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Introduction
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01.Testing / Performance
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02.Physical Tour
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03.Components
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04.Design / Layout
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05.Modes
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06.Control Options
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07.Image Parameters
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08.Connectivity / Extras
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09.Overall Impressions
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10.Conclusion
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11.Specs / Ratings
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12.Comments
Olympus EVOLT E-500
Previous: Page 9
Overall ImpressionsNext: Page 11
Specs / RatingsLikes

– Body is rugged
– Easy to hold securely
– Flexible white balance tuning
– Good owner's manual
- Only one control dial
- Confusing, long menus
- Poor autofocus
- Cheap lens
Conclusion
The Olympus EVOLT E-500 is a contender among entry-level DSLRs. Its price, its LCD, and some aspects of its imaging performance put it in the running. Like the less-expensive cameras, it has drawbacks – it's slow, like nearly all of them. It comes with a cheap lens. It has worse autofocus than most, and it has crowded, complicated menus. Like all of the Olympus SLRs we've handled – including film cameras – the EVOLT E-500 feels rugged.
We expect the E-500 will be the first DSLR many of its owners will buy. For users who expect to buy a more advanced DSLR at some point, buying the E-500 will mean committing to the Four-Thirds system. That commitment has gotten a bit easier to make this year, with Panasonic's Four-Thirds system DMC-L1 announced and the ground-breaking EVOLT E-330 already on the market. It seems as though Four-Thirds has a future.
Shop for the Olympus EVOLT E-500
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