In this lesson we will be covering the basic startup and some of features of the new Olympus EVOLT E-410 digital SLR camera. Lets get started!

Inserting the Battery
The EVOLT E-410 comes with a (PS-BLS1) Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (figure 1). We always recommend having an extra battery for those unforeseen occasions, such as when you are shooting all day or you are traveling and away from AC power to recharge the battery. But even with one battery, you can expect to capture around 400 pictures per charge, and around 200 if you are continually using the LCD to review and edit your images.

To install the BLS-1 Li-Ion Battery Pack to the EVOLT body, first make sure it is fully charged and then follow these steps.

Depress the locking latch to open the battery bay door (figure 2). Properly align the battery with the contacts on the battery facing the battery bay (figure 3). Insert the battery into the camera (figure 4). The battery will click into position.

To remove the battery you will need to release the red catch and the battery will pop back out (figure 4).


Close the battery bay door and press the locking latch to secure.

Release the lens release button and remove the lens from the camera (figure 7). The lens is now ready to be stored with the appropriate lens caps.

To re-attach the lens, align the red dot on the side of the lens with the red dot on the lens mount on the camera body. When the lens feels evenly aligned on the lens mount plate, rotate the lens barrel clockwise until you hear the lens lock into place (figures 8 and 9).

Once the lens is attached, use the zoom ring to zoom in or out (figure 10). The focus ring, set toward the front of the lens, can be used to focus the lens. The EVOLT menu allows you to select the direction for the focus ring and works when the focus mode is set to Manual, Single AF + Manual (S AF+M) or Continuous AF + Manual (C AF+M) in the AF mode menu (figure 10).

Powering Up the Camera
Now that we have installed the battery and a lens, we are ready to power up the camera. The power switch is found on the top of the camera to the right and just under the Mode Dial (figure 11). Push the tab to the "ON" position.

The Auto-Focusing modes allow you quick and accurate focus, and are the most popular focusing methods in today’s SLR photography.

There are however, situations where you may wish to adjust the focus point for a more artistic view. Manual Focusing enables you to be very precise in choosing your point of focus. When using the S-AF+MF or C-AF+MF, you can use the camera's auto-focusing system to quickly focus on the subject and then, using the front focusing ring on the lens, fine tune your focus to achieve the exact image you want.

There are two ways to change the Focus mode. You can either set the mode in the main menu screen, or you can access the menu screen for focusing modes only and choose your option. Both options are valid and you will find one that works better and faster for you as you use the camera. Our preferred method is shown below (figures 12 & 13).

Press the OK button to access the LCD menu and use the arrows to select the AF field. Once the AF field is selected, press OK to enter the AF settings menu. Then select the desired AF mode using the arrows and press OK.

A CompactFlash card is inserted with the pin receiver (edge with the holes) edge in and the label side facing out (figure 16). Press the card into the dock until seated securely (figure 17). The card can be removed by pressing the gray tab.

The EVOLT E-410 will also accept xD-Picture cards in the additional media slot.

Olympus xD-Picture Cards are the only xD cards that support the Panorama function found on most Olympus digital cameras. In addition to this feature, they are extremely small and durable. Available in sizes up to 1GB, xD-Picture cards are great storage media that are even more compact than CompactFlash cards!

An xD-Picture card is inserted with the curved edge out (away from the dock) and the label side facing out. Press the card into the dock until seated securely (figure 18). The card can be ejected by pressing the card and then removing.

The following figures show the steps to select the resolution settings for the EVOLT E-410, and the approximate number of images you can store on a 1GB Compact Flash card at the selected setting (figures 19-24).

Figure 19 shows how to access the resolution menu from the main menu screen.

Press the OK button, then scroll to the Resolution field of the main menu screen using the navigation arrow pad. With the Resolution field highlighted, rotate the Control dial to select the desired record mode. The number of images that can be recorded at that resolution to the free space available on the card will display at the bottom right of the menu screen.

