Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Olympus Digital Cameras > Olympus E-10

Olympus E-10 A 4 megapixel sensor and unique SLR optics make for a major coup for Olympus! (Final review, based on full-production model.) Select a topic Reference: Datasheet E10 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, Software Review First Posted: 1/26/2001

Video Out

The E-10 has a video-out port which supports the NTSC timing format on US and Japanese models (we assume that the PAL standard is supported on European models). The video output can be used for reviewing previously shot images or running slide shows from the camera, but also shows all the LCD menu screens as well as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder. Combined with the flexible infrared remote control we mentioned earlier, the availability of a live viewfinder display via the video signal opens interesting possibilities for portrait photography, using a video monitor as a remote viewfinder.


Power

The E-10 can use a variety of power sources. The battery compartment features a sliding tray design, in which a tray pops out from the compartment for easier battery loading. The camera's internal battery compartment can accommodate either four AA alkaline, NiCd, or NiMH batteries, or two CR-V3 lithium battery packs. An AC adapter is available as an accessory, and plugs into the DC-in port in the connection compartment. Also available as an accessory is a lithium polymer battery pack, which provides twice the power capacity of even the highest-capacity NiMH cells (15.4 vs 7.7 watt-hours) and requires an external battery holder. This external battery compartment doubles as a vertical grip for the camera, complete with a secondary shutter button. Olympus estimates that two CR-V3 batteries should provide approximately 300 minutes of operating time, and four AA NiMH batteries should provide about 150 minutes. This is consistent with our own test results on the E-10, and in fact may be somewhat conservative. Current battery status is reported on the status display panel with a small battery icon. When the icon appears full, the batteries should be fully charged. If the icon blinks, the batteries are getting low, and if it lights for a short time and then disappears, the batteries are dead.

Operating Mode	Power Drain
Capture Mode, w/LCD	580/270 mA
Capture Mode, no LCD	380/190 mA
Half-pressed shutter w/LCD	580 mA
Half-pressed, no LCD	380 mA
Memory Write (transient)	560 mA
Flash Recharge (transient)	1630 mA
Image Playback	360 mA

For a camera with its resolution and capabilities, the E-10 is surprisingly frugal in its power consumption. Capture mode power is lower than average, and drops even further after a few seconds of inactivity. Playback power consumption is also noticeably lower than average. Overall, the E-10 should display very good battery life, although our standard recommendation that users purchase at least two sets of high-capacity NiMH cells and a good charger still stands. (As noted above, we feel that Olympus' claim of 150 minutes of operating time on a set of batteries is actually fairly conservative.)

While the E-10's inherent battery life is quite good, its pro-oriented design means many owners will need the ability to shoot all day with the camera. The Olympus battery-equipped hand grip is certainly a good option for that, although it adds a fair bit of bulk, not to mention expense. Many photographers rely on belt-clipped battery packs to power their digicams for extended periods, but most of these are NiMH-based, with output voltages of less than 6 volts. The E-10 requires a substantially higher voltage at it's external-power jack, which means that the popular NiMH external packs won't work. Fortunately, a LiIon "PowerBank" is available from Maha that has a high enough voltage to power the E-10. Running about $60, this unit provides about 1400 mAh of power at a terminal voltage (under moderate load) of a bit over 8 volts. Given the E-10's frugal power consumption, the LiIon PowerBank should keep the camera running for a good 4+ hours of continous use in capture mode. One note - Maha makes both NiMH and LiIon versions of the PowerBank, make sure you get the LiIon model for the E-10. (Model number MH-DPB140LI.) You can order these online from Thomas-Distributing. Highly recommended!



Included Software

The software they didn't include...

(But that you should) Few people realize just how *much* you can improve your digicam images through clever processing in Photoshop. Greatly (!) increased sharpness, reduced noise, and even ultra-wide dynamic range (light-to-dark range) by combining multiple exposures. Fred Miranda and uber-Photoshop expert Fred Miranda has packaged some of his Photoshop magic in a collection of powerful and affordably priced "actions." Check out his site, the results are pretty amazing! Camera manuals are (sometimes) fine for knowing which button does what, but where do you go to learn how and when to use the various features? Dennis Curtin's "Shortcourses" books and CDs are the answer. (Cheap for what you get, too.) Order the Shortcourses manual for the camera reviewed in this article.

Although we didn't receive them with our prototype unit, two software CDs and a USB cable will come with the E-10, for connecting the camera to a PC or Macintosh and downloading images. One of the software packages is the Olympus RAW File Import Plug-in, which provides a utility for processing RAW data images later with Adobe PhotoShop. Direct camera control and image downloading are provided by an updated version of Olympus' own Camedia software package which allows you to download and save images to your hard drive, and perform rudimentary organization and correction functions.