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Olympus E-510 Digital SLR Camera Kit

Olympus E-510 Digital SLR Camera Kit

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Calumet $529.99
Adorama $549.00
B&H $549.95
Big VALUE Inc $549.95
H AND B DIGITAL $599.99
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Key Features of the Olympus E-510 :
  • Enthusiast's Digital SLR Camera with 10 Megapixel CMOS Sensor.
  • 2.5" Live View HyperCrystal LCD Screen.
  • Mechanical Image Stabilization for sharp images.
  • Dust Reduction System for spot-free images.
  • TruePic III for image clarity.
  • Included 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens.
  • All E-Series cameras support the Four Thirds Standard.
  • Easy-to-use, easy-to-handle light and ergonomic design.
  • Accepts both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards.
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.

Included 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens The E-410 one-lens outfit includes a compact, Zuiko Digital ED 14 - 42 mm f3.5 - f5.6 lens (equivalent to 28mm - 84mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3x ED Glass zoom lens covers the range most frequently used in everyday photography and weighs just 7.5 ounces, offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches (0.25 m) are also possible throughout the zoom range.

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-410 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.

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.



Olympus E-510 Photo Samples

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These are actual photos taken with Olympus E-510.
Photos courtesy of Flickr and belong to respective users. To view a larger image click on thumbnail.

Compare Olympus E-510 with similar cameras

Name: Nikon D40X Olympus E-510 Canon Rebel XS
Megapixels: 10.0 10.0 10.1
Sensor Type: CCD NMOS CMOS
LCD Screen: 2.5 " 2.5 " 2.5 "
ISO: Auto, 100 - 1600 (plus 3200 with boost) Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
White balance Settings: 6 positions, plus manual preset 8 positions plus manual 6 positions & manual preset
Max shutter: 1/4000 sec 1/4000 sec 1/4000 sec
Min shutter: 30 sec + Bulb 60 sec + Bulb 30 sec + Bulb
Focal length multiplier: 1.5 2 1.6
Viewfinder: TTL OpticalPentamirror Optical
Image stabilizer: No Yes, Sensor No
Weight (with batteries): 522 g (18.4 oz) 490 g (17.3 oz) 502 g (17.7 oz)
Lowest Price: $609.95 $529.99 $494.99
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Olympus E-510 User Reviews

Avg. Rating
4.5
Out of 5
This item is reviewed by 176 people so far.
Click here for complete reviews.

5
Out of 5
E-510 Photography Star
- Reviewd on: 2/11/2010 12:00:00 AM By: Michael Gilbert
I've been an Olympus fan since the OM line was introduced. In fact, I resisted making the digital switch until just 18 months ago. The E-330 was my first Digital SLR and it gave me pixel-fever... more megapixels please!

The E-510 does it all. It provides a fully automatic that anyone can use or, extreme manual control for the pro. Coupled with OLY digital lenses, I gave an exhaustive test using the kit lenses for macro photography to scenics that just blows me away.

Making the switch from the OM to the E-series was surprisingly painless. Even though there is much more capability and options, they make sense and are convenient. Many times I don't have to look at the body, fingers just know where to go for a feature/option.

Once I started buying better lenses, it continued to provide amazing results. Above all others I highly recommend the Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 SWD. The other I use extensively is the Zuiko Digital ED 14-54mm F2.8 Come on Nikon and Canon users, I welcome a shootout any day.

Next was the coupled flashes... even though there is an incredible amount of flexibility and control with the "built-in" flash I still went with the FL-50 unit and I depend on it for weddings. Great range, consistently good exposures, even more flexibility and control.

A brief departure to the E-520. Bought it. Returned it. Sorry Olympus, you blew it big time. The E-510 consistently shoots better and you can depend on the image being there. Not so for the next generation.

