UPDATE: Thank you to those who have shared that you can in fact update the firmware on the E-300 through Olympus Workspace! ALSO, this was my first ever video and let's be honest, it sucks. I promise to update it someday with image samples, etc.
There's actually a website to download the firmware on many models and update from the SD card. Saves you from needing a goofy old cord. You have to Google to find it though.
It is a pity that Olympus did not build this camera with a 5 mpx sensor as in the E1. It has 1.6 x larger Pixel diameter and thus 2.55 x larger active pixel area.
I just picked up the E-500 mainly for the larger LCD screen. Love it ! This is going to be my new favorite travel camera. Thank you so much for this video... I never would have gone down the Olympus E-300/E-500 rabbit hole otherwise.
@tylerfields2368 Hmm. I can tell you it is beautiful. I have the 2 kit lenses and they are as sharp as I want for portraits. The skin tones look natural. I love the colors. I don't think it's kodak gold warm. I think is just pumped up and vibrant without being over the top.
The queen of vintage cameras, preserving the timeless charm of old equipment because, for enthusiasts, older is almost always better. Keep up the excellent work!
Yesss... my first digital. It's been languishing in a cupboard for years. Pulled it out yesterday - charged it up (has the two battery add-on grip w the portrait shutter release) - instantly I'm a fan again. Thanks for the video - I learned things. Bye - from a cabin in a swamp in a rain-forest in New Zealand.
I love this camera. I bought one in 2005 and still use it as a every day camera. My wife have two of them. I also have the 330 and the 410. I use them always. I've got a new Sony, but rarely use it. My Olympus are the best.
I can’t decide between the E-1, E-300, or E-410/420. I believe the 410 does not have a CCD sensor… what are your thoughts of the 410 compared to the E300?
@@dedclownsRfunny The E410 has a Panasonic sensor with smaller pixels. With bad weather, evening and clouds You can see the differences in real colors.
I own one, and I love it for the same reasons you do. I was able to find a few lens mount adapters (M42 to 4/3, Minolta MD to 4/3, and Nikon F to 4/3) and so I can shoot a lot of vintage manual focus lenses with this camera. Admittedly, manual focussing is difficult with the E-300, given its smallish viewfinder and lack of any type of focus assist, but it's doable, especially if you have good sight and don't wear glasses like I do. But the patience and slow pace are often rewarded by stunning results that need little to no editing afterwards. I just discovered your channel and I like it a lot. Keep up the good work! :-)
Thank you so much!! I love this camera so much that I have 3 of them now, just in case :P The color from the early Olympus dSLRs are still unmatched in my opinion. And congrats on those adapters! I struggle with manual focus on this camera but love it when it works out.
Hi! I ❤ your channel and your no bs approach to talking about cameras. I had an e300 which I gave to my daughter but I'm missing it so think I'll have to get another one. I used to earn a living from my photography so maybe that makes me an ex - pro? Nowadays I'm an Olympus devotee after leaving the CaNikon world and looking for something different. I think I have found it in the original Olympus Four Thirds system; I haven't followed through into Micro Four Thirds yet for two reasons, firstly because I have a small fortune invested in the original system and secondly owing to the wheels falling off my wagon healthwise and leaving me bound to a wheelchair. But I don't really want to change my system anyway since I'm perfectly happy with what it gives to me! I own, from the bottom: E1, E3,.E30, E510 and finally E620 + a 📦 of original FT lenses! I would like to lay my hands on an E5 pro body mainly because it would complete my ìnventory of professional FT bodies and also because of the ùupgrade in the quality of images from the E3. Are you on Facebook?
@@OneMonthTwoCameras If you like the colour and image quality of this camera, be sure to check out the Kodak DC4800 - probably the origin of this sensor. 3MB is fine for most things - I had to go back to an old one I had after losing a modern camera and it was so much better - takes a little while to get used to the tiny screen but it is very usable and very light weight - the lens I believe is a Schneider - very very sharp.
