How much dynamic range does the Olympus E-420 offer?
According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Olympus E-420 provides a maximum of 10.4 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.
High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Olympus E-420 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
2. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
3. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
4. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
5. | Olympus E-400 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
6. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
7. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
8. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.5 | 10.3 | 541 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
11. | Panasonic L10 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.3 | 10.8 | 429 | 55 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
In the United States, the E-420 was initially launched in March 2008 at a price of $599.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 80D vs Nikon Z6
- Canon SX620 vs Nikon Z6
- Fujifilm XF10 vs Olympus E-420
- Leica M Typ 262 vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon P1000 vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon Z6 vs Olympus E-330
- Nikon Z6 vs Sigma fp L
- Olympus E-420 vs Olympus E-M5 III
- Olympus E-420 vs Olympus E-PM2
- Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FZ330
- Olympus E-420 vs Sony A6400
- Olympus E-420 vs Sony RX10 IV
Camera Model | Olympus E-420 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | |
Launch Date | March 2008 | |
Launch Price | USD 599 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 225 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 3 648 x 2 736 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.74 μm | |
Pixel Density | 4.44 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | no Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | TruePic III | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.5 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.4 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 527 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.46x | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 2.7 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 215k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 3.5 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Battery Type | Olympus BLS-1 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
130 x 91 x 53 mm (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 440 g (15.5 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.
You are here: Home » Olympus E-420 Review » Olympus E-420 Dynamic Range