at ISO 3200. Even the compact Fuji FinePix F10 (currently available online for under $350) put the E-300 to shame, displaying less noise at ISO 1600 than the E-300 produced at its 400 rating. This is completely unacceptable and should be without a doubt a deal breaker for most, if not all, photographers. For this reason alone, the value in this $900 DSLR is completely negated.

Low Light Performance*(5.0)
*We tested the Olympus E-300 in low light conditions to observe the limitations of the sensor and determine how well the camera will perform at night and in compromised indoor lighting situations. The E-300 was tested at decreasing light levels of 60, 30, 15, and 5 Lux to simulate its performance in common low light settings; 60 Lux appears to the eye similarly to a room after dusk, lit by two small table lamps, while 30 Lux equates to a single 40 watt lightbulb at close range, and 15 and 5 Lux display the camera’s ability to record images in near darkness.

Click on any of the above charts for additional image analysis

With the limited sensitivity options available on the E-300, we were not expecting a stellar low light performance. The application of the camera’s "noise reduction" function did little to improve image quality when the "boosted" ISO ratings were used. Photographers concerned with image quality will have to place the E-300 on a tripod, set it to either ISO 100 or 200, and make some LONG exposures. This makes it difficult to capture night skylines or indoor scenes with the E-300 unless creative use of the flash is part of the aesthetic. Photographers that enjoy experimenting with accessory lighting and reflected flash illumination may not be thrown by the E-300’s limitations; however, those interested in shooting with available light should look elsewhere.

**Speed / Timing
***Start-up to first shot (8.49) *

In terms of performance speed, the EVOLT E-300 is way behind the competition. Similar to the original EOS digital Rebel, the E-300 functions at a rate far more like a compact camera than a DSLR, requiring over 1.51 seconds to boot up and record its first image. While this lag is attributed to the camera’s automatic sensor clean function, the feature cannot be turned off. This makes it impossible for users to quickly capture an image from the off position and will likely watch a time-sensitive shot pass. By comparison, both the Rebel XT and Nikon D70 captured images 0.2 seconds after start up.

*Shot to Shot Time (9.41) *

The Olympus E-300 functions far more like a DSLR in terms of shot to shot recording rate, but still a bit slow when contrasted with Canon and Nikon’s sub-$1,000 offerings. The E-300 will capture subsequent images with just .59 seconds between. This remains slightly behind the XT’s .33 seconds and the D70’s .35 seconds recording rate, but still far beyond most compact models.

*Shutter to Shot Time (8.98) *

Shutter lag has always been a thorn in the side of digital photographers. Most look to DSLRs to minimize or erase the perceivable lag and provide an instantaneous response. In this department, the E-300 did not disappoint. The EVOLT E-300 requires just .01 seconds from shutter release to capture.

Physical Tour

**Front ***(6.5)
*The front of the Olympus E-300 is pleasantly uncluttered. At the lower right, there’s a large button that unlocks the lens so it can be removed. The pop-up flash is above and to the left of the lens mount. To the left of that, there’s a small red window for the self-timer lamp and infrared remote control.

 

Cosmetically, Olympus spruced up the front of the E-300 with a Four-Thirds logo and the "8.0 Megapixel" branding to the right of the lens, with "OLYMPUS" just above it. To the left, the camera is labeled "E-300 EVOLT." There’s an odd ledge wrapping around the grip, just under the shutter release. It’s right where Olympus could have placed the seemingly necessary jog dial, but did not. Below this ledge, running vertically up the right-hand grip, is the marring protrusion I wrote of earlier.

Back*(6.0)*

The back of a digital camera is always the heart of its interface, and this is especially true of the E-300 since there is no LCD display on top of the camera as is often the case with digital SLRs.

The viewfinder is at the top left segment of the camera’s back face. There’s a round, rotating diopter adjustment on the left side. Fortunately, the adjustment did not move accidentally while I used the camera - a good sign. Directly below the diopter adjustment, there is a column of dedicated buttons which control (from top to bottom): flash options, white balance, image format and quality, image deletion, and information display. Each button brings up a display on the 1.8-inch LCD to the right of the column of buttons. To the lower right of the LCD is a circular cluster of four separate buttons arranged and shaped like slices of pie. Olympus calls these the "arrow pad," and when a menu is active, they are used to navigate. In shooting mode, they have dedicated functions, controlling adjustments of exposure, white balance, ISO, and autofocus. If you press the ISO button, the control dial controls the ISO setting. Press the Autofocus button to control the autofocus options with the jog dial, and so on.

The E-300's arrow pad is mechanically a bit simpler than the usual four-way controller, which on many cameras is a concave disk that can be tilted in four directions. The four button layout utilized on the E-300 is a bit tougher and less vulnerable to accidental engagement. This is more critical on digital SLRs, which do not enable users to compose live images on the LCD screen and thus force reliance on the viewfinder while accessing controls blindly. Unfortunately, there is always the potential lose of functionality available in good four-way controllers, which allow users to navigate diagonally by pressing the disk somewhere between the cardinal points.

Below and to the right of the arrow pad, there’s an "OK" button to render alterations to settings. Above the arrow pad is the Menu button, which brings up camera settings that most users won’t change while shooting. Above that is the image review button, which displays the last image shot. Further up, just about at the top edge of the camera’s back face, is a button to activate the pop-up flash.

Left Side*(7.75)
*There’s a wide, beefy strap lug at the top of the left side. Lower down and toward the back, a small door covers the USB 2.0 and video out ports. The door fastens tightly and is one of the more secure port covers I have come across. At the bottom of the left side, under a tethered cover, is a small port for an external power supply. Both covers are made of a rubbery material and achieve a good seal around the openings they protect.

