Compare Prices : Olympus E420 - Expert Reviews

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: Hailed as the world's smallest and lightest DSLR, the Olympus E-420 replaces the E-410 in the Olympus Four-Thirds system line-up.

Verdict: There's very little to criticise in the overall specification and performance of the E-420. I like it's size - it's ideal for travelling and is reminiscent of my old OM4 in some aspects of its handling. Images are generally good too, with excellent ...

Review summary: 'World's smallest' digital SLR gets a revamp

Review summary: 'World's smallest' digital SLR gets a revamp

Pros: Improved grip over the earlier E-410 and £170 cheaper on launch, Improved grip over the earlier E-410 and £170 cheaper on launch, Faster operation, while larger LCD screen aids visibility, More consistent white balance performance from shot to shot, ...

Cons: Functional improvements over the earlier E-410 are relatively minor ones, Functional improvements over the earlier E-410 are relatively minor ones, Two of the E-410's scene modes have sunk without a trace

Verdict: An excellent choice if you want a more professional camera that's still compact and easy to use.

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: The Olympus E-420 is the most 'junior' member in Olympus line of digital SLRs. It was announced on the 5th March 2008, exactly one year after the launch of its predecessor, the E-410. Like the E-410 it comes with a 10 megapixel resolution, live-view ...

Pros: Very compact and lightweight digital SLR, especially when combined with the 25mm pancake lens, Comfortable to hold despite the lack of a 'real' grip, Control panel display allows quick access to most important shooting parameters, Generally snappy ...

Cons: LCD could be a little brighter for outdoor shooting with live view and is prone to smearing, LCD turns monochrome and noisy in low light, Auto white balance and presets not brilliant (but there is a white balance fine tune option), Menu structure a ...

Review summary: This 10 megapixel digital SLR is built around the four-thirds sensor used by Olympus and Panasonic/Leica. It is the smallest and probably the lightest DSLR on the market, but it is not flimsy. It has one of the best implementations of so-called live ...

Pros: The picture quality is very good and the full feature list is truly impressive. Other makers tend to leave functions out in order to distance the entry level cameras from their posher units - Olympus doesn't do that. The live view arrangement is ...

Cons: The aspect ratio of a Four Thirds sensor is 43. The aspect ratio of a standard or A4 photo print is 32. So composing in the viewfinder will be a hit and miss affair and pixels are thrown away.

Verdict: This camera has been created to make the transition from compact to DSLR as easy as possible. If you really like holding a camera at arm's length (a ridiculous posture) to take photos rather than sensibly bracing it against your face then the E-420 ...