Mar 6: Nikon D40X

The Nikon D40X is a DSLR that is sure to be popular with entry level DSLR buyers. It's an update of the previously popular D40 and features a 10.2 megapixel DX CCD sensor (the D40 was 6MP), ISO of 100 to 1600 (extendable to 3200), burst mode of 3 frames per second and a 2.5 inch LCD screen (230,000 pixels).

Apart from the larger megapixel count, extended ISO range and increase burst mode it's largely the same as the D40.

The Nikon D40X measures 126.0 x 94.0 x 64.0mm and weighs 481 grams.

The Nikon D40X will have a retail price of $729.95 USD when it ships in April. Alternatively you can bundle it with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens for $799.95 USD.

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NIKON INTRODUCES THE D40x - A NEW 10.2 MEGAPIXEL VERSION OF ITS SMALLEST AND EASIEST-TO-USE DIGITAL SLR CAMERA

MELVILLE, NY, MARCH 5, 2007 – Nikon today introduced the new D40x digital SLR camera that is designed to allow users to take spectacular photographs with very high-resolution at the touch of a button. The D40x maintains the same compact size, portability and ease-of-use as its already successful sister camera, the D40, and adds features like higher 10.2 megapixel resolution, faster continuous shooting capability and wider ISO sensitivity. Digital SLR cameras are the tool of choice among the majority of professional photographers but some people have found them to be complex or bulky. With the D40x, consumers don’t have to sacrifice the quality of their pictures anymore. The D40x inherits many advanced technologies from Nikon’s professional models, but was designed specifically to make taking outstanding pictures easy and fun for everyone.

“ The D40 has become a runaway success for Nikon because it effectively addresses so many of the concerns shared by those who take pictures to preserve family memories and for all-around fun. The D40 and the new D40x eliminate common annoyances such as shutter lag and inaccurate viewfinders, while answering our customers’ needs for superb image quality, fast handling, compactness and, most important of all, simplicity. Now with the D40x, anyone has the choice of higher resolution so they can do even more with their pictures,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for Marketing, SLR System Products at Nikon Inc. “Whether people want to make poster-sized prints or make special enlargements from a smaller (cropped) area of a picture, the D40x can produce images that have superb clarity, outstanding detail and vibrant colors. Even regular 4x6 inch prints, and pictures reduced in size for e-mailing, are visibly better when captured with a more capable camera”.

The Nikon D40x is able to capture special moments instantly, virtually eliminating the frustrations of shutter delay typically associated with point-and-shoot digital cameras. The D40x powers-up in a near-instant 0.18 second and can shoot up to 3 pictures per second, non-stop for up to 100 shots. With such great speed, you’ll never need to wait for the camera to get ready for the next shot. The camera reacts instantly when the shutter button is pressed ensuring you never miss a special moment. The images are immediately recorded to the camera's SD memory card.

The D40x’s 10.2-effective megapixel CCD imaging sensor is complimented by Nikon’s exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II and an improved Nikon Image Processing Engine that together ensure breathtaking picture quality with analyzed exposure, refined details and natural, accurately rendered colors.

The increased image sensor capacity of the D40x isn’t its only advantage. In addition to shooting three consecutive shots per second (versus 2.5 pictures per second with the D40), the D40x also features design efficiencies that allows up to 520** images per charge) and wider ISO sensitivity of 100-1600, plus HI-1 (200-1600 plus HI-1 for the D40).

The back of the D40x is dominated by a refreshingly large and bright 2.5-inch color LCD screen that displays everything from menu options, pictures in playback mode and Nikon’s new visually-intuitive information display system that presents camera and shooting information in a user-friendly, graphically represented way. The camera also features a built-in help menu that can be accessed at the touch of a button and new Assist Images that help you select appropriate settings for many camera features by displaying a sample image typical of that setting.

The D40x’s automated, scene-optimized Digital Vari-Program modes allow users to capture nearly any type of scene without needing to understand the fine points of photography or fumble with camera settings. The D40x includes eight preset modes, including a new Flash Off mode that shuts off the camera’s flash and boosts its ISO so users can easily take pictures in places where flash photography is not allowed, inappropriate or when they prefer the look of naturally lit pictures. As users gain experience with the camera, the D40x offers advanced controls such as Aperture-priority and Shutter-priority modes that offer greater creative control over the look and feel of their pictures.

The D40x’s new Retouch menu offers exclusive in-camera image editing features that add to the D40x’s “fun factor” by providing greater creativity without the need for a computer. Included in the Retouch menu is Nikon’s D-Lighting, which brightens dark pictures and Red-eye correction that automatically detects and corrects red eye – a common condition that occurs in flash photography. Image Trim allows for creative cropping of an image and creates smaller files for easy e-mailing. Other creative features include Image Overlay, Small Picture, Monochrome (Black-and-white, Sepia, and Cyanotype) and Filter Effects (Skylight, Warm filter, Color balance).

The D40x comes packaged with the new 3X 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens that assures superb picture sharpness and optimum contrast, along with the versatility to capture everything from candid portraits to wide-angle landscapes. The D40x is also compatible with all of Nikon’s AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses***, including the remarkably versatile 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens and the new 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor lens.

For flash photography of subjects at greater distances, the light and ultra-compact SB-400 Speedlight proves to be a perfect companion to the D40x, providing a simple solution for adding more power and bounce flash capability. Keeping with the D40x’s remarkable ease of use the, SB-400 Speedlight is as simple as sliding it on, turning it on and shooting.

The D40x will be available throughout the United States beginning April 2007 for an estimated selling price of $729.95* for body only or $799.95*, packaged with the 3X zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens. For more information, please visit www.nikondigital.com.

Nikon D40X Reviews

PopPhoto has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Even with combined RAW + Basic JPEG capture, the biggest gulp of data the camera can make, you can take a shot about once a second. So expect to get the shot when you want it. The economy-model status of the D40x doesn't show in picture quality, either. At ISO 100, the D40x turned in an average resolution of 2075 lines, slightly behind the Nikon D80 and Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. ... So if you want a tougher camera, or if you have a bagful of older Nikon AF lenses, spend $925 (street, body only) for a D80. If not, the D40x provides the best imaging performance for the buck you can get in a 10MP camera. Expect long lines at the camera store."

Photography Press has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "The image quality, handling, responsiveness and features strike the same great balance for its target market as on the D40 but, I for one don’t feel the extra £100 for the higher resolving sensor makes total sense for you, the buying public. Yes, it means Nikon has a camera that can go head to head with Canon’s EOS 400D, but this is more a marketing ploy than trying to bring a better product to market for the photographer. But to be fair, just like the D40, the D40x is a slightly more expensive but still excellent D-SLR for the first time D-SLR buyer on a more modest budget and for those that feel they really do need the extra resolution over the D40. It’s compact and lightweight too, and ultimately an excellent choice."

PixInfo has a review of the Nikon D40X and writes, "The Nikon D40X is the next logical step from Nikon. They have had the well designed and successful body of the Nikon D40, and had the proven sensor from the D80. By putting them together they could easily cover the gap between their entry level low resolution DSLR and the semi professional Nikon D80. Those who are happy with the 6 megapixel resolution can choose the Nikon D40, while the megapixel maniacs can go for the new Nikon D40X. The D40X corrects some of the problems we have seen at it's smaller sibling (sensitivity to infra red and moiré), while keeps the same body with the limited number of buttons and the lack of automatic dust removal system. Honestly, we would have expected a few extra features over the higher resolution to justify the higher price tag, but this camera is not bad either."

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Of course the key criterion for a digital SLR is image quality, and here the D40x really shines. The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II lens is significantly better than the lens supplied with the EOS 400D, and combined with the improved image processing of the D40x it provides a fantastic level of fine detail, superb contrast and flawless colour reproduction. ... In the D40x Nikon may finally have got the entry-level DSLR that can give Canon a run for its money while holding off Sony’s advance. It is, by an admittedly narrow margin, a better camera than the EOS 400D in many respects, including the crucial area of overall image quality. It is easy to use, has Nikon’s traditional fantastic build quality, and performs superbly well. If you’re looking for an SLR for under £500 the D40x should be near the top of your list."

Thom Hogan has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "the D40x does a bit better than the D80 in the noise department, apparently due to slightly more aggressive noise reduction, as the level of detail is slightly lower at ISO 1600 on the D40x than it is on the D80. But again, ISO 100 to 1600 produced very usable images. ... The D40x retains all the things that are likeable about the D40 and gives you a 10mp sensor that produces images that are arguably slightly better than the D80 can produce (at least for JPEG files). You pay for that extra resolution two ways: extra dollars up front and reduced flash flexibility due to the all-mechanical shutter. I don't expect to use my D80 much any more with the D40x being smaller and lighter. But someone with older AF lenses or who needs one of the D80's additional features might choose differently."

ePhotoZine has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "While the D40x lacks some of the more sophisticated options of bigger cameras, it's certainly well specified in the budget market and readily capable of taking on the Canon EOS 400D. ... While the shooting speed of the camera is a long way off the marketing claims, with just modest performance, it's the ease of use of the camera and the results that count the most in this marketplace. On that score, the D40x is easy to pick up and start shooting with because the more advanced functions are kept out of the way initially, and the results, while lacking a great deal of sharpness thanks to the kit lens, are generally pleasing."

