Olympus E-330 vs E-410
The Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Olympus E-410 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2006 and March 2007. 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-410 provides 10 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Olympus E-410? 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-410 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-410 is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Olympus E-330. Moreover, the E-410 is markedly lighter (32 percent) than the E-330. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-330 nor the E-410 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-410 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.
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 | EUR 999 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 350D | 127 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 540 g | 400 | n | Feb 2005 | EUR 899 | ebay.com | |
4. | Leica Digilux 3 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 77 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Sep 2006 | EUR 1 499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D80 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 668 g | 600 | n | Aug 2006 | EUR 969 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-300 | 147 mm | 85 mm | 64 mm | 624 g | 750 | n | Sep 2004 | EUR 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-400 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Sep 2006 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-500 | 130 mm | 95 mm | 66 mm | 479 g | 750 | n | Sep 2005 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 538 g | 750 | n | Mar 2007 | EUR 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic L1 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 64 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Feb 2006 | EUR 999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | 135 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 556 g | 450 | n | Aug 2007 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
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-410 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.
Technology-wise, the E-410 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic III) than the E-330 (TruePic), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-410 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-410 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-410 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 1 month) 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-410 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-410 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-410 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.
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-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
3. | Canon 350D | 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-400 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
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. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
12. | Panasonic L1 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 80 | 52 | |
13. | 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-410 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-410 (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-410, and comparable cameras.
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-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon 350D | 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-400 | 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. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Panasonic L1 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | 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-410 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-410 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
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-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 350D | 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-400 | 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. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Panasonic L1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
Both the E-330 and the E-410 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-410 was replaced by the Olympus E-420, while the E-330 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-330 and E-410 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-330 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-410 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-330 or the Olympus E-410 – 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-410:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (10 vs 7.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
- Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic III vs TruePic).
- 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 (1 year and 1 month) more recently.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-410 comes out slightly ahead of the E-330 (5 : 4 points). 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-410 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-410. 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.
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 | EUR 999 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 350D | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2005 | EUR 899 | ebay.com | |
4. | Leica Digilux 3 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2006 | EUR 1 499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D80 | .. | + | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Aug 2006 | EUR 969 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-300 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | 4.5/5 | Sep 2004 | EUR 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-400 | .. | 85/100 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2006 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | EUR 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-500 | .. | 76/100 | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2005 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | EUR 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic L1 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | .. | 3.5/5 | Feb 2006 | EUR 999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2007 | EUR 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.
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.
- Canon 1000D vs Olympus E-330
- Canon D30 vs Olympus E-330
- Canon G16 vs Olympus E-410
- Fujifilm X-T20 vs Olympus E-410
- Leica Digilux 3 vs Olympus E-330
- Nikon D200 vs Olympus E-410
- Nikon D600 vs Olympus E-410
- Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-330
- Olympus E-330 vs Samsung NX30
- Olympus E-330 vs Sony RX100 VI
- Olympus E-410 vs Panasonic FT7
- Olympus E-410 vs Pentax MX-1
Specifications: Olympus E-330 vs Olympus E-410
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | January 2006 | March 2007 |
Launch Price | USD 999 | USD 699 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 7.4 Megapixels | 10 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3136 x 2352 pixels | 3648 x 2736 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 5.51 μm | 4.74 μm |
Pixel Density | 3.28 MP/cm2 | 4.44 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | no Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 400 ISO | 100 - 1,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 1,600 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | TruePic | TruePic III |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 51 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 21.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 10.0 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 494 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 95% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.47x | 0.46x |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 2.5inch |
LCD Resolution | 215k dots | 215k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Fixed screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | CF or XD cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Dual card slots |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | no HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus E-330 | Olympus E-410 |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 | Olympus BLS-1 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 500 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
140 x 87 x 72 mm (5.5 x 3.4 x 2.8 in) |
130 x 91 x 53 mm (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 637 g (22.5 oz) | 435 g (15.3 oz) |
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