It is also possible to enter the Resolution settings from within the Resolution menu. In the main menu, press OK, then use the arrow keys to scroll to the Resolution field. Press OK to enter the Resolution menu. To select a Resolution mode, use the arrow keys or the Control Dial until the desired resolution is set. Press OK.

Figures 20 through 24 show the Resolution menu with various resolution modes highlighted.

*These resolution modes have different compression rates that can be set in another menu (refer to the resolution section in your manual). The number of pictures that can be stored will depend on the compression rate and pixel dimension chosen. SQ has six different pixel dimension settings each with four different compression rates. HQ has three different compression rates for the same pixel dimension. Be sure to use the appropriate resolution size for your end result.

2 Formats Simultaneously
There is also a mode that allows you to shoot in both JPEG and RAW quality settings simultaneously as well. If you prefer the added quality of shooting in either RAW or RAW + JPEG modes, we recommend purchasing CompactFlash cards or Microdrives of at least 1GB or larger. The largest CompactFlash card to date is 8GB, but this number is ever changing.

ISO
Film photographers may remember when this was called ASA (American Standards Association), an acronym representing an organization devoted to developing technical standards for all sorts of disciplines. After World War II, the ASA merged with 25 other countries and formed the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The ISO maintains over 15,000 technical standards with the cooperation of 156 countries, so no matter where you go, ISO 400 speed film will be the same in every language.

It should be noted that for digital cameras, however, there is no ISO standard for Digital Sensor sensitivity. The ISO standard was developed exclusively for the film format. Comparing digital ISO to film ISO is a bit like comparing apples to oranges, so it's best to think of it this way: An ISO setting of 100 in a digital camera is "equivalent to" 100 ISO speed film.

ISO, as it relates to film, measures the speed or sensitivity of given film. The higher the ISO rating the faster or more sensitive the film is, and fast/sensitive film affords better exposures in low light situations. The tradeoff is that the faster the film sensitivity gets, the more the grain size increases. With high ISO numbers in digital cameras, the result is increased "noise", or the digital equivalent to grain.

Follow these steps for setting the White Balance mode.

Press OK to activate the LCD display. Use the arrows to select the White Balance field located to the right of the ISO field and press OK (figure 27). Then, use the arrows to select the desired White Balance setting and press OK to confirm (figure 28).

Specific Kelvin color temperatures can be set within the "CWB" (Custom White Balance) field of the White Balance menu.

To set a specific color temperature setting in the White Balance main menu, use the arrow keys or the Control dial to highlight the "CWB" field at the bottom right of the White Balance menu. Then press and hold the +/- button (located next to the shutter release button) and rotate the Control dial until the desired setting is shown in the CWB field (figures 29 and 30).

Manual exposure mode allows for precise exposure control when metering the light source (figure 31). The user can manually adjust both the aperture and the shutter speed.

Shutter priority allows the user to set a fixed shutter speed to control motion by rotating the Control Dial. The camera will select the correct aperture value based on the level of light available (figure 32).

Aperture priority allows the user to set a fixed aperture to control how much is in focus by rotating the Control Dial. The camera will select the correct shutter speed based on the level of light available (figure 33).

Program is the most common type of automatic exposure selection. Ideal for quick snapshots, the camera will select both the aperture value and shutter speed based on the level of light available (figure 34).

Auto is a fully automatic program exposure mode. The camera sets the optimum aperture value and shutter speed according to subject brightness. The flash will automatically pop up in low light situations. Auto is ideal when you just want to shoot quickly in average shooting situations (figure 35).

Portrait mode will select an aperture that is typically good for shooting portraits and then select a shutter speed based on the available light (figure 36).

Landscape selects exposure values that are appropriate for shooting scenic shots (figure 37).

This mode features vivid reproduction of blues and greens.