CNET has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Nikon's D40x is a very impressive camera. While not quite as fast as the Canon Rebel XT, it does offer a higher resolution, though the Rebel is less expensive. If you're considering the D40x with the 18mm-135mm kit lens, and you've shot with an SLR before, you'll probably prefer the control system of the D80, which also includes a coupling pin, so you can use it with older Nikon AF lenses and retain the autofocus capability. If you're stepping up to your first dSLR and don't have a stash of old lenses, the D40x is a good choice. ... The Nikon D40x makes a very nice first dSLR, though experienced SLR shooters looking for a Nikon should spend the extra cash for the D80."

Wired Blogs has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "This 10.2-megapixel model has one of the smartest automatic modes we've seen, including accurate measurement of often trouble-prone areas such as ISO setting and white balance. Image quality is top-notch, with great detail and minimal noise even at high ISO settings."

Camera Labs has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "If you’re a beginner or buying your first DSLR, the D40x is a much friendlier proposition. It guides you along while featuring a superb metering system which is rarely fooled. It’s definitely the better 10 Megapixel DSLR for beginners, but more experienced photographers will almost certainly prefer using the Canon or Sony – although it has to be said if you’re after even greater sophistication, the Nikon D80 is comfortably better still. So ultimately if you’re a beginner who loved the D40 but wished it had higher resolution, then go for the D40x. If however you want a technically more sophisticated DSLR for roughly the same money, then the Canon 400D / XTi and Sony A100 have more going for them, although if you can stretch a little further, Nikon’s own D80 offers even more still."

The Age has a review of the Nikon D40X and writes, "The essential functions are generally good: fast and accurate auto-focus (but only with lenses that have an inbuilt focus motor), perfect exposure and wide dynamic range. The auto white balance leaves something to be desired and there is no dedicated white balance button on the camera body but the Function button can be programmed for white balance. This model feels as fast and responsive as the more expensive Nikons. ... Are those extra pixels worth the $400? Six million pixels will produce A3 prints; 10 million give room for cropping without loss of resolution. Compared to the competition this model offers a lot for the money."

Let's Go Digital has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "the Nikon D40x is a very fine and smart DSLR camera that offers a lot of quality for a low price. The D40 camera was welcomed enthusiastically and quickly left its competition behind. The different camera reviews almost always showed a positive conclusion, also with our DIWA colleagues, who awarded the D40 with a DIWA Gold Award nearly unanimously. Because the Nikon D40x is identical to the D40, I expect again a big success for this model. Once more, Nikon shows what its good at. The production of a serious SLR camera with an excellent image quality, but not forgetting what it's all about: hassle free and pleasant photographing for everyone. For these reasons, the Nikon D40x is absolutely highly recommended!"

DPExpert has a review of the Nikon D40X and writes, "The essential functions are generally good: fast and accurate auto-focus (but only with lenses that have an inbuilt focus motor); perfect exposure and wide dynamic range. The auto white balance leaves something to be desired and there is no dedicated white balance button on the camera body but the Function button can be programmed for white balance. The D40X feels as fast and responsive as the more expensive Nikons. Even the viewfinder, which uses mirrors rather than a prism, is large and bright. The LCD review screen is brilliant but it doesn’t come with Nikon’s customary clear plastic protector. The D40X shares its image processor with the D80 and D200. Image quality is excellent."

SMH.com.au has a review of the Nikon D40X and writes, "The essential functions are generally good: fast and accurate auto-focus (but only with lenses that have an inbuilt focus motor), perfect exposure and wide dynamic range. The auto white balance leaves something to be desired and there is no dedicated white balance button on the camera body but the Function button can be programmed for white balance. This model feels as fast and responsive as the more expensive Nikons. ... Are those extra pixels worth the $400? Six million pixels will produce A3 prints; 10 million give room for cropping without loss of resolution. Compared to the competition this model offers a lot for the money."

DPReview has a review of the Nikon D40X and writes, " Handling aside, everything else that I said about the D40 remains true with the D40X. Good image processing ekes about as much detail out of the image as heavier RAW conversion can, although the limits of the smaller photosites become clear at higher sensitivities, and good dynamic range means softer roll-offs in highlights - and more likelihood of getting a nice blue sky in a landscape shot. So in conclusion, the D40X really is just as good as the D40, with the added benefit of a little bit more resolution and slightly faster continuous shooting."

DCResource has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Photo quality was very good, though I'd tweak a few settings if I owned the camera. The D40x took well-exposed photos, with extremely vivid colors (which I'd want to tone down). Images are a bit soft -- typical of a D-SLR -- and if you agree you may want to adjust the in-camera sharpening. Purple fringing will vary depending on what lens you're using, and I noticed it on both the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses that I tested. Redeye wasn't a problem, but if it was, you could use the tool in the camera's playback mode to remove it. ... If you're ready to enter the world of digital SLRs, the Nikon D40x is a great way to do it. It offers a compact, portable body, great performance and photo quality, and a really user friendly interface. I wouldn't write off the original D40 either -- it offers the same features, just with fewer pixels and slightly weaker performance, for around $200 less."

Imaging Resource has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "It's the Nikon D40x's excellent image quality that makes recommending this little digital SLR so easy. See the Exposure and Optics tabs for the detailed breakdown. I'm most impressed that they were able to improve on the D40's already stellar high ISO performance. Hoping to catch my son napping in the afternoon this week like I did when I reviewed the D40 last Fall, I instead found him up and watching a movie with his brother. It was a good moment, so I pressed the Function button to select ISO 1,600, extended the 18-135mm lens to 75mm, and snapped off a few shots handheld. It's no great art, but it's a cute picture of two brothers cooling off on the futon after playing one hot Summer afternoon. This is just the kind of photo most D40x owners want from their new camera: a candid indoor shot without flash. It's a little soft and grainy, but still natural looking."

DCViews has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Why Nikon decided to release this upgrade so soon we can only guess, but rumour has it that the immensely popular Canon 400D might have played a role here. The new D40x - on paper at least - is meant to face the competition head on, with matching features to the Canon bar the anti-dust function. Whether it succeeds in surpassing the 400D however only time will tell, but current owners of the older camera do not have to trade in their D40 for the D40X just for a few megapixels more, as we found no significant change in image quality or performance. Both cameras are equally good and highly recommended in our view and their full compatibility with Windows Vista only adds to their appeal."

ThinkCamera has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Nikon's D40x takes great pictures, there are plenty of controls and it comes in at a terrific price. However, it's essentially a D40 with more megapixels (one could say almost the same of the Canon 400D, too). More isn't necessarily better; unless you print large or crop heavily, you may as well save yourself the £100 difference and go for the D40. That aside, if you pick up a D40x then you'll be happy with the results."

DigitalCameraReview has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Focus speed is a bit slower than the pro and semi-pro Nikons, but not bad at all. Shutter performance isn’t quite as quick, but also not bad. Image quality is first rate with the kit lens and there are a bunch of fully compatible Nikon lenses to expand out from the 18-55mm focal range of the kit lens; the camera can be had as a body only if you don’t care for the 18-55. Colors are rich at default settings and there are a bunch of internal image optimizing settings to tweak the color if default is not your cup of tea. There’s a decent continuous shooting capability, and ISO performance is good. Folks moving into a DSLR from a P&S will feel right at home with the auto and scene program modes. I haven’t shot other entry-level DSLRs, but after living with the D40x for about three weeks I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t hold its own with the competition. At the entry level, this camera does a lot of things very well."

PCWorld has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, T"he camera's image quality is superb, especially from ISO 100 to ISO 800; color noise increases when you shoot at ISO 1600 or 3200, but that's a normal trait of digital SLRs in this price range. Noise became most evident when we used zooming or printed images out at sizes larger than 11 inches by 17 inches. ... The D40x's only downsides will seem minor to most inexperienced digital SLR users."

Megapixel reviews the Nikon D40X and writes - "Clearly, any serious amateur photographer searching for a general-purpose camera that is both compact and economical should inspect the D40x. Barely more expensive than a number of bridge cameras, it offers greater flexibility and is only marginally bigger."

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Mar 6: Olympus FE-240 Review at CNET

CNET has a review of the Olympus FE-240 and writes, "Though its performance was disappointing, the FE-240's images were actually quite nice. Colors were accurate and neutral--even indoors, a tricky thing to accomplish with a camera's automatic white balance. Fine details came through clearly, and we saw very little lens distortion. ... Despite the Olympus FE-240's sluggish performance and almost complete lack of manual settings, it's still a pretty good camera for new users. If you simply want to take decent photos and don't want to fiddle around with a lot of menus and buttons, it's a acceptable choice. Its price may seem a bit high for such a simple camera, but its photos look good, it's easy to use, and it's small enough to take almost anywhere."

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Mar 6: Canon PowerShot G7 Review at It Reviews

IT Reviews has a review of the Canon PowerShot G7 and writes, "The most important omission for the semi-pro photographer is the absence of RAW mode recording which would give you more control over the final image, and which was present in the G6. Also the battery has been changed to the smaller NB-2LH which on average will allow you 220 standard photos, as opposed to the former BP-511A which easily reached 300. ... Despite these drawbacks, the quality of the images, the speed and efficiency of operation and the flexibility afforded by the range of menus and controls will almost certainly mean that many keen snappers will - perhaps reluctantly - soon be upgrading their old G6 for the new model."

