In addition to the Olympus E-410, another entry level DSLR camera was introduced by Olympus – the Olympus E-510. While the Olympus E-410 may be just a straightforward upgrade of the Olympus E-400, the Olympus E-510 is a much bigger step forward compared to the Olympus E-500. Nevertheless, both the Olympus E-410 and the Olympus E-510 are much more similar than their predecessors were.

While the Olympus E-410 is a great camera for those who want the best possible image quality straight out of the camera, it's definitely not the best camera for creative use. For those who want to get creative, Olympus made the Olympus E-510. The grip is much deeper, making holding it easier, more buttons mean less time lost in the menu system, and in addition to supersonic dust removal and live image preview, the camera has sensor-based image stabilisation. This makes the Olympus E-510 the only entry-level camera with these three features, which are both a good selling point and a really useful thing, too.

There are several differences between the Olympus E-510 and the Olympus E-410 – first of all, the Olympus E-510 is 6.5 mm wider. Also, a grip has been added, making the camera 15 mm deeper. This makes holding the camera much easier.

The other difference is also immediately noticeable – that's image stabilisation, a first for Olympus DSLRs. Image stabilisation, especially sensor-based image stabilisation, has proven very useful. The third difference, which is not noticeable so quickly, is more buttons, which means less fiddling with the menus.

It's time for the first (partial) conclusion. If the Olympus E-410 is too tiny for your fingers and you need more creative input, the Olympus E-510 is your camera. In addition to that, the image stabilisation system makes it easier to get a steady shot at long focal lengths. This makes the Olympus E-510 very competitive compared to Canon 400D (Rebel XTi), Nikon D40x and Sony Alpha 100. (See our comparison here) It did, however, keep one of the major selling points of the Olympus E-410 – it produces really lovely pictures straight out of the camera.

This is an important point. Most first time DSLR buyers are terribly disappointed when their cameras produce results that are unsharp and somewhat bland. For that reason, get to know your camera. Don't keep it on Auto all the time. In most cases, you won't even get access to all settings in that mode. The same goes for image quality. You need to know the basics about setting aperture and shutter time to get the kind of shot you want. And when you're done with that, you have to process the image on your computer. There's no such thing as an unprocessed image, there's just good and bad processing.

The body

On the front, there’s the (surprise) bayonet mount, the lens release button and a dual function self-timer lamp and IR receiver.

The left side is pretty much empty, while on the right, there's the memory card cover. A nice touch – the camera takes xD cards in addition to standard CF cards, so users of Olympus digicams won’t feel left out.

The top of the camera is not very crowded, either. The buttons are better laid out than on the Olympus E-410, as there is more space.

In addition to the flash release button (which can be set via the menu to lift automatically if the camera detects insufficient light), there's also the drive mode button (up to three frames per second), self-timer button (2 or 12 seconds) and remote release operation. In image review, the button is used to print the images or copy them between xD and CF cards.

The hot shoe is also on top, above the built-in flash. To the right, there's the usual mode dial with Manual, Aperture and Shutter priority modes, as well as Program and fully automatic modes and 5 directly accessible scene modes, with 20 additional available at Scene setting. When using scene modes, colour spaces can be set on the screen. For all other adjustments, you need to navigate the menu. However, it's impossible to change the Picture mode setting used to adjust image processing parameters. On the right side of the dial is the lever used to turn the camera on and off. While better placed than on the Olympus E-410, it might still be toggled inadvertently in the beginning. You get used to it, though. When the camera turns on, the blue SSWF light comes on, signifying that sensor cleaning is active.

The viewfinder has a thin rubber cup. It sticks out almost a centimetre, making it much easier on the nose, since it's not permanently mashed into the screen. Since the 4/3 standard uses a relatively small sensor, which also means a relatively small focusing screen and viewfinder, the view can be a bit dark in bad conditions.

Next to the viewfinder is the AEL/AFL button. Interestingly enough, the camera defaults to both exposure and focus lock when the shutter release is half pressed. Most other cameras only lock focus, continually measuring exposure until the moment before the shot. Not to worry, this can be changed in the menu.

On the bottom, there's only the metal tripod socket and the battery cover. Due to its compact size, the Olympus E-410 used a different, smaller battery than other Olympus E-system cameras. The Olympus E-510, on the other hand, uses the usual BLM-1.

Menu

A nice thing about Olympus cameras – they localise their menus into reasonably obscure languages. A good selling point and very useful if you're not fluent in a major language. Furthermore, scene mode descriptions are also available.

In image review, blown out regions of the image can be displayed.

