Olympus E420 Review

Choosing a digital camera has always been an exercise in compromise.
You could plump for a compact camera with all the advantages of portability and low cost but with the limited picture quality inherent in a small sensor.
Otherwise you could go for an SLR with all the advantages of a big sensor and interchangeable lenses but the definite drawbacks that come with greater size, weight and cost.
For many serious photographers (with deep pockets) the ideal solution was to buy one of each device - a small point-and-shoot camera to carry everywhere and an SLR with a selection of lenses for Photography with a capital P.
But now there is a new breed of camera that combines much of the best of both worlds. The Olympus E420 is the trailblazer of this new class of camera and can be best described as a "compact SLR".
On first acquaintance, the E420 is almost unbelievably tiny. It tips the scales at 380 grams (which compares very favourably with Canon's "serious" compact, the G9). When teamed up with the specially produced 25mm fixed lens it's easy to believe Olympus's boast that this is the smallest DSLR yet. Some questions have been raised about whether it is too small for big hands but, while my own hands are far from dainty, I didn't have any problems.
Within this tiny package you get 2.7-inch LCD screen, incorporating live view. This allows you to frame shots and preview exposure in real time.
There is also a face-detect function and a very intuitive menu system. Under the bonnet is a 10-megapixel, four-thirds system sensor.
Image quality is superb, especially with the 25-millimetre prime lens. Digital noise is quite apparent at 800 ISO-plus but otherwise is very acceptable.
Image stabilisation would have been helpful, as would more than three auto-focus points. But, frankly, at this small price and size you can't have everything.

OLYMPUS E420
Price $799 (body only)
$899 (single lens kit)
Rating 4.5 out of 5
http://www.olympus.com.au/

Thanks to Nik Galvin at The Sidney Morning Herald for the review.

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