Past Tense

I’ve been using the Evolt E510 Olympus SLR camera for about a month now, and I wanted to share my impressions and evaluations to help those who are planning on getting a digital SLR camera of their own. If you’re planning on getting a dSLR, make sure you think carefully before buying one because these cameras don’t come cheap.

I can take shots that are sharp at 1/30 while the focal length is set at 300mm in 35mm equivalent.

Based on the 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon’s image processing engine DIGIC II. Criticism of any camera that produces less noise in pictures with a sensitivity of ISO400 and higher, surpassing more expensive cameras like the Nikon D80. This camera has some complaints from consumers with larger hands because of small control buttons and dials. Other competitors include the Nikon D40x, the Sony Alpha 100 and Pentax K10D.

While it is a product for the amateur photographer, it does not offer all the features of the Canon EOS 30D or the Nikon D200. Its picture quality falls just short of those cameras. Obviously its top shutter speed of 1/4000s and burst of speed of 3 frames per second (fps) does not match the specifications of the professional cameras but meet the needs of most advanced amateur photographers (prosumers).

SSWF. While other brands have problems in this department, the dust buster works well. Even though I change lenses quite a bit, I didn’t see any dust.

The screen deserves a separate chapter thanks to significant improvements over previous models (Digital Rebel and Digital Rebel XT). It now offers a wide viewing angle of 160 degrees and is bright enough to be able to view photos taken in direct sunlight. It is a pity that the small LCD of previous models and will not be able to compose the picture across the screen as it allows some reflex digital technology with LiveView.

I like that I can get come up with sharp shots with stabilized lenses and at 1/30 when I use focals of 300mm in 35mm equivalent. The Evolt E510′s high ISO, up to 800, is totally usable though it has little noise reduction. You can also try ISO 1600 if you want to get better image results. Another wonderful thing about the camera is that even with the noise filter turned off, the images come out with excellent color and sharpness.

It is also a great surprise to prosumers that a camera in this price range forces you to use the optical viewfinder when framing your photos. The newer Rebel Xsi, does away with this restriction.

The problems that I have with it aren’t that bad, and the second one can be fixed easily. If you got a bit of experience then you can take great photos with it. If you’re new at this, then it might be a challenge at first. As long as you’re not bothered by the fact that it’s made in China, then this is a very good SLR to own.