Review on 📷 Olympus E30 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) – Enhanced Image Stabilization for Stunning Shots by Mike Schmidt

After using the E-410 for about a year I saw the E-30 and was curious to switch to the Prosumer line. After about 4 months with this body I couldn't be happier. As a sports shooter, integrated image stabilization, a good burst mode and fast controls are a must. I'm happy to report that all 3 are strong. Shooting at 5 fps ensures I capture exactly the moment I want (fantastic for hockey or lacrosse bat hits), and the 10 fps buffer gives me a lot of flexibility. Of course, a fast CF card also helps. I would recommend 300x. IS helps a lot when I'm using the longer end of the lens, around 150mm to 200mm, especially in bright light (ice rinks, night sports). I left and never looked back. It really helps improve the performance of my older lenses. The controls took a while to get used to, starting with the very basic E-410, but became very natural after a while. The buttons at the top for changing ISO, white balance and +/- are fast, and I set the Fn button for one-touch white balance. The ability to close the screen saves battery life, makes me less worried about scratches, and between the viewfinder and the screen at the top I can tend to pretty much anything I need to do. I have big hands and while the Olympus is known for having a very small/compact camera body, it fits comfortably in my hand and is noticeably lighter than comparable offerings from Nikon and Canon, which is definitely a plus. I have never felt any fatigue in my arms or shoulders, even after prolonged activity. My E-410 suffered from noise issues at ISO 800 and 1600 and I'm glad ISO performance has improved a lot here. It's still the loudest of the three compared to Nikon and Canon offerings, but that's the Achilles' heel of a smaller sensor. The screen is nowhere near the largest in the industry, but I've never had an issue with it, and having the tilt/swivel capabilities is fantastic. It comes with a few Art/Fun modes that may seem useless but can be fun to play with, especially if you don't want to waste time on Photoshop or GIMplater. At the end of the day it's a wonderful step up from the E-XXX line and I can't recommend it highly enough.