Olympus E-300

The E-300 ('EVOLT' in North America) became the second ever Four Thirds System digital SLR when it was announced by Olympus at Photokina 2004. The camera features an eight megapixel Kodak 4/3 Type CCD sensor, a Four Thirds lens mount and an unusual Optical Porro Finder. The viewfinder uses four mirrors instead of a prism, its sideways swinging mirror lends to the camera's flat-top profile. Instead of the image from the lens being directed upwards to the viewfinder prism it is directed rightwards and then up to the viewfinder which is offset from the lens axis.

Specification
Kit Price
(inc. 14-45 mm lens) • US: $ 999
• UK: £ 699 (inc VAT)
Body material • Aluminium die-cast chassis
• Top cover aluminium, rest plastic
Sensor • 4/3 type CCD (Kodak Full Frame Transfer)
• 17.3 x 13.0 mm active area
• 8.9 million total pixels
• 8.0 million effective pixels
• RGB (Primary) color filter array
• Fixed low pass filter (anti-alias filter)
• Supersonic Wave Filter (dust protection)
Image sizes • 3264 x 2448
• 3200 x 2400
• 2560 x 1920
• 1600 x 1200
• 1280 x 960
• 1024 x 768
• 640 x 480
File formats • RAW
• RAW + JPEG
• TIFF
• JPEG (EXIF 2.2) - three levels
Lenses • 4/3 standard lens mount
• Range of ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses available
• 2x FOV crop
Auto focus • 3-point TTL Phase Difference Detection
• Automatic or manual point selection
• EV 0 to 19 (ISO 100) detection range
Focus area selection • Automatic
• Manual
Focus modes • Single shot AF
• Continuous AF
• Manual focus
Manual focus Focus by wire
AF assist lamp • Yes, flash strobe (flash must be raised)
Exposure modes • Program AE (with shift)
• Aperture priority AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Manual
• Scene
Sensitivity • Auto (ISO 100 - 400)
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• Expanded: ISO 800, ISO 1600
Metering modes • Digital ESP
• Center-Weighted Average
• Spot (2%)
AE Lock • AEL button
• With shutter release half-press
AE Bracketing • 3 frames
• 1/3, 1/2, 0.7 or 1.0 EV steps
Exposure steps 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV
Exposure compen. • -5.0 to +5.0 EV
• 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps
Shutter speed • Program AE mode: 1 - 1/4000 sec
• Aperture, Shutter Priority mode: 30 - 1/4000 sec
• Manual mode: 30 - 1/4000 sec, Bulb
Flash X-sync speed • 1/180 sec
• 1/4000 sec (Super FP mode)
Aperture values Depends on lens: 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps
White balance • Auto
• 3000 K (Incandescent)
• 3600 K (Incandescent)
• 4000 K (Fluorescent)
• 4500 K (Fluorescent)
• 5500 K (Sunny)
• 6500 K (Cloudy)
• 6600 K (Fluorescent)
• 7500 K (Shade)
• Kelvin (2000 - 10000 K)
• Custom
* All of the above can be fine tuned +/- 7 levels except manual presets
WB Bracketing • 3 frames
• 1, 2 or 3 steps
Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB
Image parameters • Saturation (5 levels)
• Contrast (5 levels)
• Sharpness (5 levels)
• Monochrome (B&W, Sepia)
• Graduation (High Key, Normal, Low Key)
Drive modes • Single
• Continuous
Continuous • 2.5 fps
• 4 frames maximum
Self-timer • 2 sec
• 12 sec
Flash • Slide pop-up
• TTL auto
• Guide no. 13
External flash • Hot shoe
• TTL Auto FP / TTL auto for Olympus dedicated flash
• Modes: Auto / Red-eye Reduction / Slow Syncro / 2nd Curtain Slow Syncro / Fill-in for exclusive flash
• Flash power: Up to +/- 2EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV step for exclusive flash
Viewfinder • Eye-level TTL Optical Porro Finder
• Field of view 94%
• Magnification 1.0x with a 50mm lens and -1 dioptre
• Eye point 20 mm at -1 dioptre
• Dioptre adjustment -3 to +1 ditopre
• Focusing screen: Fixed Neo Lumicron Matte
• Mirror: side swing quick return mirror
Viewfinder info • AF point
• AF frame
• AE lock
• AF confirmation
• Metering mode
• Exposure mode
• Shutter speed
• Aperture value
• White balance
• Exposure compensation value
• Flash
• Battery level indicator
• Record mode
• Number of storable sequential pictures
Control panel display • Flash mode
• Flash compensation value
• Metering mode
• Focus mode
• Record mode
• Exposure mode
• Battery check
• Aperture value
• Shutter speed
• Number of storable still pictures
• Number of storable sequential pictures
• Image quality adjustment
• ISO
• Colour space
• Mono tone
• Hi/Lo key
• Colour saturation compensation value
• Sharpness compensation value
• White balance
• AE lock
• Exposure level indicator
• Exposure compensation value
• Exposure compensation indicator
• AF frame
• Auto bracket
• Noise reduction mode
• White balance bracket
• Drive mode
• Selected scene mode
• Number of pixels
Orientation sensor Yes
LCD monitor • 1.8" TFT LCD monitor ('advanced super view')
• 134,000 pixels
• 100% frame coverage
Playback functions • Single
• Magnify (2 - 10x)
• Index (4, 9, 16 frames)
• Slide show
• Histogram / Highlight warning
Editing • RAW development
• JPEG editing (monochrome only)
Connectivity • USB (1.1)
• Video Out (NTSC / PAL)
• IR Remote control (optional)
• DC-IN
Vertical / portrait grip Optional HLD-3
Power • BLM-1 1500 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (supplied & charger)
• Optional Power Battery Holder HLD-3 and Lithium-Ion battery
• Optional AC adapter AC-1
Dimensions 147 x 85 x 64 mm (5.8 x 3.4 x 2.5 in)
Weight (no batt) 580 g (1.3 lb)
Weight (inc batt) 624 g (1.4 lb)
Box contents E-300 body, USB cable, video cable, Li-ion battery pack (BLM-1), Li-ion battery charger (BCM-2), shoulder strap, Olympus Master 1.1, CD-ROM, instruction manuals, warranty card.