Olympus E-520 is official!

[Bruin]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0805/08051301olympusE520.asp

I'll probably buy my first DSLR this year or next and the E-520 hits all the right notes for me. Pentaprism viewfinder, sensor IS, compact but with a decent handgrip, and not too heavy. Dynamic range is supposed to be close to the E-3 😎

 

[kuzano]

Wow... Just ready to buy a 510, then this.....

Wow... Just ready to buy a 510, then this.....

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0805/08051301olympusE520.asp

I'll probably buy my first DSLR this year or next and the E-520 hits all the right notes for me. Pentaprism viewfinder, sensor IS, compact but with a decent handgrip, and not too heavy. Dynamic range is supposed to be close to the E-3 😎

I've been using the 4/3rds system since the E300 came out. I truly like the E300 with all it's "first camera" considerations. However, I was just getting ready to buy a new 510, when the 420 hit with a smaller body and great reviews.

Now the 520... glad I waited a bit. Plus, just read the review on the new Zuiko 9-18 Zoom (18-38mm 35equivalent) coming in September.

Olympus is kicking some butt in small body DSLR territory. Wish I could convince myself to "Just Do It" and buy the E3.

 

[gnarayan]

It is not a pentaprism - same viewfinder as the 510 (which dpreview also wrongly lists as pentaprism - copy and paste propagated error) but the 510 was a very nice camera and I'm sure the 520 will be too. Nice reasonably priced superwide too with it.

 

[Bruin]

Neat, I've never heard of a dach mirror type pentaprism. It's brighter than a pentamirror, I presume?

MSRP looks like $700 with the 14-42/3.5-5.6 kit lens, $100 more than the same E-420 kit.
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1386

 

[shadowfox]

Good news indeed....

So, when are they going to release their "secret weapon", a camera with two sensors to give us 1x lens crop factor?

(just joking guys, it's only in my head, but one can dream, yes? 🙂 )

 

[Bruin]

FWIW, Olympus UK calls it an "Eye-level Pentaprism type optical view finder." Whichever it is, I just want a decent VF to look through 🙂

http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/dslr_digital_slr_specifications_e-520_19289.htm

 

[gnarayan]

FWIW, Olympus UK calls it an "Eye-level Pentaprism type optical view finder." Whichever it is, I just want a decent VF to look through 🙂

http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/dslr_digital_slr_specifications_e-520_19289.htm

If you haven't got glasses pick up an ME-1 magnifier. Helps a bunch with the VF size, and you really notice after a whole day of shooting with it off vs on. I tried an E3 for a couple of weeks as part of an Olympus "LiveDrive" event and that is a damn good VF, that I'd like to see in some model sitting between a 510 and an E3.

Cheers,
-Gautham

 

[kuzano]

Lens exterior size...

Lens exterior size...

My E300 has the two kit lenses that come with the set. I was planning on getting the new body, and keeping the original kit lenses, as I have been very happy with them. That was until I saw the lenses that come with the 510. Considerably smaller and have won some awards.

Considering where Olympus is taking 4/3rds technology, I wouldn't want a camera that uses my old Zuiko lenses. As small as my old lenses are, the new generation Zuiko digital lenses make the old lenses look huge on the front of the cameras.

So, how small can they go... Only Olympus knows at this point. The good news is they are whipping it on some of the big players, ALL factors considered.

 

[Al Patterson]

So, would this make the E-510 a better deal? I have big hands, and found the e-420 too small.

The 510 is a nice size camera for me, but I do agree that these smaller DSLRs are a good thing overall.

 

[dreilly]

It's nice that they changed the ugliest mode wheel on the planet, which looked like a plastic bottle cap. It's a nitty thing, but I'm a design person and those little cheap wheels on the 410 and 510 were nasty.