I have previously owned several different long zoom compact consumer cameras. I wanted to upgrade to higher quality images though, and the E500 with the two lens kit came in at the perfect price and weight point for me. I don't want anything so heavy that it is a burden to haul around, and the two lens kit gives me 35mm equivalent range of 28mm to 300mm. I immediatly fell in love with this camera, and can hardly put it down. It is simple enought for a beginner, but has advanced features that will make a pro happy. (I used to be a pro)-

The most important thing when buying a camera is how it "fits you", but the E-500 has great ergonomics and speed, is easy to learn and provides outstanding quality. You can see some photos that I took on my very first day out with this camera, at
http://www.pbase.com/brdavid/olympus_e500_day_1

If there is any knock at all, it is that the kit zoom lenses perform better at least one F-stop down from wide open. But that isn't really a knock, as that is true of most lenses, especially the lower prices ones.

I've bought this camera to compare it with my Nikon D50. Don't get me wrong: its features set are super attractive and it was a real pleasure to use. However, what does all this mean if the camera cannot focus properly? In a good lit room (incandescant and sunny) , the camera will have hard time locking on the subject. It seems a bit easier when the camera is used in presets (portrait, auto...) but when used in priority modes it just cannot focus right. When it does focus though, the pics are of good quality.

My guess is that a 3-pt focus cannot compete with 5+ focus systems...

FYI: my Fuji F10 focuses much more rapidly and the D50 is simply in a class of its own (excellent camera).

I should preface this review by saying I'm a bit of a Luddite: I hang on to the traditional tools in my primary fields of interest--music (both listening and performing) and photography. To me the Nikon F2 (well, OK, I'll stretch my endorsement to something as technically advanced as the aperture-priority F3) are the quintessential cameras: rugged, natural in the hand, and immune to the demons that possess electronic devices.

Then four years ago, my father gave me my first digital camera, a Minolta. I was initially skeptical, but I quickly came to enjoy the convenience of the camera. Then, when I paired with it the right printer (an Epson Photo R-800), I became a confirmed user, if not yet a fan. Based on that camera-printer combination (with the addition of a scanner for the conversion of my B&W negatives), I packed up my darkroom and offered it to the local public schools.

But even though I was happy with the print quality of the digital setup, I still missed the heft and the old SLRs, and I lamented the loss of control they offered me.

Then, based on fairly extensive reading of advance reviews, I decided to buy the Olympus E-500.

This camera is a revelation to me. I can't compare it to its competitors (none of which I've used extensively), but I can say that this camera fully reconciles me to digital photography. It gives me that reassuring "whump" when I press the shutter (rather than that puny "snick"), offers me total control in manual mode, allows the flexibilty of interchangable lenses, and--most importantly--seems to be to have as its paradigm (sorry for the word choice) the ways of a photographer trained on manual film cameras (rather than catering the "point and shoot" audience).

The menus are easily mastered, the features (including filters in B&W mode!) are remarkable, the battery lasts for hours of heavy shooting, and the images--even with the equivalent of a 300MM focal length--are stunning.

This is a remarkable camera at a very reasonable price.

PP= Post Processing (Photoshop and other image apps)
PQ= Picture Quality

My older brother, who by no means is a professional but has been an enthusiast since my father gave him his old Canon F series 35mm SLR in the 80s, has been my mentor.

He currently uses a 20D with a 420EX flash and some ungodly multi thousand dollar L series lenses. I recently purchased the E-500 dual lens kit for a fraction of the cost and must say that my brother and I both agree it is by FAR the best bang for the buck.

At the level 98% of us are at it is all user error and not camera error when our pictures don't come out as we would like (most professionals even say its mostly user error or lack of knowledge). I still have a friend who uses a small 2001-Canon S230 and takes pictures that are far better then most of mine.

In low light I have noticed that my E500 does not focus as fast as my brothers 20D (but it definitely still focuses) but from reading online with firmware upgrades they remedied this problem in the E300.

We both also agreed that it felt better in our hands (grip and general ergonomics) and was quite a bit lighter then the 20D as well.

He ,just as myself, LOVED the rear LCD controls for everything from ISO to flash speed and exposure, far more easier and quicker then the 20D for a newbie such as myself. But he commented saying it would have been nice if it had the small simple LCD up top that the canons do as a supplement to the detailed and informative one of the back.

PQ was amazing requiring very little PP, and with the vivid setting we both agreed that the colors did feel better and more vibrant (of course with a small PP Tweak the 20D was right there but for the casual photographer as myself I shy away from PP).

Bottom line we were both floored at what a phenomenal deal this kit is for the price.

I have been a long time Olympus Fan! Back in early March 05 I purchased one of the first EVOLT E300's, WHAT A MISTAKE!!!! I hated that SLR! It replaced my C8080 Widezoom. I then purchased the NEW CANON DIGITAL REBEX XT, AWSOME!!!! What an investment that turned out to be. Purchased many options and after all said and told I invested nearly $4000.00. Don't get me wrong I received a lot of punch for what I purchased, EFs 10-22m Lens, EF-s 17-85mm IS Lens, EF 75-300mm Lens, 580EX Speedlite Flash ECT ECT ECT, Got it with the Kit Lens also,....I love all of it! But now I gave Olympus another try with the EVOLT E500 and it KICKS THE REBEL XT's BUTT! I can't give enough PRAISE to Olympus for the product they have put out here. The EVOLT E500 gives more than what you deserve for the purchase price of UNDER $900.00 at most places for the kit that includes both lens! You won't be disappointed in this set up!