The menus are very extensive and offer an incredible amount of options. Get to know them and you'll see what nifty things your camera can do.

Olympus E-510 in practice

Being familiar with Olympus cameras and Olympus philosophy, it's not hard to feel right at home.

The Li-ion battery charges quickly. Inserting it into the camera is no problem, and even if the battery door is open, it can't fall out due to a small latch that holds it in place. Business as usual, in other words. There's no memory card in the retail kit, but on the other hand, a 32 MB card is more of an insult than a seriously useful thing. When buying the camera, buy a reasonably big card, too, about 1 GB should be enough. The camera takes both CF and xD cards, which is good news if you already own an Olympus digicam, since you can use all your xD cards too.

The lens mount is metal, however, both kit lenses, the Zuiko Digital 14-42 and Zuiko Digital 40-150 use plastic mounts. The lenses are easy to mount and remove, as usual. But because the mounts are plastic, take care not to chip them, as this would introduce a foreign particle in the camera. It's not likely to happen, though. Just be gentle, and that’s it. Also, check the lens mount for any scratches when changing the lens.

After turning it on, the camera takes about two seconds to get ready. The shutter release is very sensitive, with very light pressure required to go from exposure and focus lock to the shutter actuation. I think it’s the most sensitive shutter release in its class, which is a good thing, once you get used to it.

Focusing isn't very fast. In low light and with low-contrast subjects, it could even be called mediocre. On the other hand, the target public doesn't really need fast focusing. Also, focusing can be activated using the AEL/AFL button, making it even faster.

Metering performs well. It can also be customised - the AEL/AFL button can be used to meter with a different metering mode than the one set on the shutter release. Also, just about every metering mode is available, including spot metering, and exposure compensation is unusually generous, allowing for compensation of +/-5 EV. White balance can be set via a dedicated button. In Auto mode, automatic white balance didn't perform all that well, often setting a very different white balance for very similar shots. Again – get acquainted with the buttons, they're your friends if you want to change a setting quickly. Most of them are really well laid out, however, I couldn't get used to the AEL/AFL button placement.

The LCD display is good, and information displayed on it is easy to see. In addition, many functions can be set on the screen directly, without going deep into the menus, which I thought was excellent. One not so good thing about it, though, is that it doesn't turn off automatically while looking through the viewfinder. Because of this, a certain amount of light is reflected into the eye, and considering that the viewfinder isn't very bright, this can prove to be a bit disturbing.

The camera has a built-in flash, which is just fine for most basic needs, so there's no immediate need for an additional flash. Since the camera also includes a red-eye reduction mode, the integrated flash can be used for fill-in light in portraits without a problem.

For beginners, 25 scene modes are available. Don't get too used to them, though. Do a bit of studying and start using M, A and S modes, you'll get better results. On the other hand, if you don't want to use advanced modes, get the Olympus E-410.

The sensor is a 10 MP job, nothing unusual about that. Exposure times are up to 60 seconds in A, S and M modes and up to 1 second in other modes. Bulb is limited to 8 minutes.

For the entry level cameras, Olympus produced two very compact lenses, the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-42 and 40-150. They both contribute to a very low camera weight, while the 40-150 mm tele zoom makes all competitive tele zoom kit lenses look like Big Berthas. That's the point of the 4/3 system, after all. The Olympus E-510 will mostly be used with both kit lenses. And because of that, I didn't test it with any better lenses. After all, this camera isn't intended as a replacement for the now ancient Olympus E-1, which is usually used with the utterly great Zuiko Digital 14-54 mm f/2.8-3.5 lens. Of course, using such a great lens would make it possible to get higher image quality.

Comparing the Olympus E-510 with other entry-level cameras from a practical point of view, it is packed with interesting and useful features. Sensor cleaning, image stabilisation and live view are just great. And the Olympus E-510 is the only camera to offer these three very useful features. They are, of course, primarily intended for the enthusiast photographer who wants to get as many features as possible for the smallest amount of money.

Personally, I don't think that the Olympus E-510 is quite as user friendly as the Olympus E-410. That's no bad thing, though - if you want the most user friendliness, get the Olympus E-410. If you want to experiment a bit, go for the Olympus E-510. This makes the Olympus E-510 the perfect camera for those who bothered to learn what the buttons do, know a bit about photography and generally want to get a great picture straight out of the camera. If you're a demanding hobbyist who's looking for a light, yet capable camera to take with you on trips and treks and whatnot, this is the camera for you. Even if this is your first DSLR, don’t feel overwhelmed. It’s still a very user friendly camera, and with a bit of practice, you’ll soon master it.

The display contains all necessary information.

