Olympus E-500 - $60 CCD Classic!

The Olympus E-500 was released back in 2005. At the time, it cost around $700. Nowadays, you can find it used for about $60. So just what do you get with this 17 year old camera?

[@Riccardo_Mori]

You're really one of my favourite camera gear reviewer on KZbin. I've been subscribed for a while now, and I love your format: honest AND succinct reviews. The essential information and commentary, without wasting time. I have an E-300 and I can confirm: the colours from that Kodak CCD sensor are just lovely. I also have an E-420 and it's really a fun little DSLR to shoot with. Its compact footprint makes it smaller than some mirrorless cameras! Cheers, -Rick

[@steve_heise]

Wow, thanks so much! By the way, I actually just bought an E-300. I got it for $75 but the seller said they don’t know if it actually works ‘cause they don’t have a charger for it. I decided to take a chance on it since it comes the 14-45mm kit lens since the only lens I currently have for my E-500 is the 40-150mm telephoto lens. Anyway, thanks again!

[@snappiness]

Great channel, Steven! Can't believe I haven't seen your stuff before. I just picked up the e300 and was looking around at videos and saw your latest one. Very informative. Keep up the great work.

[@steve_heise]

Oh wow, thanks James! By the way, I literally mentioned you in tomorrow’s video. (“Sony A200: Photo-Walk / First Impressions in 2022”) You made that funny comment about how buying old cameras gives you a sense of what people’s houses smell like and I was agreeing because my Sony A200 that just came in the mail smells like cigarettes. Lol Anyway, I really enjoy your channel! Excellent videos!

[@snappiness]

@@steve_heise oh gross lol. I've had some bad ones before. Can't wait to watch the video and future videos!

[@steve_heise]

Thanks! And I’m always excited for yours as well!

[@stephent8369]

My first DSLR and I loved it.

[@southernsoundpulse]

Same here

[@david_allen1]

I bought this camera in 2005 when it came out and the next year I shot an outdoor sunset wedding using the Zuiko 50-200 f/2.8-3.5 lens (unrequested, unpaid family wedding) and gave beautiful 8x10 prints to the couple as a gift. Although its performance in low light was not good by today's standards, the images I captured were breathtaking, the couple loved them, and it was an exciting experience for me, as this camera was my first DSLR. I LOVED the sound of the shutter on it, and still do. And with todays Denise software, I’m going back over some of the shots that were too noisy to see what I can salvage.

[@cliffterpher]

Great images. Love your style. I recently bought a 2nd hand high shutter Canon 500d for about 80 bucks. Coupled with cheap 2nd hand 18-55mm. Great combo and output.

[@steve_heise]

Thanks! And yeah, that sounds like a great combo!

[@johncl27]

the E-500 was my first DSLR...bought in 2006 and used regularly until replaced by a Canon 60D (mostly for its video features)...I still have it and do use it as my walk around camera and fun camera...sure it doesn't have the features/speed/convenience of my main camera (Canon 6Dmkii) but it has a more intangible goodness about it. As you so rightly say...the colours and contrast of the images have a gorgeous film like look due to the Kodak CCD sensor...my poor old unit is starting to show its age with some white balance problems, autofocus not performing well, the occasional corrupted file (no matter what card I use) but I still love it!

[@mikemoir2603]

Well done…have enjoyed your reviews of many early digital rigs. Still have & use the E-500 (love its CCD)despite having gone mirrorless too.

[@ohshoot444]

Great video as always! I love these older affordable cameras.

[@steve_heise]

Thanks!

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

Very beautiful pictures. Thanks for letting me know about this camera

[@steve_heise]

Thanks!

[@johnnyc.5979]

I disagree about the compact flash card. I used a 16gb card, and took pictures. I could play back the images on the screen of the camera, but when I plugged it into my memory card reader, and then my laptop, the laptop could not read or see anything on the card. This was a windows 11 machine, very modern and fast with an NVIDIA graphics card built in. Maybe only 2 years old. So I tried it as well on my Win 7 machine, same issue. I finally was able to pull off the images by using a disk partition manager that repaired the CF card, and I was able to save the images. So glad too, because it was a 1 hour bike ride in a nature park for a KZbin video with this E-500 camera. I do not recommend using a 16gb card, as the specs for this camera in the manual only recommend MAX 8gb. Just because it worked for you, I would not suggest using anything higher, unless you're ok with possibly losing your images.

