Olympus E-450 Review

4.0

May 27, 2009 | Zoltan Arva-Toth |

Buy a E-450 10 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body Only (6.9 cm 2.7" LCD - 3648 x 2736 Image)

Specifications

Type
Lens mount	Four Thirds
Body material	Glassfibre reinforced plastics
Image Sensor
Effective pixels	10 Megapixels
Filter array	Primary colour filter (RGB)
Full resolution	11.8 Megapixels
Type	4/3 '' Live MOS sensor
Aspect ratio & area	4:3 / 17.3 x 13.0 mm
Engine
Type	TruePic III+
Filter
LPF filter	Fixed type
IR cut filter	Hybrid type
Dust reduction filter	Supersonic Wave Filter
Viewfinder
Viewfinder type	Eye-level single-lens view finder
Field of view	Approx. 95 %
Magnification	Approx. 0.92 x with a 50mm lens set to infinity at -1 dioptre
Depth of field preview	Yes
Eye point	14 mm
Diopter adjustment	Yes -3.0 - +1.0 diopter / built-in type
Focusing screen	Fixed type (Neo Lumi-Micron Mat Screen)
Mirror	Quick return mirror
Viewfinder Information	Yes AF frame (super impose), AE lock, AF confirmation mark, metering mode, exposure mode, shutter speed, aperture value, white balance, exposure compensation value indicator, flash, battery check
Eye piece shutter	Eye-piece cap EPC-1 supplied
Live View
AF type	Option between phase difference detection system and contrast detection autofocus
Information	100% field of view, exposure adjustment preview, white balance adjustment preview, gradation setting preview (SAT), face detection preview, perfect shot preview, gridline displayable, 7x/10x magnification possible, MF/S-AF, AF frame display, AF point display, shooting information, histogramme
Focusing System
Method	TTL phase difference detection system, contrast detection system
Focus areas	3 points / Automatic and manual selection. For contrast detection AF, 11 points are used.
AF illuminator	Yes , Built-in flash (external flash available / inactivation possible)
AF lock	Yes , Locked by first position of shutter release button, AE/AF lock button (customised)
Focus tracking	Yes , Available in continuous AF mode
Manual focus	Yes , Available by rotating focus ring, available for setting manual focus operation in AF mode (customised)
Single AF	Yes
Single AF + MF	Yes
Continuous AF	Yes , only available for TTL phase difference detection
Continuous AF + MF	Yes , only available for TTL phase difference detection
Detection range	0 - 19 EV (ISO 100)
Exposure System
Exposure compensation	+/- 5 EV / 1/3 steps
Exposure bracketing	3 frames / +/- 1/3, 2/3, 1 EV steps
Exposure Modes
Auto	Yes
Programme automatic	Yes
Aperture priority	Yes
Shutter priority	Yes
Manual	Yes
Scene Modes	28
Light Metering
Method	TTL open aperture light metering
Zones	49 zones Multi-pattern Sensing System
Detection range	1 - 20 EV (50mm, 1:2, ISO 100)
ESP light metering	Yes
Spot metering	Yes
Centre weighted metering	Yes
Highlight	Yes
Shadow	Yes
Art Filter
Pin Hole	Reproduces the peripheral vignetting and unique colour tone of photos taken with a pin hole camera
Pop Art	Emphasizes colors and creates bright, vibrant images with a pop-art tone
Soft Focus	Gives images a light, ethereal look and evokes a dreamy, mystical mood
Sensitivity
Auto	ISO 100 - 1600
Manual	ISO 100 - 1600 (adjustable in 1 EV steps)
Shutter
Shutter type	Electronically controlled focal plane shutter
Shutter release	Soft Touch Electromagnetic
Self timer	12 s / 2 s
Anti Shock	Yes Release delay: 1 - 30 s
Shutter Speeds
Shutter speed range	1/4000 - 60 s
AUTO	1/4000 - 2 s
Shutter speed P, Ps	1/4000 - 60 s (up to 30 min in Bulb mode)
Shutter speed A priority	1/4000 - 60 s (up to 30 min in Bulb mode)
Shutter speed S priority	1/4000 - 60 s (up to 30 min in Bulb mode)
Shutter speed Manual	1/4000 - 60 s (up to 30 min in Bulb mode)
Shutter speed scene mode	1/4000 - 4 s
White Balance
AUTO WB system	Advanced detection system with Live MOS sensor
Manual White balance (One-Touch)	Yes
White balance adjustment	+/- 7 in each A-B / G-M axis (in Auto WB, preset WB mode & one-touch WB)
Selectable steps in Kelvin	8 steps (3000 - 7500 K)
Overcast	Yes
Shade	Yes
Tungsten	Yes
Sunlight	Yes
Flash	Yes
Flourescent 1	Yes
Flourescent 2	Yes
Flourescent 3	Yes
Sequence Shooting
Sequential shooting mode	3.5 fps / Up to card capacity in Large Normal mode 3.5 fps / 8 frames RAW
Image Processing
Colour space	sRGB / AdobeRGB
Engine	TruePic III+
Sharpness + Contrast	5 levels
Saturation	5 levels
Contrast	5 levels
Black & White filter	Yellow, Orange, Red, Green
Black & White toning	Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green in Black & White mode
Picture mode	Vivid, Natural, Muted, Portrait, Black & White (default setting Natural).
Gradation	4 (auto, high key, normal, low key)
Internal Flash
Guide number	12 (ISO 100)
Flash compensation	+/- 3 EV / 1/3 EV steps
Modes	AUTO, Manual, Red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation, Slow synchronisation 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Slow synchronisation with red-eye reduction, Off
External Flash Control
X-sync speed	1/180 s / 1/4000 s (Super FP Mode)
Type	TTL auto FP/ TTL auto for Olympus dedicated flash, auto or manual.
Synchronisation modes	Auto, Manual, Red-eye reduction, Slow syncro with red-eye reduction, Slow syncro, 2nd curtain and slow syncro, Fill-in for exclusive flash
Built-in flash and wireless flash control from the camera body
