X

Olympus E-620: A dSLR for the rest of us

Olympus has announced the debut of a new 12-megapixel dSLR that aims to be affordable and accessible, with friendly features such as a twisty screen and art filter effects

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm

Olympus has weighed into the pre-PMA fray with the announcement of a new dSLR, the E-620. It's a 12.3-megapixel camera with a twisty screen and lightweight body, which slots into the Olympus range below the E-30.

Our US colleague Lori Grunin has helpfully compared the specs of the E-620 with the Olympus E-30 and Canon EOS 450D -- known as the EOS Digital Rebel XSi to the 'Murkans. Specs-wise, the E-620 has some similarities to the E-30: the same 12.3-megapixel Live MOS imaging chip and rocessor, 12-bit colour, and a 69mm (2.7-inch) screen.

The LCD is the 270-degree fold-out, twist-round and bend-over type familiar from the camcorder world, which is great for making the most of live view.

The E-620 is touted as the smallest dSLR with baked-in image stabilisation, which means you don't need to buy a stabilised lens to banish the shakes. That's a big win. We've been a fan of the lightweight E-series since we handed the E-410 our Editors' Choice award back in 2007, and the E-510 has been around the world with the Crave team as our in-house camera.

The E-620 also includes art filters to add effects to your pictures, such as pop art or grainy film. There will be two versions, although we don't have UK pricing yet. For just the body, the US will pay around $700 (£480) with a 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens kit costing around $800 (£550).