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Olympus Evolt E520 10MP Digital SLR Camera with Image... |
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Olympus Evolt E520 10MP Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization (Body Only) |
| Product DescriptionThe Olympus E-520 delivers brilliant results thanks to advanced technologies that produce clear, sharp images. The E-520's industry-leading Image Stabilization technology, which is built into the camera body, compensates for movement so you can capture blur-free shots with any lens - even at slow shutter speeds. Autofocus Live View brings subjects into sharp focus; it is the perfect tool for macro, portrait or even landscape shooting. This camera was built to produce amazing results for photo hobbyists and serious digital photographers alike.ReviewsThis camera is perfect if you are on a budget and want a digital SLR. Everything so far works great, easy to use, takes crisp and clear pictures. If I had one complaint it would be that the focusing system can be slow at times. I am used to a Canon Rebel and if you have ever used a Canon you'd know what I mean. There is a reason why most sports photographers use Canon, they are lightning fast when it comes to focusing and frames per second. Anyway it is definitely worth the money.
This is my 28th digital camera and I love it. I had the Canon SXI for a short while and it was good but did not impress me. This SLR does impress me. It is wonderful for scenic work and for studio work. It is the best buy in a dSLR by far.
I purchased the Olympus E-520 about 6 months ago after researching cameras for about 3 months. I looked at the Pentax K200D, Canon XSI, Nikon D40, Nikon D40x, Nikon D60, Sony Alpha 300 as well as the Olympus E-420 and the Olympus E-510.
I read all sorts of detailed reviews ([...] has some of the best ones), watched video reviews and product demonstrations on YouTube, spoke to friends and family that owned some of the cameras mentioned above and most importanty, I went to camera stores and actually held (and worked with) the cameras in my hands.
This is my first DSLR camera and compared to the competition, I'm very happy with my selection. I wound up buying the camera body with the 2 kit lenses. Originally I planned to only buy the body and then either the 14-54mm or 12-60mm higher end Olympus lenses but I decided that having two (lower quality) lenses would give me a nice range to work with as I learn different techniques. Also I like to take pictures outdoors and am very happy with the pictures I've taken so far. This is not to say that I haven't taken great pictures at night or indoors, I have and I will say that you can too but you have to learn how to use the camera. I took loads of horrible pictures at first, lucky for me, my dad (who owns the Sony Alpha 300 and has been taking beautiful photos with SLRs for years) helped me to understand that most of my bad pictures were my fault and not the camera.
I'd also like to recommend a book or series of books, "The Digital Photography Book," written by Scott Kelby. In this series Scott tells you exactly how to acheive a various effect without really explaining the theory behind it. He will say something like if you want to get that silky warerfall or stream effect this is what you need to do: Switch your camera to Shutter priority mode, an set the shutter speed to 1 or 2 seconds. To avoid getting a picture that is blown out (because of all the light your slow shutter speed is letting in) it is best to shoot around sunrise or around sunset. Since the shutter is open for 1 or 2 seconds use a tripod. Since the water is moving it will be blurry and the surrounding area will be sharp.
Books like the one mentioned above will help you to realize that there is a lot you can do with your camera if you only take the time to learn.
I read all of these Amazon reviews months ago and really like how people can comment on a someone's review and I recommend that you check out the comments that appear on 1 and 2 star product reviews, sometimes the comments reveal that the user incorrectly reviewed a product and that is helpful to know!
All of the cameras above take good pictures. It's important to feel comfortable navigating the camera menus, you should feel comfortable holding and taking pictures with the camera and you should think about what you'll be using the camera for.
I actually just purchased the Olympus MF-1 OM Lens Adapter ($82 on amazon), which allowed me to buy an old Olympus OM 50mm f 1.8 prime lens. Good glass will help me take better pictures and this adapter helped me to get a good quality lens for a ridiculously cheap price (I got the OM 50mm f 1.8 prime on ebay for $20).
The more I use my E-520, the more I love it. I'm learning so much and appreciating all that Olympus packed into this lovely camera. You can check out to pictures that I submitted in online photo contests ([...]) by clicking on the following link:
[...]
Good luck in your search!
Joe
I started my DSLR experience with the E-510, while this was a quirky little camera that needed cajoling to perform well, the E-520 is nothing like that. After a year with the E-510, I ended up replacing it with the E-520 and what an improvement this camera is! A lot of quirks that the E-510 had (blown highlights, excessive contrast, bad LCD, underexposed mid-tones in JPEG) had been remedied in the E-520 and to add to that a bunch of newer features had been added as well. The most notable ones (for me) are:
1. Imager AF in live-view with face detection.
2. IS mode 3 for vertical panning.
3. Bigger and brighter and a more accurate LCD.
4. And by far the best addition, remote flash triggering for up to 3 groups!
It's amazing that Olympus could offer so much in a so-called "beginner" level camera and to think Nikon doesn't even offer live-view view! This is one of the biggest reasons for me to stick to Olympus as they don't skimp on features even in lower-level bodies.
I have no hesitation in recommending this camera for the first time DSLR buyer as well as a pro looking for a back up body for the E-3. Although compact, it's very nicely built and has a superior and much better build quality than the E-500 as well as similar Canon offerings.
I had the two kit lenses but sold the 14-42mm lens and kept the 40-150mm lens. I'm simply amazed with this lens as it offers an effective 300mm focal length in the smallest package currently in the market. I took the E-520 along with this lens to a recent U2 concert and the guards didn't even stop me as they couldn't tell what this lens was capable of by looking at its size! I ended up getting some stunning images with this camera and lens combo.
Last, but not the least, I would like to talk about IQ; Olympus has sorted out the tone curve in the E-520 and its MUCH better than the E-510 and allows amazing pictures straight out of the camera. I have no qualms using this camera all the way up to ISO 800, although at ISO 1600 the noise is higher than average and in some cases one will also notice banding in the shadows. I normally switch to B&W for ISO 1600 and that makes all the difference. However, in a pinch you can get some excellent ISO 1600 colour images as well if you're willing to shoot RAW and carefully process. This is about the only "minus" in this camera that I can think of.
Overall, this is an excellent camera and gives an excellent bang for the buck and I highly recommend it!
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