Macro mode will select an aperture appropriate for holding good depth of field in close up shots and will select a shutter speed for good exposure (figure 38).

Sports/Action mode will set the fastest possible shutter speed for a given lighting situation, and then set the aperture for proper exposure (figure 39).

This mode captures fast moving action without blurring.

Night Scene and Portrait is for shooting both main subject and illuminated background in evening or at night. This mode uses a slower shutter speed than in normal shooting (figure 40).

Scene - “Scene Select” will allow you to select a specific exposure mode such as Fireworks or Beach Scene from a menu of presets program modes that are accessible by pressing the Up or Down arrow keys (figure 41).

When the Mode Dial is set to the Scene Select Mode, 20 additional pre-configured shooting situations become available. Displayed on the LCD screen will be a picture that demonstrates the particular situation and a description (figure 42).

These are very handy in terms of giving a clear visual of the intended scenario, making it easy to pick out which one will work in the scenario you are in. It should be noted that most camera functions cannot be manually altered while in any of these Scene Select Modes.

The Scene Select Mode options are as follows:

• Portrait: For taking a portrait-style shot.
• Landscape: For shooting landscapes. Vivid reproduction of blues and greens.
• Landscape+Portrait: For shooting both main subject and background. Vivid reproduction of blues and greens.
• Night Scene: For shooting illuminated scenes in evening or at night. Uses a slower shutter speed than in normal shooting.
• Night+Portrait: Uses pop-up flash. For shooting both main subject and illuminated background in evening or at night. Uses a slower shutter speed than in normal shooting.
• Children: Shooting active children.
• Sport: Captures fast-moving action without blurring.
• High Key: Enhances bright areas for impressive pictures.
• Low Key: Enhances dark areas for impressive pictures.
• DIS Mode: (Digital Image Stabilization) This function reduces the blur incurred by a moving subject or camera movement when taking pictures.
• Macro: Best for close-up pictures.
• Nature Macro: Best for close-up pictures of small objects.
• Candle: For shooting under candlelight. Warm colors are reproduced.
• Sunset: For shooting setting/rising sun. Vivid reproduction of reds and yellows.
• Fireworks: Suitable for shooting fireworks at night. Uses a slower shutter speed than in normal shooting.
• Documents: For shooting documents, etc. Increases contrast between letters and background.
• Panorama: Lets you take pictures that can be combined to make a single panoramic picture. (Requires use of xD-Picture card.)
• Beach & Snow: For shooting snowy capped mountains, landscapes, white sand seascapes, etc.
• Underwater Wide: This is optimum for taking landscapes underwater. (Requires underwater housing.)
• Underwater Macro: This is optimum for taking close-ups underwater. (Requires underwater housing.)

Setting Exposure in Manual Mode
In order to have maximum control for your depth of field and your exposure, you need to manually adjust your aperture and shutter speeds. To be able to manually adjust your aperture and shutter speed settings, first turn the Mode Dial to M (figure 43).

Setting the Shutter Speed
You can adjust your shutter speed in the Manual mode by turning the Control dial until the desired shutter speed appears in the shutter speed field (figure 46).

Adjusting Aperture and Shutter Speed in Auto Modes
When using the EVOLT E-410 in Aperture Priority mode, the Control Dial adjusts the aperture allowing you to control the depth of field or amount of focus in your photographs (figures 47 and 48).

When using the camera in the Shutter Priority mode, the Control Dial adjusts the shutter speed controlling the amount of action stopped in your photographs (figures 49 and 50).

In the Program mode you can adjust the exposure level by rotating the Control Dial while holding down the +/- key (figures 51, 52, and 53).

Using the Live View Function
Unlike most digital SLRs, the E-410 allows you to shoot with a Live View on the LCD monitor. Although this may not seem like a big deal to some, particularly when you consider that just about every compact digital camera available has this capability, it's actually quite a feat. Essentially, the main obstacle for this function in an SLR is contending with the mirror/shutter mechanism.