I am new to digital SLR photography, but I have a long experience with 35 mm SLRs (Nikon N80, Nikon 6006 most recently). I decided to go with the Olympus Evolt 500 about 1 month ago based partly on price (I bought the kit with the additional zoom) and on the EVOLT's extensive feature list (I particularly like the ability to shoot blue/purple/green/sepia) and the unique dust reduction system for the sensor. I was also impressed at the 8 mega-pixels compared to the 6 for the Nikon D50 and D70s, as well as the compact size and light-weight. I was also disturbed to hear about certain color problems importing Nikon RAW files into Adobe (giving them a slightly bluish hue) because of Nikon's attempt to force people into their software package. So far the EVOLT has performed very well (at least comparable to my old film N80). I love the freedom to shoot limitless pictures without concern for running out of film. Now I am much more selective about printing (which will save me in the long run).

Criticisms:
--some difficulty shooting in low-light
--takes some manipulation of the sub-menus to select film speeds more than 400
--the pop-up flash is a poor performer unless you are very close to the subject--it does do a nice job on red-eye reduction
--the packaged software is very limited in function
--running in manual is possible, but much more complex than it needs to be (why can't camera makers go back to the old simple match needle system?)
--view finder a bit cramped
--I think it tends to under-expose by a 1/2 stop for my taste

Strengths:
--lots of features very suitable for advanced amatures like myself
--fairly fast writing--allows you to shoot multiple frames quickly in JPEG without having a delay to stop to write
--intelligent design of small details (for instance, in the two lens kit the lens hoods reverse for storage on the lens itself! Also, the filter size of the two lenses is identicle, reducing cost on filters that can be otherwise pricey)
--lacks top LCD panel (this I think is great as it cuts down the size and weight of the camera--with the large LCD on the back who needs the top LCD anyway)
--intelligent layout of the controls--they are also not to small like the Canon digital rebel
--superior feel to the Canon digital rebel product which is flimsy by comparison, but not the tank like weight and feel of the Nikon D70s
--easy ability to shoot high and low-key shots--this is a very nice little program to add and makes formerly tricky exposures much easier
--can remember your designated preferences for program mode (for instance I have my program setting for Sepia/children/film speed 400/fill flash) This allows me to shoot simply in the Auto setting (for point-shoot simplicity), but if I want to quickly switch to my favorite preference I simply switch to program and away I go shooting Sepia
--hand-holds extremely well in low-light situations

Cameras to compare to include the Canon Digital Rebel and 20D, Nikon D50 and D70. I am not familiar with the Pentax and Konica-Minolta offerings to comment. I think this camera offers superior design and lenses to the Canon Rebel without the excessive cost of the 20D. It offers more creative control and higher Megapixels (and I think better kit lenses) than the Nikon D50 at comparable cost. The D70s probably has comparable features but at much higher cost/weight and lacks the self-dusting sensor. I would buy this camera again, it has put my Nikon N80 on the shelf perhaps for good.

I had high hopes for this one... I have had an Olympus C-2100UZ for about 5 years and it has been a great camera, but I was ready to upgrade to a true digital SLR. I have had very good 35mm SLR cameras for a couple decades and been a serious armature photographer.

This camera disappointed me. It sure has an amazing number of features packed into it, but in the end a good camera boils down to photo quality, period, and the photo quality I get from this camera is not as good as I get from my C-2100UZ (a long ago deprecated 2MP model).

The E-500 does best outside with bright light, but inside it has serious focus and exposure problems. The photo quality is more on par with an old 110mm camera, or a Polaroid. They are just not at all crisp and clear as you would expect from a camera of this caliber. The photos are either grainy or out of focus. It uses the flash to create light for the auto-focus in low-light scenarios, which drives human subjects insane, and must just not really work very well. I tried manual focus too and still it just doesn't take clear pictures inside.

Most professional reviews (e.g. PC Magazine) seem to echo the same...that this camera is okay, but just not quire there yet.

I returned this one and ordered a Nikon D50. A lot more 3rd party lens options are available for it because it's built on existing standards. Maybe the problem with the E-500 is the new "four thirds" lens system...and if so maybe they will eventually get that right, but for now, and for this kind of money, I suggest you buy the Nikon, or wait for the next generation Olympus DSLR but then still read the reviews to make sure they got it right.

This camera is an extremely viable option for anyone looking for a powerful camera that is both user friendly and high quality. Anyone can utilize this camera as is proof because my girlfriend takes amazing shots of her daughter with ease and has no prior experience. I myself can have fun with the many scene modes and manual settings on this camera to have a full shooting experience. Complaints about poor images in low light are way off because I have taken shots using the night portrait setting w/ no light and the shots are stunning. Obviously poor results can be had with this camera but it would be due to improper settings as opposed to an inability of the camera. Truthfully, it's not going to be a professional camera that will shoot sports shots rapidly like more expensive cameras but it still can get the job done for the enthusiast. For those being more manual... higher ISO's do get to be a little distorted as are all cameras. Compared to the likes of the Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D50, all are excellent cameras. Where the E-500 excels is the Supersonic Wave Filter (removes dust from CCD as power up) as well as the variety of Digital specific lenses available. Digital specific lenses take advantage of DSLR's and give off the best digital image possible.

Pro's:
Excellent Image Quality (8MP)
Superb Design (Not tiny like the XT)
Nice Large high resolution LCD (2.5")
Fast shutter speeds
RAW for superb results
Good flash for indoor shots
Takes Compact Flash and XD cards (Versatile)
Supersonic Wave Filter
Digital Specific Lenses
Value for the money

Cons:
USB 1.1 (Recommend card reader)
Small view finder
Status LCD is the main LCD (not a big deal to me)
Supplied Software less than perfect (Recommend Olympus Master)
That is for RAW image files...

