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Introduction
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01.Sample Photos
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02.Design
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03.Product Tour
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04.Hardware
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05.Durability
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06.Photo Gallery
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07.Image Quality
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08.Sharpness
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09.Color
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10.Noise Reduction
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11.Dynamic Range
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12.Low Light
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13.Distortion
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14.Video
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15.Usability
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16.Ease of Use
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17.Handling
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18.Controls
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19.Speed
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20.Features
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21.Extras
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22.Specs & Ratings
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23.Conclusion
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24.Comments
Olympus E-30
Previous:
IntroductionNext: Page 2
DesignSample Photos
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 | ||||
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Focal length: 14mm
Aperture: f/22 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. |
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You can see the presence of image noise even at ISO 400, even though most details are still clear. |
| Macro Sample | ||||
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Focal length: 54mm 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. |
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At low ISO and under good light, the E-30 did very well at capturing detail and subtle changes in shading. |
| Detail Sample | ||||
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Focal length: 14mm 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. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal length: 14mm The Dunedin train station in Dunedin, New Zealand, after dark, shot in manual mode, at high ISO with no noise reduction. |
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While not immediately apparent in the smaller version above, the 100% crops show the high noise levels in the image. |
| Wildlife Sample | ||||
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Focal length: 54mm 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. |
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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 | ||||
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Focal length: 14mm 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. |
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The details on the flaking paint and hinges is quite good, but traces of image noise are still visible. |
Still Life Examples
In the following sample images, clicking on the larger image will download the full resolution original.
| Still Life Comparisons | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO Low | ||||
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 200 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 400 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 800 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 1600 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 3200 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 6400 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 12800 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon 50D | Canon XS | Pentax K2000 |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
Noise Examples
The following are 100% crops taken from the still life photos above. You can click on the thumbnails above to view a full-size version of the entire photo.
| Noise Comparisons | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO Low | ||||
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 200
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 200 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 400 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 800 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 1600 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 3200 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 6400 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
| ISO 12800 | ||||
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| Olympus E-30 | Nikon D90 | Canon EOS 50D | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Pentax K2000 |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
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