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July 17, 2003
New Kid on the Block--Challenger to Canon and Nikon Digital SLR
Well, it has to happen. Olympus jumped into the portable digital SLR fray by introducing its E1 (some would call this the proconsumer market to indicate it's high-end consumer/low-end professional=meaning somewhere in between).
The E-1 has a five megapixel 4/3 type CCD sensor from Kodak. Those of you are not familiar with photography, 4/3 type comes out of the joint project by Kodak and Olympus to create a new standard for digital photography in sensor size and lens mount. By the way, 4/3 comes from the actual size ratio of the CCD sensor (18 x 13.5mm).
The E-1 is priced at $2199 which is pricier than both Canon and Nikon, but if the model gets popular, I hope the street price will hover around the $1500 to 1600 range. Unfortunately, since the camera also has a new lens mount, you would have to incorporate the cost of the lens into the purchase equation. If you buy a good multi-purpose zoom (let's say 24 to 80 or 105 mm) and a decent telephoto zoom (70 or 80 to 200 or 300mm), then figure another $700 to 1000 to its price. So, this might not be a good option for even previous Olympus owners.
However, if you are new to the market, and need to purchase the whole starter kit, the Olympus E-1 might make your decision even more difficult.
We will have to wait and see . . .
Posted by Ken in Photography