Reviews for Olympus EVOLT E-510 10 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body with Lens Kit - 0.55"-1.65" Lens 1 1.57"-5.91" Lens 2

Olympus Evolt E 510 - Excellent DSLR

Strengths: CCD Image Stabilization, Four-Thirds system, Price, Compactness, Live View, Proven dust cleaning system, Excellent dual lens kit.

Weakness: Need to tweak settings (a very few) to get optimal picture right out of box.

I'm new to SLR cameras. Olympus Evolt E510 is my first DSLR, after a few P&S Panasonic cameras.

After doing comparative study and analyzing reviews between Olympus E510 and Nikon (D40X), Canon (XTi) I finalized on E510.

I am so used to Image stabilization as my both Panny P&S cameras have it and wanted to get one with same feature. E510 has it and best part is it is CCD Shift Image Stabilization rather than lens based. This makes easier in selecting lenses and reduces the cost of the lens if you want to upgrade in future.

I also liked ‘Four-Thirds’ concept which provides compact system and great flexibility of interchangeability between body & lenses from the top digital companies.

I like the compactness of the body and the Zuiko ED lens kit. Zuiko lens kit is small, sharp, and amazing.

I must say that it is very easy to use with the automatic settings, anyone could take great pictures. The quality of the pictures is nice out of box after some minor settings tweaking. The colors look true to life and I like the ability to get it RAW and manipulate it as per your taste is definitely a plus. Live-view is also helpful in certain scenarios. Mastering E510 to produce the best results in DSLR world definitely has some learning curve.

If you are looking for your first digital SLR I would definitely recommend the Olympus Evolt E510 with kit lenses.

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it is good camera except one big problem

Strengths: IS is working great. excellent price

Weakness: auto focus doesn't work in extreme low light or no contrast condition

camera refuse to fire in extreme low light or no contrast condition like blue sky without clouds. in this condition you have to switch to MF. it is strange problem, only happened in Olympus E class. I thought probably it is lens problem ( lens come with camera, they are cheap lens). I don't have expense lens for this camera. so I have not tried different lens yet. if anyone tried different lens(high quality lens), kindly let me know if it was better. I appreciate it.

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A great first Digital SLR

Strengths: A Solid grip and body, The two lens kit will cover most anything a beginner can throw at them, Takes both XD and Compact flash/Micro drive cards, a manuals for each language, and long battery life.

Weakness: Expensive to buy additional lenses (another good reason to get this 2 lens kit).

I have owned a few digital cameras and a few SLR's and wanted the best of both. I enjoy the ease of picking which pictures I like and deleting the ones I do not, without paying an arm and a leg for developing bad pictures, but I like the control of an SLR and ability to change lenses as needed. A digital SLR has been on my list for quite some time and after much research I felt it was time. I spent a good amount of time researching digital SLR's on line and narrowed my selection down to the Olympus Evolt e-510 and the Cannon Digital Rebel XTi and then I went to an actual store for a hands on. The 2 where very close, each with pros and cons but ultimately the Olympus won out for a few reasons. The biggest thing I noticed was the Olympus felt more sturdy and the grip filled my hand much more comfortably than the Canon. Also, as I mentioned, I wanted the best of both the digital and SLR worlds so the Live View feature on the Olympus was another good selling point. I am by no means a professional photographer so there is a lot for me to learn about on this camera so I have also picked up a number of training aids such as a DVD set of videos on the E-510. Every new thing I learn about this camera makes me that much happier I bought it. It is a definite recommend.

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Excellent Camera, Easy to Use

Strengths: Image Stabilization, Variety of Automatic and Manual Settings

Weakness: None yet.

This is my first SLR. I had a Nikon Coolpix that took great shots, but 90% were blurred. Guess I can't hold still enough. The image stabilization settings are great! Not one blurry pic yet. Awesome ability to change the settings in any possible combination. There are many, many settings though which can be a bit overwhelming for us newbies. I strongly recommend the "Jumpstart" DVD Video for the Evolt E-510. Excellent way to learn the features and what they do to your pictures. Great learning tool and resource with tips. I love this camera!

