A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Olympus E-1 Comparison Review

The Olympus E-1 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in June 2003 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 4.9 megapixel.

camera

Is the Olympus E-1 a good camera? The E-1 has a Camera Elo of 895. This rating puts the E-1 below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the E-1 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Olympus E-1 is more than 21 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2003.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-1
Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses
4.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
no Video
ISO 100 - 800 (100 - 3 200)
Optical viewfinder
1.8 LCD, 134k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge
141 x 104 x 81 mm, 738 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

ad

Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Olympus E-1 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Olympus E-1 vs credit card front
E-1 versus credit card top view
E-1 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Olympus E-1 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

scroll hint
Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-1 141 mm 104 mm 81 mm 738 g 750 Y Jun 2003 US$ 1 699ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II 144 mm 111 mm 75 mm 765 g 1200 Y Jun 2017 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Leica Digilux 3 146 mm 87 mm 77 mm 606 g 750 n Sep 2006 US$ 1 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D7000 132 mm 105 mm 77 mm 780 g 1050 Y Sep 2010 US$ 1 499ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 US$ 1 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-5 142 mm 117 mm 75 mm 873 g 750 Y Sep 2010 US$ 1 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-300 147 mm 85 mm 64 mm 624 g 750 n Sep 2004 US$ 799ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-330 140 mm 87 mm 72 mm 637 g 750 n Jan 2006 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Olympus E-1 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,699. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

logo
Check E-1 offers at
ebay.com

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Olympus E-1 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Olympus E-1 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Olympus E-1 sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

scroll hint
Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-1 Four Thirds 4.9 2560 1920none20.09.7-14544
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
3.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
4.
 
Leica Digilux 3 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none21.010.612753
5.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
6.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
7.
 
Nikon D7000 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/24p23.513.9116780
8.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
9.
 
Olympus E-5 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.610.551956
10.
 
Olympus E-300 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.410.1-4048
11.
 
Olympus E-330 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.47352
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the E-1 does not provide the possibility to capture videos.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-1 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.48x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-1 and comparable cameras.

scroll hint
Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-1optical Y1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.5/s n n
3.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
4.
 
Leica Digilux 3optical n2.5 / 207 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D7000optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-5optical Y3.0 / 920 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-300optical n1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-330optical n2.5 / 215 tilting n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One useful feature of the E-1 is a presence of a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

ad

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-1Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
4.
 
Leica Digilux 3Ystereo / mono---2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
6.
 
Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D7000Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-5Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-300Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-330Y- / ----2.0---

Further information on the features and operation of the E-1 can be found in the free online Olympus E-1 Manual or on the Olympus support site.

ad

Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the E-1 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

scroll hint
Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-1......+o.. Jun 2003 US$ 1 699ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II4/5+4/580/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2017 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Leica Digilux 3............ Sep 2006 US$ 1 499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D70004/5....80/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2010 US$ 1 499ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 US$ 1 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-54/5....75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2010 US$ 1 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-300......+o4.5/5 Sep 2004 US$ 799ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-330......+o.. Jan 2006 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

logo
Check E-1 offers at
ebay.com

Olympus E-1 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-1.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Olympus E-1?

The camera has a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-1 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Olympus equipped the E-1 with the TruePic image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-1?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus E-1?

Olympus mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the E-1. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the E-1 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-1?

Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-1 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-1 shutter count page.

Does the Olympus E-1 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-1 for flash photography?

The E-1's flash sync speed is 1/180 sec.

Which battery does the Olympus E-1 use?

The camera gets its power from the Olympus BLM-1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Olympus E-1?

Yes, Olympus offers the SHLD-2 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~
    loader
    ad
    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Olympus E-1
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date June 2003
    Launch Price USD 1 699
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CCD
    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 4.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 2 560 x 1 920 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 6.78 μm
    Pixel Density 2.19 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 3 200 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.48x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Size 1.8 inch
    LCD Resolution 134k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLM-1 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 141 x 104 x 81 mm
    (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 738 g (26.0 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  »  CAM-parator  »  Olympus E-1 Review