Right Side*(6.0)
*The right side has another beefy strap lug, and a large door covering the slot for loading CompactFlash or Microdrive cards. The eject button has a positive action – you have to press it twice to eject the card. Unfortunately, this door snaps shut as well, rather than latching. It’s odd and unfortunate that the door does not seal as well as the covers for the power supply and the cable jacks.

Top*(6.5)
*The E-300’s mode dial, at the far right on the top, is large and easy to locate by feel. The labels on the mode dial are easy to read, containing both lettered abbreviations and graphic representations of the 10 included options. Alongside the mode dial is the on/off switch that protrudes from the side of the dial and rotates around it. In front of the mode dial is the shutter release, which is also large and sits forward on a small angled plane on the hand grip. The camera’s lone jog dial sits behind the mode dial, protruding out a bit from the back of the camera.

To the left of the dials and toward the front of the camera is a gleaming blue LED, labeled "SSWF" that flickers rhythmically when the camera is switched on. The light indicates that the "Super Sonic Wave Filter" is operating, shaking away any dust that might have made its way onto the sensor. Toward the back of the camera is a symbol made up of a circle with a line running horizontally through it, which indicates the location of the imaging sensor. The indicator can be useful in setting up macro photos.

Off to the far left, over the viewfinder, is the hot shoe for dedicated Olympus flashes. The left two-thirds of the top is pretty flat, with gentle bevels at the front, back and left sides. The pop-up flash folds flush with the surface, while the hot shoe for accessory flashes protrudes slightly; neither of these are placed directly above the lens barre

Components

Viewfinder*(6.0)
*The E-300’S viewfinder is clear, with certain shooting information appearing in green digital letters and numbers off to the right. This status report shows the current F-stop, shutter speed, the white balance setting that is in use, whether the image is in focus, if the flash is on, battery status, and how under- or overexposed the image is in stops as fine as 0.3. The information is clear and readable, though with my glasses on, I couldn’t see both the left edge of the image and the right edge of the data. The whole image could stand a bit more magnification.

As for the eye cup itself, the rubber outline is a bit smaller and less padded than many competing models. The cup does not extend out very far and may become irritating and uncomfortable during prolonged shoots.

LCD Screen*(5.5)
*The LCD is 1.8 inches diagonally with 134,000 pixels, which are typical specs for cameras in this class. The menus and text data are commendably easy to read, but the image display is only fair. It’s hard to see highlight and shadow detail on the screen – areas that look blank white or solid black on the LCD may actually have detail when examined on a computer screen. Olympus touts the LCD’s

"HyperCrystal" technology, but it’s not notably better than the LCDs on Canons or Nikons. Although the displayed image remains visible over a fairly wide angle of view, the color shifts when your eye is not directly in front of it.

LCD size and quality are an issue with introductory-level DSLRs – the cameras generally don’t compare well to many compact digital cameras, some of which have 235,000 pixels and better color representation on their 2.5" displays.

Flash*(5.5)
*The E-300’s built-in flash pops up above and to the right of the lens. The positioning of the flash is unfortunate, as it’s desirable to have the flash directly above the lens, so that any shadows cast will fall

directly behind the subject and can be hidden. With the built-in flash on the right, and the hot shoe for accessory flashes to the left of the lens, the E-300’s images will be prone to unsightly shadows.

The built-in flash swings up on a multi-piece arm that slides along a pair of slots, bringing it a bit further forward than a simple hinged arm would do. Olympus’ marketing materials suggest that the change in the position makes the flash more useful for macro shooting. This may be true; however, the altered arrangement is substantially less rugged than the alternative and more feeble than many compact models.

The E-300’s built-in flash offers red-eye reduction via pre-flashes. While they can be effective against red-eye, pre-flashes are not an appealing

solution. They delay the actual exposure by a second, so they can’t be used with moving subjects. Many folks find pre-flashes even more annoying than a single flash and because they take power from the main flash, they are usually too weak to be effective over anything beyond a short distance.

The E-300 offers both first- and second-curtain flash sync, meaning it can be set to activate the flash at either the beginning or the end of the shutter’s exposure. That’s a useful feature with relatively long exposures in which ambient light will play a significant role.

Zoom Lens*(8.0)
*The kit lens, a 14-45mm f/3.5 – f/5.6 Olympus digital-specific lens is compact (3.4 inches long) and light (10 ounces.) The Four-Thirds format is much smaller than 35mm, so the lens is comparable to a 35mm lens of twice the focal length, or a 28-90mm lens. That’s a very useful range for many kinds of photography, including portraits, candid family pictures, and a range of casual photography.

The maximum aperture ranges down to f/5.6, which is relatively dim, and severely limits the usefulness of the lens indoors without a flash. Interestingly, the lens is exactly comparable in zoom range and

aperture with Canon’s Rebel XT kit lens and Nikon’s D70 and D50 kit offerings.

It’s notable that this kit lens was not the original kit lens for the more expensive EVOLT E-1. That camera was introduced with a 14-45mm f/2.8 – 3.5. With a wider aperture throughout the zoom range and premium glass for improved color correction, that lens is still available, and, at a $500 street price, costs about twice as much as the E-300’s kit lens. For anyone interested in available-light photography, buying the E-300 and the brighter lens would be worth considering. The E-300 is also available without the kit lens.

Design / Layout

Model Design / Appearance*(6.0)
*First, I have to applaud Olympus for trying something new. Like the Stylus Verve, the E-300 strays from conventional design, attempting to bring a new form and aesthetic into a very repetitive market. The EVOLT E-300 is not traditional internally or externally and utilizes its slightly obscure appearance to distinguish itself from the pack.