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Mar 6: Fuji Finepix S9600 Review at Unbeatable.co.uk

Unbeatable.co.uk has a review of the Fuji Finepix S9600 and writes, "The improved image processing is as quiet as a mouse, or probably quieter, but unfortunately, not quite as good as that of the Fuji Finepix F30, however with a 1/1.6in sensor on board which is larger than most compact digital cameras and creates a better colour depth and keeps image noise to a minimum. The only way you will get better images is with a mid-range SLR but this will sting your pocket by a huge amount. ... We were very impressed by the improvements on the Fuji Finepix S9600, although quite minor and minimal. The S9500 digital is a great model and with the improvements we would certainly recommend this camera. If you already have the S9500 it is probably not worth trading in, but if you are after a cheaper alternative to a digital SLR, then the Fuji Finepix S9600 has got to be the one."

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Mar 6: Pentax Optio A20 Review at DPReview

DPReview has a review of the Pentax Optio A20 and writes, "If you want a compact point and shoot camera for normal sized prints or viewing on-screen there are many alternatives that offer a more reliable, faster shooting experience, and are more suited to the challenges of social photography where the A20's woeful low-light focus speed makes getting a picture of anything that's not nailed down challenging, to say the least. ... Put simply, this is a competitive sector of the market, and the A20 - despite ticking all the right boxes on paper - simply doesn't have what it takes to compete. For the typical user of a compact like this image quality (where the A20 does pretty well) is not the only measure of a camera, and it's in these other areas the A20 fails to impress. There is enough here to lift the A20's rating above the A10, but not enough to allow an unconditional recommendation."

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Mar 6: Nikon CoolPix L6 Review at Trusted Reviews

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Nikon CoolPix L6 and writes, "when the L6 does eventually get around to taking a picture the results are excellent. Nikon’s compact lens provides good edge to edge sharpness, much better than most lenses of comparable size, although as usual for such lenses there is significant barrel distortion at the wide angle end. Colour rendition and exposure are very good, and the camera handles unusual exposure conditions extremely well, producing excellent results despite rapidly changing light. ... The Nikon CoolPix L6 is a well-made, sensibly designed pocket compact that would be ideal for holiday snaps or general snapshot photography. Its exceptional battery duration means that it won’t let you down when you need it, and the excellent image quality means you won’t be disappointed by the results. If you can live with the slow performance and lack of low-light ability then it is excellent value for money."

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Mar 6: Olympus mju 770 SW Review at Trusted Reviews

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Olympus mju 770 SW and writes, "If you’re looking for a completely indestructible camera to suit your adrenaline-junkie lifestyle, the Olympus mju SW series is still the only game in town, and the 770 SW is the most everything-proof one yet. It’s able to survive anything short of an atomic bomb, but it is slightly lacking in the picture quality department. Still, the fact that it can take any kind of picture at all 10m deep in freezing water while being crushed is remarkable enough."

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Mar 6: Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital Elph Review at PCMag

PCMag has a review of the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital Elph and writes, "Putting the SD900 through its paces, I observed very good color accuracy and saturation in my test pictures. There was just a bit of purple fringing. In my real-world shots of trees against a bright blue sky, I found a tad more fringing, but it still wasn't too noticeable. Overall, the photos were very sharp. Even so, the flash's illumination was good but slightly uneven. ... Canon's PowerShot SD900 Digital Elph is a solid and pleasing camera. But I'd still go with the Canon PowerShot SD550, which we've determined to be the best ultracompact shooter for its quality, performance, and lower price."

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Mar 5: Zuiko Digital ED 14 – 42 mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens

Released with the new Olympus Evolt E-510 today are two new Zuiko Digital ED lenses - on of which is the Zuiko Digital ED 14 – 42 mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens.

It's described by Olympus as:

The E-510 outfit includes a compact, Zuiko Digital ED 14 – 42 mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 84mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3x ED Glass zoom lens covers the range most frequently used in ordinary photography and weighs just 7.5 ounces, offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches (0.25 m) are possible throughout the zoom range.

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Mar 5: Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 Lens

Released with the new Olympus Evolt E-510 today are two new Zuiko Digital ED lenses - on of which is the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 Lens.

It's described by Olympus as:

The E-510 two-lens outfit adds the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 (80-300mm equivalent) Lens, which provides users with greater telephoto power for far-away shots in a compact size. This telephoto lens is smaller than many standard zoom lens at 2.6 inch diameter x 2.8 inch length and a weight of 8.8 ounces – a real benefit for anyone who wants to pack a powerful zoom lens without taking up much space. It also has great close focusing abilities, and is able to capture a subject up-close from a distance of 31.5 inches (.8m). Consumers won’t break the bank to get this great focal flexibility. For a mere $100.00, the two-lens kit includes the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150MM telephoto zoom lens – a $279.00 value!

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Mar 5: Olympus EVOLT E-510

The Olympus EVOLT E-510 is a 10 megapixel DSLR that comes with built in mechanical image stabilization and a 2.5 inch LCD.

The E-510 features Live View LCD, TruePic III, new ergonomic design, dust reduction technology and is one of the lighter and more portable DSLRs going around.

The Olympus EVOLT comes in a number of different configurations and price points:

• E-510EVOLT E-510 Body Estimated Street Price: $799 USD
• EVOLT E-510 with 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899 USD
• EVOLT E-510 Two Lens Kit (Body, 14-42mm and 40-150mm Lenses) Estimated Street Price: $999 USD

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Olympus EVOLT E-510 News Release

OLYMPUS EVOLT E-510 DIGITAL SLR OFFERS MECHANICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION FOR SHARP, BLUR-FREE IMAGES

2.5-Inch Live View LCD, 10-Megapixel Imaging Sensor and Proven Dust Reduction System for Clear, Spot-Free Photographs

CENTER VALLEY, Pa, March 5, 2007 – Olympus today unveiled its EVOLT E-510, a portable digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera with advanced technologies for photo hobbyists and those that are serious about their photography. While easy to use, this new digital SLR appeals to photographers who desire complete creative control. The E-510 also offers the following key features:

* Live View LCD enables users to compose shots from a variety of angles other consumer digital SLR cameras just can’t match;
* 10-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor for super high-resolution images that can be cropped or blown up to poster size without sacrificing image quality;
* Mechanical Image Stabilization with Supersonic Wave Drive? technology provides blur-free images – across all of the more than 30 digital-specific lenses;
* Dust Reduction System for spot-free photos, so users can spend more time taking pictures and less time removing unsightly specks from digital images with computer editing software; and
* Extremely portable, lightweight body with an ergonomic grip ensures the camera fits snugly in the hand, and the portable body is complemented by two new ultra-compact digital specific lenses that won’t weigh you down and is perfect for any adventure.

Innovative 2.5-Inch Full Time Live View HyperCrystal LCD
The E-510 features a Live View LCD to provide users with the freedom to choose how they compose their shots, using either the LCD or the optical viewfinder on the back of the camera. The Olympus Live View LCD empowers users to easily compose their subjects live on the LCD before the shot has been taken, offering a level of versatility that can not be achieved by other digital SLR cameras that only offer an optical viewfinder. By holding the E-510 away from the face and using the Live View LCD to compose, it’s possible to shoot upward from a low angle for dramatic composition, in close for detailed macro photos of a butterfly’s wings or photographing a parade over a crowd of people.

The E-510’s big and bright 2.5-inch LCD display with approximately 230,000 pixels includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, and enables images to be beautifully displayed in vivid color – both in preview and playback. The HyperCrystal LCD also provides a wide viewing angle, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The larger LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.

Detailed, Bright and Colorful Photos with 10-Megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor
The E-510 is loaded with an impressive 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives photographers the flexibility to blow up their prints to the large sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-510 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity, and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Mechanical Image Stabilization for Sharp Images
Unlike other digital SLR cameras in its class, the E-510 employs Mechanical Image Stabilization, which compensates for camera movement. This new technology complements Digital Image Stabilization, which compensates for a moving subject. Combined, Mechanical Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization provide a powerful solution, ensuring blur-free photos even in active shooting situations where photographers may encounter camera shake or a moving subject. This powerful combination resides within the camera’s body, translating to blur-free images taken with any of the more than 30 digital-specific lenses.

Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
Olympus’ Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor, and captures the debris on a special adhesive membrane every time you turn on the camera. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

TruePic III for Image Clarity
Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce noise in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Handle Light and Ergonomic Design
The EVOLT E-510 is extremely portable, measuring 5.35 inches (136mm) by 3.61 inches (91.7mm) and 2.2 inches (56mm), excluding protrusions, and weighing 16.2 ounces (460 grams) body only. The new camera has a classic penta-mirror design that is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day. Beyond its portable size, the E-510 delivers unparalleled ease of use – from menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate, to automatic settings for every imaginable situation.

While the E-510 includes a full range of manual control options to customize your creativity, it also has 28 shooting modes designed to provide the ideal settings for a variety of shooting situations automatically. These include Digital Image Stabilization, Night Scene, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, and Candle Light to name a few, as well as an xD Panorama mode (for use with Olympus xD-Picture Cards). Users also benefit from special color modes and the possibility to apply a variety of Black & White filters.

Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Availability
The Olympus EVOLT E-510 Digital SLR will be available in June 2007. It includes: EVOLT E-510 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Software CD-ROM, Manuals, Warranty card.

