Olympus E-500 Review
High performance D-SLR camera in a compact and lightweight design with integrated flash for ease-of-use to meet all of your photographic requirements. The eight million pixel Olympus E-500 digital SLR is a creative photographer’s dream with a full complement of manual settings plus user-friendly menu and display. The E-500 incorporates a CompactFlash slot as well as one for xD-Cards. The easy-to-use controls are further enhanced by the high resolution 6.4cm/2 .5″ HyperCrystal LCD, which allows results to be viewed in a large format directly on the camera.
Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Handle Light and Ergonomic Design
Creating an affordable digital SLR that most anyone can pick up and start to use is about making it easier to operate. That means menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate; adding automatic settings for every imaginable situation; making the LCD big and bright enough so you can review a shot without squinting; and making it less of a chore to get images out of the camera and into your computer or printer. Moreover, at just 5.09 x 3.72 x 2.59 inches (W x H x D) and only 15.3 ounces, the Evolt E500 is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day.
You don’t need a degree in photography to shoot like a pro with the E500. Just take it home, charge the Li-ion battery with the included charger, and begin taking photos. Select from one of the camera’s 25 Exposure Modes (Easy, Basic, and Creative) that make it easy to get the results you want, whenever and wherever you want them.
Olympus E-500 Features:
- 8.0 million pixels with FFT CCD
- 6.4cm/2.5 HyperCrystal LCD
- Supersonic Wave Filter for dust protection
- Light and compact penta-type design
- AUTO / M / P / S / A & 20 scene programme
- Dual slot for CF and xD-Picture Cards
- Built-in pop-up flash
- User-friendly menu with detailed and simplified display modes
Specifications of Olympus E-500:
- Type: Interchangeable-lens digital SLR camera
- Media: Compact Flash card (Type I, II), Micro Drive, xD Picture Card (dual slot)
- Imaging size: 17.3mm x 13.0mm
- Lens mount: Four thirds mount
- Compatible lens: Zuiko digital, four thirds system lens
- Number of effective pixels: 8 million pixels
- Image sensor type: 4/3 type full-frame transfer type CCD solid-state image sensor
- Effective pixel number: 8.15 million pixels
- Aspect: 0.16875
- Filter array: Primary color filter (RGB)
- Dust protect filter: Yes: Supersonic Wave Filter
- Recording format: DCF (JPEG), TIFF, RAW
- Recording mode: JPEG, TIFF Ver. 6.0 (Exif 2.2), RAW (12bit)
- RAW + JPEG Recording: Yes: RAW + SHQ/HQ/SQ modes
- Viewfinder type: Eye-level Penta Dach mirror type optical viewfinder
- View field coverage: Approximately 95%
- Magnification: Approximately 0.9x with 50mm lens set to infinity on -1 diopter
- Eye point: 16mm (-1m-1)
- Diopter adjustment: Built-in type -3.0 to +1.0 diopter
- Focusing screen: Fixed type
- Mirror: Quick-return mirror
- Viewfinder information: AF frame, Shutter speed, Aperture value, AF confirmation mark, Flash, White balance, AE lock, Number of storable still pictures, Exposure compensation value indication, Metering mode, Battery check, Exposure mode, Record mode
- Eyepiece shutter: Interchangeable type, EP-4 supplied
- Depth of field preview: One-touch WB button (customizable)
- Playback monitor type: HyperCrystal LCD (TFT color LCD)
- Size: 2.5 inch
- Pixel number: 215,250 pixels
- View field coverage: Approximately 100%
- Brightness control: +/- 7 steps
- Autofocus type: TTL phase difference detection system
- Focus mode: Single AF (S-AF), continuous AF (C-AF), manual focus, S-AF + MF, C-AF + MF
- Focus area: 3 points
- Detection range: EV 0 to 19 (ISO 100)
- Focus area selection: Automatic selectable, manual selectable
- AF assist lamp: Built-in Flash type
- AF lock: Locked by first position of Shutter Button/AE/AF lock button (customizable)
- Focus tracking: Available in continuous AF mode
- Manual focus: Available by rotation of a lens focus ring; available for setting manual focus operation in AF mode
- Light metering mode: digital ESP/center-weighted average/spot (approximately 2%)/spot with highlight, shadow control
- Detection range: digital ESP/center-weighted average; EV 1 to 20 (50mm f2, ISO 100) spot/spot with highlight, shadow control; EV 3 to 17 (50mm f2, ISO 100)
