Digital Photography: Hints and Tips
Travels with my Olympus E-410
The Olympus E-410 has recently launched to great critical acclaim.
Photography Monthly described it as "a real delight to use" whilst
DPReview.com gave it their top "Highly Recommended" award. Digital
Photographer magazine gave it 90% saying "the E-400 was good but the replacement is even better - look out Canon and Nikon" whilst Digital
CAmera Buyer said: "Olympus have really pulled the rabbit out of the hat".
However for a real insight into this groundbreaking new digital SLR we sent out a small team of photographers with skills ranging from beginner to expert, to get their experiences of travelling with the Olympus E-410.
Darren Harbar – Weekend in Venice
A good camera is always top of the holiday packing list. But when you need to travel light, there is an inevitable trade-off between keeping weight to a minimum and ensuring you are well equipped to capture your memories with great quality images.
Compact digital cameras have traditionally fitted into the ‘lightweight’ category, but the image quality has never really compared to those from a true DSLR camera, with their higher quality sensors and versatile lens systems. Traditionally DSLR’s have tended to be big and heavy, which could count them out for holiday pictures and tourists unless you’re a serious photographer.
Luckily, things change, and the new 10-megapixel Olympus E-410 represents a new era in digital photography. It is no larger than many of the zoom compacts, weighing in at just 621g, including lens, battery and memory card. This makes it a serious alternative to a compact, but it delivers far better image quality. With this in mind, we packed our bag for Venice to see just how easy it is to tour with this super compact DSLR.
There are numerous advantages that a DSLR will offer you over and above a compact camera, one of which is the ability to change lenses. We had packed the standard 17.5-45mm kit and an additional 40-150mm telephoto lens. Just like the camera, the lenses are incredibly lightweight and compact, thanks to the Olympus Four-Thirds sensor system which effectively doubles the magnification of the focal length. So the 40-150mm telephoto gives the 35mm equivalent range of 100-300mm, from a lens just 8cm in length. The additional lens allowed us to capture nice close up images of the fantastic gondolas, plus some great candid shots in Piazza San Marco.
Despite being the smallest DSLR on the market, the E410 is certainly not lacking in features. There are all the standard elements you would expect from a DSLR, including a good mix of dedicated manual modes, shutter and aperture priority, plus automatic pre-set scene modes for virtually every occasion. It has a pop-up flash and an ISO sensitivity range of 100-1600 that makes for great shooting in low light conditions where you would already have put away your compact camera. Internally the camera features a Supersonic Wave Filter that prevents dust from accumulating on the sensor. This ensures your images stay spot free, especially useful when, like me you keep changing lenses.
The E-410 is also one of only a handful of DSLRs that offer a ‘live-view’ display on its 2.5” LCD screen. By a simple press of a button, you can switch between the viewfinder and the live view screen. Compact digital camera users will already be familiar with this way of shooting, but it also offers greater creative control for more experienced SLR and DSLR users. I found this feature especially useful on our travels, as we could raise the camera up over the top of the crowds to capture the scenery beyond, yet still be able to see what we were taking on the screen.
Blessed with easy to use menus and simple controls, the E-410 proved a real joy to use. Any traveller can quickly pick up the basics of this camera, and you don’t need years of photographic knowledge to get great results. The focusing, metering and choice of pre set creative shooting modes ensures you will get superb colourful images with fantastic detail every time you take a shot. One word of warning: be prepared to have lots of cameras thrust your way, accompanied by the words “can you take our picture”, as carrying the Olympus E-410 on your shoulder appears to convince all other tourists that you must be a great photographer!
Simon Iddon – Weekend in Cannes
I would class myself as an enthusiastic novice when it comes to using DSLR cameras. In other words I have always loved the idea of owning one but had been put off by the time and money needed to invest in one. However with DSLRs now more affordable than ever and increasingly targetted to first time users, the world of photography is opening its doors to budding novices like myself.
I purchased my Olympus E-410 just before a weekend trip to Cannes. Having previously travelled with a digital compact camera, I never seemed to get pictures that really capture the experience of the trip. I chose the Olympus E410 as it is the smallest D-SLR camera on the market but is also packed with features that really appealed to me. These included various manual features that would allow me to experiment, plus some more user-friendly features like the Live View mode, which as a novice enabled me to frame my shots better. I also purchased the essential memory card and a carrying case to ensure I protected my new investment from any knocks and scrapes.