In LiveView, focus points can be shifted far away from the centre. In normal operation, only the three points in the centre can be used.

Both lenses are very compact, but the 40-150 mm (80-300 mm equivalent) is the real champ here – small, light and perfect for travel shots.

Image quality in practice

Instead of sticking with the CCD sensor, Olympus used the NMOS sensor, produced by Matsushita. The images straight of the camera have nicely saturated colours and good contrast, making further processing unnecessary in most cases. I was really surprised by how well the tonal values are recorded. Also, contrast between different colours is very good, which further enhances the impression of sharpness. The engineers at Olympus managed to combine the appealing tonality of digicams and the low noise of a DSLR (quite comparable to Canon's achievements in this field) to produce extremely appealing JPEGs straight out of the camera. Of course, the in-camera processing limits the possibilities of postprocessing later on. However, this is not much of a shortcoming – after all, this is a camera for those who want the best image quality with the least amount of computer work. Looking at this aspect of image quality, this was a very positive surprise. Also, Olympus proved me wrong. I always claim that for maximum quality, further processing is required with the computer - not so with the Olympus E-510. For most photographers, with the two new Olympus cameras (the Olympus E-410 and the Olympus E-510), the computer is only needed for cataloguing the images. Well, if you’re not extremely demanding, that is. The more demanding photographers prefer to have as little processing as possible done in the camera, and use computer software instead.

Nevertheless, this is a hobbyist camera, not a pro camera, so it really does well in this respect. Naturally, lenses and experience in choosing the right exposure settings do influence image quality a lot. For more about image quality, see the sample images.

150 mm, 1/200 s, f/5.6, ISO 100.

22 mm, 1/250 s, f/8, ISO 100.

18 mm, 1/200 s, f/7.1, ISO 100.

42mm, 1/200 s, f/8, ISO 100.

110mm, 1/250 s, f/8, ISO 100.

150mm, 1/250 s, f/5.6, ISO 100.

150mm, 1/200 s, f/8, ISO 100.

130 mm, 1/80 s, f/11, ISO 100. (IS on)

150 mm, 1/300 s, f/5.6, ISO 100.

60 mm, 1/250 s, f/8, ISO 100.

Image quality with kit lenses

At the first glance, it was obvious that the camera has excellent image processing algorithms. The sharpening is a bit heavy handed, resulting in grainy appearance at 100% magnification. However, since the camera processes images so well, it's not necessary to process them with the computer, while the prints mask the grain well. In other words, don't worry. It would also seem that the camera corrects for lens errors, producing great results with kit lenses. There's little evidence of chromatic aberration (purple fringing), and sharpness is good at all focal lengths. When comparing both lenses at about 40 mm, the only noticeable difference is a slightly cooler tint of the 14-42 lens. This again was a very positive surprise, and that’s not all – Olympus E-510 fares well in high ISO tests, too, which used to be a weak point of the 4/3 system.

The whole picture at 14 mm (28 mm equivalent). All shots are at f/8 and ISO 100.

100% crop, 14 mm (28 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 14 mm (28 mm equivalent). Despite the relatively wide angle and high contrast in certain regions, almost no purple fringing is visible.

100% crop, 14 mm (28 mm equivalent). For a kit wide angle lens, this is a remarkable achievement – good sharpness and very few errors. I believe that the errors are corrected in the camera.

100% crop, 26 mm (52 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 26 mm (52 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 26 mm (52mm equivalent). The image is really well processed – in most competitive cameras, the leaves and wires aren't that sharply defined.

100% crop, 26 mm (52 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 42 mm (84 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 42 mm (84mm equivalent).

100% crop, 42 mm (84mm equivalent).

100% crop, 42 mm (84 mm equivalent) to the left and 40 mm (80 mm equivalent) to the right. Compared to the 40-150 mm lens, the 14-42 lens has a slightly cooler tint. However, they both exhibit excellent sharpness.

100% crop, 40 mm (80 mm equivalent), Zuiko Digital 40-150 mm.

100% crop, 40 mm (80 mm equivalent), Zuiko Digital 40-150 mm.

100% crop, 75 mm (150 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 75 mm (150 mm equivalent).

The whole picture at 150 mm (300 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 150 mm (300 mm equivalent).

100% crop, 150 mm (300 mm equivalent).

Image quality at various ISO speeds

This test proved to be the most surprising of them all. Not too long ago, I claimed that the smaller 4/3 sensor automatically means more noise. Nevertheless, Olympus engineers appear to have done the impossible, making the results waaaay better than expected. All images below were processed in the computer for maximum acceptable sharpness and contrast. No other corrections were made. Also, images from the Olympus E-510 don't need much in the way of postprocessing, except for a bit of contrast enhancement.