US Pricing / Product Configurations
EVOLT E-510 Body Estimated Street Price: $799
EVOLT E-510 with 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899
EVOLT E-510 Two Lens Kit (Body, 14-42mm and 40-150mm Lenses) Estimated Street Price: $999

Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E510

Olympus EVOLT E-510 Reviews

DigitalCameraInfo has a first impressions review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 and writes, "Olympus is steadily improving its Four-Thirds cameras. We like the styling and operation of the EVOLT E-510 much more than the E-330. We don't know about the EVOLT E-510's image quality, but there was a significant jump in quality from the E-300 to the E-330. Our full review will tell if that trend continues, but given the state of the art at this end of the DSLR price range, we expect the EVOLT E-510 to be a player based on its features and styling."

CameraLabs has a review of the Olympus E-510 and writes, "if you’re being picky, you can certainly find fault with the E-510, and of course when you come to pick it up in person, you might simply prefer the look and feel of its rivals. But its unrivalled feature-set and affordable pricing makes it one of the most compelling – not to mention important – DSLRs to date. It propels both Olympus and the Four Thirds standard to the premier league and should be seriously considered by anyone in the market for a new 10 Megapixel DSLR."

John Isaac has a review of the Olympus E510 at the NWP Photo Forum and writes, "I was so impressed that even at 1600 ISO, the noise was very very low and almost unnoticeable, without any noise enhancement. ... For this project, I used the Olympus E-1 in the snow, dust and rain and completed my work entirely with 4.9 megapixel images. I shot some 36,000 photographs and I never had any problems with the E-1 professional camera. I am now thrilled to be using the E-510 which is a 10 megapixel camera with almost all the great features of a pro body."

DigicamReview has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 DSLR and writes, "Image quality is very good to excellent, the images have excellent colour, with good saturation, contrast and detail, with low noise except for high iso images (can be altered to your tastes). Images were slightly soft straight from the camera on default settings but can be improved by setting the Noise Filter to Low. For maximum detail and colour control RAW images should be taken, although JPEG images straight from the camera were still very impressive. Purple fringing was very low, as was red-eye. The camera did a good job focusing even in low light thanks to the flash assist. I did not notice vignetting in photos, nor did I notice barrel or pincushion distortion. There is a very good range of image sizes, and a good choice of compression options (including RAW). Auto white balance and metering seemed to be good. The camera gives very good control over image quality - selecting different picture modes allows you to change the colour mode (Vivid, Natural etc), saturation, contrast and sharpness."

Digital Camera Review has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-510 and writes, "Color rendition is dependably accurate and chromatic aberration (purple fringing) is very well controlled in both lenses. ... If I were buying a mid-level dSLR today I would probably purchase the competitively priced, compact, capable, and responsive Olympus E-510. For casual photographers, Canon Powershot S3/S5 owners, and Panasonic FZ7/FZ8 owners looking to move up to a dSLR – the E-510 is the camera you’ve been searching for. For Olympus E-300, E-330, E-400, and E-500 owners looking to upgrade, the E-510 is the camera you hoped Olympus would build."

DCResource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 and writes, "I like the Olympus EVOLT E-510 -- much more so than the E-410. That's not just because I like the larger grip, either. I like the optical image stabilization (on every lens), improved battery life, and the extra features (mostly custom settings) that were not found on the E-410. I do think Olympus should've shipped the camera with different image quality defaults and offered an AC adapter, but you can't have everything. The E-510 is a great entry-level D-SLR, and one I can recommend highly -- just be sure to fool around with the settings a bit. Unless you must have the small size of the E-410, I'd spend the extra $100 and get the E-510 -- the image stabilization and more powerful battery are well worth the price."

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Olympus E-510 and writes, "Despite the lousy weather the E-510 turned in some fantastic shots, thanks in no small part to the outstanding kit lens, which produced pin-sharp detail from corner to corner at all focal lengths. As usual the Olympus metering system was flawless, coping with every lighting condition I tried. Noise control was also superb, with virtually no difference between shots taken at 100, 200 or 400 ISO, and minimal noise at 800. There was some noise visible at 1600 ISO, but even at the default low noise filtering it wasn’t too bad, and did not affect colour balance at all. ... The E-510 is a superb photographer’s camera, offering superb handling, outstanding performance, a huge degree of control and first rate picture quality, in a compact and robust package and at a price which comfortably beats most of the competition. It is without question one of the best semi-pro DSLRs currently available, and a genuine pleasure to use."

PopPhoto has a review of the Olympus E-510 and writes, "Overall, the E-510 and E-410 are compact and well designed, with the best image quality of any Olympus DSLR we've tested. The E-510 will appeal to more advanced photographers who want the IS, larger grip, and additional control buttons. The smaller, lighter E-410 is for those who want a compact DSLR at a lower price, as well as underwater shooters looking for an affordable waterproof system."

DigitalCameraInfo has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 and writes, "The E-510 is very similar to its competition in many ways, but it really distinguishes itself with the live-view LCD screen. This feature attracts consumers who are used to shooting with the live-view LCD on compact digital cameras and miss that feature on most DSLRs. Few DSLRs have it and Olympus was the first to introduce it on the E-330. The Olympus E-510’s live-view LCD is still flawed, though. The view blacks out so the mirror box can flip and allow the auto focus system to work: this all adds a second or two to the total time it takes to snap a picture. It really is faster to snap a picture on most live view compact digital cameras than on the E-510, so why even have a DSLR?"

PhotographyBLOG has a review of the Olympus E-510 and writes, "Stick to ISO 800 and below in the main and there are no problems to report, while noise levels at ISO 1600 are more than acceptable. Like its E-410 sibling however, you have to watch white balance on the E-510, particularly when shooting using filtered natural daylight rather than flash, which is want to give images a decidedly cool blue colour cast. So fire off a shot or two and set the white balance manually before taking a shot if you're planning on shooting a sequence."

Imaging Resource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-510 and writes, "It's the E-510's special features that push it over the top. Live View mode, while easily misunderstood, is actually quite useful so long as you know its limitations. Shoot with it all the time, and you'll find you miss a lot of important shots due to increased and unpredictable shutter lag; but use it properly, and you'll get a lot of shots you'd have otherwise missed. The same holds true for the E-510's sensor-shift image stabilization. Learn where and when it works, and take several backup shots, and you'll get pretty good results; certainly better than you would without it. Add the ability to manually focus on a 10x zoomed area via Live View, and the E-510 is clearly a great solution for the experienced photographer wanting a closer look at what he's about to capture."

Wrotniak has a review of the Olympus E-510 and writes, "All in all, the image quality delivered by this camera is hard to beat — certainly not in this price range, and possibly much higher. I say "possibly", because to make a stronger statement I would have, again, to use all cameras compared, and my experience is limited, with a few exceptions, to entry-level models from other makers. ... I already like this camera. The ergonomics is excellent, build quality very good, results — outstanding, period. The aspect I'm most impressed with on this front is the detail rendition with noise filter off, and the noise itself is well-controlled and very nicely structured. The colors seem close to the classic "Olympus look" I like so much, but I need more time to make a definitive statement on this."

DigitalTrends has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-510 and writes, "how was the quality of the photographs? Simply stated they were very good. Colors were very accurate particularly the subtle shades of my orange tabby’s fur and his copper eyes. Detail was also very good with nice detail even in shadows. Noise didn’t become an issue until hitting ISO 800. The sensor-shift stabilization did a good job holding steady focus even in dim settings. There have been some reports on various sites about the relative softness of the images in the default settings but I didn’t find this annoying at all. That said there are enough tweaks on the camera to dial it in to your liking. ... I have no problems recommending the Olympus Evolt E-510 two lens kit for D-SLR newbies or those who don’t have an extensive collection of older lenses. However if you have a collection of glass, go with similar 10MP Canons or Nikons. And, as noted, any fans of Olympus’ Live View let me know what I’m missing."

PCWorld has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-510 and writes, "though its multitude of features might make it a bit daunting to some, the E-510 is a solid, flexible camera that takes very good pictures under most conditions. ... Features wouldn't be worth much if the E-510's pictures weren't of high quality, and Olympus didn't disappoint in this respect either. Color fidelity and saturation were very good, and the E-510 handled most shooting conditions easily. At lower ISO ranges, the E-510's images show very little noise; as you reach and exceed ISO 800, color noise begins to appear, though it's no worse than on other cameras of a similar price."

CNET reviews the Olympus Evolt E-510 and gives it a rating of 7.1 out of 10. They write - 'To its credit, the E-510 does a good job of keeping noise under control across its sensitivity range. While noise becomes noticeable at ISO 800 and is clearly apparent at the top setting of ISO 1,600, you should still be able to get acceptable prints throughout the camera's sensitivity range. I just wish that the camera went beyond ISO 1,600. Even an entry-level SLR should reach at least ISO 3,200 at this point. While the exposure quirks mentioned above might sound bad, you really can create very good photos with the Evolt E-510, though it can be a bit frustrating when compared to competitors, such as Canon's EOS Rebel XTi or Nikon's D40x. However, if you like the idea of this Evolt's Live View mode or built-in Image Stabilization (something neither of the aforementioned competitors have), then you should give the E-510 a look.'