Ahhh, the now mythic E-300. I got one back in 2006 when I moved from Québec to Chicago to do my Ph.D. Thanks in large part to your amazing channel, I decided to get one again in 2023 and do indeed love the colours! Thanks for bringing back to light this beautifully engineered camera.
@@OneMonthTwoCamerasif you had to choose one between the e300/500, E1, or maybe other brands with a ccd Kodak sensor, which will give you a close like film look with grain?
@@OneMonthTwoCamerasperhaps you can suggest to me a route to take. So I currently have a canon eos rebel sl3 camera. I want to begin adapting vintage lens, but I'm debating if I should adapt vintage glass with adapter for unique characteristic shots? Or would it be a better guarantee getting a ccd Kodak sensor throwback digital camera that can give me a close like film look? Because for sure (correct me if I'm wrong) adapting a vintage lens on a modern dslr isn't gonna give me a close film like look
I had and owned this camera in 2004 and had to save $999 plus tax for it! It was my first Dslr that I've owned since I couldn't afford the Nikon d70 at that time. That camera was ground breaking in 2004 haha I had a lot of fun with it! and you're right the colors were so vibrant when shot in a sunny day it was definitely something else. Thanks for bringing me back in time with your review!
On December 13, 2004, one of the camera / photograph associated magazines sold in Japan conducted an interview with (6) Olympus engineers who developed Olympus E-300. An Olympus engineer said that compared with E-1, they increased the sharpness by +1 or +2 and they also increased the noise reduction. That is, if you love the image which E-1 delivers, you may want to choose to set your E-300 with -1 or -2 of sharpness.
@@OneMonthTwoCameras The idea was that since E-1 was the flag ship model supposedly being used by professional photographers, the images it delivers should be more natural, flat, so that the photographers can tweak the images in the post production process. Since E-300 was designed as a mid range model, it delivers more punchy images. (The amount of noise reduction had unfortunately to be increased because of the smaller pixel pitch of the sensor.) All in all, one can argue that E-1 may deliver slightly natural looking images.
Very good and balanced review. I also enjoy using the e-300 and have the 15 - 54, 11-22 and four other 4/3 rds lenses as well as the e-330 and 500 bodies. Great fun to use and (you're absolutely right) lovely colour. The 50mmf2.00 macro lens is also worth buying as a perfect portrait optic (Creamy bokeh guaranteed for those who must have it) and good for close ups - - obviously!
You are delightful, and this was a great review of the E-300 (a shame about the jet noise, but I heard everything -- it's not a perfect world). I originally had two E-300's purchased new -- I used them professionally back in the day. I sold one, but I still have one in perfect shape with the battery grip, and even the Olympus FP-1D Power Flash Bracket, and FL-50 Flash -- it all works. The number one top plus for the E-300 is the amazingly rich colors it produces from that Kodak sensor -- it is the digital equivalent of Kodachrome slide film. The thing that makes the E-300 so unique is the 'porro finder' design that uses 4 mirrors instead of a prism, and makes it look so boxy -- the main mirror flips sideways, rather than up and down. I still have the 14-45mm, 40-150mm, 50mm macro, 35mm macro, 8mm Fisheye, and the wonderful 50-200mm f/2.8-f/3.5 lens. Your review has encouraged me to dig that puppy out of its resident camera bag and do some shooting with it -- thanks!
I have this camera paired with the Sigma 55-200 4.5. Beautiful images. I love the evolt e-500. That was my first digital. Still shoots beautiful images. I think I'll be collecting Olympus gear as well. Excellent review as well.
I just bought one at our local thrift store. Bought a new battery, and went out with the 35mm on it to do head shots for my street talk interviews (deal came with the 35mm and 3 variable zooms $25). Set it on portrait. Nice images. Realistic/natural. Filed the story. I think it might work well for still life shots in abandoned woodworking shop, old cowboys, etc. Thanks for your relaxed video.
Based on this review I picked up the E330. The biggest change is that it has a Live MOS (non Kodak) and live view on the larger/improved LCD. Incredible colours, great camera. Super impressed. Thank you.
