Evaluation: 
Conclusion: very much worth the purchase
Review: The E-520 from Olympus is my first DSLR purchase and I must say that it is an excellent camera. I've taken some great shots with it outside and I'm very impressed. The kit lens (Zuiko 14-42mm) i find to be a great starter lens although in low light situations the auto focus takes much time and can be inaccurate. i plan to get the Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm lens to go with this camera as it handles lower light situations much better. the auto white balance can generally be accurate but i do suggest using either one of the presets or making manual tweaks. while live view is one of the big features in this dslr, as it has been with almost all of their dslr cameras, i find myself having more fun using the viewfinder, which hasn't really given me any problems. the anti-dust system is great, i still encourage cleaning the camera every once in a while as well just as a precaution. I encourage anybody in the market for an entry level dslr to look @ and try the e-520.
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Olympus E-520, an excellent choice
Review: I was shopping from my first DSLR and finally settled for the Oly E520 after shortlisting it with Canon XSi [450D] and Sony A300/A350. Some of the features that made me go for it are mentioned below:
- a nice package with 14-42mm and 40-105mm lenses
- the quality of Zuiko lenses [and they are smart to market them as optimized for digital photography]
- SSWF dust removal system [which according to some works the best]
- Live View [XSi and A300 has that too]
- In body Image stabilization, which means that you don't need expensive lenses with stabilization [A300 has in-body stabilization too]
- the camera felt better in hand than the other two
- the Olympus brand [and a break from all those surrounding us with Canon and Nikon are the best]
- Perceived ease of use for those entering the DSLR world [according to some]
I got the PNY 266x 2GB card with it. The card is very fast. I later found out that you need the xD card to do Panorama shoots so I got the 2 GB M card too, which gives the camera a total of 4 gigs. With the Olympus xD card you can also activate the ART and 3D features on the Olympus Master software. Using those two features is fun as you can turn the pictures into cartoons, oil paintings and so on .... I also got the Roots Safari bag [RSF 107] which is not only sturdy but looks cool too.
For someone who is moving up from the point and shoots, the Oly E-520 is one of the best choices. I have been using it for a week now and everyday I learn something new about it. As I learn more and master the 'art' of photography, I will add more accessories and lenses to the kit.
Overall, it's one of the best and I have no hesitation in giving it 5 stars and recommending it highly!!!!
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Great value for money
Review: I evaluated the Canon 40D and new EOS XSI before stumbling onto this little beauty. I can argue that it takes just as good pictures as the 40D - at least in my hands. It's smaller than the Canons and for the price, an incredible deal.
Now, not to put down Canon... I actually broke my Canon brand loyalty for this camera, but overall, Olympus did a great job in packing features and ease of use into this camera and once its in your hands, you'll see it.
The back has lots of buttons but once you spend 15 min figuring out how to navigate the camera and its buttons, you'll like the ready access to many functions.
In terms of image quality, it's breathtaking for those looking to step up from advanced point and shoot cameras. It's not a pro camera for sure but I'm no pro and for what I do, it more than gets the job done. I use it for baby photos, nature macro, nature landscape and cityscape photography and it does great for the variety of environments I shoot in. One thing I find really impressive is the flash. Flash on most DSLR's tend to wash out or harshen images. This camera's flash is just enough but not too much so long as you compose your shots correctly. (Like not having your subject 1 meter from the lens!)
Overall - I'm glad I looked at this and Olympus won themselves a convert!
EDIT - 8/8/08. After using the camera for a few days, I noticed that when I turned the camera off, a rattle would emanate from the inside of the camera. Distraught, I removed the lens and still the rattle continued. Upset that my new beauty was defective, I boxed it back up and prepared to return it... but before I did, I called Olympus support to see if they had any insight since I could find NOTHING on the internet about the rattling. Well, as it turned out, it was the image stabilizer in the camera body that was creating the rattle! The tech said it was a natural function of the IS "resetting" itself. (Remember, this camera has in-body IS, not lens IS) When I turned off the IS, no more rattle. Whew, good thing I called - Olympus support was great and saved a return. Only con is that they should document this in the manual, its a little unnerving at first but you get used to it. Don't worry, the rattle is slight - nothing that will jar the camera from your hands or damage any internal parts. It was that I just never felt something like this emanating from a camera before. Verdict after 1000 shots, still love it!
Evaluation:
Conclusion: A Great DSLR - Highly Recommended!
Review: This is my first DSLR. I bought this and the Canon XSI at the same time and tried them both for a week. To make a long story short, I returned the XSI and kept the E520. It was just easier to take good pictures indoors, which is where I do most of my shooting. The Canon took more effort to produce good pictures. Plus I liked the interface of the Olympus more.