Megapixel has posted a review of the Olympus E-510 where they write - 'The Olympus E-510 is an excellent amateur dSLR. It fits nicely just above the E-410 and its slightly higher price is easily justified by its additional features. The kit lens — the one used in this review — is of good quality, but the auto focus of the E-510 would likely perform even better with a slightly brighter lens such as some of the high quality lenses manufactured by Olympus. Currently, competition in entry-level digital SLR cameras is intense. And while it may not have the most attractive price, the E-510 offers a number of features that should make it very attractive.'

Lets Go Digital reviews the Olympus E510 and writes - 'All in all, the Olympus E-510 is a very good D-SLR camera. It has a nice and solid build, good image quality and it is easy to use. In addition, the camera is fairly compact, it features Live View, and is part of the FourThirds System so that you can mount a large number of lenses. One of these is the ultra wide-angle zoom lens that was included in our test. This Zuiko Digital 7-14mm performs better than we ever could have expected from such a wide-angle zoom lens. You do have to shell out quite a bit for it, but in return you get a gem of a lens.'

DPReview reviews the Olympus E-510 EVOLT and writes, "overall, especially considering the excellent pricing, extensive feature set, effective image stabilization and superb design/construction/handling, the E-510 is an impressive and hugely rewarding camera in use. The results from the kit lens are some of the best we've ever seen, the SSWF dust reduction system is the most effective on the market and the whole package shows that Olympus understands the needs of the photographer as well as - if not better than - any of its major competitors. If it had a better sensor (less noise and better dynamic range) the E-510 would be a strong candidate for category winner; as it is you'll need to decide if the slight compromises the sensor demands are going to affect the type of pictures you take."

Pocket-Lint reviews the Olympus E-510 DSLR and writes - "With a stunning feature set and great handling in a (slightly) beefier body than its E-410 predecessor, plus great image quality, the only thing left to want is a great price. Oh! Hang on; it has a great price too – in a variety of tasty-looking kits or body only. Okay, if you own a Canon or Nikon system you’re already locked into that are unlikely to swap due to the cost of switching all those lenses if nothing else, but if you’re trading up from compacts, across from film or simply need a compact yet superbly specified DSLR with anti shake, than the E-510 must be placed near the top of your list."

DPexpert reviews the Olympus E-510 and writes - "This is a camera we would recommend to anyone who wants the image quality of a good SLR without having to think too much. It’s light weight will also appeal. And now that Panasonic/Leica is in the Four Thirds camp there should be some cheaper third party lenses coming onto the market. Olympus have fitted a CF card slot as well as their own xD slot, which makes sense because CF cards are cheaper and available everywhere."

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Mar 5: Olympus EVOLT E-410

The Olympus EVOLT E-410 is a new entry level DSLR announced by Olympus today. It features a 10 megapixel sensor (Four Thirds N-MOS), a 2.5 inch LCD (with 230,000 pixels), live view mode, 49 segment iESP metering, center weighted average metering, three types of spot metering, ISO of 100-1600, shutter speed of 60-1/4000 and a large variety of scene modes.

There are a variety of pricing configurations for the Olympus EVOLT E-410 including:

EVOLT E-410 body Estimated Street Price: $699 USD
EVOLT E-410 with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $799 USD
EVOLT E-410 with both ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 and ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899 USD

Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E410

Olympus Evolt E-410 News Release

OLYMPUS EVOLT E-410 DIGITAL SLR TAKES THE GUESSWORK OUT OF GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Portable Powerhouse Meets Any Challenge with 2.5-Inch Live View LCD, 10-Megapixel Imaging Sensor and Proven Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images

CENTER VALLEY, Pa, March 5, 2007 – Olympus today announces the EVOLT E-410 digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera – easy enough for the first-time user, advanced enough for the serious photographer. High performance and functionality are packed into a surprisingly portable and simple-to-use body. The E-410 is the best value in its class (available in three configurations beginning at $699.99 for the body) and is loaded with innovations, including:

* Live View LCD enables users to compose shots from a variety of angles other consumer digital SLR cameras just can’t match;
* 10-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor generates super high-resolution images that can be cropped or blown up to poster size without sacrificing image quality;
* TruePic III for superior image quality in all lighting situations;
* Dust Reduction System ensures spot-free photos, so users can spend more time taking pictures and less time removing unsightly specks from digital images with computer software; and
* Extremely portable and lightweight body complemented by two new ultra-compact digital specific lenses that won’t weigh you down and encourage users to take it along on vacations or any family outing.

Innovative 2.5-Inch Full Time Live View HyperCrystal LCD
The E-410 offers ease-of-shooting and greater flexibility with the Live View LCD. Composing photographs is easier as subjects can be seen on the Live View LCD, which offers a wide 176-degree viewing angle. This enables images to be effortlessly taken from angles that would typically be difficult with a traditional optical viewfinder – which is still the only option on many competing digital SLR cameras. Interacting with subjects, such as toddlers and pets, is also possible thanks to the Live View LCD, which enables pictures to be taken while holding the camera away from your face.

The E-410’s big and bright 2.5-inch LCD display with approximately 230,000 pixels includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, and enables images to be beautifully displayed in vivid color – both in preview and playback. The HyperCrystal LCD also provides a wide viewing angle, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The larger LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.

“The E-410’s Live View LCD is appealing to many consumers moving up from digital point-and-shoot cameras as many of these consumers have never used an optical viewfinder,” said Richard Pelkowski, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The Live View LCD is also perfect for capturing up-close macro shots of flowers and jewelry. Coupled with the underwater housing, the Live View LCD also makes underwater photography easy, where looking through a traditional optical viewfinder is extremely inconvenient.”

Detailed, Bright and Colorful Photos with 10-Megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor
The E-410 is loaded with an impressive 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives users the flexibility to blow-up their prints to the large sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-410 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity, and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

TruePic III for Image Clarity
Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce noise in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Two More Lenses Added to World’s Largest Selection of Digital Specific Lenses
The versatility of the Olympus E-System comes from delivering the largest selection of “Designed-for-Digital” lenses – more than any other manufacturer to date. Olympus’ Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses come in a wide range of focal lengths to achieve the best image result in any given situation, and impress with their spectacular clarity and edge-to-edge sharpness.

The E-410 one-lens outfit includes a compact, Zuiko Digital ED 14 – 42 mm f3.5 – f5.6 Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 84mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3x ED Glass zoom lens covers the range most frequently used in everyday photography and weighs just 7.5 ounces, offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 9.84 inches (0.25 m) are also possible throughout the zoom range.

The E-410 two-lens outfit adds the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 (80-300mm equivalent) Lens, which provides users with greater telephoto power for far-away shots in a compact size. This telephoto lens is smaller than many standard zoom lens at 2.6 inch diameter x 2.8 inch length and a weight of 8.8 ounces – a real benefit for anyone who wants to pack a powerful zoom lens without taking up much space. It also has great close focusing abilities, and is able to capture a subject up-close from a distance of 31.5 inches (.8m). Consumers won’t break the bank to get this great focal flexibility. For a mere $100.00, the two-lens kit includes the Zuiko Digital ED 40-150MM telephoto zoom lens – a $279.00 value!

Both lenses are exceptionally compact, allowing unimpeded mobility. They are sized for comfortable handling and designed for maximum image quality at an excellent price. Most important, these new lenses have the world-renowned ED lenses that deliver stunning high-quality images.

All E-Series cameras support the Four-Thirds Standard whereby Olympus and various other manufacturers produce high-quality Four-Thirds-compliant lenses and accessories that are specifically designed for digital SLR image capture. Because the E-410 is part of the Olympus E-System, it is compatible with a large and growing range of Olympus E-System accessories to further enhance personal shooting styles and applications. This includes the full line-up of Zuiko Digital Specific lenses and flashes.

Underwater Photography
An Underwater Case (PT-E-03), five lens ports and a flash housing enable adventurous photographers to capture the delights of the aquatic world down to depths of approximately 131 feet (40 meters). The EVOLT E-410’s Live View mode makes digital SLR photography a breeze for both the first-time or experienced underwater photographer.

Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Handle Light and Ergonomic Design
The EVOLT E-410 is extremely portable, measuring 5.1 inches (129.5mm) by 3.58 inches (91mm) and 2.1 inches (53mm), excluding protrusions, and weighing 13.4 ounces (380 grams) body only. The new camera has a classic penta-mirror design that is light and compact enough to comfortably shoot with all day. Beyond its portable size, the E-410 delivers unparalleled ease of use – from menus that make sense and buttons on the body that are easy to understand and operate, to automatic settings for every imaginable situation.

While the E-410 includes a full range of manual control options to customize your creativity, it also has 30 shooting modes designed to provide the ideal settings for a variety of shooting situations automatically. These include Digital Image Stabilization, Night Scene, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, Underwater, and Candle Light to name a few, as well as an xD Panorama mode (for use with Olympus xD-Picture Cards). Users also benefit from special color modes and the possibility to apply a variety of Black & White filters.

A new high-power rechargeable battery is included with the E-410 so that users can keep shooting for extended periods. Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the camera provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Availability
The Olympus EVOLT E-410 Digital SLR will be available in May 2007. It includes: EVOLT E-410 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Software CD-ROM, Manuals, Warranty card.

