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72%
Highly Recommended
Reviewed:
Jul 2009
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New model from Olympus offers high end features in an incredibly compact body that addresses many of the shortcomings of the E-520, with a bigger, better viewfinder and a new 7-point autofocus system. Even by Olympus's standards of entry-level generosity, it's not short on toys - including an articulated screen to make full use of its live view system, which itself is one of the better implementations of this feature. It's also got 'Art' modes and the ability to shoot in four different aspect ratios - adapted from the features of the high end E-30. There's also in-body Image Stabilization and a level of configurability that is unparalleled in this class. In fact it's astonishing how much Olympus has crammed into its small dimensions - it's nearer to the size of the E-420 than the E-520 series.
| Quick links: | Announcement | Review | Sample gallery 1 | Sample gallery 2 | Forum |
| Announced: | Feb 24, 2009 |
| Summary | The best Four Thirds camera yet closes the gap and competes convincingly with its APS-C competitors. More importantly though, it's small, produces excellent 'out of the box' image quality and is jam-packed with useful - and a few novel - features. If you can live without movies it's an easy pick. |
| Good for | Anyone wanting a small, but capable all-rounder |
| Not so good for | Low light, indoor or action/sports/wildlife photography |
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Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to find out more.