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Olympus Camedia E-20N
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More…- Spec Navigator
- Image Processor
- Storage
- LCD Screen
- Exposure Controls
- Dimensions
- Power
- Flash
- Lens Features
- Video
- Connectivity
- Other Features
- Tags
Image Processor
| Number of image sensor pixels | 5 megapixels |
| Image sensor | CCD |
| Maximum horizontal image resolution | 2560 |
| Maximum vertical image resolution | 1920 |
| Image sensor size | 0.66 inches |
| Image sensor quantity | 1 |
| Image format |
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| Number of resolution modes | 6 |
| White balance |
|
Exposure Controls
| ISO equivalencies |
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| Exposure settings |
|
| Metering characteristics | Center-weighted Average |
Power
| Power source |
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Lens Features
| Optical zoom | 4 X |
| Maximum zoom | 4 |
| Minimum aperture | 2 |
| Maximum aperture | 11 |
| Minimum focus distance | 23.6 |
| Lens mount | Fixed |
| Focus features |
|
Bottom Line
The E-20N offers a wide selection of features and great image quality for the serious shooter.
Olympus E-20N
Camedia E-20N Review, by Tracey Capen April 29, 2003
WHAT'S HOT: Through-the-lens viewing tops this camera's extensive list of features; unlike the tiny, straight-through optical viewfinders on most digital cameras, the E-20N's is big, bright, and more precise, especially for macro shooting. A second significant advantage of the E-20N is that it lets you see the aperture and shutter-speed settings in the viewfinder. This rare capability makes using aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and manual exposure modes truly practical. Another seldom-seen feature is multiple-media support: The E-20 comes with a modest 32MB SmartMedia card (we think at least 64MB would be more appropriate for a 5-megapixel camera), but it can also use CompactFlash media and IBM's Microdrive.
The E-20N's heavy aluminum body gives it a rugged, durable feel, and it operates smoothly and quietly. The unit's lens moves relatively quickly throughout its zoom range. Most digital cameras lose two or three full f-stops as you zoom to their maximum telephoto range, but the E-20N drops only from f2 to f2.4. Multiple buttons let you speedily adjust the more commonly used controls; among them are two dedicated white-balance buttons, the first for one-touch instant calibration (which helps with recording accurate colors) and the second for switching between white-balance modes. All of the controls are well placed, maximizing their functionality under a variety of shooting conditions.
WHAT'S NOT: This isn't a camera you can drop into a pocket or small bag. It's big and heavy even in comparison with a typical 35mm SLR. The E-20N measures 7 inches from the back of its massive body to the end of its longish zoom lens, and it weighs over 2.5 pounds. It doesn't offer digital zoom, or audio or video recording--a disadvantage for some amateur shooters, though few pros will miss those features.
WHAT ELSE: Olympus's E-20N earned an overall image-quality score of Very Good in our tests; the images looked attractive, but not as good as those by other cameras such as the Canon EOS 10D. Enlargements made from the Olympus's shots weren't quite as sharp as the Canon's enlargements, though they were still pleasing overall. The E-20N impressed us least in color balance. Outdoor shots tended to have a slight blue cast (which we've noted in other Olympus models); and in our test pattern shots, whites took on a light cream tone. Images of our model taken with flash had fine color shading, but the powerful flash tended to overexpose our model's skin tone.
You can compensate for most of these problems by working with the camera's settings. Using the menus, for example, you can lower the exposure value for the flash manually. Similarly, adjusting the white-balance calibration significantly improved the accuracy of blues and whites in our outdoor shots.
One of the more interesting features the E-20N offers is a progressive-scan mode. This menu selection allows you to shoot at shutter speeds up to an incredible 1/18,000 of a second (no that's not a misprint). That remarkable speed does not come without some cost, however: It cuts the camera's vertical resolution by half. We shot images in both the standard interlaced and progressive-scan modes; viewed at 100 percent of the image size on-screen, the latter were significantly less sharp.