The XSI has a better viewfinder and a slightly better autofocus system but the Olympus image quality won me over in the end. Its white balance and exposure was just easier to get right than the Canon.
The key is to purchase a camera that you will use and the Olympus does that for me.
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Happy I waited.
Review: I am coming from an Olympus C-8080 and a Panasonic DMC-FZ18. Both of these are decent cameras, but not quite SLR quality. Also, the Panasonic is the worst macro camera I have owned. Since I was looking for more options with macro/closeup photography, I wanted a DSLR. My old SLR was an OM2n (back in the prehistoric camera days). I considered getting the E-510 or Nikon D60. Both are decent cameras, but after seeing pictures, decided to stick with Olympus and wait for the 520. I am glad I did!
I normally have a problem with a bit of camera shake and don't use a tripod. I just shot 400 pics and not one bit of camera shake! I was surprised to find out that I didn't even have Image stablization enabled. It is very easy to hold this camera steady. The lens and the viewfinder are crystal clear. I stongly suggest that you get the fastest CF card you can to record your pictures, and at least 4GB. I should tell you though, that I am shooting in both raw and fine jpeg format. This typically takes longer to write. The xd cards are too slow when shooting raw and fine jpeg. Another thing to make yourself aware of: Liveview does not seem perfected in any camera yet. It may take some time, but it is a bit bothersome, because there is a wait between recording photos when using Liveview. If you don't mind using the viewfinder,or waiting about 2 seconds between pictures, it's not a problem. Also, my battery compartment door seems to stick a bit. May need broken in, or it's just tight.
On the plus side: I have only had this camera 36 hours and already feel totally comfortable with it. I have heard people say that it's not user-friendly. I disagree with that statement IF: you have previously owned and used Olympus cameras. This camera isn't that foreign when coming from Olympus. Yes, it takes getting used to the buttons a bit, and my thumb does accidentally hit a button, but heck, I haven't even had the camera a couple of days. I also suggest that you buy the telephoto lens. Unless you shoot all wide-angle pictures, you will not be satisfied with this lens package. Regarding the Olympus lenses ... Primo, very good quality for a zoom/package deal. Much better quality than I expected. I like my pictures to be as crisp as possible, with the lowest noise (who doesn't?), so I have experimented with shutting noise reduction off and using software to reduce noise. The results were good in my test results. The scene modes of the camera are good. I haven't used them all yet (I had to put the camera down and get some sleep sometime in the past 36 hours), but am impressed with face detection on, macro, night modes. The flash is fairly strong. I have never had a built in flash, which doesn't give some type of red eye or blue eyes in dogs, this has not happened yet with the 520. Impressive, but I would suggest if doing closeup, that you diffuse the flash, or stand back a bit and zoom on the subject. REVISION: If you use the Macro nature mode, it seems to adjust the flash a bit. Also, if you like to experiment, play withe the "Vivid mode" a bit. I'm usually not a fan of modes, but in bright sunlight, my colors came out exactly as they should be.
If you are considering buying a more expensive camera and are NOT doing professional studio work, I would say; don't waste your money. Get this camera, because you will be impressed. If you are doing studio work, I would still tell you to get this camera, but get a better lens. After all, it's not always about the camera, but it is always about the lens. Anyone who has ever bought a no-name, camera-store "pushed on you" lens, knows what I am talking about.
When my next lens arrives, I will post more information under the "40-150mm Olympus zoom lens". Highly recommend this camera!
REVISION: Today, I received the adapter to let me use my old OM-2N lenses. I bought a generic one through ebay and it works just fine. I attached my old Tamron 90mm SP macro lens and began shooting. First, be aware that everything has to be done manually. This may not be practical if you need speed when focusing, unless you have mastered, manual focusing. I find that I shake the camera more with the heavier, manual lens, but with practice, I think that can be overcome. In other words, if you own the old OM lenses and don't have the money to get a new lens, buy the adapter and be prepared to make some adjustments.
If you have a flash/lighting system and a tripod, those adjustments will be lessened. I don't think I would do this for the life of the camera, but I would use the old OM lens (especially if you have a high quality one), until I could afford a new digital lens. I also have the 40-150mm digital lens (the one they give in the package deals), and am very impressed with the quality. I have posted some pictures, so you can get an idea of what this camera can do. If you scroll over the pictures, you will see the pictures I shot with the old OM-2N lens. I didn't make any revisions, so that you can get an idea of how the pictures come out of the camera (no photoshop).
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