Olympus E-510

Just before PMA in March 2007 Olympus lifted the curtain on two new Four-Thirds system compact digital SLRs, the E-410 (reviewed here in June) and this model, the E-510 (which is essentially a replacement for the well regarded E-500). Although the E-510 has much in common with its little brother, including an all-new (Matsushita) Live MOS Image Sensor that can provide Full Time Live-View on the LCD monitor and an updated TruePic image processor, it is a considerably more sophisticated tool with some important extra features. Key amongst these is a sensor-shift image stabilization system and more sophisticated external controls, though are also numerous minor feature differences too. Note that some of the text in this review (when describing identical functions) is repeated from the E-410 review.

Specifications
Prices • E-510 body only
US: $ 799
• E-510 + 14-42 mm lens
US: $ 899
• E-510 + 14-42 mm + 40-150 mm lenses
US: $ 999
Body material Plastic
Sensor • 4/3 type Live MOS sensor
• 17.3 x 13.0 mm active area
• 10.9 million total pixels
• 10.0 million effective pixels
• RGB (Primary) color filter array
• Fixed low pass filter (anti-alias filter)
Dust suppression Supersonic Wave Filter
Image stabilization • "Supersonic Wave Drive" (in-body sensor shift)
• Two modes: Horizontal+Vertical, Vertical only
Image processor TruePic III
Image sizes • 3648 x 2736
• 3200 x 2400 (3:2)
• 2560 x 1920
• 1600 x 1200
• 1280 x 960
• 1024 x 768
• 640 x 480
File formats • RAW
• RAW + JPEG
• JPEG (EXIF 2.2) - three levels
JPEG compression • SHQ (1/2.7)
• HQ (1/4)
• SQ (1/8 or 1/12)
Lenses • 4/3 standard lens mount
• Range of ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses available
• Multiply focal length by 2 for 35 mm equiv. FOV
Auto focus • 3-point TTL phase difference detection
• Detection range: 0 to 19 EV (ISO 100)
• Available in Live View (slight pause and mirror flip required)
Focus area selection • Automatic
• Manual
Focus modes • Single shot AF
• Single shot AF + MF
• Continuous AF + MF
• Continuous AF
• Manual focus
Manual focus Focus by wire (on lens)
AF assist lamp Yes, flash strobe (flash must be raised)
Exposure modes • Auto
• Program AE (with shift)
• Aperture priority AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Manual
• Scene
• Scene select AE
Scene modes • Portrait
• Landscape
• Macro
• Sports
• Night Scene & Portrait
Other scene modes • Portrait
• Landscape
• Landscape & Portrait
• Night Scene
• Night Scene & Portrait
• Children
• Sport
• High Key
• Low Key
• Digital Image Stabilization
• Macro
• Nature Macro
• Candle
• Sunset
• Fireworks
• Document
• Panorama (req. Olympus xD-Picture Card)
• Beach & Snow