Olympus took pains to create this functionality in their SLRs, however, to afford more versatility in various shooting conditions -- shooting in a crowd where you can't see over the heads of those around you, shooting at low angle close-ups where getting your head next to the camera can be difficult, etc....

To illustrate this functionality, we decided to use the EVOLT E-410 to take some floral macro shots with the Live View function engaged. We set the camera on a sturdy tripod and positioned it close to a low-lying bush of bleeding hearts (figure 54).

We powered up the camera, and configured the following settings:

• Exposure Mode: Manual
• Aperture: f/5.6 (for a shallow depth of field)
• Focus: Manual
• ISO: 100
• White Balance: Sun (5300K)

We then pressed the Live View button on the back. When you press this button, you cannot view your composition through the viewfinder, but it will be displayed on the LCD (figure 55).

If you are shooting in Manual Exposure mode (which we encourage for this type of shooting), you can see the previewed effects of your exposure settings on the LCD. For example, here we slowed the shutter speed until the preview appeared overexposed (figure 56).

As this preview was brighter than we wanted the result to be, we gradually adjusted the shutter speed (increasing its speed) until the exposure on the LCD looked good. Note that if you want to clear the LCD of all camera setting data to better focus on your composition, simply press the INFO button repeatedly (generally three times) until only the image and center target are displayed (figure 57).

Once we arrived at a good exposure and composition, we took a shot. Note that this shooting process in this situation was much simpler and faster than it would have been without the Live View functionality (figure 58).

NOTE: When capturing images in the Live View mode, there is a slight time lag during from when you press the shutter down to when the camera actually captures the image. For most shooting situations, this will not affect your results. For situations where timing is critical, you may find it easier to shoot while looking through the viewfinder.

When in Live View mode, however, you need to press the AEL/AFL button to lock focus on your subject (figure 59).

An alternative method and the most popular method for importing the images onto your computer is to remove the media card from the camera and insert it into a media card reader on your computer (figure 64 and 65). Your computer will see the memory card as a drive. Just copy the image files from the memory card to a destination folder on your computer.

After images are copied from the media card, they can be erased. It is best to do this with the camera. With the media card inserted in the camera, press the menu button. Scroll to Card Setup, then to the erase menu. Choose Erase, then press OK.

In order to edit your new images on your computer to manipulate, email, or print them, you'll need to install the Olympus Master Editing software (included with the EVOLT E-410) onto your computer or use an alternate photo editing software.


Shooting Portraits Outdoors
Taking good portraits outdoors can be easy if you have some basic light modifiers on hand. A bright sunny day can render beautiful, vibrant colors but can also present a high degree of contrast: a primary concern when shooting portraits. To illustrate more effectively, we set up a typical backyard portrait set-up with our model. Once the camera was dialed in, we took a shot of her in a vertical crop (figures 66 and 67).

Here's the contrast we talked about. Notice how bright the model's forehead is compared to the sharp shadows cast from her nose and chin in this result shot. And since she had the sun in her eyes, she couldn't help but squint into the lens.

To reduce the contrast (and squinting), our assistant held a Photoflex 12" Translucent LiteDisc up to diffuse the sunlight falling on the model's head and shoulders. This eliminated the harsh shadows, but also decreased the overall light level by about 1 f/stop. To adjust for exposure, we simply opened the aperture a full stop from its original setting and took another shot (figures 68 and 69).

In the result shot, notice how much more we can see the model's eyes, and that the shadows have diminished drastically.

For a final touch, we had the model hold a 22" White LiteDisc just under her face to bounce sunlight up into the shadow areas. We took another shot and then viewed it on the playback mode of the camera (figures 70 and 71).

The shadows under the eyes and nose have been eliminated, and the bottom LiteDisc has created a nice "sparkle" in the model's eyes. For a full body shot using this technique, you would simply use larger LiteDisc reflectors.