E330 a dslr or compact

[sunkarm]

Before there was E330, all upper range cameras r within dslr which r mostly intended for professional photographers. If we use them for diving with thier housings respectively, it seems that just to take a shot, u have to be a pro cause u can't use live view at all. But now, with the E330 is like any beginners/amateur like myself can easily use it. Now, does this mean this camera, which i thnik is really user freindly, be categorized as a DSLR or upper range of compact digital camera?

T.I.A (thanks in advance)

 

[alcina]

You don't need to be a pro to use a viewfinder. All cameras before digital compacts used a viewfinder

I'm curious why it matters if this is a "SLR" or "compact"?

 

[SCOOBA PHAN]

I May Be Wrong But I Believe It Is A Dslr Because You Can Change The Lenses. The Compact Cameras Do Not Have That Ability. This Looks To Be A Very Nice Camera And Of Course Olympus Has A Sterling Reputation. I Called Canon To See If They Had Plans To Put Out A Dslr With The View Option And They Said No. That Does Not Mean They Won't Have One Coming Out Next Week Though.

 

[jlyle]

LOL - the Oly E-330 hardly qualifies as a compact camera; it's huge. The 330 is a true digital slr and is not a point& shoot camera; live-view simply means you don't have to compose through the viewfinder. The 330 is a professional camera, with all the bells & whistles.

The camera body:
Dimensions 5.5 x 3.4 x 2.8 inches (140 x 87 x 72mm)
Weight Approx. 19.4 oz. (550g); Without Batteries and CF Card

A 14-54mm lens:
Dimensions: 2.8" D x 3.4 L (73.5mm x 88.5mm)
Weight: 15.3 oz. (435g)

Camera + lens weigh over two pounds! My Ikelite housing weighs eight pounds, without the strobes, etc.

Compact? I don't think so. Olympus is marketing a new, compact dslr, the E-400; much smaller than the E-1, E-500, or E-330. Unfortunately, it isn't available in the US. The E-400 doesn't have live-view.

 

[f3nikon]

Thats correct the E330 is a true SLR or Single Lens Reflex camera...meaning that there is a mirror that actually lets you see through the actual lens that the film or CCD sensor will be seeing. What makes the E330 a better fit for U/W use is the mini live view camera that is mounted inside the viewfinder that brings the image to the LCD, even when the mirror is blocking the CCD sensor, as is the problem with the other DSLRs.

The live view is like the digital "action finder" version of DSLRs like the pro model film cameras such as the Nikon F3, F4, F5 and Canon F1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera

 

[Allison Finch]

DSLR stands for
Digital
Single
Lens
Reflex
The R has nothing to do with being for Pros.

 

[sunkarm]

Thanks for the input, it's just that when people say they use dslr, the connotation is that pros uses them so people like myself who is not even near to being an amateur r afraid of using it. perhaps we can call E330, a compact DSLR...)

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The E330 is not a compact dSLR, so lets not call it that. Its larger than other budget dSLRs, so even the size connotation is incorrect.

The E330 is a dSLR with LiveView.

 

[sunkarm]

ok, i got it now. so the definiton of compact is for the size figuration. I htought it was defining the "user-friendly" figuration. it's just , with live-view it seems to be much more user freindly....don't u agree?

thx for pointing out the definition of compact

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Its just another way to compose the picture, LCD screen verses optical view finder.