The design of the E-300 is boxy and thick, retaining a strong rectangular form. The E-300 body is dominated by straight lines and right angles, creating more stringent corners with fewer curves and bumps than is noticeable on other DSLRs. The distinguishable design stems from the lack of a viewfinder hump on the top of the camera body. The body appears to have been formed around the mirror system to help fold the light path to the side. Olympus pioneered the humpless SLR in 1963 with the small, elegant, half-frame 35mm Olympus Pen-F, an SLR that was almost as pretty as the rangefinder Leicas that set the standard at the time. Alas, as Lloyd Bensen might have said, the E-300 is no Pen-F.

The straight rectangular top that characterizes the E-300 differs significantly from Nikon and Canon’s entry level DSLR offerings, which generally stick to a more traditional form, peaking with a viewfinder hump, and easing away a bit slope-shouldered to either side. Canon goes to lengths to avoid edges and corners, smoothing away transitions wherever they might naturally exist. Nikon models have their share of edges, but they avoid perpendicular lines, so the cameras seem made up of triangles and elongated facets.

There are two main materials used on the EVOLT body – the top and half the front is made of a satin-finished aluminum, while much of the rest of the body is plastic, dressed in an old-fashioned texture  like spattered paint on 1940s and ’50s lab or military equipment. There are two patches of faux-leather-textured rubber on the camera body; one wraps around the grip on the front, and there's a small one in back, where the user’s right thumb rests. Those segments are necessary to improve the user’s grip, but it leaves the camera without a dominant finish. Many other models spread the rubber all around, even where it’s not immediately needed, to improve grip. It’s not necessary for ergonomics, but it gives the camera body a cohesive look.

The general appearance of the E-300 is robust, sturdy and retro, but not refined, and certainly not fashionable. It reminds me of Soviet-era Eastern European technology, where (and I exaggerate) a telephone might weigh 30 pounds, but you could hammer nails with it without breaking the thing. I’m ambivalent about the camera’s styling – it’s unique, and apparently driven by function. I like that – there’s no need for another timid imitation of the industry leaders. On the other hand, it sure isn’t jewelry.

Size / Portability*(7.0)
*Somehow, I had expected that the E-300, and Four-Thirds cameras in general, would be smaller than typical SLRs. The E-300 measures 5.8 x 3.3 x 2.5 inches (146.5 x 85 x 64 mm) and weighs about 21 ounces (580 grams) without a battery. To compare, the Canon Rebel XT, another 8 megapixel DSLR, is 4.98 x 3.71 x 2.63 inches and about 17 ounces with its battery, which significantly smaller and lighter than the EVOLT. The Four-Thirds image sensor is much smaller than the one used by Canon and Nikon – so why build such a big camera around it?

The Rebel XT is big enough to hold and operate conveniently – as far as the user’s experience goes, the E-300 does not have to be as big as it is. The camera’s dust removal system, which uses motors to shake dust off a window covering the image sensor, is a large assembly, possibly large enough to account for the E-300’s extra size, but it seems the larger body was consciously crafted for substance and durability. The larger frame does offer users additional stability and resilience that the EOS Rebel XT does not provide. This large, tank-like construct is one of the EVOLT E-300’s strongest attributes.

The camera has wide lugs for a neck strap, which most owners will use. Though it’s too heavy to hold comfortably for hours at a time, it would be relatively comfortable slung over a shoulder for the day. The camera’s weight is actually useful in some circumstances – up to a point, it’s easier to hold a heavy camera steady than a very light one, although the E-300’s design is not optimized for handling comfort. The E-300’s flat top will help with portability, making it easier to pack in a camera bag.

Handling Ability*(5.5)*

In general, the handling of the E-300 is greatly compromised. More than any other DSLR we have reviewed, the E-300 is just not comfortable to shoot with. The primary flaw in the camera’s design is an odd ridge located on the front of the right-hand grip. The ridge is constructed of a vertically-oriented piece of hard plastic, coated in rubber. The gripping protrusion is awkwardly placed, hitting the user’s curled fingers just below the knuckle and becoming far more of an obstruction than a handling aid. The discomfort grew with time and certainly would not be desirable for an all day shoot. While the ridge is clearly included to improve stabilization, the plastic hump was only an irritant.

Equipped with the kit lens, the E-300 balances right at the lens mount. Even though the contours are relatively flat, I felt confident the camera wouldn’t slip from my hands. With my left hand holding the zoom ring from underneath and my right hand on the grip, the camera naturally promoted a steady grip. The distribution of weight and general contour of the body is optimized for control during shooting and is only compromised by the imposing gripping protrusion that unfortunately cannot be avoided.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size*(6.0)
*The controls on the Olympus EVOLT E-300 are generally a bit undersized, particularly given the size and scale of the camera body; however the vacant real estate does work to the user’s advantage, providing ample spacing for the layout of controls. The small buttons do not protrude much beyond the plane of the camera casing, but fortunately are quite responsive and do not require much depression to provide tactile feedback.

The buttons and controls that click do so positively. None of them wobble or rattle and all seem formed with durability and longevity in mind. The mode dial is also heavily textured, and easy to set precisely. The rugged layout of the E-300 remains consistent with Olympus’ design heritage; however, Olympus film SLRs were designed with oversized controls, which is certainly not the case with the EVOLT. The controls on the E-300 are small and scaled down to a point-and-shoot digital camera dimensions, but this camera fortunately retains the stability photographers have come to expect from Olympus SLRs.

