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Olympus E-400 vs E-300

The Olympus E-400 and the Olympus Evolt E-300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2006 and September 2004. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-400 has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the E-300 provides 8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-400
versus
Olympus E-300
Olympus E-400   Olympus E-300
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor 8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-1,600 ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 215k dots 1.8" LCD – 134k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second 2.5 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge750 shots per battery charge
130 x 91 x 53 mm, 435 g 147 x 85 x 64 mm, 624 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-400 and the Olympus Evolt E-300? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-400 and the Olympus E-300 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-400 vs Olympus E-300
Compare E-400 versus E-300 top
Comparison E-400 or E-300 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-300 is notably larger (6 percent) than the Olympus E-400. Moreover, the E-300 is substantially heavier (43 percent) than the E-400. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-400 nor the E-300 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-400 gets 500 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the E-300 can take 750 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLM-1 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-300 147 mm 85 mm 64 mm 624 g 750 n Sep 2004 799ebay.com
3.
 
Leica Digilux 3 146 mm 87 mm 77 mm 606 g 750 n Sep 2006 1,499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D40X 124 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 520 n Mar 2007 729ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P3 122 mm 69 mm 34 mm 369 g 330 n Jun 2011 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL2 114 mm 72 mm 42 mm 362 g 280 n Jan 2011 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-330 140 mm 87 mm 72 mm 637 g 750 n Jan 2006 999ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-500 130 mm 95 mm 66 mm 479 g 750 n Sep 2005 599ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-1 141 mm 104 mm 81 mm 738 g 750 Y Jun 2003 1,699ebay.com
15.
 
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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-400 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the E-300, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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.

Olympus E-400 and Olympus E-300 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-400 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 8 MP of the E-300. This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-400 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 5.30μm for the E-300). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-400 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the E-300, 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-400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-300 are 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for good quality, 13.1 x 9.8 inches or 33.2 x 24.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.9 x 8.2 inches or 27.6 x 20.7 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Evolt E-300 are ISO 100 to ISO 400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-1600.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-400 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the E-300 uses a CCD imager. 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-400 versus E-300 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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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-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
2.
 
Olympus E-300 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.410.1-4048
3.
 
Leica Digilux 3 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none21.010.612753
4.
 
Nikon D40X APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.411.451663
5.
 
Olympus E-P3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.810.153651
6.
 
Olympus E-PL2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.257355
7.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
8.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
9.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
10.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
11.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
12.
 
Olympus E-330 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.47352
13.
 
Olympus E-500 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.710.34551
14.
 
Olympus E-1 Four Thirds 4.9 2560 1920none20.09.7-14544
15.
 
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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Neither the E-400 nor the E-300 offer Live View, so that they cannot project the live image that the sensor receives onto the rear screen. Moreover, 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-400 and the E-300 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the E-300 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-400 (0.5x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-400, the Olympus E-300, and comparable 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-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Olympus E-300optical n1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
3.
 
Leica Digilux 3optical n2.5 / 207 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D40Xoptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Olympus E-P3optional n3.0 / 614 fixed Y 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
10.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-330optical n2.5 / 215 tilting n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Olympus E-500optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
14.
 
Olympus E-1optical Y1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n n
15.
 
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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Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-400 and the E-300 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-400 and Olympus Evolt E-300 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-400Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-300Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Leica Digilux 3Ystereo / mono---2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D40XY- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-P3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-PL2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-330Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-500Y- / ----2.0---
14.
 
Olympus E-1Y- / ----2.0---
15.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-400 and the E-300 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-300 was replaced by the Olympus E-330, while the E-400 was followed by the Olympus E-410. Further information on the features and operation of the E-400 and E-300 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-300 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Olympus E-400 better than the Olympus E-300 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-400:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (10 vs 8MP) with a 12% higher linear resolution.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.5" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (215k vs 134k dots).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 189g or 30 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 11 months after the E-300).


Arguments in favor of the Olympus Evolt E-300:

  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.5x vs 0.46x).
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2004).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-400 is the clear winner of the match-up (7 : 3 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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-400 07:03 E-300

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-400 and the Olympus E-300 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-400 or the E-300. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-300......+o4.5/5 Sep 2004 799ebay.com
3.
 
Leica Digilux 3............ Sep 2006 1,499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D40X..79/100..+ +4/54/5 Mar 2007 729ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P3..83/100..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2011 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL23/583/100..71/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2011 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-330......+o.. Jan 2006 999ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-500..76/100..+ +.... Sep 2005 599ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-1......+o.. Jun 2003 1,699ebay.com
15.
 
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 ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-400 vs Olympus E-300

    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-400 Olympus E-300
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date September 2006 September 2004
    Launch Price USD 699 USD 799
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-400 Olympus E-300
    Sensor Technology CMOS CCD
    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 10 Megapixels 8 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 pixels 3264 x 2448 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.74 μm 5.30 μm
    Pixel Density 4.44 MP/cm2 3.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 400 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic TruePic
    Screen Specs Olympus E-400 Olympus E-300
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x 0.5x
    Rear LCD Size 2.5inch 1.8inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 134k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-400 Olympus E-300
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 2.5 shutter flaps/s
    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-400 Olympus E-300
    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-400 Olympus E-300
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-1 Olympus BLM-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge750 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    147 x 85 x 64 mm
    (5.8 x 3.3 x 2.5 in)
    Camera Weight 435 g (15.3 oz) 624 g (22.0 oz)
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