ISO 100

The whole picture, no additional processing except for contrast enhancement. Taken with the standard 14-42 kit lens at 40 mm and f/8.

100% crop, ISO 100.

100% crop, ISO 100.

100% crop, ISO 100.

100% crop, ISO 100.

Olympus E-400, 100% crop, ISO 100. Compare it to the Olympus E-510 sample above, and you’ll see the vast difference in image quality.

Nikon D40x, 100% crop, ISO 100. In order to achieve this kind of contrast and sharpness, I had to apply much more postprocessing than with the Olympus E-510. From what I saw, the Olympus E-510 retained more tonal values.

Canon 400D (Rebel XTi), 100% crop, ISO 100. While this camera retains a lot of details, it's no match for the Olympus E-510 when it comes to resolution.

Canon EOS 1D Mk III with no postprocessing (all in-camera parameters set to 0), 100% crop, ISO 100.

Canon EOS 1D Mk III after some postprocessing, 100% crop, ISO 100. It takes a top of the line camera to get better tonal values and resolution than the Olympus E-510. And even here, some of it might be down to the lens used on the Canon (24-105/4 L). In this case, the difference is obvious. The Canon camera doesn't do much processing in the camera, making it easier to process it later. While the Olympus E-510 is quite heavy-handed when it comes to processing, it nevertheless processes the images far better than the competition. With this camera, unless you need the ultimate image quality (in which case you should use RAW rather than JPEG), the images will look good straight out of the camera. The competition can’t do that, I'm afraid.

ISO 400

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 400. Noise filter OFF.

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 400. Noise filter OFF.

ISO 800

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 800. Noise filter OFF.

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 800. Noise filter OFF.

ISO 1600

ISO 1600 proved to be the real surprise. What used to be the weak point of the whole system is an advantage now. Olympus engineers managed to make the results look better than in most competitive cameras.

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 1600. Noise filter OFF.

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 1600. Noise filter OFF.

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 1600. Noise filter OFF.

Olympus E-400, 100% crop, ISO 1600. It's obvious why this camera had a reputation for bad image quality at high ISO speeds. The difference between the Olympus E-400 and the Olympus E-510 is obvious.

Nikon D40x, 100% crop, ISO 1600. A lot of details are lost, as well as some of the resolution. The image sacrifices some middle tonal values for higher contrast.

Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi), 100% crop, ISO 1600. While this is till the noise king, it doesn't quite have the resolution of the Olympus E-510.

Canon EOS 1D Mk III, 100% crop, ISO 1600. This top of the line camera retained more detail. Still, it’s obvious that Olympus made a quantum leap compared to their previous cameras.

ISO 1600 with postprocessing

Olympus E-510, 100% crop, ISO 1600. Noise filter OFF.

Nikon D40x, ISO 1600. While the noise isn’t glaringly obvious, a lot of middle tonal values are lost.

Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi), 100% crop, ISO 1600. Any more sharpening, and the grainy appearance would become noticeable.

Canon EOS 1D Mk III, 100% crop, ISO 1600. The images produced by this camera can be pushed a lot further in postprocessing.

ISO 1600 with intense postprocessing

100% crop, ISO 1600.

Nikon D40x, 100% crop, ISO 1600. Compared to the image above, it’s obvious that Olympus lost some of the detail during the in-camera processing, while the Nikon retained them.

Canon EOS 1D Mk III, 100% crop, ISO 1600. The camera retained more details than both entry level cameras, but it isn't a huge difference. When it comes to image quality at high ISO speeds, the line between entry level and pro cameras is getting very thin. Nevertheless, the Mk III performed much better at ISO 3200.

Image quality at vivid (saturated colours), natural (natural colours) and muted (bland colours) settings.

Especially in artificial light, auto white balance tended to be a bit warm.

It only took some minor adjustments in Photoshop to get rid of it, though.

Vivid

Natural

Muted

The differences are minute. It takes a good monitor to notice the difference between natural (above) and vivid (below).

Image quality at 2 s exposure and various settings of Noise filter and Noise reduction

The camera has two image noise adjustments, Noise Filter that reduces the noise in every picture and Noise Reduction that suppresses the hot pixels at long exposure times. I didn't use the Noise Filter, because while the noise is reduced, it makes the image very soft. However, at long exposure times, the Noise Reduction function performs very well, eliminating hot pixels.

2 second exposure time. The warm tint is very obvious.

