EXCELLENCE AT ANY PRICE

I just took the leap from the 500 to the 510 after not even a year but had to have the image stabilization. I do event photography and it's in pretty tough lighting situations so I thought that before my vacation I'd get one and give it a run through. Image stabilization is only engaged when taking the picture and it works beautifully. I dislike using flash and prefer to get the natural lighting. The IS allowed me to handhold the camera in some pretty dark locations that I know full well would produce some blurry shots. This time I didn't have to toss out many images due to camera shake. Most of the time the blurry photos were due to my excitement at such incredible IS that I didn't use my tripod even late at night when I should have. Instead I was able to handhold in almost all situations. Not always a smart choice but I was on the go and had to run to catch some trains. It was a great way to test out the e-510. I even have late night images that came out beautifully. THANK YOU OLY!!! You're going to make my work easier with this one.

I like punchier colors and this model is factory set to natural so I am playing with the vivid setting (the e-410 is factory set to vivid) However I have found the colors are very true to life and I tend to want to remember it a bit more colorful. ;-) The detail was unreal. I don't know if it was the jump from 8 to 10 megapixels or the new live-mos sensor but I have been amazed by how much better my images look and how much more information is in each and every photo. This sensor definitely has less noise in lower lighting situations and like any other camera gets more the higher you go in ISO. No maker or camera is exempt and the 510 is in the hunt on noise with cameras that cost much more.

I'm not trying to be a cheerleader but this is a true step-up from the e-500. I made my choice about trying out Oly a while back and am now being rewarded with this model. For a while there I started wondering and looking at other brands but gave this last model a chance before jumping ship and now I'm hooked.

The options and settings are just pouring out of this menu. You can set your personal preferences in image quality in so many ways to suit your personal prefs. Whether you want it to be supersharp or less noisy etc. the choices are yours to make. Being a photographer and selecting a camera tends to be a real compromise but this body allows each person to make their choices and change their minds anytime they wish.

There are things I'd change ie. the menu doesn't have multiple colors. I'm not a fan of the menu color but I think I'll survive. The lcd screen is not articulated ( a feature I'm sure is being held for the pro body ) Those are pretty silly complaints when it's one of the few with LiveView and one is not as good while the other is about five times the price.

I'm going to start saving up because I feel a big breeze blowing in the e-1 successor. I'm confident that this was just the teaser from Oly.