Price Check:

Sony Alpha DSLRA350X 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 & DT 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lenses

Sony Alpha DSLRA350K 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens

Sony Alpha DSLRA350 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization (Body Only)

Features

• Incredible 14.2 MP for ultra-high-resolution detail
• High sensitivity (ISO 3200) with noise reduction
• Tiltable 2.7¿ LCD screen for high/low angle shots
• Super-quick AF response to catch the perfect moment
• Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization

Manufacturer Description

With incredible 14.2 MP detail, Sony’s a (alpha) DSLR-A350 raises the bar. This model pushes the envelope, setting a new standard of excellence for step-up digital photographers shooting both family memories and fine-art photos. Live Preview in a large 2.7-inch LCD screen links you and your subject-and you’ll have special features like super-quick AF response, continuous shooting at 2 fps while you see your subject in the viewfinder, Creative Style modes for quick recall of custom settings, and in-camera Super SteadyShot image stabilization that reduces blur for every Sony, Carl Zeiss and legacy Minolta a-mount lens.

Alpha DSLR-A350 Highlights

14.2-megapixel Super HAD CCD The highest pixel resolution in its class (as of January 2008), for spectacular image detail for making big prints and tight crops. An advanced APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony expands dynamic range and minimizes noise more effectively for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200).

Live Preview of your subject The DSLR-A350’s Live Preview mode links you and your subject on a large 2.7-inch LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style — with super-quick AF response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live “eye-to-eye” view on the LCD of loved ones, children, pets and fast-changing scenes.

Tiltable, 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot.

Continuous shooting while viewing The DSLR-A350 lets you shoot continuously at up to 2 frames per second while you see your subject in the large 2.7-inch LCD viewfinder, so you never lose track of the action. In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up to 4 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

Smart teleconverter 2x zoom At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to 2X zoom — creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with the DSLR-A350’s standard 18-70mm zoom lens.

Expanded ISO sensitivity A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the DSLR-A350 to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light — with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.

Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A350, every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps. This allows you to shoot effectively with minimum blur even in low light without flash — or adjust exposure control for smaller lens aperture to increase depth of field and bring both foreground and background into sharp focus.

Bionz image processor The “brain” of the a (alpha) DSLR-A350 is the advanced Sony Bionz Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your camera can also respond faster.

1200-zone evaluative metering Information from the image sensor dedicated to Live View is divided into 1200 zones of luminance and RGB color information. In addition D-Range Optimizer technology contributes to judge the scene and then determine the optimum exposure to reproduce images with a more natural look.

Dynamic Range Optimizer To improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the DSLR-A350 provides Dynamic Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Anti-dust technology Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera — so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the DSLR-A350 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Auto Pop-up flash The camera flash automatically pops up and fires when needed, to help first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. Auto Pop-up works in Auto mode and some scene selection modes; Flash is cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position on the Exposure Mode dial.

Eye-Start Autofocus System It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye — so unlike some DSLR cameras that don’t start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony DSLR-A350 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.

9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.

Scene Selection Modes Along with auto exposure, the DSLR-A350 gives you scene selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.

Creative Style Settings To express your creativity and personal taste, you can adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing styles — including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B&W and Adobe RGB modes.

Index and Slide Show Display To quickly review your photos, the DSLR-A350 can display 4, 9 or 25-frame index views — or present automatic slide shows with fade-in/fade-out effect.

High-resolution thumbnails for PhotoTV HD viewing The DSLR-A350 automatically creates high-resolution thumbnail images for viewing on Sony’s BRAVIA HDTV in optimized PhotoTV HD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 display.

Function Guide Display On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use — and a simple Camera Function Display can be activated and operated with one hand using the “Fn” (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.

Stamina Battery Power In optical viewfinder mode, you can take up to 730 shots3 on a fully-charged NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery — and you’ll be able to see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.

High-Capacity Media Options For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the DSLR-A350 accepts CompactFlash Type I/II media and optional Memory Stick Pro Duo media.

Optional advanced lenses and accessories Sony’s Alpha system gives you everything you need to expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss lens designs, professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide.

Customer Reviews

A very good SLR
I already owned a Sony A100 and liked it alot, so when the A350 came out I was expecting it to be good - and it is. Some additional controls, true TTL viewing, even longer battery life than the A100 - which means I’ve taken more than 1,000 photos at maximum quality without a battery change - and it handles quickly and accurately. I have a few lenses, but like the flexibility of the Sony 18-200mm zoom so it’s on the camera most of the time. The disadvantage with that lens is that it’s slow (4.5 to 6.3 at 200mm) so it’s not really suitable for people shots, unless they’re in bright sunlight. However, the lens is fine for objects, buildings or anything that’s not going to move quickly. I was in Marrakech recently and found the camera and lens a great combination, although they’re big and obvious enough to make it difficult to shoot candid portraits. Now I’m looking for a 135mm f.2.4 lens so I can shoot in shadows.

First hands on…Great Value DSLR!
I’ve been able to handle an Alpha 350 one and off for about a month now, and I’m quite pleased with what I’ve seen so far.

First, the camera’s appearance is very much like that of the Alpha 200, and identical to the Alpha 300. All share the same, comfortable grip that uses a full-size lithium-ion “info” battery, and should feel good in most peoples hands. The tilting LCD screen is added from the A200, and makes it a bit thicker at the back. This thickness doesn’t seem to be much of a drawback for handling, but it might make it a bit more ackward for those who wear eyeglasses.

Most of the camera controls are located in easy to use places, although the rear toggle might be too easy to hit (by mistake) for some, the idea is for it to be quickly accessable.

Performance wise, the camera seems to be greatly improved from the older Alpha 100. Image Quality (IQ), both sharpness and color wise, appear to be very good. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do critical, side-by-side, low-light/high ISO testing, something which is of a possible concern with such a high megapixel CCD sensor. Visually, those images I shot in poor lighting appeared reasonably good, but more serious testing needs to be done.

Autofocusing speed is very decent, especially when the eye-start feature begins the AF process for you. The 9-point AF seems fast and accurate. My only disappointment is that an upgrade camera such as this does not have the “instant” manual focusing ability of the Alpha 100. [This feature allowed you to use the camera in AF. Once the camera focused, it released the gearing, making manual focusing instantly possible to make corrections, without fiddling for an AF/M switch].

Of course, the built-in anti-shake ability is great. Although we can argue the merits of in-camera vs. in-lens, there is no doubt that this feature is much less expensive, and works with lenses that neither Nikon nor Canon offer with IS/VR (e.g. 50mm f1.4), and a whole bunch of older lenses as well.

Like the anti-shake system, everyone will have their opinion on what’s the best way to implement Live View. I prefer the way Sony has chosen to use Live View, where AF speed is unaffected. The drawback is that only 90 percent of the actual image is previewed with Sony’s system. Adding the articulated, nice quality LCD seems to me to make this system a bit more useful, and the 1.4x and 2x digital cropping may come in handy (but keep in mind, you’re just cropping out megapixels).

Another feature I would have liked for this price is a wireless shutter release (it does offer a wired release).

It will be interesting to see how this stacks up to the competition. The biggest threat will come from the Canon Digital Rebel XSi. The XSi will be smaller (using a new, smaller battery), and have a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor, which may prove to be better from someone doing low light with high ISO speeds (such as museum or stage photography). Also, for $200 less, the Alpha 300 will need serious consideration. The only feature difference is it has 10 megapixels vs. 14, and this may actually improve IQ in poorer light.

Overall, a very fine addition to the Sony lineup!

