Olympus E-420

Sharp, detailed close-up pictures. Pleasant colors in average light. Live-view mode allows odd-angle shots. Speedy, responsive action. Advanced manual controls

Photos get noisy at 800 ISO and higher. Viewfinder feels small. LCD stays lit even when sighting camera

The Evolt E-420 includes the features and quality we expect from an entry-level DSLR. While its quirks disappoint, it's a great value for beginners

Olympus offers two different lens combinations. The ultra-compact Zuiko 25mm f2.8 digital specific lens complements the E-420's small stature, for the ultimate combination of ease of use and portability. This 0.9-inch thick lens offers a fixed 50mm...

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...

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) ; Image parameters...

Olympus claims the E-420 is the smallest and lightest (only its predecessor is a few grams lighter) DSLR on the market and there is no doubt that this is true. The E-420 - especially in combination with the new 25mm F2.8 pancake lens - makes an...

Light weight and small size make it far more portable than most DSLRs. Live view lets you compose on-screen instead of peering through the viewfinder. Speedy autofocus. No discernible shutter lag. Paging all photo geeks: RAW format support

Fewer buttons means it takes more menu-surfing to adjust basic settings like ISO and white balance. Face-detection feature can be slow. Four Thirds lens compatibility is largely moot, as no manufacturers beside Olympus and pricey Sigma support the...

10 megapixel resolution2.7 inch HyperCrystal II 230,000 dot LCDBuilt-in dust reductionLive View and Face Detect autofocus

small viewfinder

The Olympus E-420 Digital SLR is the world's smallest DSLR camera...

Very good photo quality ; Good value -- starts at $500, body only ; World's smallest D-SLR; excellent build quality ; Dust reduction system ; Live view with contrast detect AF and face detection (with some lenses) on a 2.7" LCD display ; Full manual...

Photos are slightly soft; noise reduction a bit heavy at ISO 1600 (shoot RAW to avoid) ; Slow contrast detect AF, unimpressive face detection in live view mode; both features only available with a select few lenses ; Low light focusing could be better...

If you're looking for a compact digital SLR, then the Olympus E-420 is absolutely worth a look. Heck, it's worth checking out if you don't care about the size of the camera and just want a good entry-level SLR. The only real caveats here involve the...

DSLR performance in a remarkably small, lightweight body., 10-megapixel sensor provides excellent image quality., Ability to shoot in RAW format., 2.7-inch Live View LCD with auto focus., Face Detection technology, Dust-reduction system., Built-in...

No mechanical Image Stabilization., Bigger than a point-and-shoot., Battery charger requires long cord.

New Olympus camera is tiny, light and takes great photos

Autofocus is faster when using the optical viewfinder, but Sensor AF is quite fast and reliable even in Live View. Imager AF is more convenient and versatile but it is noticeably slower anytime, particularly in dark locations. (Do note that Imager AF...