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Olympus finally hits a home run!

Strengths: Image stabilization, Live View, Auto focus speed, excellent quality kit lenses, Olympus color for which they are famous for producing

Weakness: Out of the box settings could have been better and will throw new comers to DSLR, Live View is different than point and shoot and will again take some getting used to by new comers

If you are already part of the olympus faithful, you already know about this camera and are doing back flips. If you are new to DSLR or thinking of moving from a Point and Shoot (P&S) to DSLR, then this camera requires serious consideration. While pricegrabber has this camera listed for $950 as of this writting it can be had for $900 with two lenses making it a steal. There is very little at this price range with these features. First and foremost, built-in in body stabilization that actually works even with longer lenses. Despite what Canon and Nikon have said to play down this Olympus feature, experts and reviewers from around the globe agree that they have provided an impressive IS capability that allows you to take low light and high shutter speed shots without requiring a tripod in many situations. Sports and auto-racing photography also becomes easier. Two modes of IS are provided mode 1 is left to right stablization and mode 2 is up/down and left/right. Fans of previous E-330, E-400, E-500 will notice a faster Autofocus and with upcoming new Sound Wave Drive Lenses even faster focusing will be possible. Kit lenses are outstanding for low end lenses with no noticible aberations often found on other kit lenses. Vivid, bright, eye-catching, blow-you-away Olympus color is back and here to stay. JPEG and RAW photo's to the untrained eye are identical in detail. If this camera is going to be your first DSLR, you will have a grin from ear to ear. That being said, the out of the box settings may or may not suite you. Olympus offers many scene modes to help you get started especially if you are coming from a P&S or you will be sharing the camera with a significant other who is afraid of all the buttons. The scene modes are OK for getting started and each person will have to adjust to their visual style. If shooting manual mode you may want to consider these settings as a starting point: Sharpness -1 and Contrast -1, Noise Filter OFF but Noise Reduction ON (Yes, two different settings -- see the manual for details). This camera does take some time to get used to and if you are impatient and bull headed, you may want to look at a different camera or avoid DSLRs all together. This camera allows you to shoot RAW and JPEG at the same time. Since the camera is still new, few RAW processors support the camera at this time. Noise at higher ISO is film like and acceptable. Photoshop or Element Users, you will have to upgrade to latest versions of that software to use this camera. The included Olympus Master and Studio will get you by in the interim. There is very little downside to this camera. Don't believe my review? Fine, there are plenty of pro reviews that are saying the same thing. This camera is highly recommended!

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E-510 = Top Value

Strengths: 10MP, Live View, IS, very comfortable grip,kit lenses are very highly-rated, lenses are engineered for digital and are extremely compact and light, uses Compact Flash AND Olympus xD memory cards

Weakness: Very slow to focus in low light situations

At this price range (around $800 for the 2-lens kit) you have basically three choices: Canon XTi, Nikon D40X, and this one, Olympus E-510. You simply cannot go wrong with any of these cameras. I've listed the reasons above in Strengths why I decided to go with Olympus. To elaborate further on these points:
- the E-510 is the only one of these that offers Live View. Although as a DSLR photographer you really shouldn't be using the LCD to frame photos, there are some situations where it does come in handy, so it's great to have.
- the E-510 is the only one of these that offers Image Stabilization. This is simply a must-have for me. I took some hand-held photos the first day I got it, and the shots with the 150mm lens (300mm equivalent on a 35mm film camera) were as sharp as a tack. And this was just standing on the sidewalk, not leaning up against a wall for support. I'm VERY impressed with Olympus's IS technology.
- Each camera has a different feel to the grip. The E-410 has almost no grip so I rejected that one (it also does not have IS). The grips on the Canon and Nikon just didn't feel as comfortable to me, although this is strictly my opinion. Go to Best Buy and hold all the cameras to find the best grip for your hand.
- the sensor in the Olympus cameras is one-half the size of a full-frame sensor (true for all Four-thirds member cameras) so the factor for the lens focal length is 2.0. That means the 14-42mm standard lens gives an effective focal length of 28-84mm, that is a true wide-angle (28mm) to semi-telephoto (84mm). These lenses were designed from scratch for the Four-thirds system sensor, and independent lab tests rate them extremely high for the inexpensive kit lenses that are usually included with the purchase.
- the lenses are very light and won't weigh down your camera bag. I remember the old 35mm film days, and a 300mm lens would weigh a ton (exaggeration) and be almost a foot long. The 80-150mm zoom lens that comes with the 2-lens package is only ONE-HALF INCH longer than the 14-42mm lens. It will easily fit in a small compartment in your camera bag.
- almost all DSLRs use Compact Flash memory cards, and the E-510 is no exception. But, like many point-and-shoot cameras from Olympus, you can load BOTH CF and xD cards at the same time, then switch over from one to the other if you fill one up, or if you just want to save some photos to a different card. This feature is unique to Olympus and is great.

