Olympus E-30

The Olympus E-30 seems to be a bold move to fold point-and-shoot functionality into a mid-range SLR, thus making it more approachable for a new user, but maintaining the additional feature set and build quality of a more expensive camera. Unfortunately, for all its good intentions, the E-30 suffered from a very poor lab-tested performance, mostly due to its unacceptable noise levels and dynamic range. We re-ran our tests for image noise, dynamic range and long exposure based on reader input after our initial review was published, switching the gradation setting from Auto to Normal. We saw significant improvements in image noise, and some expansion in the tested dynamic range as well, at least at normal shooting ISOs, though performance in these areas is still problematic.

The E-30 had some decent results with resolution and image stabilization, and has potential for very specific situations. For example, its good performance under bright natural light, excellent image stabilization and sharpness, and ability to pack a great zoom into a small lens would make it potentially worthwhile for wildlife photography. However for everyday use, not so much. Considering that a Nikon D90 costs significantly less than the E-30, and for only a little more you could pick up the Canon 50D (or Olympus E-3 if you’re a company supporter), we have to recommend that you purchase one of these due to their significantly better overall performance in our tests.

Performance

Apart from resolution, image stabilization and a decent burst speed, the E-30 underperformed in every area. Especially problematic was the amount of noise in the images, even after retesting using the Normal Gradation setting to lower noise. It was especially noticeable at high ISO, rendering the camera nigh-on unusable at some settings, though it can be mitigated with noise reduction with the downside of loss in image sharpness.

Hardware

In general, the hardware of the E-30 is of good quality. The viewfinder is comfortable and offers a decent field of view, and the overall feel of the camera is excellent. The viewfinder is articulated, which when combined with the good Live View system, makes holding the camera at odd angles much easier. However, the screen resolution is only 230,000 dots, significantly lower than other cameras at this price point, and the difference is readily apparent.

Controls

The E-30 has a good set of controls, with a decent amount of customization. It has an impressive breadth of shutter speeds, as well as a large number of aspect ratios and image sizes. Taking a custom white balance is needlessly complex though, as it requires the dedicated use of a the customizable function button.

Sample Photos

In the following sample images, clicking on the larger image will download the full resolution original. Each photo is accompanied by four actual-size crops.

Landscape Sample
				Focal length: 14mm Aperture: f/22 Shutter: 1/200 ISO: 400 On the beaches of the once prosperous Oamaru, New Zealand, which has gone through many hard years. This shot was taken using aperture priority mode under cloudy conditions.
				You can see the presence of image noise even at ISO 400, even though most details are still clear.

Macro Sample
				Focal length: 54mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter: 1/640 ISO: 200 On a bright, sunny day, this white rose was photographed in program mode, and the automatic white balance did a very good job accounting for the sunlight.
				At low ISO and under good light, the E-30 did very well at capturing detail and subtle changes in shading.

Detail Sample
				Focal length: 14mm Aperture: f/18 Shutter: 1/60 ISO: 200 The Christchurch Cathedral, Christchurch, New Zealand, on a sunny day. Shot in aperture priority mode with manual white balance. The intricate stone work of the neo-Gothic church serves as a good test of the camera’s ability to capture detail, and the bright sky and clouds test the dynamic range.
				The stonework of the bottom right corner of the image suffered some minor chromatic aberration, and the highlights of the clouds over-exposed. Otherwise an excellent image.

Low Light Sample
				Focal length: 14mm Aperture: f/2.8 Shutter: 1/25 ISO: 1600 The Dunedin train station in Dunedin, New Zealand, after dark, shot in manual mode, at high ISO with no noise reduction.
				While not immediately apparent in the smaller version above, the 100% crops show the high noise levels in the image.

Wildlife Sample
				Focal length: 54mm Aperture: f/4 Shutter: 1/125 ISO: 320 This steer was kind enough to hold still for a portrait, though he didn’t look too happy about the situation. Shot on an overcast day in program mode, with automatic white balance.
				The detail on the cow's ear fur is sadly less than desired, but the subtle gradation of his flank came out well.