Recommended Accessories:

1GB Card at least (CF Cheaper than XD)\
Case for you camera and lenses
Free time to fully enjoy this camera and its functions
Filters can be very beneficial
XD or CF Card reader
High quality Photo printer to enjoy your shots

There has already been a lot said on this camera so far so I'll only add a few things. I have never owned an SLR type camera so this was a new experience for me - in fact, after owning the camera now for a month, I am finally just figuring out how to use it to its full potential - and its potential is very high.

First, let me say that this camera is an excellent value - 8 megapixels and packed with features, including the wonderful super sonic wave filter (which removes dust from the digital sensor). The Olympus line of Digital Zuiko lenses are fantastic, including one of the kit lenses (40-150).

A word to those folks like me (new to the SLR world) to clear up some confusion: a few of the reviewers have mentioned "bad low light focusing/performance." One thing I have learned over the last month is that this is not a camera issue, it is more a function of the lens that is attached (or, the speed of the "film" that you have the camera set too). Without getting into too much detail, kit lenses included with all of these entry-level DSLR's are not exactly the best in low light situations - they are referred to in the photographic world as "slow" lenses - meaning that the aperture values they have at the low end are really only good in sunny conditions - at least without setting the camera to a much faster ISO (or film speed setting). So, in other words, the guy that said he is returning his Olympus to go get the canon kit is going to be just as unhappy with the performance of that camera in these situations as he was with the Olympus (from what I've read on the professional reviews of the canon, the kit lens is possibly the worst of all the major manufacturers).

So where does this leave one who is interested in purchasing this camera, well there are two options (at least in my opinion):

1. Buy the 14-45 and 40-150 kit. This really is an excellent value, and while the 14-45 lens isn't bad (it's very good outdoors), the 40-150 lens is fantastic. Search any major review - especially those folks that are enthusiasts about olympus and they'll tell you the same - this lens is remarkable for the price. However, if you do buy this kit (like I did), and you're planning on taking a lot of pics indoors or in low light situations, do yourself a favor and upgrade to the 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 Digital zuiko lens. This is the kit lens for the professional Olympus DSLR - the E-1. I purchased this recently and the difference is night and day compared to the kit 14-45 f3.5-5.6. The camera has no issues in low light situations, and the "speed" of the lens is fantastic. (BTW, I bought this off of ebay for $400 - I think amazon has it for about $430 with free shipping - so it's probably a toss up. (this price BTW is much cheaper than upgrading to comparable lenses of competitors like canon and Nikon - remember, you're going to have to do it no matter which camera you buy if you want good indoor/low light performance).


2. If I had to do it over again, I may have just bought the body. Save yourself $200 and just buy the e-500 body. Then take that $200 and apply it to the price of the 14-54 f2.8-3.5 lens - this would put the total purchase around $1000 and you'll have a fantastic lens to really learn how the camera works in all situations. So how do you get the great 40-150 lens? I noticed that there are probably 10 on sale on ebay at any given time (from people that are upgrading to the absolutely wonderful 50-200 digial zuiko zoom) for around $150-200.

Whichever option you choose, you really can't go wrong - this is a wonderful camera for a beginner in SLR photography (take it from me - I am one!). Good luck and welcome to the olympus family!

After doing my reseach I purchased the Evolt e-500! I was so very excited about this camera! However when I used it well lets just say I just was not happy! The LCD screen was very brite and out of focus. I set the camera up on auto portrait but it keep fireing the red eye reduction over and over and over like a strobe light. It had a hard time focusing and I had troble getting close to things even on the flower mode. Finally I was able to get it to take close up's of my daughter but becasue the LCD screen was poor they looked bad! I also have a friend who purchased one and had the same problems with the LCD screen so I am guessing they had a few problems with a batch. I packed mine up and returned it with-in 24 hours. My fuji s5000 works better then this camera as far as focus and so on. I know I must have just got a lemon and maybe I will buy another one and give it a try but for now I am going to go with a canon. I hope your purchase goes better than mine did...Best Wishes!

Olympus got this camera right. Great 4/3rds sensor takes crisp, beautiful shots edge to edge. You have beginner options in the umpteen shooting modes available (check out high key and low key, they're wonderful). You can save to Compactflash AND/OR XD picture card (you're not going to run out of room on a shoot provided the cards are large enough). You have advanced options like using the Adobe RGB color space. Menus are intuitive and smart. Options you'll reference often either have their own button or are at the top of the menu stack. Autofocus works very well in all but the poorest lighting conditions. I've taken portraits, landscapes, sports photos, macros, indoor and outdoor and been satisfied with them all. Olympus's decision to bundle the body with the two lenses (admittedly Zuiko's lower end stuff... the 14-45mm & the 40-150) gets you a setup you can use for nearly every situation from the get go (Note: an affordable 18-180mm has been released, demand is high and everyone has this lens backordered). You can shoot at varying qualities, but I've grown accustomed to Camera Raw which this camera supports. RAW gives you so much more flexibility in correcting your shots after the fact. Battery life is better than point and shoots because the LCD is NOT used to compose the shot. You use the viewfinder, as is the case with all dSLRs except for the soon to be released E-330 (April 1, 2006). Bottom line, I've taken 4000 photos with this camera since late November and I don't have a single complaint. I use the camera 3-4 times a week and I'll confess if something happened to it now, I'd need therapy. So if you're sitting on the fence about purchasing this camera, you need not be. Go ahead, spend the rent money (just a joke Moms, no letters please) and have a blast with a great camera. After all, what's not to love?

