Olympus E-1
Encyclopedia
The Olympus
E-1, introduced in 2003, was the first DSLR system camera
designed from the ground up for digital photography
. This contrasts with its contemporaries which offered systems based on reused parts from previous 135 film
systems, modified to fit with a sensor size of APS-C
.
lens mount and imaging system. This design choice means that because the CCD
is smaller than a 35 mm negative, Four Thirds System lenses and camera bodies can be made smaller and lighter than those of preceding SLRs.
Characteristics:
Sometimes the user experiences bright spots in long (greater than a few seconds) exposures. This is called long exposure noise. By turning on the "Noise Removal" (not "Noise Filter"), the E-1 will do a “dark frame subtraction
” to get rid of these erroneous bright spots.
The development of the E-1 involved the revitalization of Olympus' old Zuiko lens brand, through a new range named "Zuiko Digital" with the Four Thirds System
lens mount
. The E-1 was usually sold bundled with a splash proof Zuiko Digital 14–54 mm 1:2.8–3.5 zoom lens.
Olympus
initially gave away free adapters to connect OM lenses to the new Four Thirds System mount. This adapter allowed a wide range of OM lenses to be used with the new Olympus DSLRs. The adapter is no longer given away for free, but is still available for purchase from authorised Olympus resellers.
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
E-1, introduced in 2003, was the first DSLR system camera
System camera
A system camera is a camera with interchangeable components that constitutes the core of a system. Early representatives include Leica I Schraubgewinde , Exakta and the Nikon F...
designed from the ground up for digital photography
Digital photography
Digital photography is a form of photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film...
. This contrasts with its contemporaries which offered systems based on reused parts from previous 135 film
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
systems, modified to fit with a sensor size of APS-C
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...
.
Features
The E-1 uses the Four Thirds SystemFour Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
lens mount and imaging system. This design choice means that because the CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
is smaller than a 35 mm negative, Four Thirds System lenses and camera bodies can be made smaller and lighter than those of preceding SLRs.
Characteristics:
- Lighter/more compact than contemporary DSLR bodies
- 5 megapixel CCDCharge-coupled deviceA charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
- Good dynamic range and exposure
- Magnesium-alloy body
- Environmental sealing (splash proof)
- "Supersonic Wave FilterSupersonic Wave FilterThe Supersonic Wave Filter is a dust reduction system developed by Olympus to overcome the negative effect of dust particles landing on the image sensor of digital SLRs. DSLRs are particularly vulnerable to this issue, since the interior of the camera is exposed during lens changes unlike other...
" dust reduction systemDust reduction systemA dust reduction system, or dust removal system, is a technology employed by several manufacturers of digital system cameras to solve the problem of dust particles adhering to the image sensor. Some systems remove or clean the sensor by vibrating at a very high frequency—between 100hertz and...
cleans CCD at each camera start-up (dust is shaken off the CCD) - USB 2.0 and Firewire connectivity
- Continuous shooting 3 frames per second up to 12 frames
- Hybrid white balance sensor (on external surface of camera and using CCD)
- User upgradeable firmwareFirmwareIn electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...
Sometimes the user experiences bright spots in long (greater than a few seconds) exposures. This is called long exposure noise. By turning on the "Noise Removal" (not "Noise Filter"), the E-1 will do a “dark frame subtraction
Dark frame subtraction
In digital photography, dark-frame subtraction is a way to minimize image noise for pictures taken with long exposure times. It takes advantage of the fact that a component of image noise, known as fixed-pattern noise, is the same from shot to shot: noise from the sensor, dead or hot pixels...
” to get rid of these erroneous bright spots.
The development of the E-1 involved the revitalization of Olympus' old Zuiko lens brand, through a new range named "Zuiko Digital" with the Four Thirds System
Four Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
lens mount
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
. The E-1 was usually sold bundled with a splash proof Zuiko Digital 14–54 mm 1:2.8–3.5 zoom lens.
Olympus
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
initially gave away free adapters to connect OM lenses to the new Four Thirds System mount. This adapter allowed a wide range of OM lenses to be used with the new Olympus DSLRs. The adapter is no longer given away for free, but is still available for purchase from authorised Olympus resellers.