Software

The E-410 is supplied with a CD-ROM containing:

  • Olympus Master 2.0 - simple image transfer, browsing, basic editing, simple RAW
    conversion, printing and sharing.
     
  • Olympus Studio 2.0 Trial - a 30 day trial copy of Olympus's more advanced image
    editing and RAW conversion application.

RAW conversion

As is normal in our digital SLR reviews I like to compare the supplied RAW conversion software and some third party RAW converter. Previous versions of Olympus Studio have offered two different RAW development engines; High Speed or High Function. The High Speed engine was the same as used in Olympus Master, however the High Function engine took longer but generally produced better results. With the advent of version 2.0 of both Master and Studio it appears as though they now both use the same development engine (results are pixel identical), there is no option in Studio to select a different engine. Hence here we have only used Olympus Studio along with a beta version of Adobe Camera RAW 4.1 which supports the E-410.

  • JPEG - Large/Fine, Default settings
  • Studio - Olympus Studio 2.0
  • ACR - Adobe Camera RAW 4.1 Beta

Color reproduction

Place your mouse over the label below the image to see the color from a GretagMacbeth ColorChecker chart produced using each RAW converter. There is almost no difference between a RAW converted using Olympus Studio (or Master) and a JPEG straight from the camera, obviously both the RAW conversion engine and camera using the same tone and color mapping.

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Olympus E-410 Compare to:  
      
      
      
      
NaturalVividMutedMonotone
Adobe RGB

Sharpness and Detail

The output from Olympus Studio is quite similar to camera JPEG except for slightly stronger noise reduction which appears to have lead to the softening of some of the texture detail on the watch surface, also note some jagged pixelation on the arc on the right hand side. Adobe Camera RAW delivers the sharpest image with the most natural looking surface texture and no artifacts.

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Resolution

As you can see Olympus Studio's RAW conversion engine is clearly designed to completely emulate JPEG from the camera, this means that while you'll get some of the adjustment advantages (adjusting white balance, digital exposure compensation etc.) don't expect significantly 'better' images. Adobe Camera RAW 4.1 Beta delivered cleaner images with no moire although no more resolution.

JPEG from camera Olympus Studio 2.0 (RAW)
 
Adobe Camera RAW 4.1 Beta (RAW)