- Exposure mode: Full auto, program with program shift, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, scene program AE, scene select AE
- Scene program: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Night Scene and Portrait
- Scene select: Portrait, Landscape, Landscape and Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene and Portrait, Firework, Sunset, Macro, Sports, High-Key, Low-Key, Documents, Beach and Snow, Candle, Children
- Sensitivity: Auto: ISO 100 to 400; manual: ISO 100 to 400, expandable to 1600 (in each 1/3 EV step possible) (Noise filter is selectable in ISO boost)
- Exposure compensation: Up to +/- 5 EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV step
- AE lock: Locked by first position of shutter button, AE/AF lock button (customizable)
- Exposure bracketing: 3 frames in +/- 1, 2/3, 1/2, or 1/3 EV step
- White balance modes: Auto WB, Preset WB, Custom WB, One-touch WB
- Preset WB: Lamp 1 (3000k), Fluorescent 1 (4000k), Fluorescent 2 (4500k), Fluorescent 3 (6600k), Daylight (5300k), Claudy (6000k), Shade (7500k)
- WB compensation: R-B/G-M up to +/- 7 step in each 2mired step for each Auto/Preset setting
- Custom WB: Compensation up to +/- 7 step; 2000-6000K in 100K steps; 6000-8000K in 200K steps; 8000-10000K in 500K steps
- One-touch mode: 4 one-touch settings
- WB bracketing: 3 frames with +/- 4/8/12 mired steps
- Picture mode: Vivid, natural, muted, black & white, sepia
- Color mode: Color space sRGB/AdobeRGB
- Saturation: 5 levels in each Vivid, Natural, and Muted mode
- Sharpness: 5 levels in each Picture mode
- Contrast: 5 levels in each Picture mode
- Shutter type: Electronic controlled focal plane shutter
- Shutter speed: A,P,Ps: 1/4000 second to 60 seconds (depends on conditions); S: 1/4000 second to 60 seconds; M: 1/4000 second to 60 seconds and Bulb (up to 8 minutes); AUTO: 1/4000 second to 2 seconds; Scene: 1/4000 second to 2 seconds (depends on selected mode)
- Self-timer: 12 seconds or 2 seconds (possible to cancel)
- Remote control: Wireless with bulb function by RM-1 (RM-1:option)
- Drive mode: Single/sequential shooting
- Sequential shooting speed: Approximately 2.5 frames per second
- Maximum frame number on sequential shooting: RAW; TIFF:4 frames; JPEG (HQ, SQ); up to full capacity with high-speed media (with SanDisk Extreme III CF card on default image quality mode {HQ 1/8})
- Control panel information: Flash mode, Flash compensation value indication, Metering mode, Focus mode, Record mode, Aperture value, Shutter speed, Battery check, Number of storable still pictures, Image quality adjustment, ISO, Color space, Mono tone, Hi/Lo Key, White balance, Remote control, Self-timer, Exposure level indicator, Exposure compensation indicator, AF frame, Number of storable sequential pictures, Exposure compensation value indication, Auto bracket, Noise reduction, Single-frame shooting/Sequential shooting, Color saturation compensation value indication, Sharpness compensation indication value, AE bracket, WB bracket
- Flash control: TTL auto FP/TTL auto for Olympus dedicated flash
- Built-in flash: Yes; flash guide number: 13
- Flash modes: Auto, red-eye reduction, slow synchro, fill-in for exclusive flash
- X-Sync speed: X=1/180 second
- Intensity control: Up to +/- 2 EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV step
- Syncro timing: Front curtain and rear curtain selectable
- Multi-flash control: Yes (control built in and ext FL flash independently)
- Playback display mode: Single/zoom (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14x), Index (4, 9, 16, 25 frames), Calendar View, Slide Show, Light Box View
- Information: Exposure Mode, Metering Mode, Shutter Speed, F-Stop, Compensation level, ISO, Color Space, WB Mode, WB Compensation Level, Focal Length, Focus Area, File type, Picture Mode
- Erase mode: Single, All, Selected
- Image protect mode: Single
- Menu category: REC1, REC2, Play Back, Custom, Setup
- Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean (depending on region)
- Custom reset: 2 types
- Personal computer interface: Full-speed USB 2.0 (12 MB per second)
- Personal computer connector: USB connector: MiniB
- Video signal output: Video-out jack (NTSC or PAL selectable)
- X-synchronization socket (PC Socket): Hot shoe
- Remote cable: N/A
- Battery: Rechargeable Li-ion battery Pack BLM-1/3x CR123A with LBH-1
- Battery check: Automatic check
- Sleep mode: Yes (1, 3, 5, 10 minutes; selectable)
