Pocketable size (particularly with 25mm pancake lens)
Great walk-around camera
11-point contrast-detect autofocus in Live View (but slow
And works with only a few lenses)
Digital-specific lens line offers advantage in edge-to-edge sharpness
Supers...
Sharp
Detailed close-up pictures. Pleasant colors in average light. Live-view mode allows odd-angle shots. Speedy
Responsive action. Advanced manual controls.
Light weight and small size make it far more portable than most DSLRs. Live view lets you compose onscreen instead of peering through the viewfinder. Speedy autofocus. No discernible shutter lag. Paging all photo geeks
RAW format support.
Very compact and lightweight digital SLR
Especially when combined with the 25mm pancake lens
Comfortable to hold despite the lack of a real grip
Control panel display allows quick access to most important shooting parameters
Generally snappy performan...
Small and light without compromising comfort
Very effective anti-dust system
Live View with contrast AF and face detection
Quick handling and broad customisation.
Little effort to carry
Dust reduction
Excellent value for money
Consistent AWB
The editors didn't like
Photos are slightly soft
Noise reduction a bit heavy at ISO 1600 (shoot RAW to avoid)
Slow contrast detect AF
Unimpressive face detection in live view mode
Both features only available with a select few lenses
Low light focusing could be better in...
Functional improvements over the earlier E-410 are relatively minor ones
Two of the E-410’s scene modes have sunk without a trace
No image stabilization
Small size may prove problematic for large hands
2x sensor crop factor detracts from wide angle lens width
Olympus E420
Small grip can make it difficult to comfortably handle camera
Becomes much more pronounced when long lenses are applied
Shutter lag in Live View (can reach at much as 2.6 seconds)
LCD show odd metallic-like sheen in bright daylight
Can be distracti...
Photos get noisy at 800 ISO and higher. Viewfinder feels small. LCD stays lit even when sighting camera.
Fewer buttons means it takes more menusurfing to adjust basic settings like ISO and white balance. Facedetection feature can be slow. Four Thirds lens compatibility is largely moot
As no manufacturers beside Olympus and pricey Sigma support the standard...
LCD could be a little brighter for outdoor shooting with live view and is prone to smearing
LCD turns monochrome and noisy in low light
Auto white balance and presets not brilliant (but there is a white balance fine tune option)
Abstract: If you want a DSLR that’s actually fun to use and damn good value too, the E-420 migh + Compact; light; cheap- Quality suffers a little; menus are hard to navigateIt’s a tough world for a DSLR maker if you’re not Canon or Nikon: the two completely domi...
Image quality in low sensitivities, Efficient antidust system, Direct aiming with the LCD, Direct access to settings via the screen, Minimal weight and size
High latency with direct shooting, No stabilization, Only a 3 point autofocus system, Narrow optical viewfinder, screen doesn’t turn off automatically, Reduced image dynamic
Abstract: Looking like one of the maker’s OM models from the 1980s, Olympus’ latest Four Thirds camera, the tiny E-420, replaces the E-410 as the world’s smallest digital SLR. Although it has the same ten-megapixel resolution Live-MOS sensor, the addition of the...
Improved grip over the earlier E410 and £170 cheaper on launch, Faster operation, while larger LCD screen aids visibility, More consistent white balance performance from shot to shot, Realistic colours, with a vivid option to increase saturation still further,
Functional improvements over the earlier E410 are relatively minor ones, Two of the E410’s scene modes have sunk without a trace,
An excellent choice if you want a more professional camera that's still compact and easy to use....
Excellent image quality - excellent auto white balance, accurate colour, good dynamic range
Excellent 2.7" screen - works well in bright sunlight
Worlds most compact DSLR - available with pancake ~50mm lens
Excellent Zuiko Digital kit lens - excellent...
Real optical image stabilisation would be nice (see the E-510 / E-520)
Somewhat complicated menus (partly due to the vast wealth of options)
Some banding in ISO1600 photos in low light
ISO1600 results worse than other DSLRs
If you want to move into the world of Digital SLRs and dont know where to start then the Olympus EVOLT E-420 is probably one of the best cameras to choose - despite being Olympus "budget" digital SLR - it is not overly limited in any way like some of...
Abstract: At first glance, the new Olympus E-420 seems like a marginal upgrade to the previous model, the E-410, and in many respects it is. The new model shares pretty much the same tiny plastic body shell and has a similar 10-megapixel resolution LMos sensor, ...
Abstract: Punches above its weight. Good value, and the wide angle lens is interesting. The E-420 is the lightest and smallest camera here by quite a margin, but its still comfortable to use. Our only gripe is that the ring for the neck strap falls under th...
Enthusiasts probably won't want to use this as their main DSLR, but if you're looking to upgrade from a compact or want a backup camera with character, the Olympus delivers. ...
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Published: 2008-07-14, Author: Leonard , review by: asia.cnet.com
Small form factor; Live View with autofocus; scene modes to help beginners get started; Super Sonic Wave Filter.
No image stabilization system; autofocus sluggish in dim environment; no dedicated focusing mode switch.
The Olympus E-420 is a good beginners dSLR with an extremely compact footprint that should go well with travelers. Just dont expect any fancy features for this budget model.