The E-20N did exceptionally well in our battery tests. With the camera using two 3-volt, disposable lithium ion batteries, we took over 760 shots. For users on very long photo shoots, Olympus offers a rechargeable lithium polymer battery pack that attaches to the bottom of the camera. Other options include various telephoto and wide-angle lenses; these clip onto the front of the lens, increasing the weight and size of the camera. If you plan to do a lot of macro photography, you'll want to purchase the optional macro extension lens. Without it, the smallest area the E-20N can shoot is about 3 inches across.
For shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, the E-20N comes with a large plastic lens hood that clips onto the front. When you stuff the E-20N into your camera bag, the hood is designed so you can turn it around and slide it over the lens barrel backward. Unfortunately, it doesn't stay put this way very well, and it tends to fall off when you pull the camera out of the bag--a minor irritation.
UPSHOT: The E-20N offers a wide selection of features and great image quality for the serious shooter.
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: digitaldog
Strengths: TTL format is much better than the usual rangefinder digital. It even has a digitized sound of a shutter mechanism.
Weaknesses: Finnicky camera. Does not want to recognize flash card and needs to be reracked between power downs. Even with maximum resolution, the images are so-so quality. Individual shots can't be deleted.
Overall: I really dislike this camera for several reasons. The menu is perplexing and obtuse. The active LCD menu on top of the camera has tiny symbols and fonts that are very hard to read and interpret. I had to do a shoot early in the morning...the camera was cold from being in the a/c all night. The humidity was high which caused some condensation on the interior of the lense. It took 45 minutes aiming the lens into the sun to dry out this leaky, poorly sealed lens. Now I have a haze inside the lens requiring a warranty repair. The camera also does not always recognize a flash card. I have to re-rack the card after every power up. This camera is just too finnicky.
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Reviewed by: photoman645
Strengths: Durable construction; good placement of controls; high degree of manual control/overrides
Weaknesses: AF weak in low light; power hungry; OEM accessories are overpriced: hopefully aftermarket options will soon be available. I'd like to see an option where I could manually clear out the buffer.
Overall: I'm a dyed-in-wool film camera old timer, but got such a deal on my E20N I took the plunge and I'm glad I did! I'm truly impressed. So much so, that on a recent trip to Vegas, the E20N is the only camera I took. The night metering of the Vegas Lights was right on. While I did use the aperture priority and shutter priority modes, I found I could leave it on PROGRAM and get great results. Random observations: 1)Being an eyeglass wearer, the diopter adjustable eyepiece is a nice feature. 2) White balance button is an excellent feature as well. 3) Having cut my photo-teeth on a Yashica-mat and Bronica, the waist level capability of the flip-out LCD is a big asset for me. 4) Great optics!
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Reviewed by: jthomas
Strengths: Professional Camera at a prosumer price
Weaknesses: some noise at higher ISO settings.
Overall: This is the digital camera I have been waiting for. My last camera was the Olympus C-2500-L. I bought it based upon a review that went something like this : "this is a $5000 Camera for $1400". Olympus has done it again. The E20N is the best camera you can buy without spending $4000. The E20N is a MACHINE. Do not waste your money on a thousand dollar Nikon or Sony. Unlike the Nikon the E20N is a REAL SLR. Unlike the Sony the E20N uses regular off the shelf batteries and two kinds of common memory cards plus microdrive. There is some noise at higher ISO settings in bad light, but you would have the same problem with 400 speed film.
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Reviewed by: karmafungus
Strengths: True 5 megapixel images; metal case; placement of feature buttons.
Weaknesses: Watch where you put your thumb! If it ends up on the lcd screen, you're screwed! Eats up batteries quickly.
Overall: A good choice for a 5 megapixel camera. The frame is substantial. It's a heavy camera at 37 oz. I recommend getting filters as well. Rechargeable AA batteries are a must. Extra-length warranty is available from Olympus.
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Reviewed by: eyecu524
Strengths: great weight and feel,just like a pro SLR.controls take only a few hours to master for the serious amateur or pro,incredible image quality and totally adjustable for any application of imaging softwar
Weaknesses: slow replay of images on screen
Overall: As 20+ yr. user of olympus cameras it's all you'd expect from them. great lenses,very functional,user-friendly and a great value. Anyone interested in taking their pics to the next digital level w/o spending a fortune, this is the camera to buy...:)
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