Price Check:

Sony Alpha A200W 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 and 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Lenses

Sony Alpha A200K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

Features

• 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• Kit includes 18-70mm lens
• Super Steadyshot image stabilization; Bionz image processor
• 2.7-inch ClearPhoto LCD; Eye-Start autofocus system
• Powered by lithium-ion battery (supplied); stores images on CF I/II and Memory Stick Pro Duo cards

Manufacturer Description

Powerful, versatile and simple to use, the Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 takes photography to the next level for customers stepping up from point-and-shoot cameras. The Alpha DSLR-A200 expands creative horizons with 10.2-megapixel imaging, high-speed processing, high sensitivity, advanced noise reduction and special features like D-Range Optimizer and Creative Style settings. Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization works with every lens in a superb optical system — including new Sony DT zoom lenses, advanced Sony G-Series lenses, Carl Zeiss lens designs and a two-decade legacy of Minolta Maxxum a-mount lenses.

Alpha A200 Highlights

10.2-megapixel Super HAD CCD Superb image quality gives you great DSLR shots right from the start, with a large APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony to expand dynamic range, minimize noise more effectively and provide greater detail for making big prints or cropping in tight on your subject.

Expanded ISO sensitivity Broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the Alpha DSLR-A200 to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light — with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.

Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization A high-performance sensor detects vibrations and the image stabilization system automatically compensates. Because image stabilization is built into the Alpha DSLR-A200, every lens benefits — and with an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 stops, you can shoot effectively at higher shutter speeds even in very low light with minimum blur from shaky hands or fast-moving subjects.

Bionz Image Processor The “brain” of the a (alpha) DSLR-A200 is the advanced Sony Bionz Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your camera can also respond faster.

Dynamic Range Optimizer To improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the Alpha DSLR-A200 provides Dynamic Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Anti-dust technology Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera — so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the Alpha DSLR-A200 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Auto pop-up flash In Auto or some scene selection modes, the camera flash automatically pops up and fires when needed to help you shoot more effectively. Flash is cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position on the Exposure Mode dial

Eye-Start Autofocus System It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye — so unlike some DSLR cameras that don’t start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.

9-point center cross AF sensor A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.

Flexible, accurate exposure control A 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy — and you can also select center-weighted or spot metering modes. You’ll also have 6 preset White Balance control settings and RGB Histogram display to check color balance.

Scene Selection modes Along with auto exposure, the Alpha DSLR-A200 gives you scene selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.

Creative style settings To express your creativity and personal taste, you can adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing styles — including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B&W and Adobe RGB modes.

2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD screen A large built-in screen with anti-reflective coating makes it easy to read camera setup menus even in bright sunlight and improves image quality when you check your shots.

Index and Slide Show display To quickly review your photos, the Alpha DSLR-A200 can display 4, 9 or 25-frame index views — or present automatic slide shows with fade-in/fade-out effect.

High-resolution thumbnails for PhotoTVHD viewing The Alpha DSLR-A200 can also create high-resolution thumbnail images for viewing on a Sony Bravia HDTV in optimized PhotoTVHD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 display.

Function Guide Display On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use — and a simple Camera Function Display can be activated and operated with one hand using the Fn (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.

Continuous Burst Mode at 3 frames per second To capture action more effectively, the Alpha DSLR-A200 offers continuous JPEG shooting up to the limit of your flash memory card — plus RAW Burst Mode (up to 6 shots) with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

Stamina battery power You can take up to 750 shots on a fully-charged NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery — and you’ll be able to see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.

High-capacity media options For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the Alpha DSLR-A200 accepts CompactFlash Type I/II media and optional Memory Stick Pro Duo media.

Advanced Lenses and Accessories The Sony Alpha system gives you everything you need to expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss T* coated lenses, professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide.
 

Customer Reviews

AF Illuminator???
I agree it’s a great camera for its price. I sold my D40 to buy the A200.
Great sharp shots in daylight. One thing bugs me …..The AF illuminator does’nt work well in dim light. I was actually looking for the AF illuminator on this and could’nt find one. I did some research and one site said it’s built in w /the flash….Does’nt work too well as far as i’m concerned ….The AF goes loco in really dim conditions. This is one thing sony should improve on.

Incredibly capable–and, such a deal!
I have used a wide variety of film SLRs and digital point-and-shoot cameras before. The Sony A-200K is by far the finest I’ve used.

I simply haven’t found anything this camera can’t do–and that’s a surprise, given its teeny-tiny flash. Indoors or out, pictures are invariably sharp and well-lit. (Letting the camera make the decisions has worked well to date; I haven’t needed to get into the manual settings.) The 18-70 mm lens is lightweight, amazingly sharp, and, at a 35 mm equivalent of 27 mm to 105 mm, is an almost ideal range for around-town and travel use. Built in image stabilization (Super Steady Shot) and sensor self-cleaning are features you don’t get in comparable Nikon or Canon models.

One of the major selling points of this camera is its backward compatibility with Minolta Maxxum film lenses and flashes. This means that lenses can be acquired inexpensively, on Craigslist or elsewhere–to evaluate a lens for your needs, just multiply its focal length by 1.5. I haven’t yet tried my very complicated Maxxum 5400xi flash with this camera, but Sony says it will work.

Dollar for dollar, there’s no better entry-level SLR on the market today. I’m thrilled with this camera.

Sony Alpha Rocks!!!
I bought this camera for my wife after looking and studying for about a month. We’ve owned quite a few sony point and shoots and after the birth of our son, my wife wanted the ability to take multiple pics quickly to not miss those quick grins. I love the fact the sony has built in anti-shake and that the zoom is built in the camera. The lenses for the Nikon and Canon has the zoom built in them which increases the price for the lenses. I also like the fact that the old Minolta lenses work with this camera so our old 35mm set up is not collecting as much dust. The battery life is great. Right out of the box my wife was taking awsome pics that can be developed in at least 11×14 and look like a pro. My only complaint is that if you own Sony Memory sticks you have to buy an adapter to use them in this camera. You would not beleive the money this has saved by not having to go to a pro for baby pics!!Overall my wife says this is the best gift I have ever bought her and that is good enough for me.

Price Check:

Sony Alpha A100H 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Lens

Sony Alpha A100K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 Lens

Sony Alpha A100 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Features

• 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 2.5-inch LCD display; in-camera image stabilization and anti-dust vibration systems
• Eye-Start Autofocus system begins focusing as soon as the camera is brought to your eye
• 9-point autofocus system; 40-segment multi-pattern honeycomb metering for accurate exposure
• Powered by lithium-ion battery (rechargeable battery supplied); stores images on CF I/II and Memory Stick Duo cards

From the Manufacturer

Why Sony? Because people want to take better pictures–and the all-new Sony α DSLR-A100 camera makes it easier to explore all the creative possibilities of digital photography. Sony electronic innovations for higher sensitivity, smoother image stabilization, and superior picture quality give the α system spectacular DSLR performance with amazing simplicity. Along with superb Sony and Carl Zeiss lenses and a full range of professional accessories, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera also builds on 20 years of Minolta camera optics to provide instant compatibility with over 16 million A-mount lenses sold worldwide.

With advanced electronics, superb Sony and Carl Zeiss lenses, and amazing creative capabilities, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera brings better pictures within easy reach. It introduces Sony imaging innovations like high-sensitivity shooting with Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization, Dynamic Range Optimizer to automatically increase detail in bright and dark picture areas, new Anti-Dust technology to keep the CCD imager clean for better pictures, and Eye-Start Autofocus system for faster camera response. It also builds on a two-decade legacy of Minolta photographic leadership, accepting millions of A-mount lenses sold worldwide.

Superior Electronics, Amazing Simplicity
In the revolutionary new Sony α DSLR-A100 camera, Sony digital technology takes you a giant step toward professional performance–with advanced imaging, image stabilization, and creative control functions, plus ease of operation that helps everyone take better digital pictures right from the start.

