Olympus E-330 vs E-400

The Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Olympus E-400 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2006 and September 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-330 has a resolution of 7.4 megapixels, whereas the E-400 provides 10 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-330		Olympus E-400
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Four Thirds lenses
7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor		10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 215k dots		2.5" LCD – 215k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
750 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
140 x 87 x 72 mm, 637 g		130 x 91 x 53 mm, 435 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Olympus E-400? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-330 and the Olympus E-400 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-400 is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Olympus E-330. Moreover, the E-400 is markedly lighter (32 percent) than the E-330. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-330 nor the E-400 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-330 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the E-400 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-400 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 30 percent) than the E-330, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-400 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 7.4 MP of the E-330. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-400 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 5.51μm for the E-330). However, it should be noted that the E-400 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the E-330, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-330 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus Evolt E-330 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 400, which can be extended to ISO 100-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-400 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
2.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
3.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
5.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
6.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
7.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
8.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
9.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
10.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
11.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
12.		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.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-330 and the E-400 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the E-330 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-400 (0.47x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-330, the Olympus E-400, and comparable cameras.

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-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-330 and the E-400 write their files to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Connectivity 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 Evolt E-330 and Olympus E-400 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-330 and the E-400 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-400 was replaced by the Olympus E-410, while the E-330 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-330 and E-400 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-330 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-400 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-330 or the Olympus E-400 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus Evolt E-330:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.47x vs 0.46x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2006).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-400:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (10 vs 7.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 202g or 32 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (30 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (4 points each). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-330 and the Olympus E-400 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-330 or the E-400. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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