Compared to...

Looking at the specification table below you will find that the E-420 compares quite favorably to its main competitors, even more so when considering its price. Yes, the Canon 450D offers a higher resolution and has a bigger screen but these 'nice-to-haves' come at a $300 premium. Nikon's D60 is still over $100 more expensive than the E-420 and comes with the same resolution but a smaller screen and no live-view.

Other important features are the E-420's comprehensive customizability and Mirror lock-up. The E-420's only real weakness is its smaller and darker viewfinder.

Olympus E-420 advantages

  • Highly customizable user interface
  • User controllable ISO noise reduction
  • Flexible RAW+JPEG modes
  • Customizable Mirror lock-up (1 - 30 seconds)
  • Center and highlight / shadow spot metering
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Very competitive pricing
 
Olympus E-420

Canon EOS 450D

Nikon D60
Price
(body only)
US: $499 [check price] US: $799 [check price] US: $629 [check price]
Price (kit) US $599 (non IS)
IS lens not available (E-520 kit around $699)
US $899 (IS lens) US $740 (VR lens)
US $699 (non VR lens)
Body material Plastic Plastic Plastic
Sensor • 17.3 x 13.0 mm LiveMOS
• 10 million pixels
• 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS
• 12.2 million pixels
• 23.7 x 15.6 mm CCD (DX)
• 10 million pixels
Dust reduction • Supersonic Wave Filter • Anti-dust materials
• Low pass filter vibration
• Dust reference image
• Low pass filter vibration
• Airflow Control System
• Dust reference image
Native image size 3648 x 2736
(4:3 ratio)
4272 x 2848
(3:2 ratio)
3872 x 2592
(3:2 ratio)
Lens support • Olympus and third party 4/3
• 4/3 standard lens mount
• Canon EF mount
• Including EF-S lenses
• Nikon F-mount
• Includes DX lenses
• AF only AF-S or AF-I lenses
FOV crop 2.0x 1.6x 1.5x
Body shake reduction No No No
Live view Yes, Contrast detect or Phase detect AF Yes, Contrast detect or Phase detect AF No
File formats • RAW (comp. lossless)
• JPEG (3 levels)
• RAW (comp. lossless,
14-bit)
• JPEG (2 levels)
• RAW (compressed)
• JPEG (3 levels)
RAW+JPEG RAW + JPEG (any quality) RAW + JPEG Fine RAW + JPEG Basic
Auto focus • 3 area TTL
• Range: 0 to +19 EV
• 11 point AF (contrast detect in Live View)
• 9 area TTL
• Cross-type F2.8 at center
• Range: -0.5 to +18 EV
• Contrast detect AF (approx 950 selectable areas)
• 3 area TTL
• Range: -1 to +19 EV
AF illuminator Flash strobe, must be raised Flash strobe, must be raised Built-in lamp
Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB
• sRGB
• Adobe RGB
• sRGB (2 modes)
• Adobe RGB
Metering sensor • 49 zone sensor
• 1 - 20 EV working range
• 35 zone sensor
• 1 - 20 EV working range
• 420 pixel RGB sensor
• 0 - 20 EV working range
Metering • Digital ESP
• Center-weighted average
• Spot
• Highlight based spot
• Shadow based spot
• Evaluative
• Partial
• Center-weighted average
• 4% spot
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II
• Center-weighted average
• Spot
Exp. comp. +/- 5.0 EV +/- 2.0 EV +/- 5.0 EV
EV steps 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV 1/3 or 1/2 EV 1/3 EV
Sensitivity • ISO 100 - 1600 • ISO 100 - 1600 • ISO 100 - 1600
• ISO 3200 with boost
Auto ISO Auto (100 - 1600) Auto (100 - 800) User definable maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed
Custom ISO NR Yes (4 levels) Yes (on or off) No
Shutter speed • 60 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb
• 1/180 sec Flash sync
• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb
• 1/200 sec Flash sync
• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb
• 1/200 sec Flash sync
Continuous
shooting
• 3.5 fps
• Unlimited JPEG/HQ frames
• 7 RAW frames

• 3.5 fps
• 53 JPEG/Fine frames
• 6 RAW frames

• 3 fps
• Unlimited JPEG/Fine frames
• 7 RAW frames
White balance • Auto
• Seven presets
• Manual preset
• Kelvin temperature
• Fine tunable
• Auto
• Six presets
• Manual preset
• Kelvin temperature
• Fine tunable
• Auto
• Six presets
• Manual preset
• Fine tunable
Image params • Four preset looks
• Sharpening: 5 levels
• Contrast: 5 levels
• Saturation: 5 levels
• Monochrome: 5/4 levels
• Gradation: 3 levels
• Six preset picture styles
• Three user sets
• Sharpening: 8 levels
• Contrast: 9 levels
• Saturation: 9 levels
• Color tone: 9 levels
• B&W filter/tone: 5 of each
• Six preset looks
• Sharpening: Auto, 6 levels
• Tone: Auto, 5 levels, cust.
• Color: 3 modes
• Saturation: Auto, 3 levels
• Hue: -9° to +9°
Embed comment No Owner name set via software Comment set in-camera
Flash Electronic release pop-up Electronic release pop-up Electronic release pop-up
Viewfinder • Pentamirror
• Eyepoint 16 mm
• Frame coverage 95%
• Magnification approx 0.92x
• Lumi-Micron Matte screen
• Pentamirror
• Eyepoint 19 mm
• Frame coverage 95%
• Magnification approx 0.87x
• Precision matte screen
• Pentamirror
• Eyepoint 18 mm
• Frame coverage 95%
• Magnification approx 0.8x
• B-type Bright View Clear Matte Mark V
LCD monitor • 2.7 " TFT LCD
• 230,000 pixels
• 3.0 " TFT LCD
• 230,000 pixels
• 2.5 " TFT LCD
• 230,000 pixels
Status LCD No, utilizes main LCD No, utilizes main LCD No, utilizes main LCD
Mirror-lockup Yes, custom 1 - 30 sec Custom function No
Other features • JPEG edit (inc. shadow adj.)
• Wireless flash control
• RAW development
• Multi-shot self-timer
• Image verification data
• Auto Lighting Optimizer
• Highlight Tone Priority
• Remote Live view shooting (via USB)
• Eye sensor
• DOF preview
• Wireless flash control
• In-camera retouching
• Active D-Lighting
• RAW Development
• Eye sensor
• Stop motion movies
Custom settings 12 13 19
Storage • Compact Flash card
• xD Picture card
SD/SDHC card SD/SDHC card
Battery PS-BLS1 (7.2 V, 1150 mAh) LP-E5 (7.4 V, 1050 mAh) EN-EL9 (7.4 V, 1000 mAh)
Battery status Battery life (3 stage) Battery life (3 stage) Battery life (4 stage)
USB USB 2.0 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Vertical grip No BG-E5 (option) No
Software • Olympus Master 2.0
• Olympus Studio 2.0 (trial)
• Canon DPP
• Canon PhotoStitch
• Canon ZoomBrowser EX
• EOS Utility (Remote Capt.)
• Nikon Transfer
• ViewNX
• Nikon Capture NX (trial)
Dimensions 129.5 x 91 x 53 mm
(5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
129 x 98 x 62 mm
(5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
126 x 94 x 64 mm
(5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in)
Weight (no batt) 380 g (0.8 lb) 475 g (1.0 lb) 471 g (1.0 lb)