- Date/time saving: Approximately 5 months using the built-in battery
- Dimensions: 5 x 3.7 x 2.6 inches (129.5 x 94.5 x 66 millimeters)
- Weight: 15.34 ounces (435 grams) [body only]
- Temperature: Operating range: 32 to 104 degrees F (0 to 40 degrees C); storage range: -4 to 140 degrees F (-20 to 60 degrees C)
- Humidity: Operating range; 30 to 90%; storage range; 10 to 90%
- Dust- and splash-proof: No
- 14-45mm lens:
- Focal length: 14-45mm (28mm-90mm 35mm equivalent)
- Lens construction: 12 elements in 10 groups including 2 aspherical lens elements
- Lens mechanism: Floating focusing mechanism
- Angle of view: 75 to 27 degrees
- Closest focusing distance: 0.38m
- Maximum image magnification: 0.26x (0.52x 35mm equivalent)
- Maximum aperture: f3.5 wide/f5.6 telephoto
- Minimum aperture: f22
- Number of blades: 7
- Filter size: 58mm
- Dimensions (D x L): 2.8 x 3.41 inches (71 x 86.5 millimeters)
- Weight: 9.98 ounces (285 grams)
- Compatibility: Teleconverter EC-14: yes (MF use only); extension tube EX-25: closest focusing distance 6 inches/153 millimeters; extended maximum image magnification 1.14x; minimum field size: 15 x 11mm
- 40-150mm lens:
- Focal length: 40-150mm (80mm-300mm 35mm equivalent)
- Lens construction: 13 elements in 10 groups
- Lens mechanism: N/A
- Angle of view: 30 to 8.2 degrees
- Closest focusing distance: 1.5m
- Maximum image magnification: 0.12x
- Maximum aperture: f3.5 wide/f4.5 telephoto
- Minimum aperture: f22
- Number of blades: 7
- Filter size: 58mm
- Dimensions (D x L): 3 x 4.21 inches (77 x 107 millimeters)
- Weight: 15.75 ounces (425 grams)
- Compatibility: Teleconverter EC-14: yes (MF use only); extension tube EX-25: closest focusing distance 8.2 inches/208 millimeters; extended maximum image magnification 0.62x; minimum field size: 29 x 22mm
- What’s in the box: Olympus EVOLT E-500 body, USB cable, video cable, Li-Ion battery pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion battery charger (BCM-2), shoulder strap, Olympus Master editing software CD-ROM. manuals, warranty card, 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 Zuiko digital zoom lens, lens hood (LH-61), lens cap (LC-58B), lens rear cap; 40-150mm f3.5-4.5 Zuiko digital zoom lens, lens hood (LH-61B), lens cap (LC-58B), lens rear cap
Customer Review: Very Good Buy, I get great pics with this Olympus camera. It’s the 5th Olympus camera I’ve owned and I have always been pleased with this brand. I didn’t find the camera all that “obvious” to operate when I got away from all the presets–but I learned! I get great pictures and excellent resolution. The presets are very good as well. I just wish the individual lenses were not so expensive. I highly recommend this camera to anyone making the jump from automatic to SLR–you won’t be disappointed. But do take the time to learn the camera!! The manual is not helpful for really learning the camera but there are quite a few books available to teach the fine points of digital photography.
Customer Review: Graduated to SLR. Have been a fan of Olympus cameras since the film days with my 30 years old clamshell 35mm still operable. Have been using C-750 and C-8080 (great optics, steep leaning curve). The E500 optics are almost as good as the 8080,however, much more user friendly. Controls are handy and intuitive. Outstanding feature. NO MORE SHUTTER LAG! Overall quality first class. Only minus is the small viewfinder, hard to see settings off to the side wearing glasses.
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January 11th, 2007 at 5:22 am
[…] Olympus E-500 has a much more traditional design than theE-300, which is a good thing in my opinion, as I was not a fan of the body design of the E-300. (Olympus did tell me that the E-300 design isn’t dead yet.) In addition to the new look, there are these other new features on the E-500 when compared to the E-300: […]
May 20th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
[…] read more | digg story […]
June 13th, 2007 at 7:40 am
[…] Olympus E-500 has an 8 megapixel sensor, a Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF) for sensor dust reduction, and access to what Olympus is calling the “largest digital lens lineup” among competing SLR systems. The list of new items includes a 2.5 inch HyperCrystal LCD, dual media card slots (xD and CF), an auto pop-up flash (the E-300’s was manual)…read more | digg story […]