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Olympus E-30 vs E-410

The Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-410 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2008 and March 2007. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-30 has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the E-410 provides 10 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-30
versus
Olympus E-410
Olympus E-30   Olympus E-410
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots 2.5" LCD – 215k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
142 x 108 x 75 mm, 701 g 130 x 91 x 53 mm, 435 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-410? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-410. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-30 vs Olympus E-410
Compare E-30 versus E-410 top
Comparison E-30 or E-410 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-410 is notably smaller (23 percent) than the Olympus E-30. Moreover, the E-410 is substantially lighter (38 percent) than the E-30. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-30 nor the E-410 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-30 gets 750 shots out of its BLM-1 battery, while the E-410 can take 500 images on a single charge of its BLS-1 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-410 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 46 percent) than the E-30, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

In terms of chip-set technology, the E-30 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic III+) than the E-410 (TruePic III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Olympus E-30 and Olympus E-410 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-30 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the E-410. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-30 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 4.74μm for the E-410). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-30 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 8 months) than the E-410, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-30 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-30 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-410 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-410 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-30 versus E-410 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the E-30 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the E-410 (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.2 bits higher color depth, 0.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
2.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
3.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
4.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
5.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
8.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
9.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
10.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
11.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
12.
 
Olympus E-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
13.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Both the E-30 and the E-410 offer Live View, so that they make it possible to use the rear screen for framing. Both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-30 and the E-410 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the E-30 offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the E-410 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-30 has a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-30 and Olympus E-410 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One feature that is present on the E-30, but is missing on the E-410 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The E-30 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the E-410 does not have a selfie-screen.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-30 and the E-410 write their files to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-30 and Olympus E-410 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-400Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-30 and the E-410 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-410 was replaced by the Olympus E-420, while the E-30 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-30 and E-410 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-410 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-410? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-30:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (12.2 vs 10MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic III+ vs TruePic III).
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 8 months after the E-410).


Advantages of the Olympus E-410:

  • More compact: Is smaller (130x91mm vs 142x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 266g or 38 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (46 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2007).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-30 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-30 14:04 E-410

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-30 and the Olympus E-410 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-30 or the E-410. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-30 vs Olympus E-410

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date November 2008 March 2007
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 699
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.2 Megapixels 10 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4032 x 3024 pixels 3648 x 2736 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.29 μm 4.74 μm
    Pixel Density 5.42 MP/cm2 4.44 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III+ TruePic III
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 55 51
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.3 21.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 10.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 530 494
    Screen Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 98% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.51x 0.46x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 2.5inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 215k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards CF or XD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Olympus E-30 Olympus E-410
    Battery Type BLM-1 BLS-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 142 x 108 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 in)
    130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    Camera Weight 701 g (24.7 oz) 435 g (15.3 oz)
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