Home > Consumer Reviews > Olympus CS-15H Semi Hard Case for E10 Digital SLR Camera

Just received the case for my Olympus E 10 and it fits like a glove. I still use a larger camera case but I felt that I needed a more protection for this expensive camera. The case allows for the camera strap to be used while the case is fully protecting the camera. A must for your field work. It also is equipped with a loop on the bottom so that you can cary it on you belt or fanny pack. The leather is beautiful and displays the Olympus name.

.... Although shaped to match the E-10, this case makes it very difficult to use the camera spontaneously -- and for general travel and everyday photography, this is a serious drawback.

I moved from a Minolta SLR to the E-10 -- the Minolta case is attached to the tripod screw of the camera body, so that you can quickly flip the main part of the case off and have it hang from the bottom of the camera -- i.e. out of the way. The E-10 has to be totally removed from the case before you can use it. If you try to keep it attached to the camera strap with the provided loop, it gets in the way. You can't use the camera with the entire case dangling from the rear left strap eyelet, obscuring both the viewfinder and LCD panel on the back, and making the camera hard to hold.

So, it takes longer to get the E-10 out of its case, and after that you have to either put down the case, stuff it in a bag or find some other way to deal with it while you take your photos.

In a recent trip to Tuscany I ended up leaving the case at home on most days, as the extra protection it offered meant plenty of candid shots that were missed -- and there's no point owning a camera if you don't take pictures.

Starting with my first SLR over 20 years ago, I've always purchased the manufacture's case for each one of my cameras including my new Olympus E-10 (awesome camera, but that's for another review.) After receiving the case and examining it firsthand, I've determined that while the quality is generally good, the design is poor.

Most good SLR type camera cases have two separate pieces. One piece fits over the bottom. The other piece usually snaps to the bottom piece and fits over the lens and top. The E-10 case is more like a pouch, where the whole camera fits inside. The camera is well protected and doesn't jiggle around. It's good for storing, but not pratical for an outing. The craftsmanship and leather used is overall quite good. The "Olympus" lettering is painted recessed and will probably start to flake off over time. (Some cases have raised attached lettering which is more durable.)

For the price, you could probably do better by buying a padded bag with compartments. On the other hand, if you like collecting accessories for your cameras (like me), you might want to go ahead and get it. It's a nice case, albeit over priced with only a so-so design. At the time of this writing, Olympus is offering a rebate on accessories which makes it an even better purchase.