Olympus Camedia E-10 FAQ

Welcome to the FAQ. Here you'll find all those answers to all those questions. Further this is the place for tips regarding the Camedia E-10.

The Firmware of the Olympus Camedia E-10:

The firmware is the software inside the camera. A few days after the Camedia E-10 was on sale in the US, some users noticed that there were two different versions of the firmware, 42-0116 and 42-0119. Now there's also third verision (42-0120) on sale. Since this time the users try to find out what the difference between these versions is. A few owners asked Olympus support for the difference. They always said something like "There is no difference for the end user..."
If you want to know what firmware version is in your Camedia E-10, you have to examine the  EXIF-Header* of the generated JPEGs. You could use a text editor like "notepad" (on your windows system) and search for the string "OLYMPUS" in it. The second appearance should say "OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD E-10 42-0119", so in this example we have revison 42-0119 in the camera.
Or you could use a program like PIE (View | Advanced Information), which also shows you the data stored in the EXIF header. Or you may want to use a basic EXIF-Reader.

*) EXIF-Header: In this area of your JPEG file additional information is stored (f-stop, time used, diaphragm, flash, quality, zoom, time & date, iso, program etc.)

Using (or not)  the IBM Microdrive* with your Camedia E-10:

Although microdrives fit into the Camedia E-10, Olympus says that they are not recommended to use with the camera. There could be problems with the heat they produce and also with power consumption. Lots of users certainly tried to use them. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. There are mainly 3 different types of effects:

a) You cannot switch the Camedia E-10 on

b) The microdrive works without any problems

c) In the meantime it works but sometimes there are several errors. Several people reported that the camera sometimes gave a CF-Error when the pictures are stored to the microdrive. With my 1 GB microdrive sometimes there's a problem in starting the camera. The LED, which lights up if the media is accessed, flashes but the camera doesn't come to standby. Then there also is no chance in switching the camera off, I have to remove and reinsert the batteries. After that everything works fine. But I have no problems in storing to the media. If no further errors occur I can live with this issue.

So if you are interested in purchasing a microdrive give it a test drive at your dealer with your own Camedia E-10.

*) IBM Microdrive: This is a "real" miniature hard drive, available with capacities of 170 MB (isn't produced anymore), 340 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB. Because these are also mechanical devices they are much more sensible for physical influences than usual flash memory. On the other side they are much cheaper (about 1/3rd of a cf card). So if money doesn't matter, you should prefer a 1 GB microdrive (think of the file sizes). 

DOF preview with your Olympus Camedia E-10:

Usual SLRs often have a DOF preview. You push a button and the diaphragm is closed to the desired value, so you can see what DOF (depth of field) you get.
This function unfortunatly isn't implemented in the Camedia E-10, but there is a way to get a preview: Switch the camera to manual control [M] with long time exposure [bulb]. Choose the wanted f-stop with the main dial. Now take a shot and keep the button pressed. As long as you press it the diaphragm stays closed to the wanted f-stop and you have your preview. This costs you one picture but you have digital camera, so you can delete it.

You have an article for the FAQ? You miss something in this FAQ? Drop me a line!

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