Compatible external flash	FL-50R, FL-36R
Control method	Triggered and controlled by built-in flash light
Modes	TTL Auto (TTL pre-flash mode), Auto, Manual, FP TTL Auto, FP Manual
Group setting	3 groups
Number of channels	4 channels
LCD
Resolution	230000 dots
LCD type	HyperCrystal II LCD
Monitor size	6.9 cm / 2.7 ''
Brightness adjustment	15 levels
Colour balance	15 levels
Super Control Panel
Displayed information
Battery indicator	Yes
Exposure mode	Yes
Shutter speed	Yes
Aperture value	Yes
Exposure compensation value
ISO	Yes
Exposure compensation indication	Yes
Metering mode	Yes
Exposure level view	Yes
Flash compensation value	Yes
AE bracketing	Yes
Colour space	Yes
Picture mode	Yes
Gradation	Yes
Colour saturation compensation value	Yes
Sharpness compensation value	Yes
Contrast compensation value	Yes
White balance	Yes
White balance compensation value	Yes
Noise reduction	Yes
AEL notification	Yes
Flash mode	Yes
Focus mode	Yes
AF frame	Yes
Drive mode	Yes
Record mode	Yes
Number of storable frames	Yes
Memory card	Yes
Face detection	Yes
Super Control Panel (Flash)
Displayed information
Exposure mode	Yes
Shutter speed	Yes
Aperture value	Yes
Exposure compensation indication	Yes
Flash compensation value	Yes
AEL notification	Yes
Noise reduction	Yes
Bracketing	Yes
AF illuminator disactivated notification	Yes
Colour space	Yes
Wireless channel setting	Yes
Built-in flash intensity	Yes
Group settings	Yes
View Images
Histogram in playback mode	Yes
Zoom	Yes 2-14 x
Index	Yes 4, 9, 16, 25, 49, 100 frames
Slide show	Yes
Shooting information	Exposure mode, metering mode, shutter speed, aperture value, exposure compensation level, ISO, colour space, white balance mode, white balance compensation level, focal length, focus area, file type, picture mode, file name, image size, recorded card type.
Exposure level view	Histogram (R,G,B available), High light point warning, Shadow point warning.
Rotation	Yes
Erase / Protect / Copy Function
Erase modes	Single, All, Selected
Image protect mode	Single, Selected
Copy mode	Single, All, Selected
Recording Formats
RAW	12 bit
RAW & JPEG	Yes Parallel recording
JPEG	Yes
Image Size
RAW	3648 x 2736 / 11 MB / frame
Large	3648 x 2736 Super Fine / 6.8 MB / frame 3648 x 2736 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 4.7 MB / frame 3648 x 2736 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 2.2 MB / frame 3648 x 2736 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 1.5 MB / frame
Middle	3200 x 2400 Super Fine / 5.3 MB / frame 3200 x 2400 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 3.7 MB / frame 3200 x 2400 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 1.7 MB / frame 3200 x 2400 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 1.1 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Super Fine / 3.6 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 2.2 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 1.1 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 0.7 MB / frame
Small	1600 x 1200 Super Fine / 1.3 MB / frame 1600 x 1200 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 0.8 MB / frame 1600 x 1200 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.5 MB / frame 1600 x 1200 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 0.3 MB / frame 1280 x 960 Super Fine / 0.8 MB / frame 1280 x 960 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 0.5 MB / frame 1280 x 960 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.3 MB / frame 1280 x 960 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 0.2 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Super Fine / 0.5 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 0.4 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.2 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 0.1 MB / frame 640 x 480 Super Fine / 0.2 MB / frame 640 x 480 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 0.2 MB / frame 640 x 480 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.1 MB / frame 640 x 480 Basic (compression: 1/12) / 0.1 MB / frame
Still Image Recording
EXIF	2.2
PIM	III
DPOF	Yes
DCF	Yes
Image Editing
RAW data edit	Yes
Shadow Adjustment	Yes
Trimming	Yes
Red-eye reduction	Yes
Black & White	Yes
Sepia	Yes
Correction of saturation	Yes
Resize	Yes
Menu
Menu languages in camera	English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish
Menu languages by download	Additional one language from 15 further languages by download via the internet.
Customisation Options
Left arrow button	Off, one-touch WB, test picture, preview, Live View, face detection
Drive button	Drive, AF target selection, AF mode, WB mode, Metering mode, ISO setting
Custom preset options	2
Power Supply
Battery	BLS-1 Li-Ion battery (included)
Battery life	Approx. 500 shots with BLS-1 under CIPA testing standard.
Sleep mode	1, 3, 5, 10 min. and off selectable.
Environment
Temperature	0 - 40 °C operating temperature / -20 - 60 °C storage temperature
Humidity	30 - 90 % operation humidity / 10 - 90 % storage humidity
Size
Dimensions (W x H x D)	129.5 x 91 x 53 mm (without protrusions)
Weight	380 g (body only)
Interface
Media	Dual slot for CompactFlash card (Type I and II), Microdrive and xD picture card
USB 2.0 High Speed	Yes
Combined V & USB output	Yes NTSC or PAL selectable
Infrared	Yes