Olympus E-450 Preview

[tspore]

Olympus is announcing on on 03-31-09 the E-450.

The camera is the logical expansion over the E-420.

read more...

[photo_owl]

I am struggling to cut through the 'hype' here Tony.

I see a 420 with a tweaked engine that includes 3 art filters, and a change to the top dial.

Have I missed anything?

[clark666]

Do we get an E-550 too? It seems that there are now three with the E-4xx body style: E-420, E-450, E-620.

I like my E-520 but I would like the faster processor to speed it up. The faster processor should enhance focusing. I believe that Olympus uses the same processor for focusing that is used for all other camera functions?

If the new processor allows better image quality too, I might buy one.

[photo_owl]

don't be fooled into thinking the 620 bodyform is even close to the 4xx.

It feels more like shrunken E3 than a close relative to the 4xx.

Moving the strap lugs, and the way they have delivered the grip elements for the right hand (both front and back), makes it feel completely different - and superb. (and that's from a happy 4xx, 5xx and e3 user)

[Forge]

It doesn't look like it... sounds like 420 will continue until all sold too which will be confusing.

This is a very light refresh - I really would have expected at least some of the recent goodies to be shared around. They've now got a IS system that fits, they have backlit buttons, new AF. This really appears to be a minimum cost upgrade, certainly nothing that warrants skipping 430 and 440. Probably should have been called the 421...

The 620.. and then this???

[glenbarrington]

Originally Posted by photo_owl

I am struggling to cut through the 'hype' here Tony.

I see a 420 with a tweaked engine that includes 3 art filters, and a change to the top dial.

Have I missed anything?

Well to be fair, what can they do to a camera whose purpose is to be the smallest, lightest, least expensive DSLR possible without stealing sales from their presumably more profitable upper end cameras?

Maybe a new sensor, a new processor, some programming changes. Pretty much anything else adds weight or size.

There are two types of people who will buy this camera. Those who know exactly what they are looking for, and those who have no idea what so ever what they are looking for. It sounds to me, the first group will be very happy with this camera, while the second group will likely be blown away comparing their photos from thier P&S to this.

[ptuk]

It doesn't seem to be that much of an improvement over the 420. Given the jump in numbering, I was expecting more. Nice to see they've kept it at 10MP though.

[thx1138]

Still I think I'd be easier to drop de 4x0 series and let the 5x0 series move into that spot. With the 620 taking over the 5x0 spot and the E-30 sliding down slightly to make it more interesting. The the E-4 can take the top-end, and mFT to bridge the gap to P&S.

On the other hand. Perhaps we're being to serious. The 450 is a minor update, which can be done without significant extra costs, so why not do it.

[Alan Baxter]

Originally Posted by thx1138

Still I think I'd be easier to drop de 4x0 series and let the 5x0 series move into that spot. With the 620 taking over the 5x0 spot and the E-30 sliding down slightly to make it more interesting. The the E-4 can take the top-end, and mFT to bridge the gap to P&S.

On the other hand. Perhaps we're being to serious. The 450 is a minor update, which can be done without significant extra costs, so why not do it.

Or - rather more important in these financial times - with significant cost saving. Renegotiating another contract for a sensor that has reached the end of its natural run allows one to bargain fairly strongly. I think they are being pretty clever with both the E30 (E3 with lower production costs) and the E450 (E420 with potentially lower production costs).

I have to pay the 620 as the product of substantial R&D though; as I hope I will the E3 replacement.

Just in passing, I was recently shown a one year old Canon P&S that had some interesting "art filters" (they called them something else) - so Olympus were not first.

Regards,

Alan

[stuff352]

i call this an early april fools

[Forge]

Yes, this is what I'm starting to think - the absolute minimum changes to allow them to get another year out of their tooling, sensor etc. Sales are going to be down this year, and the 450 was never going to be the star that the 620 will. This will be incredibly cheap come 12 months from now...

[photo_owl]

Originally Posted by Alan Baxter

Or - rather more important in these financial times - with significant cost saving. Renegotiating another contract for a sensor that has reached the end of its natural run allows one to bargain fairly strongly. I think they are being pretty clever with both the E30 (E3 with lower production costs) and the E450 (E420 with potentially lower production costs).

I have to pay the 620 as the product of substantial R&D though; as I hope I will the E3 replacement.

Just in passing, I was recently shown a one year old Canon P&S that had some interesting "art filters" (they called them something else) - so Olympus were not first.

Regards,

Alan

I agree your principle Alan, but they could have continued producing the 420 at even lower production costs by your logic.

However, looking deeper, I am now of the view that they have combined a minimum cost strategy with the introduction of a 'new model' to use up a whole load of old parts that's
1. consistent with their current marketing across the range (art filters)
2. well suited (and probably priced) for volume distribution through a new channel (QVC).

