Olympus E-420 SLR Review

The E-420 is a very compact digital SLR made of a solid black polycarbonate with rubber inserts on the front and back of the grip that impart it with a secure feel when handled. Still, the E-420 remains light and easy to carry, especially when paired with the ultra compact Zuiko 25mm f2.8 lens. It also offers a professional finish. Measuring a mere 5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 inches (129.5 x 91 x 53mm) and weighing just 13.4 ounces (380 grams) body only, the E-420 can be carried around comfortably all day.

The all-metal lens mount for the Four Thirds System is twice the diagonal measurement of the imager. With this lens mount the body size, lens size and overall weight are reduced.

Digital Specific "Smart" Lenses

Olympus Zuiko Digital Lenses are designed so light strikes the camera's image sensor directly, ensuring rich, accurate colors, sharp contrasts and bright images even at the edges.

Lenses that are smart, that talk with the camera about their specific optical designs and imaging information. Lenses, particularly zoom lenses have some distortion. This is true of all manufacturers. Zuiko Digital Lenses store data in the header portion of the digital file allowing for software-assisted correction of anomalies including pin cushion and barrel distortion.

Shoot wide open or stopped all the way down and achieve superior results over 35mm film based lenses. Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses are about three times the resolution of ordinary film based lenses.

Internet-Upgradeable Firmware

The Smart Lens Design allows users to shoot with the most current firmware versions of each particular E SLR System component. Update the camera system using:

• Internet-Enabled Computer
• Camera Connected via USB
• Olympus Software; one Button Update

Zuiko Digital 25mm, 14-42mm, and 40-150mm

The Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 is a thin, lightweight single-focus standard pancake-type lens. The lens has an overall length of 23.5 mm. When combined with E-410 or E-420, the total length including the camera body and lens is only 76.5 mm. The result is an easy-to-store, easy-to-carry camera system with go-anywhere portability. With a focal distance equivalent to 50 mm on a 35 mm film camera lens, this lens provides an image angle very close to that of the naked eye. The result is a near-natural visual field that makes this an ideal standard lens for daily use, whether for simple snapshots or for more sophisticated portrait and landscape shooting.

The Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 (equivalent to 28-90mm in 35mm photography) is another lens kit option for the E-420 and E-520 models. This 3x standard zoom lens is the smallest and lightest in its class and features a closest focusing distance of only 25cm. The ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and two aspherical lens elements correct aberrations without increasing lens dimensions. The circular aperture diaphragm enables beautiful defocusing - one of the big advantages of this lens.

Four-Thirds CCD Image Sensor

With 10 million pixels of resolution, you'll see more details and you'll get stunning color in all your photos. Create large prints, even after cropping or zooming.

Exclusive SuperSonic Wave Filter

A common problem with interchangeable lens digital SLR cameras is dust settling on the image sensor. The E-420 features an Olympus exclusive patented ultrasonic technology, the SuperSonic Wave Filter, to reduce the effects of micro dust settling on the image sensor and impacting the image quality. Located between the shutter and the CCD, the Supersonic Wave Filter uses high-speed ultrasonic vibration to cause most types of dust to fall away from the image sensor so it will not appear in photographs.

The filter vibrates at 35,000 times per second and is activated every time the camera powers on, or manually via a menu selection, to instantly remove the dust from in front of the image sensor. The CCD assembly is isolated from the Supersonic Wave Filter by an airtight seal to protect it even more. This unique Olympus feature gives you the confidence to shoot photos and change lenses in the field, just as you've always done, without the worry of images being damaged or ruined by dust on the imager.