US Pricing / Product Configurations
EVOLT E-410 body Estimated Street Price: $699
EVOLT E-410 with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $799
EVOLT E-410 with both ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 and ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $899

Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E410

Olympus EVOLT E-410 Reviews

DPNow has Part 1 of a review of the Olympus E410, and writes, "One feature that works better than most is Olympus' dual mode control display. Like most other more affordable DSLRs, there is no secondary LCD status display, just a large 2.5 inch colour display that serves to display pictures taken (not forgetting live view, of course) as well as view mode and settings status. Most cameras simply present a system of menus, but since the E-500 was introduced, by pressing the OK button, you can use the navigation buttons to highlight settings displays that, once highlighted, become adjustable, without delving into a menu, by turning the click-stopped settings adjustment dial. The system is brilliantly effective and you can choose between two display sizes, one with larger legends, though less options displayed. Conventional menus are also available via the 'Menu' button, or by clicking a highlighted option again using the OK button."

Let's Go Digital has a review of the Olympus E410 and writes, "The images made by the Olympus E-410 in combination with both kit lenses are of excellent quality. Colour rendition is fine and resolution outstanding. The quality is fine for a kit lens such as the 14-42 Zuiko Digital. However, if you invest in a higher quality lens, you will be able to capture more detail. The images are on the soft side as far as sharpness is concerned but a small sharpening through an image editing program like Photoshop will do the trick and the results will be accordingly. Besides standard settings the Olympus E410 offers a number of digital effects that lets you manually adjust contrast, colour saturation, black&white, sharpness etc. And if you are a portrait photography enthusiast, you will certainly appreciate the High and Low Key function. The speed at which the camera focuses is fine, but I would like to see more than just 3 AF fields. You will be fine with these three, but it would look better on this camera if it had had some extra AF focus points on board."

CNET has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-410 and writes, "In general, the E-410 is capable of producing very good photos; in that respect, it differs little from competitors like the Nikon D40x and Canon EOS Rebel XTi. It takes a little more effort to get there, however--a bit of an absurdity given Olympus' marketing it as a nonthreatening step up for the point-and-shoot photographer. If the Live View mode or compact design appeals to you, go to your local retailer and give the Evolt E-410 a try to make sure that their appeal lives up to your expectations. ... Olympus' compact dSLR for newbies, the Evolt E-410, is a decent choice if you're looking to save space in your bag, but issues with its automatic exposure and white balance make it an unsatisfactory option as a first dSLR."

Gizmodo has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "Outdoors, with plenty of light, proved to be the best environment for shooting in the E-410's automatic modes. Colors came out rich, with decent contrast most of the time. Though I typically prefer the viewfinder for shooting, the high-contrast display did well in the blazing sunlight for both Live View and post-shot review. Shooting with a flash indoors was a mixed bag. If there was enough ambient light, the flash filled in only what was necessary, and shots came out bright without that artificial sheen. In instances with lower natural light, however, the camera took a while to make the focus, exposure and light adjustments before committing to the shot."

CameraLabs has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The biggest problem facing the E-410 though is undoubtedly the lack of viable anti-shake options. ... Ultimately if stabilised optics aren’t a priority, the E-410 is a great choice. The body is extremely portable without compromising handling or comfort, the control system quick and easy to use, the SSWF filter remains the best around, and the Live View facility is both fun and useful. As such we can Highly Recommend the E-410 to anyone who wants a small and light DSLR, although we’d advise close comparison with the forthcoming E-510."

Megapixel has a review of the Olympus E410 and writes, "With its excellent image quality, be it at the lowest JPEG compression or with the RAW format, its complete set of shooting modes, its advanced Live View mode, or even its effective dust reduction system, the Olympus Evolt E-410 has one of the best price to value ratios of cameras currently on the market. Moreover, the advantage and value that the 2-lens kit offers should place this camera high on the list of any person wanting to move to a digital SLR camera."

DPReview has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "Default image quality is good, if not as crisp as the competition. However, if you play with the settings for a while, or more specifically turn Noise Filter off and set Sharpness to -2 (to compensate for the default high sharpening used to overcome the softening effect of the Noise Filter) you'll see that the camera is capturing just as much detail (if not more) than other ten megapixel digital SLRs, and that the lens is more than up to the job too. So what's the final word? At the end of the day I found myself quite liking the E-410, it's a grower that offers great value for money in a small compact package, has some real stand-out features and hasn't been crippled to 'fit into the range' like similar models from other manufacturers. Just make sure you turn off the Noise Filter!"

Photography Press has a review of the Olympus E410 and writes, "Metering and focusing are excellent. The former is a 49-segment system with Digital ESP centre-weighted average, spot and highlight or shadow based spot metering. It’s flexible and reliable and flash metering I found to be rather good too. ... A camera packed to the gunnels with so much excellent kit and user control might cost twice as much; the E400 I criticised for being to dear, now pricing is much better and as a result I can heartily recommend the E410 to anyone because the other bonus of this model is it is available world wide."

DCResource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT-E410 and writes, "In some ways, the Olympus EVOLT E-410 reminds me of the Pentax K10D. Both cameras are capable of taking great photos, but you'll need to adjust some settings first. It would've been nice had Olympus not applied so much noise reduction at the default settings, but at least there's a way around that. Once you've done that -- and maybe adjusted the color saturation -- you'll find the E-410 to a be a good entry-level digital SLR with a handy (but imperfect) live view feature, dust reduction, and snappy performance. I personally would spend the extra $100 for the EVOLT E-510, which is larger and easier to hold, and it has built-in image stabilization as well. Whichever one you choose, both of these new EVOLTs are worth a look."

ePhotozine has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The E-410 is good for shooting in small bursts and has that RAW option for better quality. The image quality in general is fine, with admirable control of colour fringing and plenty of detail at higher ISOs. There's a point to note about the focal length shift on the E-410 and that is because the CCD is small, the focal length for each lens is shifted by a factor of two. So, the 14-42mm kit lens is actually 28-84mm. It's slightly harder to get to grips with than either the Nikon or Canon cameras, so for outright beginners, one of those two would be better. Otherwise, if you can live with the handle-less grip, the E-410 beats the Canon EOS 400D and the Nikon D40x in the 10Mp, entry level DSLR stakes fairly easily."

PhotographyBLOG has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "most of the audience for this camera will likely be upgrading from a point and shoot compact and therefore in the main wanting to shoot portraits of family and friends with a bit more ‘pep'. It's in this area that the Olympus E-410 excels, delivering sharp, flattering portraits with vividly healthy skin tones. Distortion aside, the lens is capable of delivering commendably sharp images to boot."

ThinkCamera has a review of the Olympus E-410 DSLR and writes, "The camera delivers excellent out-of-camera JPEGs, although the dynamic range isn't that, er, dynamic. You seem to tread a thinner line between blocking up shadows and blowing out highlights than usual on this camera. ... Most of the limitations here are small, and so is the camera. That's the big point here; this is a camera that's small and light enough not to take up the bulk of the crazy hand luggage restrictions UK air travellers have to suffer. We reckon that, among rock-hoppers, mountaineers and world travellers, the Olympus E-410 is the camera of choice."

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "The 10-megapixel Four Thirds sensor, while physically smaller than the APS-C sensors found in most other DSLRs, still produces an equivalent level of fine detail, and high ISO noise control is as good as anything else on the market. As with the E-510, there is perhaps marginally less dynamic range than an equivalent APS-C camera, but if so it is barely noticeable. All in all, the E-410 produced extremely good image quality under all circumstances, despite the lousy weather available during my test period. ... Although currently slightly more expensive than some of its competitors, the E-410 has several advantages, not least its compact dimensions, low weight and useful live view feature. It also offers fast performance, extremely high image quality and a very wide range of creative control. If you want a highly portable DSLR and aren’t too bothered about image stabilisation then the E-410 would make a rewarding enthusiast’s camera."

Imaging Resource has a review of the Olympus EVOLT E-410 and writes, "The Olympus E-410 is a handsome and handy little SLR, one I could have easily fallen in love with. Though its Live View mode is not what it many will think, introducing extreme shutter lag, it is quite useful on occasion, allowing you to get shots you couldn't otherwise. Its small size and light weight let me take it along more often, and it was nimble and easy to adjust to my needs. Autofocus in low light was weak, however, resulting in many a missed shot; and its tendency to blow highlights and underexpose the mids left some shots similarly out of reach. As has been the case with every Olympus SLR I've reviewed, though, I managed to get some very good shots with the E-410. Some of them, unfortunately, were a lot of work, either before or after capture. Manually tweaking the contrast to a lower setting helped reduce the blown highlights, so there is a way to deal with it if you know how. So it's a mixed bag. Easy to use, great design, perfect size, nice features, good lens; but sometimes getting a good shot is harder than it should be."

Vnunet has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, "lenses used by the Olympus system – known as Four Thirds – offer twice the focal length of their 35mm equivalents, meaning the bundled 14-42mm zoom lens is equal to a 28-84mm lens on another manufacturer's SLR. So you get a bigger range from a physically smaller lens, even if it is just the standard 3x zoom (dividing the 42mm longest focal length by the 14mm shortest). There’s some barrel distortion – the edges of the picture curve very slightly – at maximum wide angle, but for the most part images are crisp and colour is naturalistic. To sum up, the E-410 has so many boxes ticked it’s hard to see where Olympus has made any oversights, and it represents a great camera for the first-time digital SLR user."

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Mar 5: Olympus Stylus 780

The Olympus Stylus 780 is an ultra compact 7.1 megapixel (CCD) digital camera with a 5x optical zoom lens.