Been watching your videos and love your passion and it’s so relaxing listening to you talk. I would love to see more sample images in your reviews! Ps. Just purchased this same combo, def not for under $100 tho. Haha
Thank you so much and I appreciate that feedback! Definitely working to include more photos with every video these days so thank you for sharing the perspective.
Lovely to find someone else who appreciates this amazing little camera. There is, as you said, something unique about the colours that it reproduces. Not perfect, not modern, but a work of art.
First of all, thank you for this review. I have just recently bought a supremely well cared for Olympus e300 and have instantly fallen in love with it. Soaking up all information that I can. Something curious to note, I realise this review is a couple of years old now and a lot can change in that time, but are you aware that you can update the firmware in OM Workspace? I did so with my body the very next day as it would not recognise my 70-300 telepzoom lens. No issues, easily done and my body is now at firmware 1.5. The prices have shot up since you made this video - at least in the UK. I picked mine up as a beautiful two lens kit for £50 which is wonderful, but everywhere else they are at least triple that price with just one 14-45 kit lens. Good luck finding a 25mm prime of any description. I agree with you on the colour science, there is something special and hard to reproduce about it. I am finding it to be magical so far, but a bright weather camera. Not always easy in Britain. Funnily enough I have a Pentax *istD from 2003 and that body also produces magical colours.A different type of colour science, but different to my other bodies all the same. Thanks again for the review.
Good review. I bought this camera new as part of a 2 lens kit in 2006. It was my only "real" camera until 2014 when I purchased the epl7. There is just something about it that makes it a hoot to shoot with. The e300 like any camera isn't perfect but it's a solid tool for capturing stills and 8 megapixels is still enough for most people. Mine definitely shows usage but I have no intention of selling it.
Your review is awesome and thanks to you, now I have E-300, E-400(just ordered) E-500, E-1, E-3, 50f2, 35-100f2 plus many kit lenses. It is a lot of fun playing with these cameras these days and I was wondering have you done the review of E-400 and why was it so hard to find this model?
I appreciate your frustrations with the E series 4/3 cameras. I routinely shoot in RAW and underexpose by a whole stop after setting the contrast and colour both to minus 2, and always make a custom white balance for every single picture. Only then can I trust the histogram on the LDC screen. It’s quite liberating in a way, and forces me to rely upon my own judgment. If I am working in low light, I use a powerful LED head torch to act as an illuminator for the autofocus for all my cameras.
Отличный эмоциональный обзор ! Я вижу что Вы влюблены в этот фотоаппарат. Я себе сегодня купил тоже Е 300 . Жду с нетерпением когда доставку сделают моей посылки ! Удачи! Творческих успехов !!!
been watching this channel for a while now, so nice and organic. the Olympus xz1 and M8 reviews were so cool. A nice point about loving constraints and working on a photo rather than it being easy
100% agree with what you felt about this camera. I mean, I only do auto white balance apply on LR with RAW file took with my E300 and still they make very psychologically pleasing color and image. Great camera and if you can see this camera on some pawn shop, someone's garage sale just grab it. by the way if its difficult to get it E500 also can make 100% same images so highly recommend that one too.
Few years ago, I purchased 14-42mm kit lens plus E-300 body from eBay and they are still working fine after some clean up. I actually saw a dentist used E-300 with macro lens for his work 10 years ago. Not sure what he is using now.
Have one of these with a low shutter count. Like you love it. The early Pentax digitalis also had CCD sensors. The Six Mega Club people love them. And, it’s all about the colour. I am glad to have discovered this channel. Well done!
Still shoot and love my Nikon D70s that I got new in 2006. 6mpx and ccd. Love the way it handles and I just treat it like one of my film cameras since the iso performance kinda matches film to my eyes in terms of noise.
I used to own an E-400 which I think has the same CCD sensor. Everytime I look back at these pictures (jpeg) I am blown away by the film-like colours it produced. I just ordered the 25mm F2.8 lens and I'm now looking if I can find myself a decent E-400 or E-300 somewhere. Thanks for the inspiration! Love your channel!