It will then substitute for the 420 and simply sit as the entry level to the range, much like the Nikon D40, for the forseeable future.

The additional 2 shot RAW buffer will come as part of the current software engine / PCBs rather than a considered enhancement and the new dial was required to support the (marketing) focus on the art filters.

Overall quite a cute solution

[ckrueger]

Seems to me the biggest virtue of this camera will be its price. The E-420 competed with the D60 and 450D. The new 500D (and surely the D60's follow-up) definitely out-spec this camera... they're much closer to the E-620. So what else does the E-450 have to compete on but price? It seems a camera aimed squarely at new users, with nothing to offer over the E-620 but price.

The E-420 with a 14-42 is $500 at B&H today. I suspect (and hope!) the E-450 will hit that price point pretty quickly. Whether it does so probably depends more on Olympus' MFT plans than anything else.

[Johannes]

A facelift of E-420 ..........

[nrgaudet]

Seems kind of blah to me. A non-announcement. I suspected Olympus would crowd their line with lower priced cameras in this economy, and I'm sure that makes marketing sense in this economy, but I can't understand why someone with a 420 would upgrade, and for a few extra dollars, the 620 will be a much better choice and not much larger.

[tspore]

Basically it is a small step up unit. I really am surprised to see that it is a 10 MP sensor - But I don't think I can post any images from it yet. We will see, and not like I don't still have a TON of work with the E-620 and E-30 to do.
Anyhow, It basically is a E-420 w/ a new top dial, new LCD, and 3 Art filters, on Paper, I assume that they have improved the Sensor a bit, but I don't know.

Really I only had a few hours to play with it because I have been working so much with the E-620. As I wrote before, in my opinion the E-620 would be the camera over the E-4x0 or E-5x0 I would buy. I am getting close to sitting down with a review on it. I hope to start this week.

But it isn't a April's fool joke, if you look I took a Ton of Photos with it, and really don't have that kind of time to PS them all.
-Tony

[vonbonds]

This camera has to be aimed squarely at people who have P&S cameras and want to upgrade to dSLR quality. I agree with the other posters that don't see why an existing E-420 user would want this as they probably won't but I don't think that is who this camera is aimed at. I was hoping for an E-520 replacement as the E-420 is too small for my hands and I am not sure how the E-620 would fit either.

This announcement is probably good for people with GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) as they can focus their attention on lens upgrades which usually lead to better improvements in their images over body upgrades anyway.

[lasuther]

Taking a look at the DPR spec list, I was surprised to see such a difference between the E450 and E620 with ISO (1600 to 3200). Also the E450 uses the 3 point AF.

If you have a chance, it would be interesting to compare the ISO performance between the E450 and E620.

[Pontiac005]

Originally Posted by clark666

Do we get an E-550 too? It seems that there are now three with the E-4xx body style: E-420, E-450, E-620.

I like my E-520 but I would like the faster processor to speed it up. The faster processor should enhance focusing. I believe that Olympus uses the same processor for focusing that is used for all other camera functions?

If the new processor allows better image quality too, I might buy one.

Me too!

[Alan Baxter]

Originally Posted by tspore

Olympus is announcing on on 03-31-09 the E-450.

The camera is the logical expansion over the E-420.

read more...

As soon as I have permission I will post images, because I believe that the camera is firmware 1.0.

Doesn't look like it will be sold in Australia either. I think the big jump in the number reflects the relative lack of need for numbers between 420 and 499 in the future, rather than their belief that it is a huge jump in technology (like the 620 is).

Regards,

Alan

[Jarkko]

What is the hasle? Why people expect a new model every 6 months? Don't you remember the film times when a SLR was bought for 10 to 20 years?

So E-450 is a facelift. I would have preferred it to be called E-420 II like the lens updates.

In my eyes the Oly line-up is logical:
E-450 (light & cheap)
E-620 (upgrade from previous)
E-30 (serious amateur)
E-3 (for outdoor/professional use).

Only the price of E-30 needs to be a bit lower than currently. I remember Oly saying that they'll look at the pricing of the E-30 in the near future.

I use the E-3 now - and consider to buy the E-420 with 25 mm pancake as a light 'second' camera - perhaps second hand!

-Jarkko-

[epark1281]

I don't get it...
It seems like all they did was make it a bit smaller and added the art filters.
Great for people who want portability and possibly first time DSLR consumers (although the latter tend to get D40's or XTi's), but it won't fool current Olympus customers.
If i owned a e420, i don't see the need to purchase a e450.

[tspore]

Its basically the same camera as the E-420 with art filters, and a bit better LCD.
So I don't think I would upgrade if I currently owned a E-420. But If I were looking at buying a small camera the E-420 is priced very nice now.