I'll never give up my E-510 until it dies... maybe I'd better buy one and keep it stored. The E-620 is my next purchase. The additional features on it are unbelievable at the price. Test reviews are very good. Gotta have one to keep my E-510 company. Any one want to by an E-330?
4
Out of 5
Learning Curve is Straightening Out
- Reviewd on: 2/1/2010 12:00:00 AM By: Mr. Magoo
I purchased the Olympus Digital SLR to replace my point-and-shoot so I could get better quality photographs of my grandson's high school wrestling matches... all indoors under widely varying light conditions and at varying distances. I am a photography neophyte so have spent much time reading and studying the manual... there are so many features that it took me quite a while to determine which ones were most important for my needs, but the manual is detailed and well-written and I finally got all the settings correct. I am getting excellent quality photographs. I use mostly AUTO settings, but do switch to aperture and shutter speed settings from time to time. I haven't used the camera for scenic photos, such as when I am on vacation, so can't comment on that yet. The extra 150mm lens comes in handy when I have to stay in the bleachers during the matches... but the aperture is only 5.0 so lighting is an issue. I purchased an external flash unit which helps some. I would have no hesitation recommending this camera.
3
Out of 5
3.5/5 This camera is perfect for me, but does have some issues.
- Reviewd on: 12/30/2009 12:00:00 AM By: Matthew
I bought the E-510 because it came with two lenses, was very light-weight and came with a live-view LCD screen, and dust sensor. Well, I got what I wanted! I bought it used and it seemed in perfect condition.

I do everything on manual because I love control, and I haven't used any of its automatic settings, so my review is based on the manual performance of the camera. The picture quality is fine, and seems to take sharp pictures if you have it focused just right. The live view LCD screen is a god-sent, I have no idea why everyone hates it; I'm always using it! You can see how bright or dark your picture will turn out (but it won't show it exactly if it's too dark or too bright etc), where your focus is (you can zoom in 10 times to see if you focused correctly, which is awesome), and you don't have to look through that tiny viewfinder. Screw viewfinders, LCD screen all the way. I have almost nothing to complain about liveview, except it has a lot of trouble trying to display the focus when it's dark. In fact, I find it impossible to manually focus during the night, and I have to rely on auto focus ... which isn't that great in low light situations.

Anyways, the camera works and I got what I wanted. There is one thing that bugs the hell out of me though; hot pixels, or 'stuck pixels'. If you leave the camera on for too long, or you are taking long exposure shots, you WILL get random pixels on your pictures that stand out like a sore thumb. The longer the exposure, the more pixels you get. I mainly use my camera for studio shots, which means I have the camera on for like at least 2 hours. Eventually random pixels that are pure white or yellow will show up in the final picture. I figured it wasn't that bad, it just means I can't leave my camera on for too long. Unfortunately, they have also shown up at random when the camera was JUST turned on after being off for a week. Seeing as I see no one else with this problem, I'm assuming it's because I've used the camera a lot and it's aging, or I just happened to have gotten a bad camera. Even so, it's an issue future E-510 owners should know; hot pixels are a problem with this camera.

The camera is actually really bad in low light settings. It can't focus worth a damn when it's dark, so don't even try. Which means you have to do it manually, which isn't that great either on the live-view, so try the viewfinder instead. Flash sucks, as with all DSLR on-board flash, but I find that the ISO really isn't that bad. Just turn on the noise-reduction in-camera and put the ISO up to 800. You can see some noise at 800, but at least you can take in-door shots for your family without using flash. At night 800 is fine too. At 400 ISO you can't really tell if there is any noise, but you might sometimes see it in the shadows. 1600 should be done for snapshots, as it will get grainy and noisy. Either way, I'd rather use ISO than the flash.

While it seems I think this is a bad camera, I am only mentioning its shortcomings and faults. It's a good camera for me to use, however I could have done without the hot pixels problem. The camera is good for me, because it's compact, small, light to carry around, has live view, two lenses, a sensor dust cleaner and the picture quality is just fine. There's also image stabilization in camera, but I haven't seen it make a difference ... at all.

If you think you'll do a lot of night shots, don't buy this camera. If you're going to use auto focus all the time, don't buy this camera. If you're really afraid of those random pixels appearing on your images, don't buy this camera (although they're not that hard to edit out). However, if you are looking for something that works great manually, has a live-view screen and the picture quality is good, go ahead and buy this one!

I give this camera a 3.5/5 stars. Would have gotten a 4 if it wasn't for the hot pixels problem.
5
Out of 5
love this camera!
- Reviewd on: 5/20/2009 12:00:00 AM By: Sara E. Liechty
I'm still learning how this camera works [just so much to do on it!] but i using it everyday. love it!!
5
Out of 5
Olympus E-510
- Reviewd on: 3/23/2009 12:00:00 AM By: Sarah A. Dickerson
I absolutely love this camera. Having purchased it this fall, I have been able to use it for a variety of activities, including anything ranging from sports photography to still life photos. All in all, it is an excellent camera, leaving me with no regrets in my purchase choice.