Ali - Hi; I've now had this for a couple of weeks with the kit lens and I love it as a dad cam; shooting nerdy shots of boring things dad-style. I don't get the colour thing though. I've tried and I don't see it as anything special. I wish I did. Maybe that's because over the past few years I've just honed the D700 (D3) Df (D4) and Fuji XTrans G2&3 to what I like and those are my benchmark. I find this one nice but not any better or more interesting. Still think your review is great - and feel I can totally respect your findings while having different ones of my own. Keep up your great work!!
Just got my E300 yesterday, took it for some shots today. I am amazed at how good the Kodak CCD Sensor still is. Waiting for my Oly E1 to arrive. Got both of them with 2 lenses for peanuts😁 Great review. Stay safe always🙋♂️
Congrats!! You officially have my two favorite cameras of all time! As wonderful as the E300 is, the E1 is even better and takes the number one place in my heart. So happy to have them both and excited for your new acquisitions!
If you come across one, update firmware if it's still 1.0 (easier than any other camera brand), Firmware 1.5 will allow newer lenses to work, with firmware 1.0 they will freeze the camera. Good video, very well put together.
Thank you! I looked into updating the firmware but it sounds like it’s not possible anymore since Olympus Studio no longer exists. Is that wrong? Any tips??
This camera is one of my absolute favorite digital cameras. The images, especially with flash, come out so sharp! Really makes you consider how many megapixels are truly needed. Wish Kodak would bring back their sensors!
It is a pity that Olympus did not build this camera with a 5 mpx sensor as in the E1. It has 1.6 x larger Pixel diameter and thus 2.55 x larger active pixel area.
My biggest grip with yhe E-300 is the tiny viewfinder. You were right, you can barely manual focus with it. On the plus side, you can still update the firmware online. I did it for mine.
This video really tricked me into this ccd rabbithole. Now with an e-300 with two kit lenses finally in my hands, I can't wait to get my hands on a 25mm pancake! This machine is so sexy, really makes me want to have a walk outside with it.
That 25mm is almost impossible to find here in Europe :( I've settled for the 50 f2 macro which is a great performer, but is also massively overpriced at the moment.
I have the E1 and would like to acquire an E300 … about the auto focus in low light, I now have the VA-1 right angle viewfinder, which has a 2X magnification for accurate manual focus - works a treat.
I have that camera and the result is beautiful, with a few adjustments in lightroom and it's wonderful. It is incredible that it is a camera from the year 2006.
Thank you ... I'm about to get the evolve 500 in a few days... I'm excited about experiencing the color quality for myself. Thanks for the info on the lens also. I subscribed
I had one of these from new, it didn't last too long to be honest. I had problems with the dials, which developed a mind of their own, for example I'd turn it to set the aperture and it'd pick one at random, kinda frustrating! It would have cost too much to repair so I ended up buying a used E-420 cheap, so that I could use the lenses I had - and I lashed the E-300! I've long since moved over to M43 now, though.
Returning to this OG video because I snagged an untested E300 on ebay for cheap, and it actually works! Been thoroughly enjoying it, and I doubt I would have ever considered it before I stumbled on to this channel. Thanks Ali! :)
I still have an E-300 and also an E-500. I switched to using the E-500 because I liked the larger lcd screen, the controls were nicer and the body shape is handier. Still, somehow the E-300 can produce better results. I don’t know why. And not only that, but it’s hard to take good usable pictures with the E-300. It’s like shooting Kodachrome 64. No low light shooting. No exposure latitude. The auto white balance on it is really hit and miss. But then, just like with Kodachrome, just when you least expect it, you get magic. I never could do that with the E-500.
I’ve now seen both of your reviews on E-1 and E300, great reviews! I’m trying to decide between E-1 and E300. What are the differences in the pictures from both (apart from resolution). I like more character in my photos and looking for the one that looks more ‘filmic’
I ordered one of these with two zooms. What I REALLY want to do is use some M42 manual focus lenses on it, but if that's too painful I'll just stick to the zooms.
