E-330 review now on DPR

[Paul Shields]

To save you having to go there, in summary it is: Overpriced, LiveView is for noobies, noise (or image softening) is awful at high ISO, save your money and get an E-500, 'recommended' rating (but only just). Now we can all sleep a little better at night as The Phil has spoken! (seriously, a typically thorough review - if also typically infuriating).

Phew... :P

[Raist3d]

So what's your "review of the review" Paul? I find myself agreeing for the most part with Phil. However, I think there are some key things that Phil doesn't seem to tackle, from my view perhaps because he's not a photographer (unless I am wrong on this last one). Seems to me that to Phil high ISO performance is the end-all-be-all, ignoring perhaps the fact that there is much more to a camera than high ISO performance particularly when the e-330 is not in a "consumer class" in doing them.
More so considering how it seems most people seem to be inclined to shoot RAW anyway, in which the e-330 closes the "quality high iso gap" even more - or the fact that Olympus lenses tend to be faster at the same price ranges of the Canon.

I really want to give a true spin to a Reberl 350XT just because I am curious about how the camera feels and behaves in Street Night Life shooting, particularly the autofocusing speed & accuracy... I just get the impression that in the "real world bullet list" of requirements Phil's list only has "high ISO performance" for the most part and may ignore "interface" or "lens size." That still being said, I agree with most of what he posted, and agree the 330 may be a tad overpriced.

- Raist

[Paul Shields]

I think the review is probably fair in it's technical conclusions (and it is currently most definitely overpriced in the UK at $1400 for the body). However, you've hit the nail on the head. I don't think the reviewer is a photographer at all. He is a tester of gadgets and applies the same methodology to every gadget that comes his way. I don't care for the pixel peeping approach. I'm much more interested in how a camera handles in real life situations. How the images look when printed out. I'm more interested in an experienced photographer giving his subjective description of colour and contrast than an objective analysis of chroma noise at ISO1600.

[scoundrel1728]

In my case, I was particularly interested in how the E-330 performed at high ISO ratings because I expect to do a fair amount of my shooting at low light levels. I prefer the objective approach because I find it easier to translate into my own subjective standards. There is also value someone else's subjective impressions provided that you can interpret them to give a reasonable prediction of your own subjective impressions. To do this, you must have some idea in which area your own impressions are likely to agree with the reviewer's and, more importantly, where the reviewer's impressions are likely to differ from your own.

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

In my case, I was particularly interested in how the E-330 performed at high ISO ratings because I expect to do a fair amount of my shooting at low light levels. I prefer the objective approach because I find it easier to translate into my own subjective standards. There is also value someone else's subjective impressions provided that you can interpret them to give a reasonable prediction of your own subjective impressions. To do this, you must have some idea in which area your own impressions are likely to agree with the reviewer's and, more importantly, where the reviewer's impressions are likely to differ from your own.

Yes, I take your points. An objective review should be a neutral basis on which to make decisions. However, I find that when reading reviews on the likes of DPR (well, basically - only on DPR) I come away with no real understanding of how the camera handles in common photographic situations. It is basically all done in studio conditions, with some grab shots from a stroll around London thrown in. I have great respect for the work put into reviews on that site, but if I used only that criteria as my basis for making decisions - well, I probably wouldn't be shooting (and really enjoying) my E-1 for a start . A healthy mix of subjective and objective is the best compromise - with a good sprinkling of skepticism thrown in.

[scoundrel1728]

Originally Posted by Paul

However, I find that when reading reviews on the likes of DPR (well, basically - only on DPR) I come away with no real understanding of how the camera handles in common photographic situations. It is basically all done in studio conditions [snip] A healthy mix of subjective and objective is the best compromise - with a good sprinkling of skepticism thrown in.

Or read several reviews. No one review will cover everything you want covered. Read Askey for the nuts and bolts and some others for the field impressions. I was a little disappointed in Askey's dismissal of the live preview modes but I also understand that using such things isn't part of his shooting style. That's why Raist's experience with the E-330 - and why he elected to have it back in spite of its price premium - interests me so much.

[Raist3d]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

Or read several reviews. No one review will cover everything you want covered. Read Askey for the nuts and bolts and some others for the field impressions. I was a little disappointed in Askey's dismissal of the live preview modes but I also understand that using such things isn't part of his shooting style. That's why Raist's experience with the E-330 - and why he elected to have it back in spite of its price premium - interests me so much.

I will consider "my why" at 50% intensity, if only because at the end of the day, I am aware I am paying for an overpriced camera, and I was truly on the fence-undecided. If I had to nail down what made me want it back is that I do see opportunities for the type of photography I do with live view, particularly for candids and macros (since I do also do macros)- and equally important the fact that I am finding myself now shooting only jpegs because I like the product I get with the camera settings- though the e-500 also has them. I am very curious how the e-500 firmware uses the same e-300 Kodak sensor- if it gets the same color response I am seeing on jpegs with the e-330. A small plus also is that the e-330 sensor is indeed about 1 stop better handling noise.

I think ideally the e-330 should have come out at $800 MSRP USD tops, probably minimum of $750. Like I said I was truly undecided... but I can say I am enjoying my e-330 now.

However- don't let the thought of "new and shiny" dominate your thinking as far as getting out of the house and getting those shots with the e-300 or e-1, because those two cameras are capable too. It's all about convenience.

- Raist

[dougjgreen]

I'm just as happy with my new E-300 as Raist3D is with his new E-330. It just depends on what you want, and I used the extra funds that I saved in not gettig an E-330 on the reasonably fast, super sharp 11-22mm lens which also is alot more distortion-free than the 14-45mm kit lens at the wide end. , To me personally, this very high quality wide-angle is alot more useful than live view and a tilting LCD. But, different strokes for different folks. But I surely would not get my hair on fire because Phil Askey didn't think that the E-330 was much better than the E-500. He didn't like the E-300 all that much either, but IMHO, once the E-300 is upgraded with the new firmware, I believe that this camera is now slightly better than the E-500, due to better build quality, ability to use on camera and remote flash together, and a somewhat better viewfinder.

[Raist3d]

Originally Posted by dougjgreen

I'm just as happy with my new E-300 as Raist3D is with his new E-330. It just depends on what you want, and I used the extra funds that I saved in not gettig an E-330 on the reasonably fast, super sharp 11-22mm lens which also is alot more distortion-free than the 14-45mm kit lens at the wide end. , To me personally, this very high quality wide-angle is alot more useful than live view and a tilting LCD. But, different strokes for different folks. But I surely would not get my hair on fire because Phil Askey didn't think that the E-330 was much better than the E-500. He didn't like the E-300 all that much either, but IMHO, once the E-300 is upgraded with the new firmware, I believe that this camera is now slightly better than the E-500, due to better build quality, ability to use on camera and remote flash together, and a somewhat better viewfinder.

I actually think you made the wiser choice, in all honesty. I wast thinking that instead of spending that USD $1k, I could have bought decent studio lights for my e-300. I just don't want to think about it anymore because I was losing sleep

I will say the only thing here in favor of say the e-500 over the e-300 is that whilet he exposure improved greatly with the latest firmware for the e-300 apparently both the e-500 / e-330 do use a more sophisticated matrix metering exposure sensor/algorithm. That being said, I agree the e-300 is better built.

- Raist