I'd been scoping out digital SLRs for a while, reading up extensively on the technical reviews, and finally chose the Olympus E500 over the equivalent Nikon and Canon. What sold me on it was the relatively identical quality shots produced, the lower price, and the new Four-Thirds system, which I think really sets it apart from the other digital SLRs out there (if you're not familiar with 4/3, PLEASE read up on it). Battery life has been awesome, even with lots of flash and LCD reviewing.

There's two things I would change about it:
Autofocus in low light - you can use the annoying strobe flash to aid it, but otherwise it doesn't focus well, which surprises me because my Olympus C-60 has no issue with this.
Lack of a "Supermacro" - this is understandable as you can get a macro lens for it, but again, the lesser model C-60 has this feature built in, and so if I need to get a super close shot, I revert back to my C-60!

Great Camera for a great value. Two interchangeable lenses with very good quality for the money. Very nice and clear pictures

Think no further if you have been looking for a low price dslr, this is the camera for you. You will never get the same quality pictures out of the competition at the same price levels. Its competitors bundle low quality kit lenses that will never match the ones on Olympus kits. The 14-45 is as sharp (some even say sharper) as the pro 14-54 2.8-3.5, and the 40-150 is the best amateur tele lens in any system. With this two lens kit it will be long before you think about upgrading. On other systems, you will have to spend twice as much in order to get the same optical performance.
Low price doesn't mean lack of features. 8 megapixels, beginner modes, plus all the advanced options pro dsrls have. It is well built and has sensor cleaning technology. Never worry about dust!!
Pictures come out great with no post processing, usual in Olympus. Get it, you will not regret it. No camera gives more bang for your $$$.

Greetings,

Welcome to Professional Digital Photography at a reasonable entry level price. The Olympus E-500 combined with the FL-50 flash has all the features that anyone, pro or amateur, would want per a high quality digital SLR. The only feature missing is a Titanium housing, but at this price, you could buy six E-500s before getting into the Titanium market per Digital SLRs.

Olympus has done their homework and provided fast setups for most picture situations one would come across. So point and shoot, and the camera will do the rest. It is really hard to take a bad picture with this setup! But they didn't stop there. Olympus also allows you to modify the quick setups manually per your creative desires per the moment. So use the quick setups to get on target, then modify it per your special needs.

The camera comes with the lower end Zuikor 14-45mm and 40-150mm lenses. Not as good as the high-end Zuikor ED lenses, but much better than any point-n-shoot camera. I keep an Olympus SP-350 in the car, which comes in handy when you rub fenders with another car! It is also an 8 MegaPixel camera, but take the same pic with the SP-350 and the E-500, and the quality is definitely noticeable.

The good news. The E-500 is a quality professional camera at a great price.

The bad news. The accessories cost more than the camera! You can spend $6,000 if you want to goto a 300mm Zuikor ED lens (600mm equivalent per a 35mm film camera). Even the basics are overpriced per Flash Brackets and Sync Cords.

But if you are looking to find a camera to match your creative talent, it is well worth considering the Olympus E-500.

Who am I? I was a wedding photographer for years using Nikons, Hasselblads, and Mamiyas. I also worked with Rocky Gunn in California, considered at the time to be one of the top ten wedding photographers in the USA. Time and decades have passed, and I've moved on to other more profitable endeavors. Still my heart was in still photography. And for all my years of experience, I'm hard pressed to find a major flaw with the E-500. So check it out and decide for yourself.

Best Regards,
George

I have had many digital cameras but this was my first full SLR. It is easy to use, excellent quality and has every feature I am looking for. I would recommend getting the camera body without lens and then buying the next step up in quality in the Olympus Zuiko lens if you can afford it. Any Zuiko lens is fantastic including the ones that come with this camera but the next step up handles lower light conditions better.

I've owned 3 Olympus digital cameras before without any problems, all purchased from Amazon, but this one, after using for one day, I am returning for a refund.

There seems to be some kind of defect in the focusing system, and since I've used so many Oly's, I know how they work, and I tested this one out by taking a couple hundred pictures using various modes and settings.

Of those 200 or so pictures, I'd say maybe 10% were usable - maybe even less than 10%.

And it's interesting because before I bought it, I saw nothing but good reviews of it, but just today I came across someone who said they had the same problem with it that I had, got it replaced by the store they bought it from, and then ended up returning the replacement because it was also defective.

So now I am really wondering if there are a bunch of this model of camera out there with defects.

Plus it confirms my feeling that it wasn't me, but was the camera that had something wrong with it.

I've always been loyal to Olympus since 1999 when I bought my first digital, but this one was a big disappointment.

First of all, let's get it clear, this camera is not perfect. But it IS very good, and at the prices Olympus has been selling it for. It is a downright remarkable value.

Size/Weight - As I write this, it is the lightest DSLR on the market. A major selling point IMO, after a couple of hours 3 or 4 extra ounces can feel like a ton. Size is about average though.

Comfort/Ergonomics - OUTSTANDING The best and most comfortable fit of any DSLR I tried. It FEELS like a quality camera (unlike the Canon DRebelXT/300D-outside North America), and my hand didn't feel cramped like with the Canon. While the Nikon D70 was almost as good in this category, I'd give the Oly E500 a slight edge. Menus and manual controls are well placed and made sense to me. Learning to use the camera was quick and easy.

Viewfinder - A weak point for some, but not me. It is a smallish viewfinder compared to the Canon or Nikon. But as compensation, I felt it worked the best with my eyeglasses. The exposure and other info is not very bright in the viewfinder and difficult to see, especially in bright light.