I love your channel and this video. waiting for a parcel. I bought an e300 and lenses. I want to enjoy it. I want to please myself and others with the help of the old school
Have you heard of the E330? I just got one today. It's a lot less uncommon than the E300 but has some nice features e.g. a tilty screen and a primitive live-view that doesn't need the mirror to move however it has a dark view finder.
this was my first digital, running beside all the film cameras i have, top lenses and i think this cam was underrated that time, everyone went for canon 300d... greets bm
I over expose by .03 or .07 with "extended iso only" at night (or day) on the old cameras if I need it. Native high iso I'll shoot jpeg in low light but turn off noise reduction to keep detail. The Nikons all use NR beyond 800iso but if you turn on NR it'll boost the automatic NR. (Not sure what other brands do) I've gotten better quality at higher iso from jpg than raw. Same for D200, D300, D3, D3s and DF. Try shooting jpg high iso at night, then process your files in Gigapixel (use the NR from "Topaz Gigapixel" not the Topaz Denoise). My methodology came from watching professional sports photographers when I was learning, they mostly shot jpeg regardless of the situation, day or night. EOS 1D, D2H, D3, etc. A good documentary to watch is from the old Olympics, One Shot when they were switching over to digital for the first time. All jpegs day & night.
Hey there, I really appreciate your reviews and I have just bought one of these on ebay thanks to your recommendation. Plus a Panasonic LX and a Camedia too, haha. I was just wondering if you know of any other cameras that have the kodak ccd sensor in them? I have been looking online for information on this but there is very little to find, looks like other than Leica its mostly Olympus cameras. Thx so much and keep up up the awesome work.
Oh wow you are about to have a lot of cameras to enjoy! Unfortunately the Kodak CCD was short lived and is not in a lot of cameras. Kodak themselves first used them in their own bodies but those are really quite old and unfortunately new batteries are not produced for those the way they are for models like the E300.
I shoot micro fourthirds, but I started with the E-300 them move the E-510. I have a lot of 4/3 lens.... One is the holy graal of it. Do you want to do a review on it?
Hey, thanks for this amazing review. Your enthusiasm for those old cameras is really contagious (GAS alert...). How does the E-300 compare to the bigger E-1 in your opinion in terms of image quality, color rendition etc.. The E-300 obviously has a bigger (also newer) sensor. I know that you prefer the E-1 but is it just for the ergonomics and functionality?
Wow, I have this camera also I got for almost nothing at a pawn shop. Rather than get new batteries for it, I basically used the lens off of this one to put with an adapter on my EPL1 and it works perfectly.
The strange thing is that Olympus made 25mm f/2.8 for 4/3 and then they made 17mm f/2.8 for M4/3. It is like they didn't want to offer both, for both bayonets. Then they made for m4/3 bayonet the 17mm, 25mm, 45mm, 60mm and 75mm at odd times after launch. And they are different by built. Like 75mm has metal shell, like 17mm as well. But then 25mm and 45mm has plastic shell, like 60mm does. It is odd that they couldn't bring 17mm as plastic version as well for lower price. The 17mm f2.8 is great lens, what now slow focusing (like Panasonic 20mm f1.7) but I would like to know what it is with 4/3 version of 25mm f2.8?
Shame about the focusing and limited lens selection, I was tempted to get one to play with. I love my M9's, but still I feel this urge to try out these oddball little cameras, I don't know what it is. Lovely review, very informative!
The prices didn't age well, holy crap. It's July 2024 and the body-only E-300 goes for $150 on eBay (+ shipping). Cheapest kit with the 14-42mm kit lens is $220.
It was my first DSLR and it was 4/3 not m4/3 it has a mirror, I bought it used and it took very sharp JPG out of the box, I used the M42 adapter to shoot manual focus with my CZJ lenses. As far as I remember it has color shift became cool at high ISO, but still it was a very nice camera to use.
A question for the author and everyone who cares: dear, how do you use Lightroom when processing RAW from Olympus cameras? In my raw form, Lightrum reproduces not a color, but some kind of... The program does not have a profile for Olympus cameras. Can you advise how to pump LR under OL?