Advanced Lenses and Accessories
The Sony α DSLR-A100 camera is your gateway to an incredibly sophisticated array of lenses and accessories–including precision Sony standard and zoom lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss T* coated lenses, professional-quality flash units, and compatibility with over 16 million Maxxum, Dynax, and A-mount lenses sold worldwide.

The Sony α DSLR-A100’s CCD system provides SteadyShot image stabilization and anti-dust vibration.

10-Megapixel Super HAD CCD
A large APS-size CCD imager with Sony’s advanced Super HAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity, reducing noise, and providing greater detail when you make big prints or crop in close on your subject.

Super SteadyShot Optical Image Stabilization
When you shoot with high sensitivity, the shutter remains open longer–so to compensate for shaky hands or fast-moving subjects, the Sony Super SteadyShot system automatically reduces image blur. And because it works in-camera, you’ll get the benefit of Super SteadyShot stabilization with every lens you use.

Sharp, Clear Photos that Preserve the Mood
With high-sensitivity (ISO 1600) shooting, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera captures great photos without flash even in low light–which makes it an ideal system camera for shooting without a tripod or in locations (like museums and churches) where flash is prohibited.

Static-free anti-dust coating and the A100’s anti-dust vibration system keep the CCD free of the dust that can mar images. (See larger image.)

Anti-Dust Technology
Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera–so to keep the CCD imager clean for better pictures, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Dynamic Range Optimizer
To recover details in dark or bright areas of the picture, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera provides two levels of Dynamic Range Optimization: Normal DRO, to improve shadow detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Bionz Image Processor
At the heart of the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera is the advanced Bionz Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry that responds ten times faster than software image processors–improving camera response time, handling Dynamic Range Optimization processing, and extending Stamina battery life.

To reduce blur and increase response time, an Eye-Start Autofocus sensor begins the DSLR-A100’s precision autofocus adjustments the moment you bring your eye to the viewfinder.

Eye-Start Autofocus System
Some DSLR systems don’t start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed–but that can slow down camera response. The Sony α DSLR-A100 camera begins its precision autofocus adjustments the moment you bring your eye to the viewfinder, to capture fast-action subjects other cameras might blur.

2.5-Inch Clear Photo LCD Plus Screen
The Clear Photo LCD Plus design of the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera’s built-in screen makes it easy to read camera setup menus even in bright sunlight–and gives you a better picture when you use your screen to set up shots and check results.

Continuous Burst Mode at 3 Frames Per Second
To catch fast action more effectively, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera offers continuous JPEG image capture up to the limit of your flash memory card–plus RAW Burst Mode (up to six shots) with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

Super-Accurate Exposure Control
A 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy.

Flexible Exposure Modes
For greater creative freedom in a wide range of shooting conditions, the Sony α DSLR-A100 camera provides full manual exposure control as well as Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Exposure Compensation modes.

9-Point Autofocus Selection
The Sony α DSLR-A100 camera gives you all the focusing options you need for composing your shot with foreground, background or off-center subjects–including manual focus point selection, Spot AF, Continuous AF, and AF Lock.

Lithium Ion Battery with Stamina Power
A supplied NP-FM55H Lithium Ion rechargeable battery lets you take up to 600 shots on a full charge, recharges quickly with supplied battery charger.

Dual Media Options
The Sony α DSLR-A100 camera accepts both CompactFlash Type I/II media and optional Memory Stick Duo media (with supplied adaptor).

Customer Reviews

Good for an amatuer
I bought this camera becuase I am a life long Minolta fan, however they discontinued their cameras without any notice and I was stuck with alot of Konica Minolta camera equipment. Sony picked up Minolta’s pattons and made their first DSLR and everything I owed with Minolta is interchangeable with it. But I run 2 photo studios and I have not been happy with the controls, etc. of this camera. However a person who just wants a better camera to take better pictures then their snap and shoot–this would be a good camera for you, for a professional however–no. I am now switching everything over to Nikon.

Sony, Alpha 100
Love my Sony Alpha 100, 10.2 mp. For the money, it is an unbeatable buy. User friendly. Great photos.

Great Beginner SLR
I have had a variety of cameras throughout the past 3 years with my new found interest in photography. I started small and worked my way up, from the FujiFilm 2800 to this Sony SLR and though photography is truly about the photograher, this camera definitely makes photos better, and overall makes photography much more enjoyable.

Well, I’ll start with the breakdown of features:

1. 10 megapixel sensor: When I found interest in photography several years ago, my first camera had a resolution of merely 2 megapixels, yet the prints were still spectacular. With this camera, there is significant increase of overall quality, but you have to keep in my different factors such as ISO, and white balance, which also play a roll in good prints.

2. ISO: I found that in low light situations, for example during a party, or something, that when I increased the ISO to 800, pictures were slightly noisy, though not significantly. I feel that the noise-reduction system helped in those situations. As far as ISO 1600, it wasn’t that great, but then again not all that bad. I would say 60% of my shots would come out nicely. For regular shooting I used the HI200 setting, which would keep the ISO at <200> (above or below), and pictures turn out really well with this setting, combined with some other modes.

3. White balance: The white balance is okay for the most part. I personally like the “shade” and “sunny” modes, but not so much the tungsten and florescent, I have also at times used the manual white balance, which proved to work well, though, I wouldn’t use it as much as the preset modes.

4. Dynamic Range Booster: Great great setting. About 75% of the time I’ve used this setting, the dynamic range has been slightly if not significantly better. What this basically means is it extends the color capabilities of your picture. So let’s say there is a red shovel in a large field of grass, the green of the grass may get prioritized, however once you press the dynamic range booster button, some settings are adjusted and the red looks a lot better than it traditionally would.

5. Other Color Settings: When you are in either manual mode, A mode, S mode, or P mode (my favorite),you get to choose from a menu what best matches the situation you are shooting in. There is a list of the standard preset modes like Macro and Landscape, but there is also a few color settings I like. They are: B&W, Adobe RGB, Standard, and Vivid. My personal favorite is vivid; I don’t know what it is, but this setting surely does add the extra “umph” in pictures, kind of giving them a film look. I used it to take a picture of a sunset, and it came out slightly better than the pre-programmed sunset mode.

6. Sports Photography: SLR’s are definitely the way to go for action photos. This camera sports a really good 3fps, and I’ve captured numerous shots that simply wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for upgrading to a DSLR. However I must he sports mode on this camera is base-line average, and before I learned the settings to this camera about 70% of my shots would come out of average quality. What I do when taking action shots, is go into P mode and manually select settings, and pictures almost always come out better than the pre-set sports mode. I think that the sports mode fully utilizes the advertised 3 fps, however pictures just aren’t as sharp. However, this really isn’t a problem once you’ve had the camera for a week or two.

7. Ease of Use: Well, this was my first SLR of any sort ever, yet I was up and going, fully unlocking the potential of this camera in about two weeks. I flat-out couldn’t just sit there and read the manual for two hours, so instead I would go around taking candids in my spare time, and switch some settings around, and then take mental note of what looked best.

8. Comparison: I was in a debate with myself for several weeks, wondering if I should get a Nikon D80, Canon Xti/Xt or a Sony, and when I looked at reviews, each one was saying the same about the other, and I finally chose the Sony. When it arrived I used it for a little bit, then went on to Best Buy to get some accessories, and I just happened to see both the Canon Digital Rebel Xti and D80. The Xti felt really cheap, like the plastic would fall apart if you dropped it once, and sensor and kit lens were both significantly smaller than those equipped with the A100. Another thing, both the Canon and the D80 lacked built in image stabilization of any sort, which really DOES come in handy for everyday shooting. As far as the XT/XTi go, the A100 clearly outshines them. Though on the other hand the Nikon D80 is much better than the Sony. It felt really sturdy, and from shooting with one for a full day, it overall produces much better pictures than I’ve been able to with this camera, the only factor which stopped me from buying it was the price of over $200 more. As far as camera releases go as this year goes on, I would highly suggest not getting a Canon XSi but instead a Sony A350, because from what I’ve read, the Sony has much more features and gives you more bang for your buck, especially since it’s about $100 less than the canon. I can’t really talk for Nikon though.

