Olympus EVOLT E-520 Digital Camera Review

The EVOLT E-520 is the center of Olympus' three-pronged approach to the digital SLR market. Flanked by the cheaper and more restricted E-420 on one side and the professional-level E-3 on the other, the E-520 is designed to compete with most entry-level SLRs, like the Nikon D60, Canon Rebel XSi and Sony Alpha 200. It is physically almost identical to its predecessor, the E-510, though beneath the familiar exterior are a number of new functions, such as auto focus for Live View and face detection. It also aims to bridge the gap for point-and-shoot users by incorporating a large number of automatic and preset modes, while still allowing in-depth tweaking for those who desire manual control. It’s a camera that feels good in the hand, with a comforting solidness and a good-sized grip. However, all the new features and excellent construction are mitigated by shortcomings revealed during performance testing. While the E-520 achieved good color and resolution scores, it tested very poorly in white balance and low light performance, and producing high noise levels in a variety of conditions. This is unfortunate because, apart from these low test scores, the E-520 is a solid camera, with great features, powerful controls, and the best Live View available in this price range. The camera retails for $699.99 with a 14-42mm Zuiko lens.

Section	The Good	The Bad
Tour	Solid construction, well designed	Poor latch for memory card slots
Testing/Performance	Did very well in color tests at high light levels	Exceedingly poor low light performance and excessive noise levels during testing
Components	Live View with auto focus, multiple levels of image stabilization	Live View rapidly drains battery; Live View auto focus functions poorly
Design/Layout	Large and comfortable rubberized grip, good size	High learning curve in menu system
Modes	Manual adjustments available even in Auto mode; wide variety of presets	Limited detail in preset mode explanations
Control Options	Extensive manual control options for those who need them	Auto focus only has three points in viewfinder mode, in contrast to the 11 available in Live View
Image Parameters	Customizable quick-access image sizes.	Limited in-camera editing controls
Connectivity/Extras	Powerful bundled software	Proprietary cable required
Value	Decent entry level price from a highly regarded manufacturer	Stronger test results for other cameras at similar price