I've wanted to try a four thirds camera for a while however this video convinced me to try the E-300. I ended up with one with the 40-150 lens not by choice but as it happened to get a body with one for £35 but without charger and battery so that was another £15. I Haven't tried it much as I am waiting on a charger (I only have one half full battery). However so far it looks good. If you ignore the terrible screen... I got a macro 35mm lens for £60 as well which I hope will be my preferred lens. Have you tried adapting the lens on MFT? I know there are two adapters however the Olympus one is very expensive even used but the Chinese one has a bad rep.
Well done on the purchase. I’ll never sell my E-300s (I’ve hoarded three bodies now as I despair at the thought of one breaking). The 35 macro is a stunning lens and that’s an incredible price you got it for. I’ve had a surprisingly great amount of success with the following adapter on my Olympus micro 4/3 bodies (EPL1 and EM5iii): www.ebay.com/itm/265250785821
@@OneMonthTwoCameras Thanks I will look at getting that adapter. My first impressions of the lens are really good. My E-300 body had only taken 1,000 photos so hopefully it has a lot of life left in it. I would agree the colors are very pleasant
@@OneMonthTwoCameras I got my e-300 now! interesting design and nice color. then I watch this videoagian, suddenly, I found why my screen is tilt..... ok, after google for seconds. what I got is 330 .... nevermind. I like it.
Great video! Any thoughts on the e-500? Definitely more of a conventional design but it seems to address some of the usability issues you've mentioned. I went looking for an e-300 but found a much better deal on an e-500, so I have one on the way.
Ooo would love to hear what you think of the E-500! I haven't shot with that one yet but I did just order the mythical E-400 which I'm really interested to see the outcome of.
@@OneMonthTwoCameras Nice! I just read about the e-400. Apparently it was never even made available in the US, and according to someone on DPReview, it was the last Olympus body to have a Kodak-made CCD in it. Would love to see a review down the line!
Is there a way to get the Camera RAW Profile in LR instead of Adobe Standard for these older Cameras? Compared with newer Olympus Cameras I did not find a way to change that.
@@OneMonthTwoCameras thanks, i found it, but now im 100% sure.. again thanks for the intoduction og the camera and the linse! I found the camera in the trash mere i live so 140 $ is cheap for a camera, loking forward to tale some pictures whith the pancake linse.. M.T.
I think the e-300 looks great. I have the micro four thirds and I've have had the 7-14 and 40-150 new pro lenses image quality was excellent but not for me there huge and weigh a ton
Hi! Does your flash ever flash rapidly when you half press the shutter button? I’m not sure if the camera is doing it on purpose or mine is just broken…lol
Do you know if there are adapters out there that can adapt other mount lenses to the original four thirds mount(vintage mf lenses for example)? I can’t seem to find it anywhere…
Also I would love to see a review of the Minolta 5D or 7D, as they seem to share the same early 6MP CCD Sensor and lots of folks online report how awesome or film like the color output of those cameras are.
@@OneMonthTwoCameras haha why? Pretty sure you're hoarding a drawer with a few copies :P It was really gross but after 2 hours cleaning it looks MINT! The downside is that now I don't wanna take it outside the house haha! I scored some pretty sweet lenses today on the local ads. My gosh this thing feels great in my hands! built like a tank and soooo tiny compared to my 5D and my Fuji S5 Pro!! Love the ergonomy of the buttons, seems like they took some cues from Nikon's layout
A definite miss on my part. This was my first ever video and there is a lot I'd do different now. I plan to do a follow up to this someday. In the meantime, my video on the Olympus E1 has samples and shares the sensor of the E300.
I do watch this channel to see your comments on Sigma, Pentax and Olympus, my fafourite brands, and CCD and Foveon censors... but isn´t this a finnish marimekko design clothing?
@@OneMonthTwoCameras that was more like an astonished eye ...: I live in Finland. ;) - Right now my eye is keen on a Pentax K 10D that right now ships to here from Germany. Maybe you´ll do a review on that camera - whenever it will be "right & now" for you?