As far as using the camera, it's a dream to operate. Many functions are easily controlled through the push of a button and a rotation of the selection wheel, while others do require digging deep into the menu. The most used buttons like flash, exposure override, and White Balance are all simple to set. Advanced users can shoot in Program mode or Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority, or Full Manual mode, but Olympus has created many preset modes that are extremely easy to use. For example, setting to "Landscape" automatically invokes the "Vivid" settings for more beautiful blue skies and green foliage. I took the same shot with Auto, Program, Full Manual, and Landscape settings, and the Landscape setting took the most pleasing shot. You can set the shutter to Continuous mode for action photography, but a simple switch to the "Sports" setting does that for you in one motion.

The only disadvantage is that the autofocus takes several seconds to fix in low light. The flash pops up and sends a signal to get the focus right, even if you're not using a flash setting. I already knew this from all the reviews before I bought the camera, so I wasn't surprised by it. Check out the in-depth reviews on dpreview.com or dcresource.com for much more info, but also note that both of these highly-respected websites gave Highly Recommended ratings to the E-510.

In addition to these easy settings on the main dial, you can select over a dozen Scenes with many options to get that perfect Sunset or shot of the kids playing in the Snow. More advanced photographers will want to use exposure meters and Full Manual mode to get these shots, but I'm sure they will also be using a camera and lens that cost many times what the E-510 will give you.

You can always move up to more expensive cameras when you gain the experience, but the three cameras I mentioned above are perfect for the first-time DSLR owner. For me, the Olympus E-510 was the obvious choice.

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I love it!!!

Strengths: Everything! IS, Live View, more than 20 different auto settings. 10 megapixels!! Good battery life.

Weakness: Viewer is kinda small. If you are new to DSLR (like me) it will take some time to truly use this camera to its full capabilities.

My wife and I were going to get the E-Volt 500, but after some research we decided to go with the 510. The IS system is great, Olympus knocked one out of the park making IS and Live View available on the same camera. We took the camera on vacation with us and had a blast! We went through Rocky Nat Park, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier. We even went to a Rockies baseball game. The camera worked perfectly. My wife created a blog and we have gotten many compliments from the pix we have taken. Hopefully, I will have this camera for a long time. It's an easy camera for beginners, but of course, it has enough upside that even a serious photographer will get a lot of use out of it.

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Best entry-level DSLR out there right now

Strengths: I.S., live view, compact (especially with the kit lenses), dust cleaner that is proven to work, very good image quality (even with the kit lenses), comfortable to work with

Weakness: Menus are confusing, no dual control dials, small viewfinder, pop-up flash cannot be used as fill flash with external unit, clips highlights a little more than expected

I bought this camera as a replacement for an E-1 that I dunked in a river. I bought the kit lenses as well because it seemed silly not to, given how little they cost when bundled with the camera. I will start by saying that I did not expect the camera to measure up to my old E-1 in several respects (build quality, customization, advanced functions, no top LCD panel), the latter being a professional grade camera. This expectation was borne out, although I think the only area that I really miss a lot is the build quality. Nevertheless, I knew what I was getting into when I bought an entry-level camera, so I am basing this rating on the market segment in which the camera competes (i.e. cameras like the Canon 400D and Nikon D40x).

