Olympus EVOLT E-520

Value (6.00)
The E-520’s price is right in the middle of the pack for an entry level SLR. It has extensive options for both beginner and experienced photographers, even allowing a surprising amount of control in full Automatic mode. It has, hands down, the best Live View mode at this price point, in that it actually is able to auto focus. In many ways it’s a fine little camera, with decent resolution and good color accuracy. Still, there are significant shortcomings. The performances at high ISO settings, the auto ISO and auto white balance were all poor. The auto ISO problem is avoidable through manual control, and if you were to delve into the options, manually setting the white balance would fix that problem too. If Live View is particularly important to you, that could steer you toward choosing the E-520. Overall, though, it isn't our top pick at the price.

Comparisons

Nikon D60 – The D60 and E-520 have the same starting price point, but the E-520 offers a wider array of features. The D60 doesn’t offer Live View, and image stabilization and auto focus are lens- rather than camera-based. In terms of raw performance, the E-520 handily outperforms the Nikon in color and speed tests. Conversely, the Nikon outdistances the Olympus on low light shooting, ISO noise tests and dynamic range. If you’re going to be shooting in well lit conditions most of the time, the additional features and functional Live View mode make the E-520 a better choice.

Canon Rebel XSi – The XSi is a little more expensive than the E-520, and while it does offer Live View mode, it lacks auto focus during Live View operation. The E-520 also provides sensor-based stabilization, while the Canon relies on more expensive optically stabilized lenses. However, for that extra $200 the XSi blasts the E-520 out of the water in every perfomance test we ran, barring the time from startup to first photo. The color, resolution, ISO, low light and dynamic range tests are all in favor of the Rebel. The XSi body doesn’t feel nearly as robust as the E-520, and there aren’t as many presets or customization options. In terms of pure image quality, though, the XSi is a superior camera.

UPDATE: Since this review was published, it has come to our attention that the Rebel XSi does, in fact, have auto focus in Live View, although Canon says that 'focusing manually is recommended for precise focusing'. This somewhat limited contrast AF mode can be activated through the third Custom Functions menu.

Sony Alpha 200 – The Alpha is a shade cheaper than the E-520, abut the two cameras are nearly equal in overall performance. There’s are a bit of play back and forth, with the E-520 superior in color accuracy and the Alpha decidedly better in low light, dynamic range and ISO tests. The Sony doesn’t have Live View, and uses a proprietary flash format, but it’s less expensive and takes equally high quality photos. It lags in customizability, though, and manual control options.

Olympus E-510 – To put it bluntly, there’s not that much difference between the older and newer model. The E-510 lacks autofocus and face detection in Live View, has a slightly smaller LCD, and is missing a couple of minor features, and the E-520 scrapes ahead by a few points in most of the tests that we ran. That said, if the E-510 drops significantly in price following the release of the E-520, you’d still be getting a good camera at a significantly reduced price.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – The strong automatic controls, a large array of presets and Live View for the LCD-dependent make the E-520 ideal for those making the migration from a point-and-shoot to an SLR. However, the learning curve may be daunting once they start trying to play with the settings.

Budget Consumers – While definitely on the low end of the SLR price range, there are cheaper options than the E-520. If budget is your primary concern, the Sony A200 is probably a more sensible option.

Gadget Freaks – Not a lot here for those driven by new gear. Perhaps those entranced by the prospect of wireless flash connectivity may find something to pique their interest, but otherwise not so much.

Manual Control Freaks – The serious breadth of control here will definitely appeal to those who want a customized shooting experience. The manual white balance , bracketing and color tweaking are all aimed squarely at a market that wants as much control as possible.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – Not much here for this group. They might be attracted to the excellent color capture, but the remaining mediocre image quality test results will probably dissuade them from purchasing the E-520.