Image quality with Kit lenses - Very good with lenses stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8 or so. A little soft with the lenses wide open, but better than the Canon lenses. Olympus has always had a reputation as one of the best of the Japanese lensmakers and these kit lenses continue to promote that reputation, I think.

Image Noise - definitely has noise issues starting at iso 800. However it is manageable with software like NoiseNinja and such. Also how many people shoot at iso higher than 400 anyway? but If you intend to do something where noise is an issue like concert photography or astronomical phototography, this is not the camera for you. for everyone else, 'fugedaboutit!'.

Autofocus - about average IMO. There is no such thing as a GOOD autofocus IMO. Manual focus is pretty good, but the ground glass optical viewscreen really needs a split image for good focus.

Exposure seems dead on accurate no complaints whatsoever. I shoot raw mostly and the only exposure correction I've been doing is for effect only, not to correct any deficiency in exposure. All the detail is there.

Things I wish it had - better remote control or a cable release socket. A bigger viewfinder, the one it has is perfectly acceptable, BUT. . . bigger IS better. Ability to use standard photoflash connectors without a hotshoe connector (for manual and studio flash). That's pretty much it. Nothing really major.

I'd buy it again. Especailly at these prices!

I can't say enough good things about this camera kit. I've never owned a still camera before, and I figured I'd jump right into the game with a higher end digital SLR. I couldn't be more satisfied with this camera. I worried about the low light focusing issues other buyers were having, but I didn't have any issues that couldn't be fixed by reading the manual and manually changing a few settings that drastically improved my pictures. I'm very impressed on how simple it is to use this camera. Most people avoid the DSLRs because they're afraid that they're too complicated and too "professional" for someone who doesn't really know much about photography. What better way to learn then by purchasing a DSLR, buying a photography book, and learning hands on? If I had to define this product I'd have to say that it's a professional grade product that even an amatuer (like myself) can get professional results from. It's an extrodinary camera, it takes vivid and clear pictures, and for the body, two lenses, a battery, a charger, two lens hoods, a shoulder strap, and software the $ (after rebate) price tag is an unbelieveable value!

(If you want to see some pictures I took check out the customer images section. I went to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and I couldn't believe how great my pictures were coming out...I felt like I could get a job for National Geographic!)

I bought this camera two months ago, and had no problems with it until I went to put the Compact flash card in one day, and I got an error message from the camera stating a card error. I then went out and bought an xd card and tried to put that in the second slot that this camera has. same story. I have sent this camera back to Olympus, who are now telling me that a tiny pin was bent when putting in the compact flash, and they will NOT cover this under warranty, and they want 250.00 to fix it. They have yet to explain to me why the xd card does not work either. So the bottom line is beware putting a compact flash in your camera because if it bends one pin, your 800.00 investment is now useless, and OLYMPUS WILL NOT HONOR THIER OWN WARRANTY, or even entertain the fact that they made a defective unit. I can now no longer use any of my compact flash cards with this unit for fear of a 250.00 hit everytime I dare to put one in. THANKS A LOT OYLYMPUS>

After much research and comparison of Nikon and Canon I bought the Olympus because of the price and the two lense deal. The camera is easy to use and the lense quality is very good. I am happy with my choice and would do it again. The two lenses cover all my uses for now, a macro would be nice but I can still get relatively close with good results. I love the speed of the camera. The colors are terrific and sharp image quality. The camera is eacy to hold, not too heavy and travels well.

I have photographed from earthly little creatures to amazing bodies of heavenly magnitude (see the ladybug and the moon photograph in the "share your costumer images" file, for example) and I can't help the thought that this is what art-photography is all about! I am no pro. I have no photography background. All I have is just a strong desire to capture the beauty of the world around me and my Olympus Evolt E500 does the job perfectly. Try it! You will be delighted.

I'm new to the world of DSLR's. I considered the Rebel XT, but I felt that this camera was a better value, considering I have no other lenses. So far, no complaints. I have a lot to learn!

I bought myself the two-lens kit for Christmas, having previously owned a handful of point-and-shoot digitals from Kodak, HP and Fujifilm, and I felt I was reaching the point where I needed an SLR to keep improving. I decided to go with the E-500 for several reasons, including but not limited to:
--Good LCD screen, with a wide viewing angle and YRGB histograms available
--Excellent tonal response, with the rich colours that Oly are justly famous
--Dust filter that, in six months of heavy shooting has worked flawlessly. I've never seen a speck of dust in a shot, and I laugh at Canon / Nikon users when I see them swabbing off ther sensors
--Kit lenses about as good as you can expect kit lenses to be
--Good power-on and shot-to-shot times
--Excellent menu system that (despite some reviews to the contrary) put every setting you could ever expect to change during a shoot at your fingertips
--Very good ergonomics - it won't slip out of your hand, and is comfortable to hold (unlike, say, the Rebel XT), has a good weight, and has all the buttons exactly where your fingers expect them to be

Of course, it's not perfect, and for less than $1000 (including two lenses!) you can't expect to get a pro-level camera, but I think it hit the balance of features and cost very nicely. The autofocus can be a little sluggish in low light, especially if you've turned off the AF illuminator (which has a tendency to annoy people). The buffer could be bigger - shooting in RAW, you can take about 4 pictures before you need to release the shutter and start again. Noise gets pretty high above ISO 1000, but not many people use such fast speeds too often, and it's no worse than the grain on a decent ISO 400 film, and it's not so bad that Noise Ninja [...] can't make it go away, so it's not an issue.