First, the camera. Having used a somewhat dated SLR immediately prior to purchasing this one, the first thing I noticed about it was the speed. Aside from about a one-second delay on start-up to clean the sensor (this is not a big deal to me, but I think Olympus could make it a preference so that you could turn it off if you want - that would make start-up almost instantaneous), the camera responds quickly to everything - image display, image review, autofocus, continuous shooting - you name it, the E-510 does it quickly.
Live view is being touted as a big feature, and while a point and shoot user will be disappointed by its functionality (autofocus requires the mirror to flip down then flip up again when it has been achieved, which causes a significant delay), when viewed as a supplement to using the viewfinder, it really is useful. Because the LCD can be viewed from almost all angles, it is possible to hold the camera either above your head or at your waist to take a picture. I would say that manual focusing is easier with live view as well, because you can magnify a certain part of the frame in order to achieve precise focus. The main disappointment with live view is the delay when autofocusing - something that Nikon seems to have overcome with their newly announced cameras.
The image stabilisation works very well as well. It is sensor-based rather than lens-based, and it has been said that at longer focal lengths, the sensor-based stabilization is not as effective as lens-based. All I can say is that from my own experience it works just as well at 150mm as it does at 14mm, providing about a 2 stop advantage. I have gotten perfectly sharp pictures at 1/2 second at 42mm (84mm in 35mm terms) by bracing myself against a wall and using the IS.
The handling of the camera is overall very good. All the controls one needs are easily accessible, either through buttons or settings on the display screen. The menus themselves are confusing, but you shouldn't need to delve into them much once you have initially customized the camera the way you like it. Also, I wish the camera had dual control dials. This is because I shoot in manual mode sometimes, and it is nice to be able to have a dedicated dial for both shutter speed and aperture. The viewfinder is adequate, but quite small. This is unavoidable with a 4/3 camera because the format is so small, but still, I am missing my E-1's finder.
Now to image quality. Moving from a 5MP camera to a 10MP camera, I am definitely noticing a big step up in the detail the camera records. Yes, MP are overhyped, especially for those who will never print anything larger than an 8x10, but I am certain that this will be a useful step up for me. Also, the high ISO settings are perfectly usable - not something that could be said of my E-1. The only complaint I have about image quality is that it seems like the camera has a narrower dynamic range than the E-1.
The other part of this kit is the 14-42 and 40-150 lens. The physical construction of the lenses is definitely not pro-grade, but they seem more solid than those of Canon or Nikon for sure. They also have quite slow max. apertures, but I am OK with that because that is the trade-off for compact size. And believe me, they are compact. This is a very nice kit to own for doing discreet street shooting, or any kind of photography where having a massive lens on the front of your camera will cause the subject to get a bit nervous. Also, I have found that the lenses are quite sharp edge to edge. Maybe not so much as the 14-54, but definitely worth the price.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this kit. The camera is fast, easy and comfortable to use, produces high resolution images with good performance at high ISO speeds, has the significant bonuses of live view and IS, and comes with two very good value and compact lenses. I'd give it a 4.5 if there were half-stars, but there ain't, so 5 it is.

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Best value for your money... and plenty more.

