It isn’t always easy, though extremely exciting for the serious shutterbug, to begin taking pictures with their first DSLR. The first one should always encourage them to use advanced controls, to experiment with the exposure controls and so on; and still not take away from them the convenience and comfort of the compact camera. The first DSLR should, in other words, be a gradual transition for the user from the ease of a point and shoot camera to the world of advanced photography and greater control. Sadly, most ‘entry-level’ DSLRs suppose that the user already knows enough about photography and that he or she is literally ‘bored’ of the compact camera, which may not be the case all the time. Fortunately, though, Olympus comes up with the Olympus E-520, which is a 10mp DSLR that retains a lot of features of a compact camera like face detection and image stabilization.
Design and FunctioningWeighing in at approximately 475 grams without a battery, the Olympus E-520 is among the lightest DSLRs ever manufactured. This camera sports a traditional eye-level optical TTL finder, which is bright, offers adequate contrast and eminently free of any distortions or aberrations, but rather small. The E-520 includes in-body stabilization, which signifies that any advantage gained will be applied to any lens the user should choose to attach. The latest implementation allows the user to specify the focal length of any lens that doesn't report its specifications to the camera, so even non-Four-Thirds lenses can be stabilized. Another feature of the camera is the venerable if slightly bombastically named Supersonic Wave Filter, jocularly referred to by Olympus users as the dust buster, which is an automatic sensor cleaning mechanism. Live View LCD enables photographers to hold the camera away from their faces and at angles they cannot easily reach by using the optical viewfinder alone. Shadow Adjustment Technology adjusts the exposure in the shadows while retaining all the detail in the bright areas. This technology works automatically when using Face Detection Mode, Live View and in Scene-Select Modes. Perfect Shot Preview enables the user to view and select their favorite effect right on the LCD, and see how the image will look before the picture is taken. This camera is compatible with xD and CompactFlash cards of Type I and II.