Well, I hope my review has contributed into your decision for a new DSLR, if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to comment for this review, thanks. -Sam

Price Check:

Sony Alpha DSLRA300X 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 & DT 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lenses

Sony Alpha DSLRA300K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens

Features

• 10.2 MP for high-resolution image detail
• Kit include DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 Standard Zoom Lens
• High sensitivity (ISO 3200) with noise reduction
• Tiltable 2.7 LCD screen for high/low angle shots
• In-camera image stabilization

Manufacturer Description

Sony’s Alpha DSLR-A300: the camera that links you and your subject. For first-time DSLR users, Sony combines superb 10.2-megapixel quality, a high-quality DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens, and Live Preview in a large, tilting 2.7-inch LCD monitor for point-and-shoot simplicity. You’ll have super-quick AF response, 3 fps continuous shooting while you see your subject in the viewfinder, and high sensitivity (ISO 3200) for great low-light shots. What’s more, you get simple controls, Creative Style settings and in-camera Super SteadyShot image stabilization that work with every Sony, Carl Zeiss and legacy Minolta a-mount lens. Stamina power for up to 740 shots, Auto Pop-up Flash and many more features make DSLR model an excellent choice for your favorite new hobby.

Alpha DSLR-A300 Highlights

10.2-megapixel Super HAD CCD

Superb image quality gives you great DSLR shots right from the start, with a large APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony to expand dynamic range, and minimize noise more effectively for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200).

Live Preview of your subject

The DSLR-A300’s Live Preview mode links you and your subject on a large 2.7-inch LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style — with super-quick AF response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live “eye-to-eye” view of loved ones, children, pets and fast-changing scenes.

Tiltable 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen

A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot.

Continuous shooting while viewing

The DSLR-A300 lets you shoot continuously at up to 3 frames per second while you see your subject in the viewfinder2, so you never lose track of the action. In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up to 6 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

Smart teleconverter 2x zoom

At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to 2X zoom — creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with the DSLR-A300’s standard 18-70mm zoom lens.

Expanded ISO sensitivity

A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the DSLR-A300 to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light — with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.

Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization

Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A300, every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps. This allows you to shoot effectively with minimum blur even in low light without flash — or adjust exposure control for smaller lens aperture, to increase depth of field and bring both foreground and background into sharp focus.

Bionz image processor

The “brain” of the Alpha DSLR-A300 is the advanced Sony Bionz Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your camera can also respond faster.

1200-zone evaluative metering

Exposure information from the image sensor dedicated to Live View is divided into 1200 zones of luminance and RGB color information. In addition D-Range Optimizer technology contributes to judge the scene and then determine the optimum exposure to reproduce images with a more natural look.

Dynamic Range Optimizer

To improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the DSLR-A300 provides Dynamic Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Anti-Dust technology

Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera — so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the DSLR-A300 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Auto Pop-up flash

The camera flash automatically pops up and fires when needed, to help first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. Auto Pop-up works in Auto mode and some scene selection modes; Flash is cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position on the Exposure Mode dial.

Eye-Start autofocus system

It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye — so unlike some DSLR cameras that don’t start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony DSLR-A300 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.

9-point center cross AF sensor

A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.

Scene Selection modes

Along with auto exposure, the DSLR-A300 gives you scene selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.

Creative Style Settings

To express your creativity and personal taste, you can adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing styles — including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B&W and Adobe RGB modes.

Index and Slide Show Display

To quickly review your photos, the DSLR-A300 can display 4, 9 or 25-frame index views — or present automatic slide shows with fade-in/fade-out effect.

High-resolution thumbnails for PhotoTV HD viewing

The DSLR-A300 automatically creates high-resolution thumbnail images for viewing on Sony’s BRAVIA HDTV in optimized PhotoTV HD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 display.

Function Guide Display

On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use — and a simple Camera Function Display can be activated and operated with one hand using the “Fn” (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.

Stamina Battery Power

In optical viewfinder mode, you can take up to 750 shots3 on a fully charged NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery — and you’ll be able to see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.

High-capacity media options

For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the DSLR-A300 accepts CompactFlash Type I/II media and optional Memory Stick Pro Duo media.

Optional advanced lenses and system accessories

Sony’s Alpha system gives you everything you need to expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss lens designs, professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide. 

Customer Reviews

Great camera for the price!
camera takes good pictures, good for the price. It has everything i was looking for in my first digital slr camera. super steady shot image stabillization is a plus for me, you can buy lens for half the price if you are on a budget. I also like the live view with its x 1.4 and X 2 which adds extra zoom to any lens(ONLY ON LIVE VIEW) the flip screen lcd is useful when shooting with live view. to shoot different creative shots, overall i am satisfied with my camera and looking forward to learning how to shoot great pictues and develop better skills in photography.

Price Check:

Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Aspherical ED Lens

Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera with 16-105mm Lens

Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
 

Features

• 12.24-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor captures enough detail for poster-size prints
• Body only; lenses sold separately
• In-camera image stabilization and anti-dust vibration systems; Eye-Start Autofocus system
• 3-inch LCD display; 11-point autofocus system; 40-segment multi-pattern honeycomb metering
• Powered by lithium-ion battery; stores images on CF I/II and Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo cards

Manufacturer Description

A unique combination of superb picture quality, quick response, creative shooting and sensational viewing make the Sony Alpha 700 DSLR a superior value for serious photo enthusiasts. Its newly designed Exmor CMOS image sensor captures 12.24-megapixel resolution with on-chip noise-canceling before and after A/D conversion. Advanced performance features include continuous shooting at 5 frames per second, an 11-point center dual cross AF system with f2.8 sensor for enhanced precision, and the Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization system that works to minimize blur with every lens you use. For sensational viewing, there’s a photo-quality 3.0-inch LCD screen and direct HDMI output to Sony Bravia HDTV and other compatible HDTV screens — and Sony puts all this together in a rugged magnesium-alloy body.

Alpha A700 Highlights

12.24-megapixel Exmor imaging sensor A newly designed APS-C size CMOS imager with on-chip noise-canceling before and after A/D conversion provides over 12 million pixels, drawing out the full image description power of the Alpha 700’s high-performance lenses and providing spectacular detail for making big prints. Advanced on-sensor A/D conversion yields rich tonal reproduction with high signal-to-noise ratio.

Professional lenses and accessories The Alpha 700 accepts a superb array of precision optics, including new Sony wide-aperture zoom lenses that perform brilliantly over a broad range of focal lengths, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss T* coated lenses, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide — plus professional-quality flash units and system accessories to expand your creative horizons.

Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization Built-in technology moves the image sensor in response to camera shake, enabling every lens to benefit from automatic blur reduction — and provides an advantage of up to 4.0 shutter speed steps to sharpen images in lower light, for hand-held shots that would normally require a tripod.

Bionz Image Processor At the heart of the Alpha 700 DSLR camera is the advanced Sony Bionz Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry that improves camera response time, screens out noise before RAW data conversion, handles Dynamic Range Optimization processing and prolongs battery life.

Dynamic Range Optimizer To recover details in dark or bright areas of the picture, the Alpha 700 provides multiple levels of Dynamic Range Optimization: Standard mode, to improve shadow detail using standard gamma curves; Advanced Auto mode, allowing you to select any of 5 DRO correction levels, or DRO Advanced Bracketing, that automatically takes three shots at different DRO levels with a single shutter press.