It features a 2.5 inch LCD screen (230,000 pixels), all weather body (not waterproof but it'll keep the rain off it), face detection auto focus and auto exposure, shadow adjustment technology, 23 shooting modes (including pre set scene modes),15 megabytels of internal memory, xD-Picture card and dual image stabilization.

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OLYMPUS STYLUS 780 DIGITAL COMPACT CAMERA TAKES SUPERIOR PICTURES WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

Dual Image Stabilization, Shadow Adjustment Technology and Perfect Shot Preview Enable Users to Capture Beautiful Images Like a Pro

CENTER VALLEY, Pa, March 5, 2007 – Olympus today announced the Stylus 780, a 7.1-megapixel digital compact camera with technologies from Olympus’ next-generation digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera for taking crisp, clear photographs in a variety of active situations. The ultra compact 5x optical zoom point-and-shoot camera includes:

* Dual Image Stabilization: By combining mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization with Digital Image Stabilization, the two technologies compensate for both camera shake and a moving subject – ensuring blur-free images in virtually any shooting situation;
* New Shadow Adjustment Technology enables users to preview and capture details that are hidden within shadows – perfect for outside shots in bright sun when dark shadows are prevalent or shooting in backlit situations;
* Perfect Shot Preview allows users to see the effects of various settings while previewing the shot – a great way for novice users to grow their skill sets;
* TruePicTM III: The Stylus 780 includes the new TruePic III image processor for superior image quality with truer-to-life color; and
* A large 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD and Bright Capture Technology dramatically improve composition, capture and review of images in low-light situations.

“The Stylus 780 keeps with the Stylus heritage, appealing to stylish and sophisticated digital compact users who are looking for the convenience of All-Weather durability combined with superior image quality,” said Tomoko Matsunaga, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Stylus 780 consumers will benefit from technologies, such as TruePic III and Shadow Adjustment Technology, which were developed for our next-generation digital SLR camera.”

Dual Image Stabilization
Dual Image Stabilization technology combines two technologies – mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization – to provide one powerful anti-blur solution for capturing great images whether the photographer or the image is moving. Olympus' mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization keeps images sharp by adjusting the CCD image sensor to compensate for camera movement, which often occurs in low-light conditions when shutter speeds are slower. Digital Image Stabilization freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds that prevent blurry images often caused by a moving subject. By combining the two technologies, Stylus 780 users are able to take crystal clear images in virtually any shooting situation.

Shadow Adjustment Technology with Face Detection Auto Focus and Auto Exposure
Shooting outdoors in bright daylight can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark shadowed areas and bright sunlight areas – while the human eye is capable of detecting the nuances between dark and light and all the details in between, image sensors traditionally have not been quite as sensitive. The Stylus 780 addresses this challenge head-on with a new Shadow Adjustment Technology, which compensates for extreme contrast where the shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. With the new technology, users can preview and capture images that have the same contrast as seen with the naked eye. Combined with Face Detection Auto Focus and Auto Exposure, the Stylus 780 captures smiles in shadows without getting a dark image in difficult lighting such as in backlight situations. The technology can also be turned-off for any shooting situation where shadows are a key element of a photograph’s drama.

Perfect Shot Preview
The Stylus 780 features a Perfect Shot Preview mode that enables users to view and select various photography effects on the multi-view screen before even snapping the shot. The new feature allows users to see precisely what the image will look like when adjustments are made, ensuring users are capturing the exact image they want. It’s an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

TruePic III for High-Speed Response
The Stylus 780 features a new, more powerful TruePic III image processor developed for the demanding performance of professional digital SLR (single lens reflex) cameras. The new processor captures beautiful images with superior quality and eliminates graininess. Even pastel colors are reproduced in true-to-life colors across the entire photograph.

Bright Capture Technology for Easy Low-Light Photography
There are times when a photographic opportunity is best captured with ambient light (e.g., when trying to capture the softness and warmth of a candlelit dinner or natural skin tones in subdued lighting). Olympus' Bright Capture Technology makes it possible to clearly compose and capture subjects on the LCD in low light. Specific scene modes for high sensitivity settings (up to ISO 2500) and rapid auto-focus enable even fast-action photos to be captured with low levels of available light. Plus, Bright Capture Movie lets you record the moments in the dark even after the candles are blown out!

Large 2.5-Inch HyperCrystal LCD
The Stylus 780 boasts a large, high-resolution HyperCrystal LCD with high contrast and anti-glare technology for clear visibility – even when composing subjects with the sun at your back. Images are viewable on the 2.5-inch LCD from 140-degrees, so photos can be composed from a range of angles and viewed by several people at once.

5x Optical Zoom in Ultra-slim Body Design
The Stylus 780 features new lens technology that enables the 5x optical zoom lens (36mm – 180mm, f3.3 – f 5.0 equivalent in 35mm photography) to bring the action five times closer, and then tucks away into a compact body less than 1-inch thick. Stylus 780 users can get 60 percent closer to their subjects than comparable digital compact cameras with 3x zoom on the market.

All-Weather Durability
Typically, moisture and photography are a bad combination, limiting outdoor photography options when rain, snow or sleet is involved. Stylus digital cameras are renowned for their ability to withstand the elements. The Stylus 780 features a metal body that is durable and lightweight with rubber gaskets throughout the interior to help ensure that rain, dust and snow won't get in the way of great photos.

7.1-Megapixel Image Sensor for Superior Image Quality
The 7.1-megapixel CCD image sensor inside the Stylus 780 delivers high-quality images that are consistently sharp and vivid even when printed in large-formats – up to poster sizes as large as 16 x 20 inches.

Pre-Set Shooting Modes Make It Easy to Capture Great Images
The Stylus 780 has 23 shooting modes including several pre-set scene modes such as Beach & Snow, Available Light Portrait and Sunset. The cameras also feature an AVI Movie Mode, which enables users to record VGA-quality videos with sound, limited only by the size of the xD-Picture Card.

Built-In Help Guides
With the Help Guides function, each camera feature is easily accessible even to novice users. By simply holding down the Guide button users can access brief descriptions of each of the camera’s functions and scene modes. An improved auto-set Shooting Guide provides users with an explanation of which features to use in a given situation, and then sets the camera automatically for the selected feature in the Guide.

Stylish, Ergonomic Body Design with Large Illuminated Buttons
The body design shared by the Stylus 780 is defined by high-performance, durability and style. In addition to the All-Weather, metal body construction that made the Stylus famous, the Stylus 780 features large illuminated buttons that make the camera easy to operate, even in dark settings. The Stylus 780 is available in silver and black.

In-camera Editing
In-camera editing features such as red-eye fix, resizing, frames, text options, color brightness and saturation adjustments enable users to edit photos right in the camera.

OLYMPUS Master Software
OLYMPUS Master software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to your computer quick and simple, and images are easily organized by folders or albums. And with one-click editing tools, such as red-eye removal, images can be touched up before printing or e-mailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away. Use the optional muvee Theater Pack to create professional quality slide shows and DVDs from your pictures using any of several built-in templates.

Availability
The Stylus 780 will be available in May 2007. The camera ships with: a wrist strap, WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, LI-42B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, instruction manual, warranty card, and a CD-ROM with OLYMPUS Master Software.

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Olympus Stylus 780 Reviews

Megapixel has a review of the Olympus Stylus 780 and writes, "The Olympus Stylus 780 is, to put it simply, a good camera. It delivers an excellent image quality and its 5X optical zoom allows more flexibility when framing shots than most of its competitors. The value of the zoom is moreover enhanced by the CCD stabilization system, albeit that the (audible) noise that the system produces is at first a bit surprising. This, combined with the capability of capturing good images at 400 ISO outdoors, and doing so with an ultra compact camera that is weather and dust proof, makes the Stylus 780 very attractive."

LaptopMag has a review of the Olympus Stylus 780 and writes, "TruePic III also brings Shadow Adjustment Technology (SAT) to the 780, a feature that locks in highlights and opens up shadows to bring out hidden details. We took a self-portrait in a coffee shop with spotty lighting. With SAT off, the flash washed out our face, and the background was dark and nondescript. When SAT was on, the photo was balanced, the subject natural-looking, and the background visible though not overwhelming. ... With its Guide mode, accurate scene selection, and easy-to-use menu, the Stylus 780 is a solid choice for beginners, but its manual settings, Bright Capture LCD, and MIS--not to mention superb photo quality--make it a good option for more advanced users as well."

ePhotozine has a review of the Olympus mju 780 and writes, "While some might lament omitting an aperture or shutter mode, this camera really is aimed at the person who hasn't got to that stage yet. The Guide mode is a nice idea, and if you are starting out in photography, quite educational. The other noteworthy point is of course that its weather proof so there's no need to worry about a few splashes of water short-circuiting the electronics. I would let little Johnny jump in the paddling pool with it mind you. At the end of the day, the camera is judged on the image quality and here the mju performs well enough providing the ISO is kept to 200 or under. Over that the results are poor."

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Mar 5: Pentax K10D Review at CNET

CNET has a review of the Pentax K10D and writes, "I was also quite impressed with the K10D's photo quality as well, from its broad dynamic range to first-rate color reproduction. Photos had an excellent noise profile up through ISO 800, and at its maximum of ISO 1600 still fared well for its price class. ... If you're looking for a first dSLR or a no-brainer kit, the Pentax K10D may be too much for you, as in too much power and too expensive. But if you want to buy into an inexpensive system with a really good amateur dSLR at its hub, the K10D hits the mark."