[@ml.2770]

The Kodak sensors didn't just have the film look by accident. Kodak worked hard at that.

[@lim9571]

I like Four thirds cameras as they are really nostelgic. If you want to try the weirdest Four Thirds camera you should check out the E330. It's the first ever DSLR with live view and the only one with 2 image sensors. I really like the 25mm F2.8 pancake lens and 35mm F 3.5 macro.

[@user-fs2xl4id5o]

Good to no about the Size of the CF Cards...Got an E 500 at the Junkyard in almost mint condition!

[@luzr6613]

Lucky you - don't miss out on trying it out with adapted vintage glass... the way those old lenses perform really seems to work with the CCD sensors.

[@AmbercoolPhotography]

The dots are one of the most accurate. If I get eye focus right on the red dot, it's super sharp. I think there's still a weakness with current small spot focus. I mean it could be the CCD. I dunno.

[@giovannime3192]

Hey Cat Daddy! Another great informative vid. Keep up the great work

[@samuelmingo5090]

Great video! I agree!

[@theoldfilmbloke]

To get the 'High Speed Synch' I suppose you have to have a special OLYMPUS flash?

[@blackfish73]

Great video. Do you typically shoot raw and process?

[@jalakanen]

I just bought e400. Because it has 10 mpx kodak censor.

[@amermeleitor]

I hope for a up to date camera (2022) with a CCD sensor. A CCD sensor with 2022 technology would be amazing. One of the big players could do it and for sure it would sell a lot if the price is attractive. Think in a Full frame from Sony, with the same price as the A7C, but CCD sensor. I want one now!

[@steve_heise]

For real, that sounds absolutely amazing!

[@Bigfarmer8]

Really nice one Steven! I very much appreciate you showing that you can take great photos with older cameras. Maybe you can help me on this: I was given an Olympus E-300. I believe the same nice CCD, lesser LCD (tiny) and better build quality. I love the Pen-F styled sideways mirror box. Mine is on the latest firmware 1.5 and, like you do, I have read of quite some people using 8 or 16GB CF cards. I have bought both a 16 and an 8 GB CF card, but the camera does not recognize the card. Any clue what can be the cause? Right now the only thing I can think of is that the speed of the card is too high (Should be backwards compatible though?). Thanks in advance!

[@marcdenhoed5461]

Hi Bigfarmer8. To answer your question. It could very well be that the E300 doesn't recognise CF cards above 2GB. A lot of the older camera's have issues there. So my advise would be to try one of the older CF cards with less storage capacity.

[@Bigfarmer8]

@@marcdenhoed5461 Thanks so much for your advaice Marc. I found a 2GB CF card that works with the camera and have been using it extensively. I hope to find a larger card that works someday, but for one day shooting the 2GB card (144 photos in RAW) works fine.

[@AndreyShredder]

My E500 works with two different CF 16Gb cards. Body FW 1.3

[@Bigfarmer8]

@@AndreyShredder Thank you Andrey. Meanwhile I found Sandisk cards of 8 and 16GB that work for both my E-300 and E-620 cameras.

[@dedclownsRfunny]

The chassis looks sooo similar to the Canon EOS 350D

[@Niskovic1]

Dude i'm freaking out! Did you have to edit the pictures a bunch to get the film look from 4:00 - 4:38 or was that mostly natural out of the camera? Beacuse i'm looking to order one from ebay right now! That's insane

[@mavicamaiden]

I wish I could find this for $60 lol

[@Lepewhi]

I would be interested to know how many cameras you actually own. I have two(Panasonic G6 and GX80). Was considering reaching way back and getting a used GF1 or 2 for fun. But, at some point I feel like I might have to join a 12 step program. So, how many cameras do you own? Thanks(I subscribed, by the way).

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

This camera has gone up in price on Ebay but so have a lot of other cameras.

[@thatmichiganmomm]

Can I buy extra lenses to attach to it?

[@vlad_o_sh]

Great review. Thanks! I wonder how the E-500 compares to the slightly older E-300 in terms of image quality?