I think I've taken about 20,000 pictures with this camera, and I've never had a problem with it. Certainly there have been badly-exposed, out-of-focus shots, but they're my fault and not the camera's.

Still, the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating. So take a look at some of my pictures, and see what you think.
[...]

I have only had my camera for a couple of weeks at this point. I purchased it for quick pictures for church functions and other volunteer type needs. We used the pictures from this camera to put together a slide show for a week-long camp trip with junior high age kids. Everyone was well-impressed by the pictures this camera takes. The only disappointment I've found, and it isn't important to me, is that you have to use the viewfinder to take your picture, as the image does not appear on the screen on the back of the camera. Be sure to purchase a memory card when you purchase the camera or you won't be able to take any pictures. I missed that somewhere and had to quickly order a memory card before I left on the trip. Great camera!

I owned an Olympus C 5000 Zoom 5 megapixel camera before I bought the EVOLT 500 . I was very satisfied with that camera .I know that the majority of the reviews for this camera are very good . That is why I was surprised that the results I have had with the EVOLT 500 were somewhat disapointing . The auto white balance was very inconsistent. I took about 30 pictures within 10 minutes at an outdoor Soccer game . They were all taken under the same conditions yet the picture quality varied greatly. Some were yellowish and some were blue and flat . I was able to correct this by using the custom white balance .I set it at 5000K . After that the pictures stayed consistent . I also have a problem with indoor pictures using the flash. The pictures are quite often under exposed . I now set the flash compensation to +.03 or +.07. This seems to correct the problem . I upgraded to this camera because I take a lot of sports photographs and I needed the higher shutter speeds . I also needed a camera that took pictures at a higher ISO without too much noise . The EVOLT 500 does accomplish this very well.Other than that I honestly have to say I was more satisfied with my C5000 Zoom which cost half as much.

As an amateur photographer who has used a conventional film SLR (Olympus OM-1) for years and transitioned to digital with a lesser camera before purchasing the EVOLT E500 kit, I think I made the right choice. The overall package of picture quality, camera construction quality, logic of controls, and general "feel" is right where I hoped it would be.

A couple of more specific comments:
Some reviewers have commented on the relatively small viewfinder. I was concerned about it before seeing the camera, but as soon as I started taking pictures I realized it was not an issue. I wear glasses most of the time and it is not a problem. It can be difficult in brighter lighting to see the information to the right of the image in the viewfinder, though.
I find the menu system, particularly the ability to jump quickly into any part of it via the viewing screen, to be well done. There are several pathways available to changing settings.
The kit lenses are only so-so. Not long after I bought the kit, I upgraded to the 14-54 and 50-200 lenses, which are truly excellent. Probably should have bought the body only and gone straight to these lenses.
The auto white-balance button is easy to press accidentally while taking a hurried action shot. It just takes a bit of practice to avoid doing it.
The USB 1.1 means relatively slow transfer of images off the card, but I consider that a minor annoyance.
The LCD screen on back is superb.
In theory, at least, the automatic dust reduction system is a great feature.

Summary:
I have no second thoughts about this purchase. I am really enjoying photography again, this time in the digital world.

In my opinion, the Olympus E-500 is perhaps the best camera available this season for the serious student of digital photography. It has a rich feature set that provides a student with the full range of adjustments to address most situations a student is likely to encounter. The price of the two-lens kit brings it within the means of all but the most cash-strapped of starving students. This camera and the academic version of Photoshop should more than accommodate whatever photo projects a student is likely to undertake, excluding underwater and severe weather situations.

The E-500 is a sturdy camera, plastic bodied but with a metal internal frame; it should stand up to some abuse. Students will appreciate the Control Panel LCD, which provides quick access to almost all camera settings. Playback modes include separate histograms for R-G-B and luminance, and clipping indicators for highlights and shadows. File capture options include several compression levels of JPEG, 8-bit TIFF and 12-bit raw (ORF). The kit lenses are not the world's best, but they are certainly competent, capable of producing results that should pass muster for all but the most critical student eye.

For students, I think the main limitations of the E-500 include a small viewfinder that makes manual focus a chore and the lack of a wired remote. Rumors of noise at high ISO settings and slow multi-exposure performance may be true, but should not be a problem for most students.

I think students should be careful not to spend too much money on camera equipment at this point in their careers. True, more money buys better optics, higher performance and better build quality, but that should be viewed in the light of the rapid obsolescence cycles experienced by today's cameras. Digital cameras should be regarded as little more than computer peripherals, subject to the same rapid technological advances experienced by all computer gear. Why should a student want to spend extra for a fancy camera that will be superceded next season and be obsolete in three seasons? The premium a student would pay for a higher-tone camera might better be spent on a digitizing tablet (Wacom Intuos3 6x8) or a good TTL flash unit (Olympus FL-36). I advise students to wait on the high-end gear until they can take it off their taxes as a business expense.

Students who drive Porsches to school may disregard all of the above.

I've admired and had good luck with Olympus products since I bought my first OM-1 back in 1975. They always seem well designed, functional, and durable.

I bought the E500 package about 2 months ago and promptly left on a vacation to the western US, where I gave it a real workout. It performed outstandingly. Great, clear view through the eyepiece, good metering, and outstanding optical quality. As with most new cameras I get, it took a little while to master the menus, but once I got them down, they worked fine as well.

