At the end of August, we were invited to come to Hamburg to attend the press meeting of Olympus. During this European meeting, Olympus introduced their latest compact digital cameras, together with a preview of the new Olympus digital SLR camera: the Olympus E-400. During the press conference, there was a thick queue of four rows of journalists all trying to catch a glimpse of a trio of E400s; making it impossible to get a proper impression of this FourThirds DSLR. Therefore, we are grateful to Olympus for providing us with a pre-production model, so that we can share an extensive first impression with you. Olympus did not yet reveal the retail price at the press meeting, but it will surely be a very competitive price!

Olympus E400 - Compact SLR camera
To get down to business: the Olympus E-400 is small, super small even, and combined with its weight of merely 380 grams for the housing, this ensures the new Olympus E-400 is the smallest and most light-weight digital SLR camera in the world. It is the FourThirds system in particular that enables Olympus to keep the Olympus E400 this compact. Several years ago, Olympus already predicted that this size would indeed be realistic, but to actually see and experience the compact and light-weight end result remains remarkable.

Olympus E-400 - Supersonic Wave Filter
The Olympus E-400 is a camera that’s exceptionally easy to use. Its ultra-compact dimensions and low weight give E-400 users the freedom to take professional quality photos wherever they wish. Yet despite its modest proportions, the E-400 is packed with 10.0 million pixels worth of image resolution and a treasure-trove of other high tech features. As with all E-System cameras, the E-400 is protected by a Supersonic Wave Filter. This unique Olympus technology prevents dust and dirt from sticking to the CCD and spoiling photos. And being Four Thirds Standard-compatible, the E-400 gives the photographer practically unlimited flexibility with a complete system of lenses and other accessories.

Olympus E-400 DSLR camera - 31 Shooting modes
Suitable for use on virtually any occasion, the E-400 is equipped with a great balance of manual control for creativity and automatic options for ease of use. A total of 31 special shooting modes have been included for completely automatic operation in situations as diverse as Fireworks, Landscapes, Macro, and Sunsets. A variety of colour modes are also on hand, as are special Black&White filters that can be applied to photos to improve black and white portraits and landscapes.
Olympus E400 SLR camera preview
With the introduction of the Olympus E-400, Olympus prove to have a quick and fitting answer to the 10 Megapixel power of their rivals. Lately we have seen the rapid rise of a new Megapixel segment, which promises fierce competition over a large group of potential users. Nikon have their D80, Sony the DSLR A100, Canon have the EOS 400D, and soon we will also see others, such as Pentax and Samsung, follow suit, and -together with the Olympus E400- claim the much desired market share. The digital SLR market truly is developing, which is very positive progress indeed for the digital photography market. The following preview will give you more in-depth information about the new Olympus E-400 SLR camera, including a comparison chart and a product gallery.