With the new E-420, Olympus has created a true "go anywhere" digital SLR -- especially when paired with the new 25 mm "pancake lens". The E-420 offers great photo quality, snappy performance (in most respects), live view, and both auto and manual controls, all in a compact, well-built body. That doesn't mean that the E-420 is perfect, though. Its design isn't for everyone, images are slightly soft, there's no image stabilization available, and the contrast detect AF leaves something to be desired. Despite that, the E-420 is a great D-SLR, and one which I can easily recommend.
As I mentioned, the E-420 is currently the smallest digital SLR in the world. While Olympus has made some changes to the grip to make it easier to hold, the camera still isn't for everyone -- so check one out in person, if you can. Like all of Olympus' D-SLRs, the E-420 is very well built. It may cost $499, but you wouldn't know it; the body is made almost entirely of metal, and there's not a single part of it that feels "cheap". The camera does suffer a bit from "button clutter", and I miss the shortcut buttons on the four-way controller on the more expensive E-510/E-520. The E-420 uses the FourThirds lens mount, which has a 2X focal length conversion ratio. The two available kit lenses (14-42 and 25 mm) are both of very good quality by kit lens standards, and that pancake lens turns the E-420 into quite the "spy camera". While the E-420 has the same dust reduction system as its more expensive sibling (the E-520), it doesn't have its sensor-shift image stabilization system. If this is an important feature to you, it may be worth spending the extra $100 on that camera.
Olympus was the pioneer of live view on digital SLRs, and the E-420 has the latest and greatest version of this feature. If you're coming from a compact camera, then you'll feel at home with the E-420 -- sort of. You'll compose your images on the 2.7" LCD, which has decent outdoor and low light visibility. If you're using one of the compatible lenses, you can take advantage of an 11-point contrast detection AF system, plus face detection. Unfortunately, contrast detect AF is quite slow (especially in low light situations), and the face detection feature did not impress, either. The other focusing modes are faster, though they require flipping the mirror each time. All things considered, I still think that live view is best suited for stationary subjects -- it's too slow for action shots.
Jeff Keller
more : dcresource
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