Really a great product.

i had resigned myself to digital but missed the freedom of my cannon slr. i had looked at cannon's digital slr cameras but did not like the way they felt in my hands. the cost for the body and lenses i was used to working with was more than i was willing to spend, then i saw this, the grip is comfortable and the dual lens set is a bargain! the huge lcd is is an added plus. i live near the ocean and have taken some great action shots. The ease of use and the versatility of this camera make it a must no matter what your level of skill with a slr camera. definitely worth the money!!!

I purchased the Evolt E500 Two Months ago and have taken well over 1000 photos with out a problem. The camera has many features for the pro and beginner alike. The dual lens kit can not be beat by price or quality its the best. I also like the dual memory card slots I have a 2gig compact flash and a 1 gig xd card and they both work great. The cameras menus are very user friendly and easy to use. I take alot of flower and landscape photos and just love the features the camera offers me. The usb download to the computer is slow be I feel that the images transfer better if done at a slower rate and less chance of some image loss. Olympus has done a great job overall I have tried out the Canon and Nikon cameras and they just do not feel as good in my hand as the olympus does. The weight and size are just right. I have heard a lot of negative about the slow start up time but I have not had an issue with it myself.

This is my first venture into the world of digital slr cameras and I'm very pleased. The camera feels and handles like a standard slr camera. The two lenses in the package that I purchased are very good, although I do wish that one of the lens was a macro. I think the only dissapointment so far is that there are not many second party lens makers out there for the 4/3 lens system.

However, overall the price and the camera package are an extremely good buy.

This is the first time that I've purchased a camera that was not a Nikon and once I got over the fact that I was no longer a loyal Nikon user, I was able to really appreciate my purchase. Nice, very nice SLR system.

I've had this camera for about 3 months now and I am still discovering new ways to take pictures. The camera has a bunch of functions that can test any photographers' creativity.

Olympus has a bunch of software updates out for the camera. So check which version you have and get the update. The two lenses supplied in the package are really great for the price. I don't think you can get anything cheaper in terms of price especially for the quality a Zuiko lens provides.

Battery life is excellent - color renditions are 9.5/10. This camera competes directly with the Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) and in my opinion beats it in many ways. The ergonomics are great, the camera sits nicely and is the righ size for a man's hand. The Rebel XT felt kind of small at the store. The supersonic wave filter and the 2 lens are the deal makers. If you are in a dusty environment, you'll like this feature.

The manual is average. The trigger, shutter sound are all very satisfying and sound just like an analog camera.

I bought E500 as birthday Gift for my brother , hoping he will love this camera. I am not sure what features he did not like, but he told me to get him Real DSRL like Canon or Nikon and return this one.

He complained about shutter speed, startup time and also lack many many things which he loved in other cameras but I did what he wanted to do and got him Canon Rebel XT , which made him much happier.

I am guessing it is still a good camera, but may not be upto real DSLR grade as Canon or Nikon are.

I'll start by admitting I am a satisfied Olympus 4/3 customer. I have a 2.5 year old E1, the first of their 4/3rds DSLR cameras. I have Zuiko 50-200mm, 300mm, 18-45mm and several other lenses. I bought the E500 body to get more pixels: the E1 has only 5.5 megapixels and for the kind of work I do, that's just not enough.

The E500 has a slightly less "professional" feature set than the E1, but adds many features that the older E1 doesn't have, including 25 (!) exposure modes and a digital viewing screen on the back that is bright, crisp and a true joy to use. You will want to download the firmware updates promptly on purchase; they help a lot with auto focus and exposures in low light conditions. But except for the firmware update, this is a fine camera out of the box.

Pluses: The Kodak KAF-8300CE CCD sensor does a very nice, even exceptional job with colors and tones, and when you keep it at or below ISO 800 there is very little noise even in poor light conditions. The dust removal system introduced with the E1 works as well or better than ever. As I watch my buddies struggle with dust on the CCD sensor with each lens change, I appreciate even more the Olympus dust removal technology. It really works, and is a tremendous timesaver in the field. Finally, the camera is sturdy, ergonomic and the primary controls are convenient.

Minuses: unlike the E1, it doesn't have a "firewire" port and the single port it has seems to be USB-1, not USB-2. It takes a long time to download photos shot in RAW/SHQ. The solution is to get a card reader instead. The 25 pre-defined shooting modes are simply too many. I shoot mostly in MF/MEx anyway, but I suspect it would take longer to select a suitable "mode" than to manually focus and set your exposure.

Overall, though, this is an excellent camera and works well with all of the Zuiko lenses. It's a relative bargain, too. Very highly recommended.

Until now I was one of those people who had never owned an SLR type camera. This being my first SLR I was a little worried about understanding all of the settings that are available. I was pleasantly surprised to see that when using the auto settings it does a very good job at taking pictures equal to or better than my point and shoot. The greatest part about this is that now I can work on learning all of the more advanced features yet still switch back to Auto mode when I need to take a quick picture. So far almost all of the dials and menus are very straight forward. If you are experienced using a point and shoot that was made in the last few years then this camera should be a breeze to pick up and use. I haven't opened the manual yet and I still have managed to play with most of the settings and not render it inoperable. I think this is a very good camera for someone wanting to try their hand at more professional photography. As a side note I noticed this camera got a bad review for not being a Nikon or Canon. I read all the reviews by that person and almost 99% were all 1 or 2 stars so I would take that review with a grain of salt.

This is a great, great camera. It is well put together, takes great pictures, most imporantly, it has good balance, and feels great in your hands. It has that quality well-built feel, not that "plasticy" feeling that I got holding the Canon Rebel XT or the Nikon D50, that made me put them down and pick up their bigger "brothers" like the D200.