Continuous 5 frames-per-second advance at 12.24 megapixels The high-speed processing power of its Bionz engine, a quick-response coreless motor to drive the shutter, and dual mirror stoppers to prevent mirror bounce — they all enable the Alpha 700 to capture action more effectively at either 5 or 3 frames per second, even shooting at full 12.24-megapixel resolution. You can also shoot continuously to the limit of available memory in JPEG Fine and Standard modes.

Advanced pentaprism viewfinder With a bright focusing matte, an optical glass prism and glass lenses that prevent ghosts inside the finder, the Alpha 700’s viewfinder image makes it easier to see your subject, compose your shot and adjust focus manually.

Eye-Start autofocus system The Alpha 700 begins its precision autofocus adjustments the moment you bring your eye to the viewfinder — so you’ll be ready to catch the perfect moment.

11-point center dual cross AF sensor A newly-developed Sony AutoFocus system with a large f2.8 sensor improves your ability to frame the subject and capture moving subjects with greater focusing precision — and a focus drive clutch lets you switch seamlessly between auto and manual focusing by pressing a simple button.

Super-accurate exposure control A 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Simple camera control menus Even with all its high-tech features, the Alpha 700 is amazingly simple to operate — and a quick press of the Function (Fn) button switches the LCD display from standard menu information to a new Quick Navigation screen for camera setup via joystick and forward-back controls. The menus are easy and intuitive — and memory function lets you save and recall personalized camera settings.

Creative Custom Settings The Alpha 700 is designed to bring out your creativity with a wide range of auto preference settings, including four basic image styles (Standard, Vivid, Neutral and Adobe RGB) and three style-box memory settings for quick setup in special events like weddings and competitive sports.

Easy-to-use Exposure Mode dial The Alpha 700’s top-mounted dial gives you quick access to Program Auto, Aperture priority, Shutter-speed priority, Manual and full Auto exposure setting modes — as well as six scene selection modes that optimize camera focus, exposure, brightness, contrast and other settings for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset and Night View/Portrait scenes.

Quick Setting Recall The “C” button allows you to make changes more quickly by calling up Creative Style settings, Exposure compensation, Flash compensation and many more operating modes and camera functions.

Stamina Power To give you confidence for long shooting sessions in the field, the Alpha 700 can take up to 650 shots on a fully-charged NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery — with indication in percentage of about how much battery power remains.

Built-in flash The Alpha 700’s flip-up flash covers a wide focal range, synchronizes at 1/250 seconds, supports red-eye reduction and slow flash features as well as manual flash mode to set flash intensity. A wireless flash signal is available for external flash synchronization.

Anti-Dust Technology Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera — so to help keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the Alpha 700 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Rugged magnesium-alloy body The Alpha 700 is built to very high standards of durability and performance — so you can shoot on location in difficult conditions with confidence that your equipment can handle the challenge.

XtraFine 3.0-inch LCD screen with 921k Pixels With almost 1-megapixel performance, it’s like having a high-resolution photo viewer built into your camera — and the Alpha 700’s amazing photo-quality screen displays sharp, bright images even outdoors with a wide viewing angle so you can share photos more easily.

PhotoTV HD viewing with HDMI output The Alpha 700 provides direct HDMI output to your Bravia HDTV and other compatible HDTV screens, so you can view and share photos in breathtaking clarity and detail. You can choose between standard 3:2 and widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio — and with new Bravia HDTV models, photos are automatically optimized in sharpness, gradation and color reproduction for HD display.

Wireless remote control For shooting as well as viewing convenience, Sony supplies a multi-function wireless remote control with the Alpha 700 — allowing you to control HDTV photo viewing and trip the shutter by remote to put yourself in the picture.

Versatile recording formats Images can be captured in RAW, cRAW (optimized for fast action), RAW+JPEG and three JPEG modes (Extra Fine, Fine and Standard), for greater versatility in every digital photo application.

Powerful supplied software The Alpha 700 comes with a powerful RAW conversion and image management system and newly developed RAW software that gives you the power to handle large volumes of RAW data while taking full advantage of the sophisticated imaging capabilities of the Alpha 700.

Dual media options For image capture with optional media you may already own, the Alpha 700 has built-in slots for both CompactFlash Type I/II media and Memory Stick Duo media or high-capacity Memory Stick Pro Duo media.

Customer Reviews

Rock solid camera.
I’ve now had the A700 for 8 months. Totally solid reliability, not a problem one. I use a Sigma 10mm wide angle and the Sony 18-200mm lens. The camera feels just perfect to hold. Image quality is of course terrific. The wireless flash system is great, with 2 H56’s you can do lots of creative lighting and is fun to use. Complaint would be high noise level shooting in low light with DRO turned up, but of course just turning it down fixes it. Great high quality DSLR, I am very glad with the choice I made.

Very nice camera to follow Sony’s heritage
By all means it is very capable, quick, and well made camera that takes big deal over Minolta’s legacy. This camera is distinctively “Sony” while it still incorporates many of nice findings pioneered by swallowed Minolta.
I played with this camera for couple of days and found there’s much to love about the ways it suggests. The lens is terrific. I guess it is the same lens that was permanently mounted to DSC-R1 and by all accounts it is glorious lens. The sharpness, clarity, transparency of it, all across the field is simply second to none. It is hard to touch another lens after trying this. In DSC-R1 just the lens itself was worth the purchase! The range of the lens is exceptionally convenient and extends trough the range that is appropriate with hand holding shooting. Reinforced by Sony’s shake reduction it provides complete and very dependable tool for shooting anything with the lens under practically any condition. You must see the full size images this lens on the camera produces to concede it was worth many words. Today, there are many superb cameras on a market and Sony made smart move by offering premium glass in somewhat accessible price range as it makes the whole system very sweet and desirable.
Great camera, great lens.

BEST CAMERA IN SONY FAMILY !!!
BEST CAMERA IN SONY FAMILY !!! ,, just now sony have a pro camera it can be in line with all best cams from canon and nikon….

Price Check:

Olympus Evolt E510 10MP Digital SLR Camera with CCD Shift Image Stabilization and 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Zuiko Lenses

Olympus Evolt E510 10MP Digital SLR Camera with CCD Shift Image Stabilization and 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens

OLYMPUS EVOLT E-510 DSL R10.0MP 2 LENS KIT

Olympus Evolt E510 10MP Digital SLR Camera with CCD Shift Image Stabilization (Body Only)

Features

• 10-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 2.5-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD display
• Mechanical Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive
• Exclusive dust-free technology for spot-free photos
• Powered by one lithium-ion battery; stores images on CF, Micro Drive, or xD Picture Cards

Manufacturer Description

The Olympus EVOLT E-510 digital SLR is a great camera to help you evolve as a photographer. Only Olympus digital SLRs are engineered to be 100-percent digital. Simply put, this means your pictures will have stunning edge-to-edge sharpness that can’t be beat. Olympus’ Live View LCD technology is a unique feature that enhances your picture-taking experience. Whatever life brings, whatever you’re photographing, you’ll capture colorful memories with the E-510’s proven Dust Reduction System and powerful, 10-megapixel imager.

EVOLT E-510 Highlights

Innovative 2.5-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD The E-510 features a Live View LCD to provide users with the freedom to choose how they compose their shots, using either the LCD or the optical viewfinder on the back of the camera. The Olympus Live View LCD empowers users 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. By holding the E-510 away from the face and using the Live View LCD to compose, it’s possible to shoot upward from a low angle for dramatic composition, in close for detailed macro photos of a butterfly’s wings or photographing a parade over a crowd of people.

The E-510’s big and bright 2.5-inch LCD display with approximately 230,000 pixels includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, and enables images to be beautifully displayed in vivid color — both in preview and playback. The HyperCrystal LCD also provides a wide viewing angle, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The larger LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.