Noise Filter OFF / Noise Reduction OFF

Noise Filter Low / Noise Reduction OFF

Noise Filter Standard / Noise Reduction OFF

Noise Filter Hi / Noise Reduction OFF

Noise Filter Low / Noise Reduction ON

Noise Filter Standard / Noise Reduction ON

Noise Filter Hi / Noise Reduction ON

Conclusion

The only Olympus camera that really convinced me so far was the Olympus E-1, particularly because of its excellent body and sensor cleaning. Unfortunately, the marketing department was a bit too optimistic and priced it way too high. With the Olympus E-510, they did it again. It's a great camera for a hobbyist photographer who's just entering the DSLR world.

The Olympus E-410 was very convincing as far as user friendliness and image quality are concerned, but the Olympus E-510 is better than that - its bigger body and good grip are a clear indication that this is a camera for a more demanding photographer. I think this is a good move on the part of Olympus – two reasonably different cameras with the same image quality. The Olympus E-510 is intended for all those photographers who want to control all image capture parameters but don't feel like using the computer to process the images. This is especially true for older photographers who are still using film cameras.

It also has three killer features – the best sensor cleaning system available, image stabilisation that compensates for about two stops of camera shake, pretty much like the competition, and live view.

Finally, it would seem, Olympus made a feature rich camera with excellent image quality.

There was no noticeable difference in image quality between Olympus E-510 and Olympus E-410. The main difference is the body, some extra buttons and of course the image stabilisation, a first for Olympus cameras.

It would seem that all that Olympus E-510 needs is a good marketing approach. And they're doing that, too. If you're a native English speaker, having menus in your language seems, well, obvious. On the other hand, if your native tongue is a relatively obscure one, having menus in your language is just about as lovely as seeing a really gorgeous woman. It's a small touch, but it's sure to generate some sales.

The Olympus E-510 isn't intended for those who want the simplest possible DSLR – it's for those who want to control every aspect of the shot, while they don't feel like using the computer too much.

The kit lenses are a marvel in their own right – they're small, light and offer excellent image quality. The 40-150 is the real star - it'll even fit into a trouser pocket, let alone a dedicated camera bag. And you know what the most important thing about equipment is – having it with you when you need it. From that point of view alone, the two lenses are fantastic, and the fact that they have a great price/performance ratio is just icing on the proverbial cake.

The two lens kit gives you all you need to produce stunning shots – what you need to do is learn how to take those shots. And if you feel like the lenses are limiting you, well, there's loads of high quality Zuiko Digital lenses, just waiting for you.

The Olympus E-410 too small for you? Get the Olympus E-510.

The body shape is noticeably different.

The Olympus E-510 has a few additional buttons to make changing all the various settings easier, making it perfect for those who want all the control they can get. The Olympus E-410, on the other hand, is a perfect camera for those who want the simplicity of a point and shoot camera and the image quality of a DSLR.

If you don't mind the size difference, the Olympus E-510 offers much better grip. There's also some added value in image stabilisation. While at the first glance the cameras seem to be very similar, they're actually meant for two very different kinds of photographers.

In the three major elements, speed, accuracy and image quality, the Olympus E-510 holds its own. While its focusing speed is not all that fantastic, its images are perfect straight out of the camera. Nevertheless, decide for yourself. If you want stunning images with no Photoshop, go for the Olympus.

You need to realise that this is not a pro camera, so don't expect it to be as fast as a pro camera. It is, however, the only camera in its class to offer sensor cleaning, image stabilisation and LiveView.

I truly believe the Olympus E-510 to be a trendsetter among entry level cameras. It'll be interesting to see whether all next generation entry level cameras will feature great images straight out of the camera and live view.

Consider this – Olympus was the first company to introduce sensor cleaning. Now, it's available in just about every camera. Olympus was also the first to introduce live view – it's even used in pro cameras now. All in all, Olympus cameras have a history of innovation, and they're not too stubborn to license technologies they didn't invent, such as sensor-based image stabilisation.

All in all, I don't think any other camera has quite so many features at such a price. And that's what makes the Olympus E-510 so great. I also think that the Olympus E-510 is the final proof that Olympus DSLRs are here to stay, even though their development seemed slow in the past.

Regardless of whether you're buying your first DSLR or just switching from a film system, you can't look past the 4/3 system without a second glance. It has enough fantastic lenses to keep you happy for years to come, and with a new high-end camera coming out in autumn, it's obvious that if you feel limited by the Olympus E-510, you'll have a clear upgrade path.

All in all, this is a camera that will cuddle you until you get to know it well, and when you really know how to use it, it'll do exactly what you ask of it.

Oh, and the pictures look gorgeous, too.