Signage Sample
				Focal length: 14mm Aperture: f/2.8 Shutter: 1/500 ISO: 200 The Blue Kiwi is a now unfortunately closed junk shop that was once a home to many an old gewgaw. Shot using manual white balance and aperture priority on an overcast day.
				The details on the flaking paint and hinges is quite good, but traces of image noise are still visible.

Olympus E-30 Specs
Type	Compact SLR / System
Focal Length Minimum	14.0 mm
Focal Length Maximum	54.0 mm
Still Pixel Count (gross)	13.1 megapixels
Still Pixel Count (effective)	12.3 megapixels
Sensor Size	Micro Four Thirds
Sensor Type - New	CMOS
Aspect Ratios	4:3
Original Price	1299.99 $
Height	107.5 mm
Width	141.5 mm
Depth	75.0 mm
Weight	655.0 g
Model Colors	black
Display Type	articulated LCD
Display Size	2.7 in.
Display Resolution	230,000 pixels
Viewfinder Type	optical
Viewfinder Magnification	1.02 x
Viewfinder Coverage	98.0 % coverage
Diopter Adjustment - New	-3.0 to +1.0m^-1
Media New	xD, CF, Microdrive
Connectivity Options	USB, A/V, hot accessory shoe
Battery Type	removable lithium-ion
Battery Model Number	BLM-1
Mirror Technology (Interchangeable Lens)	DSLR
Waterproof	No
Manual Controls	aperture priority mode, shutter priority mode, full manual exposure, custom white balance, ISO control
ISO Options	100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Minimum ISO	100
Maximum ISO	3200

Olympus E-30 Scores
Rating	Score	Weighting
Color Score	13.56	9.0
Color Modes Score	4.0	1.0
Long Exposure Score	7.93	4.0
Noise Score	5.54	9.0
ISO Options Score	5.5	1.5
Sharpness Score	15.35	6.0
Chromatic Aberration Score	7.64	3.0
Picture Options Score	16.25	0.5
Dynamic Range Score	2.89	6.0
Stabilization Score	11.79	5.0
Auto White Balance Score	11.3	4.0
Custom White Balance Score	7.92	2.0
White Balance Features Score	9.0	0.5
Playback Mode Score	6.75	1.5
In-Camera Editing Score	4.25	0.5
Software Score	4.0	0.5
Direct Print Features Score	3.0	0.5
Sensor Score	1.5	1.0
Viewfinder Score	5.5	1.5
LCD Score	6.9	2.5
Flash Score	6.25	1.0
Lens Mount Score	5.5	1.5
Battery Score	7.0	1.0
Memory Score	4.0	1.0
Connectivity Score	1.0	1.0
Other Hardware Score	0.0	0.5
Shooting Modes Scores	12.5	1.0
Live View Score	4.0	2.0
Scene Modes Score	6.83	0.5
Picture Effects Score	9.5	0.5
Focus Score	8.0	1.5
Exposure Score	4.5	1.0
DOF Preview Score	1.5	0.5
Metering Score	6.5	1.0
Shutter Speed Score	10.0	1.0
Self-Timer Score	3.0	1.0
Other Controls Score	0.0	0.5
Handling Score	6.0	2.5
Controls Score	8.0	2.5
Menu Score	4.75	2.0
Manual Score	5.75	1.0
Shot to Shot Score	4.63	3.0
Drive and Burst Modes Score	6.25	1.0
Video Color Score	0.0	1.25
Video Sharpness Score	0.0	1.25
Video Motion Score	0.0	0.63
Video Noise Score	0.0	0.63
Video Controls Score	0.0	1.2
Video Low Light Sensitivity Score	0.0	0.95
Video Low Light Color Score	0.0	0.78
Video Low Light Noise Score	0.0	0.78
Video Compression Score	0.0	0.95
Video Audio Score	0.0	0.3
Video Handling Score	0.0	0.73
Color Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Noise Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Playback Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Resolution Other Features Rating	0.0	0.5
Design & Handling Other Rating	0.0	0.5
Total:	686