Detailed, bright, and colorful photos with 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor The E-510 is loaded with an impressive 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives photographers the flexibility to blow up their prints to the large sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-510 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity, and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Mechanical Image Stabilization for sharp images Unlike other digital SLR cameras in its class, the E-510 employs Mechanical Image Stabilization, which compensates for camera movement. This new technology complements Digital Image Stabilization, which compensates for a moving subject. Combined, Mechanical Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization provide a powerful solution, ensuring blur-free photos even in active shooting situations where photographers may encounter camera shake or a moving subject. This powerful combination resides within the camera’s body, translating to blur-free images taken with any of the more than 30 digital-specific lenses.

Dust Reduction System for spot-free images Olympus’ Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor, and captures the debris on a special adhesive membrane every time you turn on the camera. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

TruePic III for image clarity Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce noise in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Lens compatibility All E-Series cameras support the Four Thirds Standard whereby Olympus and various other manufacturers produce high-quality Four Thirds-compliant lenses and accessories that are specifically designed for digital SLR image capture. Because the E-510 is part of the Olympus E-System, it is compatible with a large and growing range of Olympus E-System accessories to further enhance personal shooting styles and applications. This includes the full line-up of Zuiko Digital Specific lenses and flashes.

Easy-to-use, easy-to-handle light and ergonomic design The EVOLT E-510 is extremely portable, measuring 5.35 inches (136mm) by 3.61 inches (91.7mm) and 2.2 inches (56mm), excluding protrusions, and weighing 16.2 ounces (460 grams) body only. The new camera has a classic penta-mirror design that is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day. Beyond its portable size, the E-510 delivers unparalleled ease of use — from menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate, to automatic settings for every imaginable situation.

While the E-510 includes a full range of manual control options to customize your creativity, it also has 28 shooting modes designed to provide the ideal settings for a variety of shooting situations automatically. These include Digital Image Stabilization, Night Scene, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, and Candle Light to name a few, as well as an xD Panorama mode (for use with Olympus xD-Picture Cards). Users also benefit from special color modes and the possibility to apply a variety of Black & White filters.

Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Customer Reviews

Great buy on a good consumer level DSLR
I’ve had this about a month, taken it on one trip to Baja California, and shot perhaps 2,000 exposures total. Good image quality and metering. I lugged 35mm SLR’s for decades and switched to point-&-shoots 15 years ago but finally succumbed to the removable lens/TTL viewing desire. My chief complaint about this camera is that it is heavy — not a heavy as most of its competitors, but still heavy. Also the 14~42mm seems overly large, it is almost as big as the 40~150mm telephoto
Like all DSLR’s, the e510 has huge number of control options you can fiddle with, and there is a learning curve to climb (and forget if you don’t use the camera constantly). However, the “AUTO” defaults work well in most situations, and it isn’t too difficult to learn to set the defaults to your taste for apeture and shutter priority modes.
The e-510’s image stabilization does a fair job of compensating for your shaky hand, but even it couldn’t stop the blur when trying to handhold the telephoto at it’s maximum 150mm (300mm 35mm equivalent) range. Plan on finding something solid to rest the camera against.
One note on Olympus’ 4:3 aspect ratio sensor. What it means is that for any given pixel count the Olympus gives you a few more vertical pixels but fewer horizontal ones than a 3:2 ratio sensor like most other DSLRs use. Whether this is important depends on your composing preferences. Since I end up cropping almost everything I print it makes little difference to me.
Unless you already have money tied up in lenses from another maker you want to use I highly recommend this camera.

Olympus e510 review
Fantastic camera. vibrant colors. Flash strobe can get annoying when on auto focus, but that’s easily looked passed with the photo you’ll get.

Great DSLR
I am new to the DSLR world. This Olympus camera is a real improvement over my old Canon A70. I bought this model because of the in-body image stabilization and the good price for the two lens kit. The camera is very easy to handle and lightweight with either of the two short and lightweight lenses. It can fit in a small camera bag with the two lenses. The wide lens is wonderful for landscape and indoor shots. With some tweaking of the settings, the images are color-rich and sharp. I use P mode, vivid, sharpness -2, contrast -1 and noise reduction to off. The image stabilization system works great, and it is now possible to use it with legacy lenses. Indoor pictures without flash can easily be taken with the wide lens and IS on, but the subject needs to stand still in order to reduce movement blur. I have purchased a used 50mm F1.8 OM lens with an adapter, and now very dim light pictures are possible without flash using IS, just the TV on as the light source makes good pictures. The IS is also useful for telephoto pictures, there is no need to use a tripod. I also got a long telephoto of 500mm and I can get beautiful shots hand held.

Now, the downsides. The Olympus digital lenses are quite expensive although of very good quality, but old lenses can be purchased with an adapter, as long as you can focus manually. High ISO pictures have more noise than competition, but I find the noise grain quite pleasing, so I don’t mind. The viewfinder is dark and small compared to my old reflex camera, but the live view is excellent to make accurate focus. The last thing that annoys me is the fact that I can’t quickly delete the picture right after the shot was made, I have to go to review mode then delete it.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my camera. Other accessories I got with my camera are: the two lenses mentioned above (50mm F1.8 and 500mm F8), some macro extension tubes (the inexpensive ones), 4GB CF card, extra battery and an external flash.

Price Check:

Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 25mm f/2.8 Pancake Zuiko Lens

Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens

Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Features

• 10-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystal II LCD screen
• TruePic III for superior image quality in all lighting situations; exclusive dust-free technology for spot-free photos
• Lightweight ergonomic design; body only, lenses sold separately
• Stores images on CF, Micro Drive, or xD Picture Cards (not included)

Manufacturer Description

The lightweight, 10-megapixel Olympus E420 DSLR offers heavyweight technologies, including a bigger, more viewable 2.7-inch LCD and consumer-friendly fast On-Screen Autofocus, Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology and Perfect Shot Preview to get the most out of the Live View experience. Additionally, when it comes to Live View, not all LCDs are created equal. At 2.7 inches, the portable E-420 LCD is large enough for users to compose and review images without squinting. The small camera’s LCD is not just larger, it is part of a camera with technologies intelligent enough to take advantage of the Live View photography experience. These innovative technologies include:

Evolt E420 Digital SLR Highlights

World’s smallest digital SLR  

A camera designed to be held away from the face lets you take great photographs without weighing you down. The E-420 is small enough to fit into a purse or a jacket pocket and light enough to shoot with comfortably all day. Measuring 5.1 inches by 3.6 inches by 2.1 inches (excluding protrusions), it is the world’s smallest digital SLR. And at a featherweight 13.4 ounces, only its predecessor (E-410) weighs less. The E-420’s new ergonomic grip on the front of the body allows for easier one-handed operation and ensures a secure hold in the most challenging shooting conditions.

The Live View experience

Olympus was the first to bring Live View to a consumer DSLR (the E-330 in 2006), and Live View has revolutionized DSLR photography. Anyone who has photographed young children knows that you get the best reactions when you hold the camera away from your face and maintain eye contact and an engaging smile. If you have tried to take photos high above the heads in a crowd or low near the ground, you will appreciate that it is easier to use a swivel LCD screen than to climb a ladder or lie on your stomach.

The E-420 solves these problems with its Live View LCD, which enables photographers to hold the camera away from their faces and at angles they just cannot reach by using the optical viewfinder alone. The E-420’s new Live View autofocus functionality now simplifies the process by working just like a point and shoot. By simply pressing the shutter button halfway, your subjects come into focus on the LCD, so when the perfect moment occurs it is easy to capture sharp images.

