How does the latest four thirds addition fit into the enthusiast DSLR market?
Olympus E-30 Review
Value For Money
The E-30 launched with an RRP of £1,100, nearly exactly the same as the E-3 at launch. The main concessions you?re making if you choose the E-30 over the E-3, is that you are losing out on the weatherproofing and a 100% viewfinder. If you?re not likely to be shooting in rotten weather or in a sandstorm, then the weatherproofing shouldn?t really be an issue. As for the 100% viewfinder ? the 98% viewfinder of the E-30 should be more than adequate for most. On the other hand, you?re gaining an increase in resolution in both pixels and LCD size ? the sensor of the E-30 will churn you out an extra 2.2MP, while the LCD screen has been boosted an extra 0.2in.
So, essentially, the trade-off seems to neither favour one camera nor the other especially, considering the target market of the E-30. And when you consider that the £900 street price tag is surely due to fall over time, the E-30 looks like being very good value.