One thing I personally would have liked to see included on the body of the E-300 is an additional jog dial. This design is consistent with the Canon Rebel XT and I feel it's a control flaw that plagues both models. With only one dial, many basic operations take more steps than they should. Very often, the user has to press a button to get the dial into the proper mode. For instance, to set aperture and shutter speed in manual exposure mode, the user turns the dial to set aperture, then presses a button so the dial switches to control over shutter speed; only then can the proper setting can be dialed. Worse yet, the button is not close to the control dial, so the operation is even more cumbersome and awkward than it should be. The additional job dial would increase control and reduce the time needed to render alterations to settings. This slight alteration would make the camera far more practical for long shoots and time-sensitive situations

****Menu ***(5.0)*

Pressing the Menu button on the back of the camera brings up a tabbed menu on the LCD display. Five icons along the left edge of the screen indicate two tabs for shooting customization settings, two tabs for image settings, and one tab for editing and printing images. A line of text along the bottom of the screen indicates how to cancel out of the displayed menu, how to make a selection, and how to chose or "OK" the current selection.

The text in the menus is large and clearly visible. When a subsection of the menu is entered, all options are displayed in a vertical column and highlighted in blue. The specific setting that the cursor is controlling is colored green. The visual layout is intuitive enough and easily discernible; however, the interface is a bit tedious.

Moving right within the menu brings up the next subsection, while moving left acts similarly to a "back" button in an Internet browser. Farthest to the left are the most generalized headings, which gradually become more and more refined as the user moves right. Seems simple enough, and it is, although with the extensive list of options, the multi-directional movement needed to scroll through the list limits speed to some extent.

A few features that many users would want to continually access are buried in the menus. Photographers would greatly benefit from having more direct access to the exposure control for the pop-up flash – using it for fill pretty much requires tweaking it from shot to shot. Fine adjustment of white balance is buried down deep as well. All necessary adjustments are included, it just requires more time than it should to access them.**

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Ease of Use***(5.5)
*The E-300 offers a wide variety of options and controls. The strongest element of the camera is the direct means of representation Olympus has taken to relay shooting information. In nearly every case, Olympus has opted to offer the user real information rather than marketing words – white balance settings show the Kelvin temperature for instance, and the JPEG settings show a numerical measure of compression. This helps users find settings and controls universally without having to adapt to the manufacturer’s chosen dialect.

On the other hand, the features aimed at snapshooters – scene modes in particular – are slightly obscure. When users set the Mode Dial on top of the camera to "SCENE," there’s no prompt. If you hit the "INFO" button, it appears as though "Portrait" is selected, but there doesn’t seem to be a way of changing to the other modes. If you blunder onto the "OK" button (it took me a few minutes), the camera begins hand-holding with relish – each scene mode appears on the LCD as an icon, an example photo, and a sentence-long explanation. Thus the camera is far easier to adjust to than a prosumer-grade $2,000 DSLR, but it is not as straightforward as the D70 and Rebel XT. For this subset of DSLR’s the E-300 is more convoluted than it needs to be.

A few design refinements would have helped the E-300 significantly. For instance, an additional jog dial and applied informational LCD would simplify the interface and increase functionality. Additionally, there is no depth of field preview button or dedicated mode so those users less familiar with manual settings will have more difficulty initially attaining certain controlled compositions until they learn how to properly manipulate the camera. 

Modes

Auto Mode*(7.0)
*In Program mode, which functions as the camera’s automatic mode, the camera will set both the aperture and shutter speed to optimize the exposure. In low light, the mode keeps the aperture wide open until it can set a shutter speed above 1/30 of a second with wide angle lenses, and faster with longer lenses. The user can override the camera’s selections; however, if the camera selects f/8 at 1/60, a turn of the jog dial will change the exposure to f/11 at 1/30, or f/5.6 at 1/125 – or any equivalent exposure.

An exposure compensation control is also available, enabling the user to bias the exposure lighter or darker in any of the auto modes.

Movie Mode*(0.0)
*Like nearly all DSLRs, the E-300 lacks a movie mode.

Drive / Burst Mode*(6.25)
*The E-300 allows continuous shooting at about 2.5 frames per second. That recording rate is slower than the EVOLT’s direct DSLR competitors and rivals many current compact and point-and-shoot models. At full resolution and high quality, it will only continue at that speed for four consecutive frames, which is inferior to other DSLRs.

2.5 frames per second is slow for professional applications such as pro sports and spot news, but it’s also slow for typical snapshooting occasions, such as blowing out candles on a birthday cake, bridal bouquet tosses, and wiffleball games. The lack of speed will directly hinder a significant range of shooting occasions and is generally disappointing for any DSLR.

Playback Mode*(7.5)
*The E-300 plays back recorded images on both the camera’s LCD screen and on television sets via the video out port. When the video out port is active, the camera’s LCD goes dark, and the television takes over its functions. It’s possible to navigate through the stored images via the controls on the camera back.

The camera has a slide show mode that shows images consecutively for five seconds each. The slide show can also show four, nine, or 16 images at once. The interval cannot be changed, and there aren’t any choices of transitions.

The Olympus E-300 also offers a limited set of in-camera editing functions. Since it does not have an orientation sensor (it can’t tell whether a given shot is a horizontal or vertical), the camera includes a manual option to rotate images – a useful inclusion for slide shows.

ORF images can also be edited in-camera. An ORF opened for editing will take on the color balance and sharpening options currently set on the camera, and can be saved as a new TIFF or JPEG. TIFFs and JPEGs can be saved as monochrome and at lower resolution as well. **
**

Custom Image Presets*(8.0)
*Presets are collections of camera settings that users could set manually; however, they offer convenience and immediacy in calibrating the camera to a specific shot or scene with a single button. The E-300 has a substantial range of custom image presets for a digital SLR that snapshooters will find useful. They are: Landscape, which assumes distant subjects and emphasizes blue and green tones; Landscape/Portrait, which assumes that people are being photographed in front of a landscape, and keeps both in focus; Night Scene, which assumes a dark scene with point light sources, such as city lights, and requires a tripod or other support for the camera; Night+Portrait, which assumes people in front of a night scene, and combines a long exposure with red-eye reduction flash; Fireworks, which shuts off the flash, makes a long exposure, and requires manual focus; Sunset, which shuts off the flash, and boosts red and yellow tones; Portrait, which blurs the background; High Key, which keeps very light-toned subjects light, rather than gray; Macro, for extreme closeups, under available light; Documents, which boosts contrast and shuts off the flash; Museum, which shuts off the flash and all the beeps to keep the camera unobtrusive in quiet places; Sports, for catching fast-moving subjects; Beach & Snow, which captures skin tones in very bright surroundings; and Candle, which shuts off the flash and keeps the colors warm.

