Digital Camera News

Olympus Unveils EVOLT E-510; Two Lens Kit

March 5, 2007 – With PMA just two days away, Olympus launched their newest consumer DSLR, the EVOLT E-510 today. The DSLR carries 10 megapixels, an updated image processor, dust reduction, and Live View function. Customers can purchase the Olympus EVOLT E-510 for $999 with a 14-42mm and 40-150mm telephoto digital lens, $899 for the body and 14-42mm lens, or $799 for just the body. The E-510 will be available in June.

The Olympus EVOLT E-510 follows the EVOLT E-500, introduced in September 2005, with some updates that include a new TruePic III image processor and increased resolution up to 10 megapixels. Along with the new Live-MOS sensor, the E-510 possesses mechanical sensor-shift image stabilization, combined with digital image stabilization, like its predecessor.

Called a "portable DSLR," according to the release, the Olympus EVOLT E-510 measures 5.4 x 3.6 x 2.7 inches and includes a slightly curved hand grip.

One of the highlights of the new E-510 is its Live View abilities. The 2.5-inch, anti-glare HyperCrystal LCD is designed to enable users to shoot at difficult angles using the monitor rather than the optical viewfinder for overhead "Hail Mary" shots or low-to-the-ground shooting.

"The Olympus Live View LCD empowers user to easily compose their subjects live on the LCD before the shot has been taken, offering a level of versatility that can not be achieved by other digital SLR cameras that only offer an optical viewfinder," stated a company press release today.

Like the E-500, the new E-510 includes Olympus’ dust reduction system, featuring a Supersonic Wave Filter between the shutter and sensor that vibrates 35,000 times per second, shaking off dust for spot-free photos, according to the release.

The camera has five metering modes, like the older model, that includes the standard trio of multipattern, center-weighted, spot metering, while adding spot highlight and spot shadow metering. The Olympus EVOLT E-510 has a slightly faster burst rate at 3 frames per second over 2.5 fps on the E-500.

The E-510 has automatic and manual controls for JPEG and RAW shooting and 28 shooting modes including 5 monochrome color modes. The camera possesses a 3-point AF system and a maximum sensitivity of 1600 ISO.

Package prices include two new Olympus lenses. With a three-fourths mount, the EVOLT E-510 can be fitted with the new Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5 – 5.6 lens, for an equivalent 28-84 in traditional 35mm format or the telephoto ED 40-150mm f/4.0 – 5.6 lens for an equivalent focal range of 80-300mm in film format.

Click here for the Olympus EVOLT E-510 product photo gallery.

Key Features:
10-megapixel Live-MOS sensor
TruePic III processor
2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD with Live View
Dust reduction
Image stabilization (sensor-shift)