Sensitivity • Auto
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600

Metering system • 49-zone multi-pattern
• Range (Digital ESP): 1 to 20 EV (50 mm F2, ISO 100)
• Range (Spot): 3 to 17 EV (50 mm F2, ISO 100)
Metering modes • Digital ESP
• Center-Weighted Average
• Spot (2%)
• Highlight based spot
• Shadow based spot
AE Lock • AE/AF lock button
• With shutter release half-press
AE Bracketing • 3 frames
• 1/3, 1/2, 0.7 or 1.0 EV steps
Exposure steps 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV
Exposure compen. • -5.0 to +5.0 EV
• 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps
Shutter speed • Auto mode: 2 - 1/4000 sec
• P, A, S or M mode: 60 - 1/4000 sec
• Bulb (up to 8 mins)
Aperture values Depends on lens: 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps
Flash X-sync speed • 1/180 sec
• 1/4000 sec (Super FP mode)
White balance • Auto
• Lamp (3000K)
• Fluorescent 1 (4000K)
• Fluorescent 2 (4500K)
• Fluorescent 3 (6600K)
• Daylight (5300K)
• Cloudy (6000K)
• Shade (7500K)
• Custom
• Kelvin (2000 - 14000 K)
WB fine tuning • Red - Blue: +/- 7 steps (2 mired each)
• Green - Magenta: +/- 7 steps (2 mired each)
WB Bracketing • 3 frames
• 4, 8 or 12 mired steps
Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB
Image parameters • Color mode (Natural, Vivid, Muted)
• Saturation (5 levels)
• Contrast (5 levels)
• Sharpness (5 levels)
• Monochrome (B&W, Sepia, Purple, Green, Blue) - filter (Ye, Or, Re, Gr)
• Gradation (High Key, Normal, Low Key)
Drive modes • Single
• Continuous
• Self-timer
• Remote control
Continuous • 3.0 fps
• RAW: 6 frames maximum
• JPEG: Up to card capacity @ HQ 1/8 (with high speed media)
Self-timer • 2 sec
• 12 sec
Flash • Auto electronic pop-up
• TTL auto / manual
• Guide no. 12
• Sync modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Slow syncro with red-eye reduction,
Slow syncro, 2nd curtain slow syncro, Fill-in, Off
• Flash power: Up to +/- 2EV in 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps
External flash • Hot shoe
• TTL Auto FP / TTL auto for Olympus dedicated flash (FL-20, FL-36, FL-50)
• Modes:Auto, Manual, Red-eye reduction, Slow syncro with red-eye reduction, Slow syncro, 2nd curtain slow syncro, Fill-in for exclusive flash.
• Flash power: Up to +/- 2EV in 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps
Viewfinder • Eye-level TTL Optical Pentaprism
• Field of view 95%
• Magnification 0.92x with a 50mm lens and -1 dioptre
• Eye point 14 mm at -1 dioptre
• Dioptre adjustment -3 to +1 dioptre
• Focusing screen: Fixed type
• Mirror: Quick return mirror
Viewfinder info • Aperture value
• Shutter speed
• Record mode
• AF confirmation mark
• Flash
• WB
• AE lock
• Number of storable still images
• Exposure compensation value
• Metering mode
• Battery warning
• Exposure mode
• AF frame (super imposed)
• IS activating mode.
Orientation sensor Yes
LCD monitor • 2.5" TFT LCD monitor (wide viewing angle, semi-transmissive)
• 230,000 pixels
• 100% frame coverage
Playback functions • Single
• Magnify (2 - 14x)
• Index (4, 9, 16, 25 frames)
• Calendar view
• Rotation
• Light box view
• Slide show
• Histogram (Lum / RGB)
• Highlight & Shadow point warning
Playback information • Exposure mode
• Metering mode
• Shutter speed
• Aperture value
• Exposure compensation level
• ISO
• Colour space
• White balance mode
• White balance compensation level
• Focal length
• Focus area
• File type
• Picture mode
• File name
• Image size
• Recorded card type
Editing • RAW development
• JPEG editing (B&W, Sepia, Red eye reduction, Color saturation, Resize)
Menu languages • English
• German
• French
• Spanish
• Italian
• Russian
• Czech
• Dutch
• Danish
• Polish
(Other languages can be downloaded)
Storage • Compact Flash (Type I and II)
• xD Picture card
Connectivity • USB 2.0 (Hi Speed)
• Video Out (NTSC / PAL)
• IR Remote control (optional)
Vertical / portrait grip No
Power BLM-1 1500 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (supplied & charger)
Dimensions 136 x 92 x 68 mm (5.4 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
Weight • 460 g (16.2 oz) without battery
• 535g (16.4 oz) with battery
• 725g (approx) with battery and 14-42mm lens
Box contents E-510 body, 14-42mm lens (kit contents), Li-ion battery BLM-1, Li-ion battery charger BCM-2, USB cable, Video cable, Shoulder strap, OLYMPUS Master CD-ROM, Instruction manual, Warranty card.