Although these preset options will help ease snapshooters into the SLR realm, the presets ascribed to the more challenging shooting situations ("Night Scene," "Fireworks" and "Document") will be much less useful. This is due to the inherent difficulty of those shooting situations which will generally require some experimentation by the user with a range of settings to attain the proper results. For instance, photographing documents often requires a contrast boost, but subtle changes in the boost will make significant changes in the final result. 

Control Options

Manual Control Options

The E-300 allows full manual control of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus. Full manual control is pretty much mandatory on even inexpensive DSLRs like the E-300. The only distinctive element to the E-300’s handling of manual control is the clumsy aspects of the control interface – as often as not, the user must press a button to get access to the setting they want, and then operate the control dial to render alterations. Upon entering the second shooting subsection of the menu, users can manually adjust Saturation, Contrast, and Sharpness levels within a +/- 2 incremental range along a linear graph.

Focus*

Auto (4.5)*

This camera focused accurately when an autofocus sensor site was on the subject, but the E-300 contains only three autofocus sensor sites - and they’re bunched in the center of the frame. This results in both practical and competitive limitations for the E-300. The practical limitation is that it’s generally not desirable or convenient to center the subject in the frame, focus, and then recompose the image – which is the process the E-300 requires when the subject is off-center. Competitively, it’s a problem because many camera buyers will shop the E-300 against cameras that have a minimum of five or seven AF points spread across a wider area of the viewfinder, making those cameras easier to use.

The E-300 offers two autofocus modes: in single mode, the focus is locked when the shutter release is pressed halfway down, and stays at that focus until a picture is taken, or until the user lets the release back up; in continuous mode, the camera adjusts focus as long as the release is pressed halfway.

The autofocus was less effective in low light, but then again, all autofocus mechanisms are and this is no surprise; however, a few more AF points across the frame would have helped.
*

Manual (7.5)*

The E-300 allows manual focusing via an actual manual focus mode, and by allowing some manual adjustments when the camera is in single autofocus mode. Manual focus is adjusted by rotating the focusing ring on whatever lens is attached. In an unusual design decision, Olympus allows the user to set the direction of rotation for focus – whether turning the ring clockwise focuses closer or further away.

Metering*(7.0)
*The E-300 offers three metering patterns. The Spot pattern measures light levels only at the center of the frame, in a small area corresponding to the autofocus sensor site in the middle of the viewfinder. The Average pattern measures a much larger central area which is not sharply defined, but becomes gradually less sensitive toward the edges of the frame.

The "Digital ESP" pattern is the Olympus take on matrix metering. Several areas of the frame are measured separately, and the camera uses an algorithm to balance the readings and determine the "proper" exposure. "Digital ESP" should recognize a backlit scene, for instance, and expose for a relatively dark central subject, rather than the brighter sky in the top corners of the frame.

"Digital ESP" performed much better than the "Average" pattern in more challenging lighting, but some scenes will still demand user intervention.

Exposure*(9.0)
*The E-300 offers a range of exposure modes, including Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Program Auto, Manual, and scene modes. The E-300 also includes an exposure compensation setting in all its automatic modes, allowing the user to bias the exposure in a +/- 5-stop range in either half or third stops. This is a huge range, well beyond the common +/- 2-stop range offered by many consumer level cameras, though on par with most sub-$1,000 digital SLR models.

I found the camera’s exposures to be accurate when shooting evenly lit scenes. As is the case with competing cameras, the E-300’s exposure system is challenged by contrasting lighting and backlit scenes.**
**

White Balance (8.5)

The E-300 offers eight white balance presets. Very usefully, Olympus labels each preset with both an icon such as a light bulb, and with a Kelvin temperature, the standard measure for color balance. They are: Tungsten 1, 3000K; Tungsten 2, 3600K; Fluorescent 1 4000K; Fluorescent 2, 4500K; Fluorescent 3, 6600K; Daylight, 5300K; Overcast, 6000K; Shade, 7500K.

The E-300 also has four custom white balance presets, which the user can set in the typical way, pointing the camera at a white surface and pressing a button. Straight from the factory, or after the camera is reset, the custom settings default to 2000K, 2500K, 8000K and 10,000K.

White balance can also be fine-tuned on the E-300. Starting from any white balance setting, the user can add red or blue values to the image. The increments between bumps are relatively fine: there are seven steps of adjustment between each preset.

ISO*(6.5)*

The E-300 offers a limited set of sensitivity ratings. ISO 100, 200 and 400 are available in normal mode, and an "ISO Boost" setting allows 800 and 1600 ratings to be selected. Though it’s typical for 800 and 1600 to be lower quality than the less-sensitive settings, "Boost" indicates that the E-300 suffers a dramatic drop-off in image quality, which proved true during testing.