[@nickhaswell6011]

I wonder how e300 and e500 compare to e400 For me i would like to know which is the best of the bunch e1, e300, e500, e400 in terms of differences in ccd Looks like e300 and e500 have same kodak KAF-8300CE FFT CCD and would have thought closest in terms of picture quality E1 has kodak KAF-5101C FFT CCD and e400 has kodak KAI-10100 RGB CCD So apart from e300/e500 having exactly the same as eachother, all the others have different and no two the same only e300/e500 share the same in this respect So with all the variables i wonder which has the best KODAK CCD VERSION in terms of colours etc I was thinking of e400 being the latest and last CCD version and being 10 megapixel But we all know new is not always better I really would love to know which model of the bunch is best E1 being although oldest of the bunch but was a pro/semi pro model all a little confusing in terms of new versus old even e1 semi pro/ pro model Is e400 10 megapixel and latest and last version but is it the best in these terms

[@Kiswinar]

Can we use this lens for the Olympus E-P2? If not, is there any adapter for them? Thanks in advance!

[@luckyPiston]

I like my E500 more after watching this vid I attached (taped) a small magnifying lense to my viewfinder to make it easyer to see what's going on , works great !

[@michaelhawkins1173]

Hi Steven the 4/3 mount on the camera can a modern micro 4/3 lenses be adapted to the 4/3 camera ? so as to see a CCD image. Camera chanels talk of the look between sensors, especially differing size but a CCD image and look I think you've broken new ground. Thanks for your video always interesting.

[@unbroken1010]

I wonder if the ccd is a scaled down version of the d805 Nikon.

[@mkkim9711]

Wow those colors!! Are they all SOOC?

[@victoradi6701]

Hi steve,great review as always. do you have an idea of any micro 4/3 to 4/3 adapters that would work on the E-500 body. thanks.

[@steve_heise]

I searched and searched a while back and I can’t find any. Unfortunately, there only seems to be 4/3 to micro 4/3, but not the other way around.

[@victoradi6701]

@@steve_heise same here,i had to make the hardest decision to return the E-500 because i couldn't start investing in another set of lenses entirely. It was really hard to let it go. Awesome camera indeed.

[@jakobr.6506]

did you take the pictures with automatic or manual settings?

[@RealBesty]

Looks like a 4/3 version of my old Canon 350D

[@adriandumitrascu620]

Hi there Could anyone help me out please. Looking to get an old camera to use it “professionally “ for a film look like to experiment What should I go for : Fuji finepix s2,s3,s5 Canon 1ds mark 1 or 5 d mark 1 Olympus e300 or e 500 If anyone has any recommendations would be very grateful. Thanks in advance

[@arthurgphotography]

100 now

[@sh_a_nkar4135]

Whats your best old ccd camera?

[@southernsoundpulse]

Dynax 7D

[@maxjean4359]

can it record vidoes like for youtube

[@unbroken1010]

Have you tried a SD to c.f. adapter . any luck?

[@dedclownsRfunny]

How do you compare the Oly E- with CCD models with the E- models with LiveMos?

[@steve_heise]

They’re all good, but I do prefer the CCD sensors over the others.

[@dedclownsRfunny]

@@steve_heise thank you so much 😊

[@dedclownsRfunny]

@@steve_heise thank you!

[@dedclownsRfunny]

@@steve_heise I recently tested a Pentax K200D (with CCD) and I just didn’t gel with it. I don’t know why. But I finally picked up my Oly E-500 and I loved it instantly. I’ve got a 12-60/f2.8 lens on it and it’s just incredible

[@billblount5955]

I just bought one with 2 lens and other stuff 25.00 at goodwill

[@steve_heise]

That is an excellent price!

[@billblount5955]

@@steve_heise yea sir 4 SD card two batterys filter

[@iamdjsluggo]

Your pics show, it’s not the equipment, it’s the photographer. I mean, Tiger woods could whoop me on a gold course with a broom against me with my Ping clubs, right?

[@unbroken1010]

60 bucks? Dudes still trying to get 500 for a lens on Facebook. 😂

[@Gamehighlight2023]

LONG LIVE CCD ! Just got today Olympus e420 for $40

[@Adi-hj3nd]

That has a c- mos sensor LOL