Strengths: Supersonic Wave Filter, Live View, Mechanical Image Stabilization, viewfinder, kit lenses

Weakness: Higher noise levels than competition, tripod mount position (aligned, but set a little too much to the rear), dynamic range

The feature set of the E-510 is simply amazing. This tiny 10MP camera is one of the smallest and lightest DSLRs available, thanks to the Four-Thirds System, yet it's just as versatile as its big-name counterparts.
# Like its predecessors, the E-510 features a Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF) to shake off any dust that may enter the sensor chamber. This thin, transparent filter is positioned in front of the sensor and upon activation (each time the camera is turned on) vibrates +30,000 times per second to shake off debris onto adhesive strips in the body. Other companies may offer similar features or substitutes but Olympus’ is proven effective.
# Another thing unique to the E-510 is its Live View function. Live View allows the photographer to compose pictures on the 2.5" LCD screen, similar to a P&S camera, instead of limiting him or her to the viewfinder. For this to happen, the mirror flips up to send a direct feed to the LCD. Although it sound great, the process is a little more complicated than it sounds for auto focus. In order to use auto focus in Live View one must press the AEL/AFL button, wait for the mirror to flip down, the reading, and the mirror to flip back up. In total, this process takes 2-3 seconds in good conditions (just about the same as the shutter delay of some P&S cameras). It’s safe to say that Live View, what with all the mirror flapping, is a noisy procedure and really hurts shutter life. In addition, the display frame rate isn’t spectacular so the feed may seem somewhat choppy. It also performs poorly in bright/dark scenarios and tends to overheat during long usage periods which may result in higher noise levels. Canon and Nikon have both recently introduced new models that also have LV but they are all mid-range to high-end pro cameras and have similar limitations. Some may find this feature useful; some may think nothing of it. It definitely isn’t for all situations, but I find that it’s very useful for focusing legacy lenses. Unlike the E-330 or the E-3, the E-510 doesn’t have an articulating screen, which somewhat subtracts from the practicality of Live View.
# Want image stabilization? The E-510’s got it. The E-510 has mechanical image stabilization which shifts the sensor to compensate for trembling hands. It has 2 modes: IS1 which compensates for the X and Y axis, and IS2 which stabilizes the Y axis for better panning shots. With the latest firmware update (1.3), the 510 is said to give something near an extra 5 stops for any Four Thirds lens that you mount on it. This, for me, was a large factor. The kit lenses, though great, are not the fastest around. The MIS gives them that extra edge for low light situations. Canon and Nikon offer optical image stabilization and vibration reduction (respectively) on some of their glass. The main difference is that, with optically stabilized lenses, one could see the effect in the viewfinder. Some also claim that OIS/VR is more effective since it’s lens-specific though there is no real evidence to back it. One thing that should be noted is that if you plan to use any legacy glass (old OM, M42, etc. lenses), IS and focus confirmation will NOT work. To me, it’s not that big of a deal since I began taking photos on a Spotmatic these are technically luxuries. There are work-arounds, but I won’t get into them (try searching for "olympus dandelion" in Google).
# You'd be foolish NOT to buy the 2 lens kit (unless you have them already of course). The 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4-5.6 are slow, but the image quality outputs on these things are excellent for kit lenses. You won’t find them as cheap when buying them separately. They are a true value. Only thing I have to complain about is the plastic mounts they come in.
# All in all Olympus has really nailed it with the E-510; it’s easy and comfortable to use, affordable, and comes complete with an awesome feature set. Some find the viewfinder to be uncomfortable but I must disagree. It does have a slight tunnel-like effect, but everything is bright, large, and better than I expected (I wear glasses). The buttons are well placed though the menus will take some getting use to. My biggest complaint is the disappointingly high noise levels at even the lower ISOs though you’ll only hear people complain when the noise filter is off, which is an option very few manufacturers offer. Dynamic range isn’t great (use ND filters, shoot RAW, or lower the contrast levels for better results), and there is a tendency to underexpose. Also, if you’re interested in expanding your digital lens collection make sure you’re eligible for loans. Of course, there are many more nicks and knacks that I can pick at but it’s mostly extraneous stuff. I feel that Olympus has really stressed the scale between functionality and profit though I dislike is Olympus’ “new is better” approach.
# If you want better low-light quality, go Canon. If you’re really tight on cash, go Pentax. If you want everything else, go Olympus.

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One of the best

Strengths: The camera just has to many to list! The Camera is just one of the best that I have used in the last 3 years.