A viewable LCD is where a great Live View experience begins. Few things are more annoying for a photographer than squinting to see an image on an LCD screen in bright sunlight or a dimly lit room. The E-420 solves this problem with its large, bright 2.7-inch LCD display that incorporates new HyperCrystal II technology. This display offers twice the contrast for better viewing in extreme light conditions (i.e. when the sun is at your back), a broader color gamut that displays a greater range of color detail, and a 176-degree viewing angle.

Always find a face in the crowd

A camera this consumer-friendly is perfect for taking portraits of friends and family while out and about. The E-420’s Face Detection feature distinguishes between people’s faces and the background. It tracks up to eight faces within the image area and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures. Even if your subjects are moving, the camera continuously tracks their faces.

Bright day or deep shadow, never miss a detail

Shooting scenes with shadows can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-420 addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that compensates for extreme contrast when shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. Now users can preview and capture images with the same fine contrast they see with their own eyes.

Preview all the possibilities

With 18 pre-set scene-select modes for every imaginable shooting scenario and full manual controls, the E-420 offers a world of possibilities to photographers. Additionally, Perfect Shot Preview enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-window screen on the LCD before snapping the shot. This feature shows photographers what their images will look like beforehand under various settings, ensuring that they capture exactly what they want. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

Enlarge your photos

Capturing, enlarging and displaying amazing images on your wall is a snap thanks to the E-420’s 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives users the flexibility to enlarge prints to the sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-420 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit dramatically reduces noise and captures fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Improved auto white balance

Many digital SLR users want to focus their attention on things other than white balance while they are on the move. As a result, the E-420 features an improved automatic white balance performance with a new algorithm for more accurate color.

TruePic III for image clarity and speed

Olympus’ TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal-clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce graininess in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Worried about missing the winning goal at the soccer game? The image processor on the E-420 enables it to shoot up to 3.5 frames per second in sequenced shooting mode, which means that photographers will be able to capture fast-paced action as it happens.

Dust Reduction System for spot-free images

Life moves too fast to spend time worrying about dust ruining your images. Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

Media versatility

Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the E-420 provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Wireless flash capability

If you decide to venture into the arena of advanced lighting, the E-420 is ready to meet the challenge. The E-420 is compatible with the Olympus FL-50R and FL-36R wireless electronic flashes that are designed exclusively for digital photography. When these flashes are used in combination with the E-420, wireless multi-flash photography is possible. The E-420 can control up to three wireless flash groups independently, with several flash units per group.

 
Price Check:

Olympus E-3 Digital SLR Camera with Olympus HLD-4 Power Battery Grip + 4GB CF Card + BLM-1 Battery + Case + Cameta Bonus Accessory Kit

Olympus Evolt E-3 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with Mechanical Image Stabilization + Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 Digital ED SWD Lens

Olympus Evolt E-3 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with Mechanical Image Stabilization (Body Only)

Features

• 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 2.5-inch Live View LCD display; magnify directly on the LCD by 5, 7, or 10x
• Mechanical Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive
• Exclusive dust-free technology for spot-free photos
• Capture images to CompactFlash Type I/II, Microdrive, xD-Picture Card (Dual-Slot)

Manufacturer Description

The new Olympus E-3 is the flagship of its Digital SLR line and provides the high-precision performance demanded by professional and enthusiastic photographers. It combines speed and weatherproof durability for capturing exceptional images in any situation. Olympus pioneered Full Time Live View and Dust Reduction technologies for digital SLR cameras, leading where others have followed. Now, the new E-3 enhances those technical innovations and raises the performance bar with the fastest autofocus in the world. Body-Integrated Mechanical Image Stabilization to stabilize every lens, a 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor to capture beautiful images, and a magnesium alloy body for dust-proof and splash-proof durability join the impressive innovations developed for the E-3.

Evolt E-3 DSLR Highlights

SPEED. The world’s fastest Auto Focus system when combined with Zuiko Digital Specific SWD 12-60mm lens.

The E-3’s AF system works in the blink of an eye to ensure you never miss a shot. When combined with the Zuiko Digital SWD ED 12-60mm lens, the E-3’s AF technology works at speeds unmatched by any other camera in the world. An 11-point full twin-cross AF sensor system produces tack sharp images. Dual sensing arrays on horizontal and vertical axes are arranged in a unique half pitch shifted pattern for ultimate precision. Critical auto focus functions are faster: processing speed, object capturing, and tracking performance. A dedicated data processing engine and a new AF algorithm rapidly handle sensor information. New pixel multiplication technologies gives the E-3 an AF luminescence range of -2 to 19 EV for better low light shooting

Enhanced SWD Technology The ultra-fast auto focus speed of the E-3 is partly due to the sophisticated Supersonic WaveDrive motors in our new Zuiko Digital lenses. Combined with an ultra-compact encoder for detecting rotational movement with 5 µm precision, these lenses work smoothly, quietly and instantaneously.

Shutter speeds that truly let you capture it all Imagine what you could shoot with a shutter speed of 1/8000 of a second and an X-sync speed of 1/250 second. Freeze action while photographing a cheetah in motion. Or clearly capture a 96mph fastball as it connects with a bat. You can shoot at maximum aperture even in bright sunlight and take full advantage of the unmatched imaging power of Zuiko Digital lenses. A simplified mirror design gives the E-3 the fastest response time of any Olympus E-series camera.

Blazing shot-to-shot response Shoot in high-speed succession. The sequential 5 frames-per-second shooting comes from the rapid reading speed of the Live MOS Sensor coupled with a newly-developed TruePic III image processor and the re-designed mirror.

IMAGE QUALITY. Capture it all spectacularly.

The E-3 delivers sharp shots in low light or with a telephoto lens, even without a tripod. A sophisticated image stabilization system compensates for camera shake by shifting the image sensor an equivalent of 5 shutter speed steps — all possible thanks to a gyro sensor that detects even the slightest hand tremble. An in-body image stabilization system gives you the freedom to use any Four Thirds lens. They are significantly smaller and lighter than other lenses because they don’t need an image stabilization component in the optics.

10.1 megapixels of amazing clarity Capture high-resolution images with rich tones and natural, true-to-life color. The E-3’s 10.1-megapixel, high-speed Live MOS sensor features excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a new, advanced circuit to eliminate noise. The sensor’s low power usage saves battery life.

True color thanks to TruePic III The Live MOS sensor is complemented by the TruePic III Image Processor. It produces crystal-clear photos using all the pixel information from each image to provide accurate, natural color, true-to-life flesh tones and precise tonal expression. TruePic III lowers the noise in images shot with ramped-up ISO settings resulting in blur-free photos in low light.

Great photos start with precision-crafted glass You need high-quality lenses to achieve superior image quality. Zuiko Digital lenses are designed to work exclusively with digital cameras today and ready to work seamlessly with future high-performance image sensors. This large, award-winning family of lenses is perfectly matched to the E-3’s image sensor so every pixel is properly exposed. The results? Photos with bright colors and incredible edge-to-edge sharpness that can’t compare to shots taken with traditional film lenses.

VIEWING. Shoot from unique angles for more creative control with Live View.

Olympus is the undisputed leader in Live View LCD technology. It lets you see your subject on a large, bright screen in real time. The E-3 features an articulating, 2.5-inch Live View LCD screen that can be rotated up and down and from side to side. It covers all viewing angles so high and low angle shots are easy to compose and shoot. The LCD shows 100 percent field-of-view for accuracy. The Live View screen can also be used for AF shooting.

Make adjustments quickly Instantly check the effects of white balance adjustment and exposure compensation in real time on the Live View LCD before shooting. You’ll be able to monitor image quality more closely and exert greater creative control.

Magnify it The E-3’s Live View feature lets you magnify your subject right on the LCD by a factor of 5, 7 or 10 times for sharp, pinpoint focus — a great feature for macro shooting.

