Olympus has announced its new DSLR, the E-620, which sits somewhere in the middle of the compay’s lineup. It’s certainly not aimed at the pro, but it has a rather odd mix of features that could appeal to the more advanced amateur.
First, and best, is the flip-out LCD, which finally makes live-view a useful DSLR feature. At 2.7", it’s a little smaller than what we’re used to finding on better cameras, but the flip is oustanding — from sneaky shots of people in the street to floor level pictures without having to lay belly-down, this could be enough to sell the E-620 to many people.
The novelty continues with the in-camera Art-Filters, a bunch of cheesy effects which can be applied to your photographs while they are still inside the box. I’ve honestly never seen the point of this even in cheap cameras, but in a mid-range DSLR it seems frivolous. A DSLR user is serious about taking photos, and so any tweaks are likely to be done back at the computer. Here’s a sampling: Pop Art, Grainy Black and White, and Pin Hole. Classy stuff.
Better is the in-body image stabilization, which will steady the shakes of any lens you put on there, a sensor cleaning function and wireless flash control. Everything else is pretty standard, from face recognition to "Shadow Adjustment Technology" which compresses contrast to keep details in the shadows and highlights.
All in, it’s a solid if rather dull new camera. Available May for an estimated $700.
Press release [DP Review]
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