Olympus Eco-Products : Digital SLR E-330
The E‐330 is the world's first digital SLR to offer full-time "Live" viewing via an LCD monitor. You can still compose and capture the perfect shot through the finder.It is equipped with two new imaging sensors; a CCD sensor for full-time live viewing that cuts down heat without affecting the image quality, and a 7.5-megapixel Live MOS sensor.
The Live MOS sensor has the virtues of CCD*1 and CMOS*2. The E-330, an environmentally-conscious product has bright capture with low power consumption, and does not use hazardous substances.
*1A semiconductor element , is one of solid-state image sensing devices. When images are
converted into electronic signals, CCD transmits it by using a revolving element, called Charged
Couple Device (CCD) to read out electrical charges which light receiving element generates from light.
Compared to other image pickup devices, it has good reception and a low noise level. In order to
operate the CCD, various voltages including that of both positive and negative are needed for
input-voltage. Therefore, consumption current of CCD is relatively higher at the same time it requires
the Power LSI to generate different voltages.
*2 A solid-state image sensing device which utilizes CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).
Having an amplifier in each unit cell, it reduces the generation of electronic noise caused by reading out
electronic signals optically inverted. It is less expensive than a CCD imaging sensor with a high voltage
analog circuit. It has also advantages such as battery friendly thanks to its small element. At the same time,
elements are often unstable with low-light intensity and shot images tend to have a lot of noise. In addition,
as fixed amplifiers are allocated to each picture cell, fixed pattern noise will generate according to the
differences of characteristics of amplifiers. So it needs a circuit which corrects the noise.
Major Features as Eco-Products
Energy Saving
Compared to the conventional products, the E-330 saves power consumption by about 30% while products
are in off-mode power consumption.
| Conventional product | E-330(Rate of reduction) | |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Mode Power consumption | 100 | 70(-30%) |
Newly developed, 4/3-type, 7.5- mega pixel Live MOS sensor
When Live View is working, the imaging sensor continuously needs to be powered on in order to maintain high-definition. To realize it, Olympus developed a new sensor capable of working like the CMOS with low electric consumption, possessing picture quality of a full-frame CCD. We successfully simplified the structure of the sensor drastically by improving materials and processing technology based on our signal amplifier technology. In addition, by producing a single-piece sensor integrating flexible board into the sensor, we succeeded in reducing contact resistance generated from exchanging signals and wiring. It resulted in to an ideal sensor which provides high sensitivity, high-speed processing and low noise with low electricity consumption.
Newly developed, CCD for full-time subject framing
Offering a full-time "Live View" subject framing via a rear-mounted LCD monitor for an SLR has until now been thought difficult to achieve, because users had to frame their subjects with their eyes fixed on the LCD. Olympus overcame the obstacle by utilizing a side swing mirror and a porro mirror viewfinder like the one used on the Olympus E-300. A smaller CCD was developed to cut down heat without affecting the i finder image. It enables the rear-mounted LCD monitor to continuously provide images as seen through a finder.
Hazardous substances-free product
E-330 is based on the Environment-related Substances Used in Product Control Rules.
PVC is not contained in wiring sheathing materials as well. Eco-glass (Lead-free and arsenic-free optical glass) is used.
Realization of Resource Saving
Compared to the conventional products, we are working on resource saving through reduction in weight.
| Conventional products | E-330(Rate of reduction) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mass(g) *Body only |
580 | 550(-5%) |
Position of Environmentally Conscious Products
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