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Olympus E-20 Olympus updates their bargain-priced Pro SLR with a 5 megapixel sensor and improved electronics Select a topic Reference: Datasheet E20 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, Software Review First Posted: 11/28/2001

Video Out

The E-20 has a video-out port which supports the NTSC timing format on US and Japanese models (the PAL standard is supported on European models, designated as E-20P models). The video output can be used for reviewing previously shot images or running slide shows from the camera, but also shows all the LCD menu screens as well as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder. Combined with the flexible infrared remote control we mentioned earlier, the availability of a live viewfinder display via the video signal opens interesting possibilities for portrait photography, using a video monitor as a remote viewfinder.

Power

The E-20 can use a variety of power sources. The battery compartment features a sliding tray design, in which a tray pops out from the compartment for easier battery loading. The camera's internal battery compartment can accommodate either four AA alkaline, NiCd, or NiMH batteries, or two CR-V3 lithium battery packs. An AC adapter is available as an accessory, and plugs into the DC-in port in the connection compartment. Also available as an accessory is a lithium polymer battery pack, which provides twice the power capacity of even the highest-capacity NiMH cells (15.4 vs 7.7 watt-hours) and requires an external battery holder. This external battery compartment doubles as a vertical grip for the camera, complete with a secondary shutter button. Olympus estimates that two CR-V3 batteries should provide approximately 300 minutes of operating time, and four AA NiMH batteries should provide about 150 minutes. Current battery status is reported on the status display panel with a small battery icon. When the icon appears full, the batteries should be fully charged. If the icon blinks, the batteries are getting low, and if it lights for a short time and then disappears, the batteries are dead.

In my own testing, the E-20N showed typical to better-than-average power consumption with the LCD on, and very low power usage with the LCD off. The table below summarizes the results of my testing, and shows the projected run times in each operating mode with a set of four 1600 mAh NiMH batteries.

Battery life overall is quite good, a good thing for a camera intended for professional use. As always, I recommend packing several sets of batteries, and using a good-quality charger to maintain them. (See my review of the Maha C-204F charger, my overall favorite.)

External Battery Packs with the E-20N
Although its external power terminal is labeled for the same 6.5 volt terminal voltage used by many cameras, the E-20N apparently likes higher voltages than most digicams, with the result that it won't operate from the typical NiMH external battery packs available on the market from several manufacturers. Like the E-10 though, it does work just fine from the LiIon PowerBank from Maha Energy. Thus, if you'd like to get extended run times for the E-20N, without the high cost of the Olympus power grip (but also without the added convenience of the portrait-format grip itself), the LiIon PowerBank is an effective choice. Read my review of the PowerBanks for more info.

Included Software

The software they didn't include...

(But that you should) Few people realize just how *much* you can improve your digicam images through clever processing in Photoshop. Greatly (!) increased sharpness, reduced noise, and even ultra-wide dynamic range (light-to-dark range) by combining multiple exposures. Fred Miranda and uber-Photoshop expert Fred Miranda has packaged some of his Photoshop magic in a collection of powerful and affordably priced "actions." Check out his site, the results are pretty amazing! Camera manuals are (sometimes) fine for knowing which button does what, but where do you go to learn how and when to use the various features? Dennis Curtin's "Shortcourses" books and CDs are the answer. (Cheap for what you get, too.) Order the Shortcourses manual for the camera reviewed in this article.

The E-20N ships with two CDs of software, Adobe's Photoshop Elements v 1.0 for both Mac and PC, and the dual-platform Olympus Camedia Master v 2.5. Together, these two pieces of software provide an excellent range of capabilities, including very effective panorama stitching and photo-organizing (Camedia Master), and a wide range of image-manipulation tools (Elements). A nice package overall.

In the Box