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Mar 5: Kodak Easyshare V803 Review at PhotographyBLOG

PhotographyBLOG has a review of the Kodak Easyshare V803 and writes, "Overall image quality is fine, although there is some blurring of image detail at ISO 200, and progressively more blurring and noise at higher ISO speeds. This means that the V803 is best suited to situations with adequate lighting, especially if you want to make larger prints. The new extended ISO range looks good on paper as a marketing bullet point, but not so great in reality - ISO 800 and 1600 are bordering on unusable. The Kodak Easyshare V803's main problem is in terms of performance. It takes too long to start-up, there's a very slight pause when focusing, and the continuous shooting mode is very slow, although focusing in both good and low light situations is always accurate. The Kodak Easyshare V803 is just a simple point and shoot camera in terms of creativity, with no control over aperture or shutter speeds, but Kodak have gone to great lengths to make the V803 easy to use, with a wealth of shooting modes, playback and sharing options available. "

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Mar 5: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX12 Review at PhotographyBLOG

PhotographyBLOG has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX12 and writes, "Image quality is improved since the last generation of Lumix models. Panasonic have improved noise performance, so that ISO 400 on the FX12 is about equal to ISO 200 on the old models, which increases the cameras low-light capabilities. ISO 100-400 still isn't particularly versatile, but the usual excellent optical image stabilisation system makes the FX12 a more adaptable camera than its predecessors, as you can take a photo at a slower ISO speed and therefore a slower shutter speed, and still get sharp results, without adversely affecting the battery life too much. The High Sensitivity mode provides a fastest ISO speed of 3200, but the image resolution is automatically reduced, resulting in smaller print sizes. The extension of the ISO range up to 1600 at full image resolution is even worse, in that you won't want to use the noisy ISO 800 and 1600 settings unless there is no other alternative. The inability to alter sharpness in the camera is also frustrating, as the images are soft by default. So overall, the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX12 is an easy-on-the-eye, intuitive, point-and-shoot digital camera with improved image quality and an attractive price-tag"

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Mar 5: Olympus Stylus 770 SW Review at Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review has a review of the Olympus Stylus 770 SW and writes, "Image quality is good outdoors and average indoors. Images showed a lot of detail, but the camera could do a better job of metering and the automatic white balance is not great. The images were sharp and showed good detail. The camera is able to shoot at up to ISO 1600 which enables the digital image stabilization and a theoretically longer flash range. However, you should get a feel for the noise the creeps into the shots at higher ISO so that you can keep it as low as possible and still get the shot that you want. I also think that the lack of a 30 fps movie mode is also another thing that is holding the Stylus 770 SW back, especially when compared to other waterproof cameras. Personally, it’s not a big issue for me since I don’t take a lot of movie clips, but a lot of people place a lot more significance on it."

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Mar 5: Nikon D40 Review at Digital Camera Info

Digital Camera Info has a review of the Nikon D40 and writes, "The Nikon D40 is a disappointment. As Nikon has introduced entry-level DSLRs, the company has tended to make them a little more expensive and a little more capable than much of the competition. In this case, it hasn't. The D40's auto focus system is old-fashioned. It's a backward step, which is something that DSLR manufacturers do at their peril these days. The D40's color is clearly tuned to the snapshot market, which likes eye-popping color, but our results indicate that Nikon went over the top in saturating the reds. The D40 offers plenty of in-camera image editing, but that's not a distinction that provides a significant advantage over other entry-level DSLRs. The Nikon D40 is affordable with a retail price of $599 and a kit lens included, but there are other entry-level DSLRs with similar prices that offer more."

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Mar 5: Samsung GX10 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Samsung GX10 and writes, "When viewed on a PC, photos reveal a certain amount of purple fringing – a slim line of differently coloured pixels between areas of high contrast – but only under close inspection. We also found a problem when shooting bright skies with dark foregrounds – if left on automatic the camera will overexpose the shot, leaving it quite washed out, but it's possible to prevent this with experience. In all other respects the GX-10 is a solid buy for those wanting to get the right shots using the camera and avoid photo editing later."

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Mar 5: Samsung NV7 OPS Review at DCResource

DCResource has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "Like the NV10, the NV7's image quality is its weak point. The good news it that photos are well-exposed, with pleasing colors and well-controlled purple fringing. The bad news is that images start out with both visible noise and noise reduction artifacting, and go downhill rapidly from there. The NV7's closest competitor, the Canon PowerShot A710 IS, produces much better photos in all situations. Redeye was also a big problem, as it was on the other NV-series cameras. The Samsung NV7 OPS is a camera with a lot of nice features that ultimately is as let down for reasons I listed earlier. If you are intrigued by its design and features and will be sticking to small prints then it may be worth a look (just buy a spare battery). But you'll probably be better off choosing something else entirely. Something that will take better photos, have a more traditional user interface, and last longer on a set of batteries."

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Mar 5: Kodak Easyshare V705 Review at Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams has a review of the Kodak Easyshare V705 and writes, "With a street price of $250 or less, the Kodak Easyshare V705 is a very stylish digital package for anyone wanting point-n-shoot simplicity and it's easy to carry. With its 23mm ulta-wide-angle lens, along with a 5X zoom, 22 scene modes, and Kodak's PERFECT TOUCH and Anti-blur Technologies the V705 provides an appealing package. Since this camera is part of the Kodak Easyshare System you can easily edit your pics with the included software, share them over the Internet, or dock with an Easyshare printer and print your photos with ease."

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Mar 5: Fuji Finepix S6500fd Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Fuji Finepix S6500fd and writes, "as is typical of Fuji cameras the Finepix S6500fd outperforms other brands when a higher ISO setting is being used. Lower levels of noise are visible at ISO 400 than with other makes. Even so if you push the ISO rating up much higher than this noise becomes an increasing problem and reduces overall picture quality. ... The Fuji Finepix S6500fd is one of the few super zoom cameras I have reviewed that appears to be able to avoid the dreaded purple fringing. If you have a slightly higher budget you will get more features including image stabilisation, but this is certainly a camera worth considering."

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Mar 2: Canon PowerShot A710 IS Review at Megapixel

Megapixel has a review of the Canon PowerShot A710 IS and writes, "one drawback of the A710 IS is its dependence on only 2 AA-size batteries. Even equipped with new and fully charged Ni-MH batteries, the autonomy of the camera is shorter than cameras using rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs. And taking the camera on an outing, when it might be used extensively, should include a couple of fully charged spare batteries. Just like the camera it evolved from, the PowerShot A710 IS provides good value for money. Priced the same as the A700 was a year ago, the A710 offers an image stabilizer and a lower sensitivity to noise in addition to a modest increase in resolution. This, combined with a high quality image, make the A710 IS an excellent and worthwhile upgrade."

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Mar 2: Nikon Coolpix L6 Review at Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams has a review of the Nikon Coolpix L6 and writes, "Nikon's Coolpix L6 is a mixed bag. While this model does offer great image quality and some very appealing features, it is disappointing with its overall sluggish shooting performance. At about US$199 or less, it does offer a good value, as long as you don't plan on capturing fast moving subjects (like kids running through the house.) If you like the L6 but would like a bit more resolution and a broader zoom range, then be sure to check out our review of its 7-megapixel brother the Coolpix L5."

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Mar 1: Nikon Coolpix S10 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S10 and writes, "Although sharp results are achievable with the S10, you have to work for them. It’s frustrating that it struggles to find focus in less than bright light, the lens ‘hunting’ around a lot and going on to take a blurred shot regardless. Colours are coolly naturalistic, and benefit from the ‘vivid’ colour option. Night shots reveal image noise (grain-like flecks) at ISO400 and above. Bucking recent design trends, the hip-swivelling S10 is not for everyone. Those who value flexibility may find it a draw, but performance falls short."

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Mar 1: Nikon Coolpix S10 Review at Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S10 and writes, "The Nikon Coolpix S10 is a bit over-priced; it’s menu driven/non-intuitive and there are a couple of irritating design glitches, but it is not a bad camera. If it had been introduced two years ago it would have absolutely skunked the competition - today it may not be the best choice for smart digicam buyers. Potential purchasers might want to wait and check out the soon to be released Canon Powershot TX1. The TX1 may look quite different from the S10, but it is in fact a very comparable camera."

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Mar 1: Olympus SP-550UZ Review at PopPhoto

PopPhoto has a review of the Olympus SP-550UZ and writes, "Overall, the Olympus SP-550UZ is a very capable camera, especially at lower ISOs with the sensor-shift image stabilization activated. The reach of this lens is record-breaking, and it covers that long distance while keeping distortion mostly contained, except at the extreme wide angle setting, which is typical for this camera class. The built is rock-solid for a composite camera, and it feels great in the hands. Its burst performance at full resolution is sluggish and limited to three shots, and it crawls in writing a single RAW file. At the lower resolutions, it's lightning-fast, but you are seriously or severely limiting your printing size options by dropping the resolution to gain that touted blazingly fast burst rate. The actual full-resolution, low ISO performance, RAW capture, and full manual controls of this camera will make it attractive to a certain breed of advanced photographer, and the ease of use, scene modes, and guide modes will appeal to another, less-experienced breed of shooter."

Read more about the Olympus SP-550UZ.

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