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Olympus E-520

Author Jamie Harrison
Published 29th May 2008
Manufacturer Olympus
Price £434.77 (Exc VAT)
as reviewed £499.99 (Inc VAT)
Latest Price Click here
Build Quality Score 8 for Build Quality
Features Score 9 for Features
Image Quality Score 7 for Image Quality
Value Score 7 for Value
Overall Score 8 for Overall
Olympus E-520
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Metering options include the usual centre weighted, evaluative and spot metering options, alongside two further spot metering options, Highlight and Shadow. Although not new to Olympus, these two are extremely useful and worth pointing out. When used with dark or light subjects, the camera will automatically compensate for the subject to enable accurate exposures. Of course the camera also has exposure bracketing over 3 frames alongside white balance bracketing and flash bracketing. A supplemental mode is shadow adjustment, a dynamic range tool to compensate for backlit subjects or very contrasty scenes.


As for the exposure options, the camera has the full complement of Manual, Program AE, Shutter and Aperture Priority AE and auto as well as a wide range of scene modes. The most common scene modes are available from the top mode dial, with a further more specialised collection available in the Scene menu.

Olympus has maintained the cameras drive speed of 3.5fps, which allows 8 frames of Raw images, or around 20 fine JPEGs. There's also the choice of 2 or 10 second self timer, whilst the anti-shock mode, ensures mirror vibration is eradicated when taking long exposures by leaving a gap of between 1 and 30 seconds in the time the mirror is lifted and the shutter is opened and closed.


As well as the mandatory built-in flash the E-520 now accepts wireless flash units, Olympus new FL36R and FL50R, allowing communication between camera and off-camera flash. This is a nice addition and something Olympus has been a little slower to implement than some other manufacturers.

 

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Comment Steve in Kentucky said on 27th September 2008

I was going to buy the E-510 as it has come down so much, but the features on the 520 seem worthy of serious consideration. I've read where some people complain the 520 does ... more

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