Weakness: The only weakness that I can think of is it is almost to small. If they had made it any smaller then I would not have bought it or used it. But it works fine

I am disabled and had given up, my kids bought me a dslr for me to use to try to get me out and about.
They bought me a Cannon and I was hooked. I found that I could not hardly wait till the next morning to get up and start shooting.
Well after using 3 types of dslr's from other Company's I bought the EVOLT E-510, And after using a pro level camera and going to this one I could not understand how this camera cost so little.
It out shoots just about everything I have used. The out of the box settings may not be to your liking but that is easy to fix. And when you get out and start taking photos you will not be able to stop. I can't say enough about this camera and for beginners it easy to use. I know I am not a pro.
And it was easy for me to learn to use.
You will not be upset when you get this camera, I did not wake up in the morning and wish I had not got it.
You will take photos like a pro and be able to show them to anyone and they will think you are very good at taking photos. I like the night shots. That is the most fun for me and where I learned the most.
Give it a try I know you will love the camera.

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Olympus E-510 2 Lens Kit

Strengths: 10MP, Light weight, good solid feel, In camera Image Stablization, Live View, over 25 Modes, Long battery life, xD and Compact Flash card, 2 lens with hoods, extra month warranty when you register

Weakness: No AC adapter, low light focus, view finder a little small

I've always been hesitant on buying a DSLR because they're big, bulky and heavy. Plus they make you look like a tourist in your own neighborhood. With either lens on the E-510, you're looking at less that 2 pounds and each lens is less than 3 inches.
I'm still playing with it. Even though these are "Kit" lenses, they, pretty good. Default settings are a little soft, but can be adjusted to taste. Controls are like my Point and Shoot Olympus and I can use my old xD cards. I find the faster Compact Flash cards are quicker to download.
The Live View is nice, but unlike the Point&Shoot cameras, there's a lag. Outside, I never used the LCD to take photos anyway.
If you're going after your first DSLR and want to get your money's worth, you can't beat the price. You should be able to get this 2 lens bundle for about $850

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One of the best DSLRs

Strengths: Compact form factor, Image Stabilization, Live View LCD, 28 shooting modes.

Weakness: None at this moment.

I have always liked Olympus products for their quality and features and Evolt E-510 is no exception. The camera packs a lot of features in such a small form factor.

To start with the camera is good for both professional and non-professionals. It has 28 shooting modes which means that most probably whatever shot you will be taking has a preset setting that you can use if you are not comfortable with manual settings.

With E-510 Olympus has introduced image stabilization in it's DSLR model line-up. Olympus has used mechanical image stabilization in E-510. What this means is that the image stabilization takes place in the camera body and not in the lens, so whichever lens you use image stabilization will work.

The E-510 two lens kit includes 14-42mm and 40-150mm Zuiko lenses. The lens are also of small form factor and light weight compared to other lenses.

It is very difficult to cover all the camera features in a review. All in all a very highly recommended DSLR.

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E-510 Excellent Consumer DSLR!

Strengths: Price and performance with two lens kit can't be beat. In-camera Image Stabilization for every lens mounted on the E-510. No need to pay for IS on every lens. LiveView.

Weakness: There are too many settings buried within the menu for a consumer DSLR. Should have included a power adapter and remote. View finder could be larger

I like the size and weight on both the body and lenses. The lenses are very compact. Two lenses cover a focal length range – from 14mm to 150mm – these meet the needs of what most consumers are likely to encounter.

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Great Camera

Strengths: Smaller, and lighter than other DSLR's. Kit Lenses are far superior to other manufacturer kit lenses. Image Stabilization is great!

Weakness: None so far, love everything about this camera!

This was my first DSLR and I'm extremely happy that I purchased this Camera. Though I paid $865 for it a few months ago, at the current prices it's is a steal. I have compared features and out of the camera image quality with Nikon and Canon users, Olympus is better. Plus if you read or look at most photo magazines reviews of 2007 cameras, the E-510 is 1 or 2 in ever list I've seen.