It’s also unfortunate that the E-300 doesn’t offer finer increments in ISO, especially since digital cameras can be so finicky about exposure – sometimes an adjustment of one-third of a stop can make the difference between a good exposure and an unacceptable one,

The E-300 also offers an Auto setting for ISO, automatically adjusting the ISO based on light levels. In Auto, the camera operates on a 100-400 ISO range and cannot access the "boosted" ratings.****

Shutter Speed*(7.5)
*The E-300 shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second, plus a "Bulb" setting for long exposures of up to eight minutes. The non-Bulb speeds are adjustable in 1/3, 1/2 or 1-stop increments. Some competing cameras offer speeds as quick as 1/8000 of a second.

The shutter allows flash synchronization at up to 1/180 of a second, which is slow for this class of cameras. Many offer 1/250, and the Nikon D70 offers 1/500. Folks who are considering their first digital camera may not know how important high speed flash synch is in digital photography. Because of the limited dynamic range of most digital image sensors, most photographers rely on fill flash to lighten shadows when taking pictures in high contrast scenes, such as direct sunlight. To make the fill flash work, you need a pretty strong flash, a moderate aperture, and a fast shutter speed. 1/250 is just about mandatory, and 1/500 adds significant flexibility.

Aperture*(6.0)
*The E-300 is an interchangeable-lens camera with a Four-Thirds lens mount. Olympus and Sigma are producing Four-Thirds lenses over a broad range of maximum apertures, from f/2.0 for a non-zoom 50mm macro lens, to the kit lens, a 14-45mm zoom with a f/3.5 to f/5.6 maximum aperture. Olympus has also introduced a range of nine lenses in various focal lengths worthy of a professional system, from a 7-14mm f/4.0 zoom to a 300mm f/2.8, as well as a teleconverter and an extension tube.

Aperture is electronically controlled via the E-300’s camera body. Though f/3.5 is pretty open for a wide angle to telephoto zoom, f/5.6 is not. The kit lens won’t be adequate for indoor, available-light photography.

Olympus would also do well to produce a faster fixed-focal length lens for the EVOLT series. Although the 150mm f/2.0 lens is unusually fast, the 50mm f/2.0 is mediocre. Adding at least a couple of lenses with f/1.4 apertures, and an f/1.2, would add some low-light flexibility to the system, and help with the E-300's specific limitations in that area.

Image Parameters

Picture Quality / Size Options*(8.0)
*Olympus provides the EVOLT E-300 with interesting options for quality and resolution. As with most cameras, the E-300’s resolution settings are straightforward – the camera lists the pixel dimensions of each resolution. They are: 3264 x 2448, 3200 x 2400, 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 769, and 640 x 480.

The E-300 will save completely uncompressed files in either TIFF or RAW formats. TIFF is an industry standard format that is portable across computer operating systems. Nearly universal, any equipment that can print a digital image can print a TIFF file. RAW is a generic term for the unprocessed file that a camera saves. The E-300 produces RAW files in Olympus’s ORF file format, and these files must be processed with Olympus software to be useful to other programs. A Photoshop plugin is also available to allow the industry-standard program to open ORF files.

It’s time-consuming to convert ORF files (or any RAW files) to TIFFs or JPEGs on a desktop or laptop computer. On the other hand, it slows the camera down significantly to write TIFFs while shooting.

The E-300 offers three variations of compressed files: "SQ," which represents the standard quality; "HQ," which indicates high quality; and "SHQ" which stands for super high quality. SHQ is available only for full-resolution images, and it yields a JPEG with a 1:2.7 compression ratio. HQ files are also full-resolution JPEGs, but they are made with either 1:4 or 1:8 compression, depending on how the camera has been customized. SQ images are JPEGs made at the lower resolutions. JPEG compressions of 1:2.7, 1:4 or 1:8 are available for SQ images, via the customization menu. Olympus labels the compression options numerically, with numbers that indicate what's being lost.

Picture Effects Mode*(5.5)
*The E-300 offers Black and White and Sepia images under its Monotone heading in the main menu. While a nice inclusion, there really is no reason to use the in-camera effects over external applications. It makes much more sense to convert RGB to black and white in an image-editing program like Photoshop, where you can use the Channel Mixer to tweak the result to your liking.

The E-300 also provides contrast and saturation settings that are effective and intuitive to use. Many users will find them much more useful than gimmicky effects. The E-300’s competitors, the Canon Rebel XT and the Nikon D70, offer similar adjustments. On all three cameras, the interface designers assumed that users would adjust them only occasionally, so they are placed in set-up menus, and not as easy to play with as, say, exposure or white balance settings.

For those photographers shooting JPEG images, rather than in the RAW format, in-camera effects make some sense. The camera performs its adjustments before compressing the image into a JPEG, and it should produce a less noisy image. In general, any sort of color or contrast adjustment performed on a JPEG will accentuate artifacts of the compression process.

Connectivity / Extras

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**Connectivity
***Software (5.5) *

Olympus Master software is a collection of standard functions for personal use in a plain interface. The software performs as advertised, sorting images by capture date (file creation date if the capture date isn’t available), downsampling for email, and managing uploads to an Olympus-affiliated Ofoto.com website for printing.

Users can create and edit slide shows to load onto CompactFlash cards and run on the camera. It’s also possible to incorporate images that were not originally shot on the E-300 into the slide shows.

The RAW processing function of the software is straightforward, but limited. It offers the basic controls available on the camera – exposure compensation, white balance, contrast, saturation, and sharpness – but not with any greater flexibility than the camera provides. A frustrating element of the program is that the software spends several seconds re-rendering the displayed RAW image each time any of the controls is changed. A more practical alternative would have been to make the changes on the fly to a screen version of the image, or to add an "Apply" button, so re-rendering could wait until the user is finished tweaking all the settings.

Users who already have solid digital editing software won’t be tempted by Olympus Master. The browsers in Photoshop CS, or IView MediaPro are more flexible for reviewing sets of pictures and offer far more editing options. Master’s editing functions are primitive compared even to the $99 Photoshop Elements. I would recommend buying Elements with the camera, and not bothering with MASTER. Adobe has released a RAW converter that is compatible with E-300 ORF files.

