The E-300 ('EVOLT' in North America) became the second ever Four Thirds System digital SLR when it was announced by Olympus at Photokina 2004. The camera features an eight megapixel Kodak 4/3 Type CCD sensor, a Four Thirds lens mount and an unusual Optical Porro Finder. The viewfinder uses four mirrors instead of a prism, its sideways swinging mirror lends to the camera's flat-top profile. Instead of the image from the lens being directed upwards to the viewfinder prism it is directed rightwards and then up to the viewfinder which is offset from the lens axis.

Two new affordable ZUIKO Digital lenses

In conjunction with their announcement of the E-300 Olympus also announced two more affordable (sub $300) lenses. The EZ 14 - 45 mm zoom was destined to be the E-300 'Kit Lens' while the EZ 40 - 150 mm adds a telephoto zoom option. These two lenses would provide an E-300 owner with a full 28 - 300 mm equiv. FOV coverage (or approximately 10x zoom from 28 mm equiv.). It's worth noting however that the more expensive ZUIKO Digital lenses feature ED glass elements, these do not. However the price difference is significant, the ED 14 - 54 mm F2.8 - F3.5 being approximately twice the price of the EZ 14 - 45 mm.

ZUIKO Digital EZ 14 - 45 mm F3.5 - F5.6
(28 - 90 mm equiv. FOV, 3.2x zoom)
US$ 249.95		 ZUIKO Digital EZ 40 - 150 mm F3.5 - F4.5
(80 - 300 mm equiv. FOV, 3.75x zoom)
US$ 279.95