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Works great so far.

Strengths: Easy to use Great featurea and a variety of settings

Weakness: makes some strange noises when you shut it down

This camera is great especailly if you have used Olympus before. All the feature are pretty easy to figure out. It also dropped $100 in price since I bought it.

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Olympus E-510 with 14-42mm and 50-150mm lens kit

Strengths: - Only DSLR with Live Preview - Built-in Image Optical Stabilization - Competitive price

Weakness: - Autofocus system is good, but not Canon is better. - Information shown on LCD with picture could be improved. - USB/sync cord connection has a flimsy cover

When I bought this camera, I also looked at the Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10MP, and the Nikon D40x. I bought it for these reasons:
1. The price was a great value compared to Canon and Nikon. The Canon reviews of it most recent 10MP Rebel were not that great. Nikon had excellent reviews, but the lens were more expensive.
2. I was making the move from am advanced point-and-shoot camera, and I really wanted the Live Preview. While others have said it is not useful, I found it good for 70% of my shooting. (Be sure to use the Liveview Boost to make it brighter).

Here are some general comments:
- The Autofocus system will not take a picture if it cannot focus correctly on the item. So sometimes you will find it didn't take anything at all. There is a setting to work around this, but I felt the autofocus should be better for a $900-1000 camera.
- Build quality is very good. Nice, solid feel to it. Only the USB connection cover is flimsy. I don't know why camera companies try to save money here (my Canon has the same issue).
- The camera does take good quality pictures when used correctly. It take a fair amount of time to understand the setup and menus. I found this to be case even with 400 and 800 ISO. Though I would recommend trying to stick with lower ISO's.
- The menus are laid out well, and made good sense. The buttons, however, can have different functions in different modes.

I would recommend buying this camera.

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Olympus Evolt E-510 (with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses)

THE GOOD: Sensor-shift image stabilization; Live View mode (LCD preview) operation. THE BAD: Sluggish autofocus; Subpar exposure and white-balance performance; some poor choices for default settings. THE BOTTOM LINE: The Olympus Evolt E-510 has quirky exposure and white-balance issues, but its Live View and Image Stabilization modes may make some photographers give this SLR a chance.

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Olympus Evolt E-510

Olympus Evolt E-510 receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 2.82 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #17 Professional DSLR digital camera of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value,...

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Testseek.com has collected 73 expert reviews for Olympus E-510 and the average expert rating is 83 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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Olympus EVOLT E-510

With just the right combination of features and a mature set of lenses, the Olympus E-510 gives the Four-Thirds system a strong contender in the ongoing battle of the digital SLRs. No longer trying to forge new body shapes, Olympus has crafted the E-510 to fit the hand well and lead the pack with innovative features. While matching the competition's standard specs of a 10 megapixel sensor, 2.5...

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The E-510 is the second DSLR camera introduced by Olympus in 2007. Aimed at the keen enthusiast, the Olympus E-510 is bigger, more expensive and offers a few more features than the E-410 model. Principally the E510 has a built-in image stabilizer in the camera body, bigger hand-grip and is a physically larger camera. We loved the E-410 when we reviewed it a couple of weeks ago, so can the E-510...

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DCRP Review: Olympus EVOLT E-510

I like the Olympus EVOLT E-510 -- much more so than the E-410. That's not just because I like the larger grip, either. I like the optical image stabilization (on every lens), improved battery life, and the extra features (mostly custom settings) that were not found on the E-410. I do think Olympus should've shipped the camera with different image quality defaults and offered an AC adapter, but...

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Camera Labs - Olympus EVOLT E-510 review

The Olympus E-510 is arguably the most feature-packed DSLR in its class, ticking almost every box on the wish-lists of new DSLR buyers. You get 10 Megapixels in a relatively light and compact form factor, the option of one or two decent kit lenses, and the triple whammy of built-in anti-shake, anti-dust and Live View capabilities, not to mention easy access to a wide variety of settings. It’s...

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