The strengths of the camera is the excellent color quality. The pictures that come from this camera have all the detail of the 35mm camera that I have from Olympus.

The major weakness that I think the camera has is that there seems to be a focus problem with the camera. The lack of real good documentation on the fine art of setting everything up make the camera not as easy to use as the IS-3DLX that I own. I was very disappointed in the lens accessories that I spent nearly as much for as the camera. The documentation on these are next to nothing.

I am not a professional photog, but I consider myself better than a beginner and have shot 10's of thousands of pictures on the IS-3DLX, and the lens accessories for this camera were far and above the ones for the E-10.

The other downfall of the camera is that the store where I purchased it from Samy's in LA are only interested in a sale and don't want to support the customer, especially if you didn't buy everything there. I tried very hard to get the lens accessories, but the sales guy passed me over about 5 times before I got a call. I purchased the lens accessories from Portland and the people were great. I wanted to get in on some of the Classes that Olympus has for the digital camera line, especially the E-10. It is certainly different from the Kodak I had and of course very different from the 35mm Olympus.

The bottom line - a good value for money...there are stores selling it at less than I paid for it and probably would have got as much support from mailorder than from Samy's. They don't care about the cusotmers of Digital and I would think they would wake up...the digital era is here to stay.

Customer Service

I think the customer service is poor to this point. I have called about the focus problem, and yes I have had my eyes and glasses checked, and in calling 5 times I have never received a call back.

Similar Products Used:

Kodak 240 - Kodak 260 - Sony Mavica

Build
Ergonomics
Lens
Image

Focusing in low light
Fixed lens
Expensive flash
Manual on CD
No case included

This is a fine SLR camera with a very robust feel to it. It feels good and looks good. Controls are easy to get to. You hardly ever need to use the LCD.

It will use an IBM Microdrive. The 340MB version is the one which most claim works. Failing that CF cards and Smartmedia cards can be used - even together since it has two memory slots.

The image quality is ecellent. Pay no heed to the 'noise' issue which some who must not have used it talk about. There is no more noise on this than on almost any digicam.

There are various levels of compression on offer from none (Tiff or ORF) to the usual jpeg variations.

macro mode is very useful and you can add an Olympou slens to get closer ot even Close-up filters. Adding two +4 Hoya diopters gives about 1:1 magnification.

Night shots are a doddle. It has very good low light capabilities. As with any digicam keeping the camera cool reduces night noise.

It will use other flashguns and has a pc socket. However, only the dedicated FL40 will do TTL.

It has a range of add-on lenses available for it from Olympus. They are a bit expensive but reputedly very good. maybe someone will offer some cheaper ones.

It will work very well including Microdrive on a few sets of NiMH batteries. I use 1500 mAh and have had no problems. Just ensure you charge abtteries often. One charged set will allow me fill the MD with 127 shots and download them to my PC.

The 'focusing problem' mentioned by a few is perhaps real for some but most relaised that it required them to learn how to use it. It is SLR-like and not SLR in this respect. Whilst autofocus is quick, quiet, accurate (except in stated situations) and easy to use, manual focus is a little slower than SLR and requires a little practice. When done though it is as easy to use as an SLR.


As it stands it is a truly affordable digital SLR. So, if you're sick of guessing with point and shoot digicams (like the G1, 995, et al) then this is the one for you and at a good price.

Customer Service

Okay. Questions answered.

Similar Products Used:

Canon G1
Nikon 995

- Rock solid construction
-Excellent lens
- High image quality
- True color reproduction
- Smooth manual zoom
-Fast shooting
- Excellent ergonomics
-Large community base amounts to excellent support
-Price, believe it or not

- No continuous AF
- Manual focus a little hard to use
- LCD grainy
- Low light focusing is finnicky (no AF assist lamp)
- Slow turn-on and transfer to/from storage media
- Buffer could be larger

All in all, the best choice if you are limited by funds but want something that can potentially replace a film SLR. It won't do everything a film SLR can, but maybe 80-90% of it, and you'll find that most of the time you leave your film SLR at home once you get one of these.

The only two instances that you'd need more camera in a digital are: 1) a professional shooting lots of fast-action or sports, 2) a professional doing high-resolution, large-format work such as ad posters, etc.
Many professionals not in either circumstance do use this camera, especially portrait and wedding photographers.

The noise, hot pixel and battery life issues are really overblown. I get an average of 150 shots per set of AAs, and these are 1600mAH models, so there is room for improvement.
There is some noise, but even Nikons D1 series has noise in similar shots. It's noticeable on screen at full resolution, but in print, you won't see any of it.

Lots of people own these cameras, and a trip to a digital photography site online will most likely answer any question you have, if Oly's support is a little lacking.

Some caveats: Try to get as late a model camera as you can, the later models had fewer problems. if you can get an image from the camera you indend to buy (take your CF to the store) then check the EXIF data and make sure it has a -120 ending on the firmware number.

I had not "gone out" specifically to shoot pictures in years, but the E-10 brought the sheer joy of photography back. It's all in the almost-unmatched build and feel, and the excellent results with a minimum of effort.

It has been said that just about nothing beats the feel of the E-10 in your hand, and while I haven't felt "everything," i sure wouldn't doubt it.

Customer Service

No experience, but the Oly USA Web site SUCKS. I tried to register my warranty through the site but couldn't. The Oly Europe site is better for content, but I can't do my warranty through it.

Similar Products Used:

Various film SLRs
Various consumer digicams

feels real camera, not plastic toy
good picture quality
all buttons, dials and knobs have real positive click-feeling - they set values presicely - no fumbling around is it there or not
true SLR though fixed lens - this is also positive thing as with interchangeable lens you have dust particles sneaking in cam
excellent manual covering most of matters as you learn the camera step by step

as eyeglass wearer setting dioptric values on viewfinder could beeasier

When you learn few basic settings required to make compensations for eyesight in viewfinder, learn to use MF as well all other manual settings you will find excellent all-around SLR in your hands. Some are quibbingit will not use IBM Microdrive, so what, there's available already some very large capacity CF cards up to 512MB; fitted my E10 with 256Mb CF cards and can shoot most sessions with them and with a power battery holder (B-HLD10). Using CF cardreader in PC makes picture downloading easy and fast. I am satisfied with this camera. As my main field is people photography and couple last years cat photography too, I can recommend this product.

Customer Service

no experience

Similar Products Used:

Canon SLR's from 1970's to date
Epson PhotoPC 3000Z

Excellent Build quality
Excellent User InterFace
Extremely sharp Photos
Nice Fixed Lens
Great Handling
Viewfinder excellent.
Shutter lag time is quickest I've used in digital.

Top Speed of only 1/640
Smallest Aperture is only f/11.
First E10 I had had a stuck pixel. Replaced at B&H without a problem.

There have been some questions about the E-10's Focusing speed, background noise, and quality control. All of these issues have some truth in them. Focusing is a little slow,especially in low light. If I magnify my image to 4oo%, there is certainly some visual noise.The stuck pixels is a quality control issue which I believe Olympus addressed with my second camera. My second camera is excellent. Is it a true professional digital SLR. By my own definition it is not. ITs rugged build quality, and its feel is certainly that of a traditional SLR. But its limitations in shutter speed and aperture, and its lack of interchangeable lenses preclude it from being a truly professional camera. It does make beautiful images and does it in a manner that allows me to work as I have always worked as a photographer. Its weaknesses are real; just as real as the weaknesses in the D30, D1, and S1. The difference is I paid some 300-1000 less for those weaknesses and the E-10 still produces and image that is comparable to the expensive cameras.

Customer Service

NA

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Nikon Coolpix 950
Early Mavica