Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Olympus E510 - the 2 lens kit

Finally, I got myself a new digital camera and this time I took the (not so big) step and move into the DSLR category. Indeed with a rather user friendly camera, but in the end they all are. You just need to master the half and fully manual modes and then you’re truly set. After long debates, I opted for the Olympus E-510. Why: 1. Price and lens kit: body + two lens kit (14-50mm and 40-150mm) at $535 is truly a bargain. 2. It has built-in stabilization (great feature! In low light or other difficult conditions); 3. LiveView (a bit strange but still useful coming from the point-and-shoot area). 4. Lots of preset modes; 5. Four thirds system which allows mounting even regular/film camera lens.
What can one use for perks: 1. Got myself a remote control from Ebay ($ 3.50 including shipping) from China; works great as a point and shoot. 2) camera bag: again I opted for Samsonite; although I saw some pretty nice bags for 30-50 bucks and the Samsonite on is a bit bulky and better suited for a camcorder, still is pretty good at 13$ from TJ Maxx; 3) the 4GB CF card from a yahoo store with 9 bucks; and you got yourself a nice camera set for under $600; 4) I also got the DVD on Olympus E510 Made it Easy of the web, but so far (disc 1) is mostly introductive and with little camera tips& tricks. Still, great for those who want to learn digital photography in 2-3 hrs. plus, after peaking at the second DVD, it looks like it is getting more interesting!:)
The E-520 was also released in 2008 but despite minor issues, from what I’ve read, it is very similar to the E-510 and since the price difference (and lens kit availability) is significant, I am pleased with my selection.

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