Choose your framing assist pattern Three different framing assist patterns — a grid, golden section or a scale — can be displayed on the LCD without switching the actual physical focusing screen. You can even see an easy-to-read histogram that checks the exposure condition. A bright viewing idea. A sensor on the LCD swivel detects your surroundings brightness. The screen will brighten or dim for optimum visibility and to reduce glare.

RELIABILITY. All the technology to ensure reliable performance in the most demanding shooting conditions.

The E-3 is equipped with a large optical viewfinder that provides 100 percent accurate viewing and 1.15x magnification for reliable composition–what you see is exactly what you’ll get. Even fine details are seen with astonishing clarity. The E-3’s large, precision-crafted pentaprism is made from high refractive index glass with a highly-reflective silver coating. The eyepiece uses glass lenses. All the lenses are surface coated to maintain brightness. The focusing screen features a Neo Lumi-Micro Mat for bright, easy-to-adjust manual focusing.

Keeping the dust out Spots on photos are now banished forever. The Olympus dust reduction system is an industry first and a proven technology. Every time you turn on the E-3, our Supersonic Wave Filter — located between the shutter and the image sensor — silently vibrates an amazing 30,000 times per second. Dust is blasted away. The dust reduction system even removes dust attached by intermolecular force that can’t be shaken off or discharged with static electricity. Dust will no longer get between you and a great shot.

One tough, hard body Shoot anywhere, anytime, in any condition. The E-3 body–even the built-in flash and LCD–is splash and dustproof. Constructed from a magnesium-alloy with a homogeneous composition, the E-3 is lightweight yet strong and rugged. The same goes for Zuiko Digital lenses. You’ll find splash and dust-proof models that are as tightly sealed as the camera.

New Lenses (sold separately)

Launching together with the new Olympus E-3 digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera, Olympus proudly adds three new Zuiko Digital lenses to its line of 100-percent digital-specific optics. These innovative lenses employ Olympus’ newly-developed Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) technology inside to provide quiet, ultra-fast autofocus speed, and offer several impressive distinctions, including:

About Supersonic Wave Drive Technology Olympus-proprietary SWD technology has enabled an ultra-fast, whisper-quiet, high-precision AF system. Two compact, high-powered Supersonic Wave Drive devices power autofocus at an ultra-high speed by exciting unique elliptical oscillations, while an ultra-compact 5.3mm x 4.3mm optical encoder detects and controls the lens drive position using direct rotation detection without reduction gear. This enables it to achieve a level of precision that’s accurate to 5 microns (5/1000 mm). When used in combination with the new E-3, which offers improved AF computation and lens-body communication rates, the SWD motors provide the fastest focusing speed of approximately 170 ms (0.17 seconds).

Moreover, a new ultra-compact, high-performance Zuiko Digital EC-20 2x teleconverter doubles the focal lengths of any lens attached from the wide selection of Four Thirds and Olympus E-System lenses, for twice the telephoto power. Now the Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD (100-400mm equivalent), combined with the EC-20, will provide a huge equivalent zoom range of 200-800mm.

Price Check:

Olympus Evolt E500 8MP Digital SLR with 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 & 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5 Zuiko Lenses

Olympus Evolt E500 8MP Digital SLR with Zuiko 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Digital SLR Lens

Remanufactured Olympus EVOLT E500 8-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera with 17-45 mm and 40-150 mm Zuiko Lenses

Olympus Evolt E500 8MP Digital SLR (Body Only)

Olympus Evolt E500 8MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-180mm f3.5-f6.3 Zuiko Digital Ultra Zoom Lens (Silver)

Features

• 8-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints
• 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD display; 5 metering modes and built-in filters, including nine filters for black-and-white photography
• Exclusive dust-free technology for spot-free photos
• Lightweight ergonomic design
• Powered by one lithium-ion battery; stores images on CF, Micro Drive, or xD Picture Cards

From the Manufacturer

Designed to be used by all photographers of any skill level, the E500’s compact and durable body is packed with Olympus innovations like the exclusive Dust Reduction System for spot-free photos, 8 million pixels of detail for bright and colorful images, a TruePic Turbo Image Processor for fast response time, and an oversized, easy-to-view 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD.

Exclusive Dust Free Technology for Spot-Free Photos
Dust is all around us, and when swapping out a lens on a digital single-lens reflex camera there’s a chance that a camera’s electro-statically charged image sensor will attract micro dust that can ruin photos. Olympus’s Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter, a patented ultrasonic technology that shakes at 35,000 vibrations a second to remove dust from in front of the camera sensor every time you turn the camera on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer. The new Evolt E500, like all Olympus digital SLR cameras, is equipped with this exclusive user-friendly technology, and only Olympus has a solution to provide spot-free photography in a digital SLR.

Detailed, Bright, and Colorful Photos with 8-Megapixel Image Sensor
The E500 is loaded with an impressive 8 million pixels of detail, for bright colorful photos. The image sensor in the Evolt E500 is a high-performance Full Frame Transfer Kodak KAF-8300CE CCD that delivers improved dynamic range, low noise to capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas, as well as excellent color fidelity for brilliant colors.

TruePic Turbo for Clarity and Speed
Olympus’s TruePic Turbo Image Processor provides fast camera response, operation, and processing speed for more responsive camera operation. For faster burst rates, the TruePic Turbo processor addresses the dedicated 64 MB image buffer for up to four TIFF or RAW images at 2.5 frames per second, and unlimited burst mode with HQ JPEG images and extreme speed Compact Flash cards.

Large, Easy-to-View 2.5-Inch HyperCyrstal LCD Monitor
Big and bright with 215,250 pixels, the E500 has a 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD that offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, so captured images can be beautifully displayed in vivid color on the screen with exceptional clarity. Because photos are for sharing, the E500 LCD features a wide, 160-degree viewing angle on the vertical and horizontal axis, ensuring excellent visibility and beautiful image quality even when everyone huddles around the camera to see what you’ve created.

The World’s Largest Selection of Digital Specific Lenses
The versatility of the Olympus E-System comes from delivering the largest selection of “Designed-for-Digital” lenses–more than any other manufacturer to date. Olympus’s Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses come in a wide range of focal lengths for achieving the best image result, and impress with their spectacular clarity and edge-to-edge sharpness.

Most other digital SLR cameras still use many traditional 35mm film lenses on digital bodies. But since those lenses are based on designs for film and not for pixels, they deliver insufficient light at the edges of a digital camera’s image sensor. This can result in reduced sharpness and color definition, particularly when shooting with large apertures and wide-angle lenses. The E500 does not have this problem, because it accommodates the full line of interchangeable Zuiko Digital Lenses. These digital specific lenses are designed for digital capture with smart technology that allows the lenses to communicate with the camera to ensure the best possible image quality.

Olympus dedicated digital optics coupled with the Evolt E500 render sharpness and contrast more consistently at any given f-stop. The lenses are matched to the Four Thirds System standard image sensor for the optimal balance between image quality, camera, and lens size, and expandability. With a wide array of digital specific lenses to choose from, it’s easy to select the ideal lens to bring along when you don’t want to lug a lot of heavy, bulky gear.

Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Handle Light and Ergonomic Design
Creating an affordable digital SLR that most anyone can pick up and start to use is about making it easier to operate. That means menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate; adding automatic settings for every imaginable situation; making the LCD big and bright enough so you can review a shot without squinting; and making it less of a chore to get images out of the camera and into your computer or printer. Moreover, at just 5.09 x 3.72 x 2.59 inches (W x H x D) and only 15.3 ounces, the Evolt E500 is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day.

You don’t need a degree in photography to shoot like a pro with the E500. Just take it home, charge the Li-ion battery with the included charger, and begin taking photos. Instead of working to find the right settings for the subject, select from one of the camera’s 25 Exposure Modes (Easy, Bas