*Jacks, ports, plugs (7.5)
*The E-300 sports a USB 2.0 port to connect to PCs and printers, a video out port that’s configurable for NTSC (US television) and PAL (most other televisions), an optional external power supply, and an accessory infrared remote control. There is no PC port available on the E-300.

*Direct Print Options (6.0) *

The E-300 is PictBridge compatible; a computer is not necessarily needed for printing and users can print their images directly from PictBridge compatible printers. The same technology allows "Print Reservation" or DPOF, which attaches printing data to images on the CompactFlash card, allowing a print order to be downloaded from the card to a photo lab. Using controls on the camera, the user can select images to print, the number of prints, whether to print the date or image name on the image, and the size of the prints. The camera will also set to print multiple images on a single sheet, or to print an index print of all images on the CompactFlash Card.

All options apply to either PictBridge or DPOF.

*Battery (7.0)
*The E-300 uses a Lithium-Ion battery rated at 7.2 volts and 1500 milliamp-Hours. It fits in a battery compartment on the bottom of the camera, and charges in an external charger provided in the kit. Lithium-Ion batteries are much lighter than nickel-based batteries, but provide an excellent power-to-volume ratio. Olympus projects a typical life of 500 recharges. Users report battery life of several hundred shots between recharges, but battery life depends enormously on how the camera is used, and how efficient the camera’s components are.

The E-300 dust removal system uses small motors, but it’s not clear how much power they’ll consume in typical use. Other DSLRs we’ve tested have monochrome LCDs in addition to the color display used to review images. The monochromatic LCDs typically display only text or icons, but they are much more energy-efficient than color displays. The E-300’s reliance on its color LCD for text display puts added demands on the battery.

*Memory (3.0) *

The E-300 accepts CompactFlash and Microdrive cards up to the largest size available, 8 gigabytes. CompactFlash is the accepted format for professional cameras, so they will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. Olympus also offers an adapter to allow the camera to accept xD-Picture Cards. Unfortunately, no media is included with the camera.

Other features*(7.5)

Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF) –* The E-300’s anti-dust feature is unique to Olympus, and many users swear by it. A pretty large mechanism holds a glass window in front of the CCD, and vibrates the window at an ultrasonic frequency to shake loose dust and let the unwanted particles fall to a sticky surface below. I noted a couple of large dust motes in our review camera, and was sad to see that the mechanism did not shake them loose. It did seem to get rid of less tenacious dust.

The Olympus engineers understand that SSWF isn’t perfect. They considerately offer a cleaning mode as well. Cleaning mode opens the shutter, allowing users to manually blow away dust.

Olympus’ advertising and marketing department, however, might have grazed over that portion of the camera manual. With the slogan, "No Dust. No Specks. No Exceptions," and the flat statement that SSWF "provides the worry-free ability to switch lenses anywhere and anytime" they promise much more than the camera delivers.

Vignetting Compensation - Many wide angle lenses are appreciably darker at the corners of the frame than at the center. The E-300 can compensate for the problem with a setting called "Shading Compensation," which lightens the corners of the images.

Noise Reduction - The E-300 noise reduction system for long exposures is moderately effective, which is good, because the camera would be incapable of making useful time exposures without it. The camera uses a "dark frame" technique. If, for example, you take a 20-second exposure of a duck pond in the moonlight, the camera immediately takes another 20-second exposure of blackness. It searches the second, black frame for bright pixels, and when it finds them – on our sample, there were lots – it subtracts them from the picture you shot.

Overall Impressions

Value* (4.5)
*The E-300 is a solidly-built digital SLR with a straightforward interface. It’s not fast, and it’s not smaller than the competition, but it is an 8 megapixel SLR for less than $900, and that’s unique. The E-300 is a capable camera with many thoughtful design features, but the camera doesn’t beat its competition in any regard. It’s inexpensive, but for most people looking at $900 cameras, a $1,000 camera is within reach, and they are all better buys. The E-300 is the most affordable camera in the class, but for an obvious reason; it is inferior to the competition and looks to price as a means of leverage, which it attains.

Every digital SLR is part of a system, and the great advantage of these cameras is that you can expand their capabilities with new lenses and other accessories, and even buy another, more advanced camera to use alongside them. The E-300 buyers will take a risk when it comes to this. The E-300 is only the second Four-Thirds camera, and the first one, the E-1, was not met with the enthusiastic reception its promoters had hoped for. Maybe Four-Thirds will be the next big thing, but what if it isn't? There’s no way to predict where the Four-Thirds system is going, and that’s why consumers may want to wait and see where it goes rather than jump on it from the start. Besides, the majority of interested consumers looking at the E-300 see it as an affordable alternative, not a substantial investment.

**Comparisons **
*Canon Rebel XT -*The Canon Rebel XT retails for just under $1,000 with its kit lens. Though it’s hard to predict durability, the E-300 feels much more robust than the Rebel, which has a thin, polycarbonate casing that feels a bit flimsy. But the Rebel XT wins an important feature comparison: it has seven autofocus sites, not just three. Just as important, the autofocus sites are small and precise, making it easier to figure out what you’re focusing on. According to the specs, the Rebel XT’s burst rate is about 10 percent faster than the E-300 and should continue in burst longer at full resolution. The Rebel XT’s LCD screen has a somewhat lower resolution, with 115,000 pixels rather than 134,000, so visibility on the XT is slightly compromised. Canon’s wide selection of lenses and cameras, the widest range of equipment available, make the Rebel XT particularly attractive to users who think they may upgrade to more capable cameras and buy a range of lenses.

