Olympus Evolt E520 10MP Digital SLR Camera, Advanced Entry Level

The Olympus E-520 is an upgrade of the E-510, a 10Mp Digital SLR aimed at enthusiast or the first time SLR user with a larger budget. The E-510 was awarded Best Digital SLR 2007-2008 by EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association) and the E-520 has the same easy to use options along with a few improvements over its predecessor and some advanced features borrowed from the pro-spec E3.

For the advanced enthusiast, this Four Thirds System-based E-520 should be a pleasure to use. From an ergonomic body that houses capabilities not only of advance image quality capabilities the system will surely enrich the complete photo-taking experience.

Live View has been enhanced to boost user friendliness, now allowing depth of field previews, facilities to control exposure compensation and white balance on-screen, and to see the effects of Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology in real time.

Autofocus changes can now also be seen directly on the display. This has been made possible by implementing a contrast AF system in addition to the customary phase difference detection AF system, which means that the mirror needn't move to the down position for AF measurements to be made and previewed in Live View.

The E520 is a very competent DSLR with a high specification that we believe will prove to be highly competitive on price once it has been on the market a little longer and its price has dropped away from the MSRP. The level of customizability is astonishing for the price, both in terms of the function of external buttons and the ability to fine-tune the output of the camera to perfectly suit your subject, shooting style and personal preferences:

• 10-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• Lightweight ergonomic design; kit includes 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens
• Enhanced in-body Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive technology
• Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment technologies; Perfect Shot Preview
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I and II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards (not included)

10-megapixel Live-MOS Sensor - Get amazingly detailed, colorful and clear images with the 10-megapixel Live-MOS image sensor. This high-resolution sensor captures all the detail needed to make large prints, or even crop without losing detail. The E-520 sensor's high dynamic range, accurate color rendition and low noise characteristics let you capture great images, even at high ISO settings.

Enhanced In-Body Image Stabilization - For the first time, in-body Mechanical Image Stabilization has three modes for increased versatility. IS-1 mode for general shooting adjusts the sensor on both the X and Y axes to compensate for movement by the photographer so images stay sharp even at slow shutter speeds. To capture the motion of athletes and animals, and other moving subjects, the E-520 offers two specialized modes. IS-2 mode is ideal for capturing a racecar flying down the track, preserving the sense of motion while panning with the moving subject and holding the camera horizontally to dramatically portray the car's high speed. For sharp images of moving subjects like a basketball player charging up the court, the IS-3 mode allows a photographer to hold the camera vertically while panning. The artistic effects of panning enhance the shot and render the player in sharp detail with blurred background.

The Live View Experience - The portable E-520's advanced autofocus Live View enables photographers to compose their images and bring them into sharp focus on the HyperCrystal II LCD -- just like a point-and-shoot camera. By simply pressing the shutter button halfway, subjects come into focus on the LCD, so when the perfect moment occurs it is easy to compose, focus and capture sharp images while viewing on the LCD. Live View makes it possible to shoot upward from a low angle for dramatic composition, in close for detailed macro photos of an exotic insect, or over a crowd of people at a tennis tournament.

Footnote Not so much a feature of this camera, but one benefit for Olympus in general is the lens range. In just four zooms Olympus can cover a stabilised zoom range from 9mm up to 300mm (18 to 600mm in 35mm terms). This range is covered using the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kit lenses and adding the soon to be released Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm and 70-300mm the combined effort is a huge 33x zoom range. It's something Olympus are, quite rightly, very proud of.