Olympus E-420 and 14-42mm Reviews: Digital SLR Camera

Photo of Olympus E-420 and 14-42MM Digital Camera

11 Real Customer Reviews - In Summary

“Can be used in auto mode for quick shots, or has good range of programmes for more…” John, Painswick, Glos View all 11 real customer reviews

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Product Details

2.7" Screen, 1x optical zoom, Compact Flash storage More »

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Real customer reviews

11 verified purchasers have reviewed this product.
94% of people recommend it.

Show scores of…

All purchasers (10)

Build Quality	9.2
Ease of use	8.5
Features	9.2
Image quality	9.0
Value for money (at time of purchase)	9.1
Overall rating	9.1

Keen amateur (3)

Point & shoot (2)

Other (5)

*not all purchasers provided a score or review

Score 10.0/10

John, Painswick, Glos

+ Can be used in auto mode for quick shots, or has good range of programmes for more advanced use.
Size similar to film SLR's, so no 'Finger over part of lens' as happens on small compacts.
Good picture quality.

- Would have been nice to include a memory card with the kit so photos could be taken 'out of the box.'
However, film cassettes were not supplied with older SLR's, so that may be wishful thinking!

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31 of 32 people found this review helpful

purchased 21 Sep 2008

Score 9.0/10

Bill, Horley , “Keen amateur” More like this »

+ I found it difficult to move on from my Olympus film camera into the modern technology of cameras as I was concerned that all the things that it could supposedly do at the touch of a button would confuse me. My son, an experienced amateur photographer, persuaded me to change to an "entry level" digital SLR, particularly the E420 as it was the best on the market. I was pleased to find that it could be used like a manually operated film camera where you decide on the aperture, shutter speed etc, or you could go into automatic mode with its 18 different scene modes. It is light and compact and even though I have large hands its small size is not a problem as far as operating it is concerned. The back up instructions of both DVD and manual are easily understood

- I haven't come across any yet as far as the camera is concerned. However the manual although instructive and relatively easily understood could have been better set out e.g after the first eight pages describing with diagrams the camera, the mode dial, the viewfinder, super control panel etc it then instructs you to unpack the box contents! Then after a few pages on attaching the lens, loading the card, shooting etc, the Table of Contents follows! Throughout the rest of the manual was the frustration of starting to read about, for example White Balance only to be directed elsewhere in the manual for the selection of such. Why not put it all in the same place? Maybe I'm being a little too pedantic but I did find myself getting increasingly annoyed as I tried to follow specific aspects of operation through the manual.

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22 of 22 people found this review helpful

purchased 05 Apr 2009

Score 10.0/10

Andy, Leeds

+ I like the built in menu features which help in understanding the cameras functions easily to begin with

- non as yet

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16 of 17 people found this review helpful

purchased 09 Dec 2008

Score 9.0/10

Anonymous verified purchaser

+ Clear viewer, quick to get started as easy to use

- I haven't found any yet

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6 of 7 people found this review helpful

purchased 14 May 2009

Score 9.0/10

John, Emsworth, Hampshire , “Point & shoot”

+ Compact and easy to use, instruction book clear and easy to follow

- havn't found any yet

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2 of 2 people found this review helpful

purchased 05 Jul 2009

Score 8.0/10

Tony, Ksgrave , “Keen amateur” More like this »

+ Simple to use - good screen size - easy to follow handbook

- Be a good idea one day if they gave us a case with the camera

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2 of 3 people found this review helpful

purchased 19 Jul 2009

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Product Features

Camera Type	SLR
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
resolution (Megapixel)	10

Optical Zoom Ratio	1
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen Size in Inches	2.7
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital Zoom Ratio	1
Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
Face Recognition	Yes
A function for automatically detecting peoples faces and correctly adjusting the focus and exposure to take the best photo
Image Stabilisation	Yes
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Colour	Black
The main colour of the product.
Memory Card Slot	Yes
Having a memory card slot allows you to save data to a memory card and then transfer it to another device. For example you may put a photo from your camera or mobile phone onto a memory card and then plug it into your printer to print directly. Memory card slots come in many formats: Compact Flash Card Memory Stick Duo Micro SD Card MMC SD Card SDHC Card
Media Format	XD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media Format	Compact Flash
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	No
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video Recorder	No
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes
Having a timer function is essential if you want to get into the shot yourself. Make sure your camera has this feature if you plan to go on holiday and capture photos of you and your friends or family having fun together.
Under Water	No
An under water feature means your camera is safe to dive with, usually between 3 and 5 metres. Most dSLR cameras will require expensive separate housing so consider investing in a waterproof digital compact first.
Dimensions (mm)	91x129.5x53
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
Weight (g)	380
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	No
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
Resolution (Pixels)	3648x2736
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Shortest Shutter Speed	4000
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest Shutter Speed	60"
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Max. Aperture Lens 1	f3.5-5.6
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured. If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8. The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
USB Port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components

Also known as: Olympus E-420 With 14-42mm

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

World’s most compact D-SLR*
Exceptional ease of use
Comfortable viewing with Autofocus Live View
100% D-SLR quality
6.9cm / 2.7’’ HyperCrystal II LCD
10 Megapixel Live MOS sensor
Face Detection for perfectly focused and exposed faces
Shadow Adjustment Technology
Excellent dust reduction system
Built-In flash and wireless flash control
3.5fps with up to 8 images in RAW buffer
Four Thirds Standard
28 shooting modes
ISO 100-1600
TruePic III image processor
One-touch white balance
AF / AE lock functionality
Depth of field preview
Anti-shock (Mirror lock) function
Beginners’ and advanced info screen
100% field of view via LCD
Detailed playback info screen with histogram
Bracketing functions
Perfect image control
Hi-speed USB 2.0

The latest addition to the Olympus E-System, the E-420, represents a winning formula for both seasoned photographers and entrants to the D-SLR domain alike. Users benefit from the remarkable quality only D-SLR photography can deliver, yet also enjoy the ease of use usually only associated with a compact camera. This includes Live View depictions on the LCD, which can significantly simplify image composition. In addition, as one of the world’s smallest and lightest D-SLRs, mobility is hardly an issue. The E-420 will fit just about anywhere – from a small daypack to a lady’s handbag. This makes it a perfect companion for journalists, travellers or other adventurers who appreciate the one-of-a-kind portability, performance and value for money it delivers. The easy-to-use 10.0 Megapixel E-420 features 28 shooting modes to suit a multitude of photographic situations and is ready to use straight out of the box. It will be available in stores from late April 2008.

*As of March 2008

Compare prices for Olympus E-420 and 14-42mm on 21 Nov 2009

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