The first thing that struck me about the E-410 was how instantly different it felt compared to the compact camera I was used to. Small things like the satisfying click and responsiveness when you take a picture and the control you feel when pointing the camera and zooming. As a novice, I found this rather addictive, drawing me into the world of the keen amateur.
On my first day out in Cannes I found myself sticking to the Auto settings, familiarising myself with the feel of the camera and building up my confidence. Wandering down ‘La Croisette’, I couldn’t help but feel like a member of the Paparazzi. Had it been a few weeks earlier I could have been snapping celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival. As it was I settled for photographing the various stunning hotel buildings and beautiful scenery that Cannes had to offer.
I was surprised at how easy-to-use the camera was and how quickly I became comfortable with it. As the day wore on and the light started to fade I decided to play around with some of the Scene modes. With 20 to choose from there is a setting for every eventuality, including sunset shots and low key portrait shots. By night the blurred, noise-filled photos I was used to from my compact were replaced by subtle photos capturing the light and atmosphere of the evening.
By day two I was surprised to find myself experimenting with some of the manual settings. The E410 comes with an easy to follow training DVD, which combined with the helpful instruction manual gave me the basic information I needed. As a result I was already testing out different aperture settings and shutter speeds and taking my photography on to the next level.
Over the weekend I only scratched the surface of the various functions and settings of the E-410. However in a short time I could already see the appeal of this DSLR, from novice through to the real enthusiasts. Having uploaded the photos (using the Olympus Master 2 software supplied), I was amazed at how good they look. I had succeeded in taking photos which captured the weekend perfectly and for the first time ever I had photos that I was proud to show off.
Peter Willis – Weekend in Rome
In my job I see plenty of new cameras come and go, so its safe to say it takes something special to attract my attention. However, the new Olympus E-410 DSLR did just that. In the world of digital cameras size does matter – the smaller the better - and as DSLRs go the E-410 is as small as they come. Plus the introduction of a ‘Live View’ LCD, gave this model a key point of difference from others in it’s class. So with a trip to Rome on the horizon I was looking forward to getting out and putting the E-410 through its paces.
As I arrived in one of the world’s top tourist destination the first thing that struck me was how many people have already made the step up from digital compacts to digital SLR. Add to this the fact that so many traditional 35mm SLR users are turning to digital and it is no surprise that the market is growing at such a rapid rate, with prices getting more and more competitive. The E-410 caters for both the DSLR novice and the SLR convert. The introduction of the ‘Live view’ LCD marks the E-410 out from others in its class. It is a familiar friend to compact users making the transition, who are used to framing their images on LCD screen. For the experienced SLR and DSLR user it allows greater creative control, offering the freedom to take your eye away from the viewfinder and capture subjects from new angles and perspectives. In Rome, the live view LCD allowed me to rise above the hordes of tourists at eye level to get uninterrupted shots. In this sense the E-410 quite literally stands out from the crowd.
Photography is often about trial and error. I found the menus and options on the E-410 quick and easy to navigate. With a bit of practice and aided by the excellent training DVD provided with the E-410, switching between different modes and settings was simple. By day, flitting between the bright sunlight of the outdoors and the shadowy interiors of Rome’s famous buildings the E-410 was easy to work with. Working with additional lenses was just as easy, coupled with the peace of mind that the E-410 features an internal device to keep the sensor free of dust and dirt when switching between them. The 40-150mm telephoto lens I was equipped with meant I could capture distant shots of the collisseum in the backdrop of Rome’s impressive Forum.
Rome comes alive at night and the E-410 proved adept at taking pictures in low light conditions. The automatic settings worked well here, whilst switching into manual settings, such as ultra slow shutter speeds produced some outstanding results. Having spent the weekend waiting for gaps in the crowds, working with a slower shutter speed meant I could now make them a feature of my shots, capturing the essence of the hustle and bustle of the sightseers around Rome’s most famous landmarks.
Reviewing my photos after the trip, the E-410 had dealt extremely well with the different challenges that Rome had presented. Shooting in bright sunlight had resulted in excellent colour rendition, capturing deep blue skies against the contrasting pale buildings. Shooting at night had produced warm and atmospheric images, encapsulating the essence of the city at night. Even shots of low lit, detailed interiors delivered sharp and clear results. The E-410 had coped with all eventualities that a weekend’s touring in Rome had to offer, doing justice to one of the world’s most picturesque cities.