Nikon D70s -*For more money, the $1,200 (with lens) Nikon D70s is faster both in burst speed and focusing. A large image buffer and remarkable engineering allow bursts of up to 144 frames. The D70s is an upgrade of the very popular and proven D70, but it remains a 6 megapixel camera, like the D50. The D70s feels stronger and more durable than the Canon Rebels, but seems equally as resilient as the E-300. The shape of the Nikon lens mount has been consistent for decades, and the top-end Nikon cameras can mount and operate older lenses, so Nikon equipment is as resistant to obsolescence as can be expected these days.
*Nikon D50 - For those users who do not need the additional resolution, the 6 megapixel Nikon D50 is a significant alternative to the E-300 and is also available for under $900 with a lens. The D50 matches the E-300 in burst speed and display resolution, and with six autofocus sites, does much better than the E-300 at covering the frame. At 5.3 x 4.1 x 3 inches, the D50 is only slightly larger than the E-300. Its 2-inch LCD screen is also larger than either the E-300 or the Rebel XT’s displays, which are both 1.8 inches. The Nikon D50 is the least expensive way to start a Nikon DSLR system. The camera takes Secure Digital storage media, rather than CompactFlash, as all the other Nikon DSLRs do.

*Canon EOS 20D -*Canon makes two of the three least expensive 8 megapixel DSLRs currently on the market. The Canon 20D, available online with a kit lens for under $1,350 (USD), is the most expensive. It’s substantially more than the E-300 or Canon Rebel XT, and it's easy to see why: it’s in a different class. The EOS 20D is much faster, with a burst speed of 5 frames per second and much faster focusing. It’s far more solid than the Rebel XT, and much more ergonomic than the E-300. The advantages of the 20D justify the additional cost for users who can afford it.

Who It’s For
*Point-and-Shooters - *Though the E-300 includes provisions for the snapshooter, such as simplified shooting modes and direct printing, it’s larger, heavier and more capable than most snapshooters need, and at a cost that they don’t need either.

Budget Consumers - At $100 less than the Canon Rebel XT, the E-300 should appeal to users on a tight budget and a need for a DSLR. Having said that, for only $100 more, consumers willing to invest the extra money will walk away with a far stronger value.

*Manual Control Freaks - *The E-300 contains enough manual options to appease the true control junkies out there. Not only do all the standard exposure parameters offer easy manual access, but the correlating Kelvin temperature readings of white balance presets and the compression ratios of the JPEG settings takes the user "under the hood" a bit.

*Gadget Freaks - *The E-300 has some cool features for gadget lovers – the ultrasonic dust shaker comes to mind first. As the second Four-Thirds format DSLR, it’s fairly cutting-edge as well. There’s some coolness here, even with the clunky styling. Also, the feeble pop-up flash may not remain attached to the frame for too long, providing those get-your-hands-dirty type of users an opportunity to do some repair work.

*Pros / Serious Hobbyists - *I don’t expect many pros to adopt a Four-Thirds system based on the E-300, given its lack of speed, limited autofocus, and clumsy layout. It’s just a wiser purchase at this point to buy a Canon or Nikon model, based on the quality of their optics and the number of lens options available.

Conclusion

 

Conclusion

While there are significant design flaws and performance issues painfully apparent on the E-300, there is still a lot to value in a sub-$900 digital SLR. Foremost, the EVOLT E-300 is an inexpensive 8 megapixel camera with a solid build and durable casing. Additionally, Olympus has worked hard to create an impressive range of lenses and other accessories for it, and more than one manufacturer has also committed to making compatible lenses and camera bodies for the system. The E-300 also offers dust-removal technology that’s moderately effective, while its competitors don’t approach the issue in the same manner.

Performance-wise, I find the E-300’s autofocus system, with only three sensor sites and limited low-light capability, the most problematic aspect of the camera. Those users who plan on shooting action – not just sports or wildlife, but anything that moves faster than a potted plant – will find this camera’s focusing an unavoidable problem. I’d recommend either the Canon Rebel XT or the Nikon D70s over the E-300 on this issue alone. The result is that most users will get sharper pictures with other models.

In terms of design, the E-300’s dominating right-hand grip, which users rely on to control the camera, reminds me of sleeping on a broken futon. There is a hard, immobile plastic hump running vertically up the grip that makes it as uncomfortable as any camera I have ever handled. My other frustrations with the camera are the single jog dial layout, lackluster software and a small maximum aperture on the kit lens. These issues should not be deal breakers for every user, but should encourage consumers to at least take a look at other alternatives. It’s worth noting that the kit lens aperture is no worse than Canon and Nikon’s offerings.

The Four-Thirds format is not a drawback in technology, but the system has not developed to the point of reliability just yet. In a couple years, it may be a dominant format. But it isn’t dominant now. That’s a risk, and it’s also an inconvenience. Users who are loyal to Canon or Nikon bodies can walk into any local camera store and find used lenses for reasonably affordable rates – it’s not hard to do. E-300 users will not have such an easy time: an Olympus 50mm f/2.0 lens is probably fine quality wise - it’s a macro lens - but it’s $500 new, and good luck on the limited used market.

In the end, the Olympus EVOLT E-300 is certainly inferior to the Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D70s in most regards; however, the E-300’s solid construct and affordable price makes a place for it in the sub-$1,000 DSLR market. Also, the camera’s Supersonic Wave Filter offers more than a glimmer of hope that DSLRs can handle dust better than they do right now. The Olympus optical system has also traditionally been as good as you could get and in the future, it could potentially reestablish itself among the industry leaders. In sum, the strongest attributes of the EVOLT E-300 do not create a strong case for purchasing the camera; however, they should encourage consumers to take a close look at Olympus’s next DSLR.

Specs

**Specs Table
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