Olympus E-100 Rapid Shot 1.5MP Digital SLR Camera w/ 10x Optical Zoom
by Olympus

List Price: $1,699.99
Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details

• 1.5 megapixel sensor creates 1,368 x 1,024 images for prints at sizes up to 5 by 7 inches
• 10x optical plus 2.7x digital zoom lens with autofocus and image stabilization
• Included 8 MB SmartMedia memory card holds 21 images at default resolution
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• 4 AA NiMH batteries and charger included

• Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade [Old Version]
• Induro Carbon 8x Tripod C-013
• Induro Carbonflex 8x Tripod CX-114
• Induro Carbonflex 8x Tripod CX-213
• Olympus 90-250mm f/2.8 Zuiko Lens for E Series DSLR Camera

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Olympus E-100 Rapid Shot 1.5MP Digital SLR Camera w/ 10x Optical Zoom

Customer Review: Great camera for action shots
Summary: 5 Stars

The first thing I had to get used to was the view finder. This is really not an issue for me after using the camera for a week. It only took a few shots to realize you don't really need a true through the lens view of the subject. I would, however, prefer a lens that focuses like a true SLR, but then again once I got used to the zoom and learned to use it, it is no longer an issue.

As for my main concern with the lag time after the shutter button is released, don't worry folks, with the right settings there is not only no lag time, the pre-capture feature will even capture the shots you normally miss. I tested this on a go cart track my kids just had to go on. It was evening so I had to rely on artificial lighting. It was also a multi tiered, spiral track and there wasn't a good view of most of the track. I picked out a small area where I could see the go carts for only about three or four seconds and was able to get some outstanding shots. I can't wait to start shooting sports where the lighting will be a lot better. Because of the speed of the go-carts and the dim lighting, however, some of the shots didn't turn out very clear.

As for the digital zoom; I have digital zoom on my camcorder. I never use it because it breaks the picture apart and is really not usable. On the E-100, however, it is a totally different story. Standing on the second story balcony of my condo I turned on the digital zoom and took a picture of a squirrel running on a fence. Surprise, this feature really works. I have read some reviews that say this is not really a zoom but a cropping feature. Well, I don't know how it works but the squirrel was magnified and filled the frame. And the picture came out crystal clear.

Another feature, or lack of, that a lot of reviews criticize is the 1.5 megapixal resolution. This does not seem to be a problem. Although I haven't tried printing pictures from this camera yet, I have printed pictures from my Olympus D-360L which is only 1.2 megapixal, the pictures come out great. I even printed an 8 X 10 on photo paper and the resolution is outstanding. I suppose that a photo expert could tell the but I would say that at least 90 percent of us will never notice the difference. Bottom line, don't get wrapped up in the pixal count.

Well, it won't be long before the kids are back in school and they are once again playing soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. I can't wait to use this camera for these sports, as it certainly has been a challenge in the past.

Description of Olympus E-100 Rapid Shot 1.5MP Digital SLR Camera w/ 10x Optical Zoom

At a time when most manufacturers are producing 3-megapixel cameras, there's nothing particularly impressive about the 1.5 megapixel resolution of this Olympus--it's the lens and processor that make the camera special. The E-100RS ("RS" stands for "Rapid Shot") comes with a 10x optically stabilized lens, and is capable of taking up to 15 shots per second--a speed unheard of in the digital camera realm--courtesy of a 9.5 MB SDRAM buffer and high-speed CCD sensor. Its speed makes it perfect for action photography.

If you've ever waited an instant too long to snap the perfect action photo, you'll appreciate the camera's "Pre-Capture" feature. In this mode, the E-100RS starts storing photos in its temporary memory as soon as you half-press the shutter button. Once you fully depress the button, the photo you took, along with the most recent photos in the temporary memory, are saved to the memory card. Users can save from one to five "prepictures" for each photo they shoot. This feature is a boon to those of us with slow reflexes.

For maximum compatibility, the camera can be used with both Smartmedia and CompactFlash cards. CompactFlash Type I and II cards are supported, but Olympus doesn't recommend using the IBM MicroDrive. Camera performance is typically quicker with Smartmedia storage, but CompactFlash cards are available in larger capacities. An 8 MB Smartmedia card is included.

In 35mm terms, the powerful 10x zoom lens is equivalent to a 38-380mm telephoto. The camera's digital zoom, which increases magnification at the expense of image quality, boosts the lens to 1000mm at full zoom. Normally, it would be difficult to take advantage of a lens this powerful without using a tripod. Why? At full zoom, the camera focuses on such a small area that even the most minute movements result in a blurry image. Fortunately, Olympus equips the camera with optical image stabilization, a complex system that senses shakes and wobbles and continuously adjusts the lenses to compensate.

All the flexibility of Olympus's higher-end digital cameras is present in the E-100RS. Aperture and shutter priority modes coexist with landscape, portrait, sports, and night-scene shooting modes. Everything on the camera can be adjusted manually. The EV setting can be adjusted to 2 in 1/3 EV increments; auto bracketing can be adjusted for both EV increments and the total number of shots. ISO can be selected from three options: 100, 200, and 400. The built-in flash features the usual modes: red-eye reduction, auto, fill, and synchro.

For SLR-like framing, the E-100RS uses an electronic viewfinder (EVF) instead of a traditional glass viewfinder. This arrangement has all the benefits of a standard LCD screen (image preview and review, as well as instant access to camera menus), plus increased usability outdoors, while using much less power than the full-sized LCD on the back of the camera. The only disadvantages to the EVF are that it uses more power than a traditional optical viewfinder and that it can be hard to use in low light.

The E-100RS uses four AA batteries, and comes with rechargeable NiMH batteries and charger.

Digital SLRs

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