Olympus E520 Review

I eventually plumped for the Olympus E520.

Review of the Olympus E520 Digital SLR Camera

I have read a lot of people slagging off the 4/3 system that this camera adheres to and I wasn't 100% sure I made the right choice. However, I am pleased (and relieved) to report that this is a great little dSLR.

Olympus E520 Review

Firstly it manages to be very light while still feeling solid as a rock. The lightweight lenses are a key selling point of the 4/3 system and they give you the benefit that after a day of shooting your arm and neck will still feel like they are attached to your body.

My first printed results were from RAW, so I cannot comment on the JPEG settings (yet). I went round the garden and front room looking for shots. The pop-up flash was easy to use. The control set took about 5 minutes to get used to. I had read some negative comments about the e520s controls but I suspect they came from hardened canon and nikon users. I can honestly say the controls are no problem for someone coming from a bridge camera.

The e-520 runs a sonic wave dust reduction cycle when you turn it on. This literally vibrates dust from the sensor, so you really don't have to worry about cleaning the inside. This is one of those features that will really please people upgrading from compact or bridge cameras.

The 10 megapixels were a revelation after having just 7 on my last camera, but the biggest difference was the lack of noise, even at higher iso settings. I really can see an immediate difference in quality that has astounded me. Crystal clear, sharp smooth aberration free photographs. No purple fringes, no strange little dollops of colours when you blow up to 100%. As I said, a real revelation.

The 3 levels of anti-shake stabilisation are a welcome feature I expect to explore in detail this year. I think E-520 strikes a great balance between camera size, handling, and image quality. Sure, a very expensive camera with thousands of pounds of fixed lenses will give slightly sharper shots, but this camera ranks up there alongside all the other entry level dSLRs but manages to be so much smaller and lighter and offer (in my opinion) greater value for money. Especially when you realise you are getting 2 kit lenses while all the others in the same price band only offer one.

So out you go and start taking photos. Battery life is therefore important and the e-50 certainly scores well here, with above average battery life compared to its direct competitors.

Whether you’re a first-time D-SLR buyer or someone moving up from an older model or film slr I have to say I can happily recommend this camera.