The two lens set is the way to go. For not much more than the price of the E500 camera body, you get two very good lenses. These lenses are as good or better than the kit ones that are sold with the Rebel XT and the Nikon D50. If you do not possess "legacy" Nikon or Canon lenses, give this SLR a try. It is that good. The reviews for all of these cameras are all over the place, but the better review sites will post comparison pictures, once you look them over, then make up your mind. The E-500 has a number of custom settings along with adjustable setting for simultaneous RAW and JPEG pictures, features not usually found on entry SLR's, just check out the Pentax *ist DL.

Like the little engine that could. This is the little camera that could....

But my wife would have killed me. For the past couple of years I started to get more into photography as a hobby. When a friend, who liked my photographs so much, asked me to photograph their wedding I decided I better invest in something more than just a little point and shoot camera. After doing much research between the Canon Rebel XT and the Olympus E500 I decided to purchase the Olympus and I can honestly say that I have not regretted it. Not only does the Olympus have advanced features that allow me to experiment with the look of my photos, it also has some functions that are familiar to point and shoot users so that someone like my wife can pick up the camera and not feel intimidated by it. The size and weight of the camera is not too big or heavy and the handle grip fits just right. That's more than I can say for the Rebel XT's small and somewhat cheap plastic feel. Yes there are better cameras out there but are well over the $1,000 mark, but it's great to go to a wedding, take pictures, and have people tell me that my photos came out just as good or better than the professional photographer that they hired.

I purchased the EVolt E-500 late August and so far it has been an excellent choice. Below is a summary of likes and dislikes:

- 2.5" LCD, clear, bright (even in sunlight, just got back from Hawaii so I know)
- Relatively fast camera for continuous shots.
- Built in modes and scenes provide easy setup for the common situations you might run into (sunsets, candlelight, beach, etc)
- Anti dust system works flawlessly
- Feels like a SLR Film camera (good when you have big hands)
- Good weight
- Great battery life
- Two lens kit with camera is an excellent value!

What I don't like:
- Auto-focusing during shots of low light landscapes (e.g. sunsets) using the 40-150mm zoom lens can cause the focusing to become confused
- Manual mode adjustments could be a little more straight forward
- Lack of USB 2.0 support (get a card reader)
- Manual focusing just doesn't feel natural
- Position of some controls can cause accidental activation while holding the camera during a shot.
- For Olympus: Include the Eyecup Magnifier as a standard feature!
- Limited lens selection and vendors (can you say "EXPENSIVE")

I really like this camera and I feel it was a good choice for me at the time. However, like technology often does, it changes after you made your purchase!

Several vendors released 10-Megapixel camera about three weeks after I made my Olympus purchase all with the Anti-dust system and 2.5" LCD displays. I probably would have looked more seriously at the Canon Digital Rebel XT or XTi had the camera not felt so small in my hand (both versions have been rated very high). Sony and Nikon have some very impressive DSLRs that are reasonably priced.

Canon, Sony, and Nikon all have a larger selection of lenses and those lenses are more reasonably priced than Olympus. The Olympus lens selection is very high quality and pure "digital" but the lack of third party lens manufacturing is keeping the price "too high" for most people (unfortunately that includes me) due to (my personal belief) the "Four Thirds" lens technology.

Still; a nice DSLR camera, great to hold, easy to use, fast, shooting 250+ pictures a day with little to no affect on the battery, and a great out of the box price with two very nice lens selections. Hard to beat!

This is my first Digital SLR, after using a Kodak easy share for years, I found this camera to be wonderfully easy to use and so versatile. It is wonderful for traveling and takes great shots. I reviewed various different Digital SLR's and found this one to have the best cost for what I was getting, I was not disappointed.

After having the camera for over a year, I am still amazed at the quality of the pictures the camera will produce when used correctly. I will say it was a learning curve to understand some of the features, but well worth the time spent on them. Camera have worked flawlessly since first out of the box. I have added a 55-200mm Sigma lens and FL-30 flash with great results on both. I think the camera never got the same reviews as the Nikon and Canon SLR's have received, though I would match picture for picture with any SLR in it's category range. Highly recommend the Olympus camera's, I have bought 4 of them since 1999, all still working.

So far I am pleased with this camera, my first digital SLR. I'm especially satisfied with the shutter speed priority, which has enabled me to capture sports shots. This camera is an especially good value since it comes with two lenses.

I researched and researched before I purchased this camera. This is my fourth Olympus digital camera (I just keep upgrading), and I am completely in love with my E500. It's everything I wanted and more. The camera feels nice in my hands-- substantial, but not heavy. The lenses take crisp, clear photos, and the viewfinder, though a tad on the small size, is pretty true to what I capture. I'm still getting used to all of the options-- there are a ton-- and I sometimes have to remind myself to revert back to some options after I've been playing around with it. It does take a little more time to be ready to use when you're used to a point-and-shoot. :) I also bought the macro lens and a remote control... both have been very useful. I love the wide angle of the 14-45mm and the telephoto on the 40-150mm is fantastic! I'm just amazed at the versatility that these lenses offer. I would recommend this to anyone. :)

I purchased this camera in late Spring but didn't use it until my vacation in July; it's my first dslr. Since then I've begun to use it more and more. I am taking unbelievable shots and I've not yet begun to scratch the surface of its abilities. Although I have very small hands, I chose the E500 because I prefer a sturdier look and feel and I've not been disappointed. I've got several Olympus cameras which I love: this one puts the others to shame and that is high praise.

I read the reviews and final choice was between Rebel XT and Evolt.

And made a big mistake of selecting Evolt at the last minute.

After spending $800 at Circuit City, I got the picece of crap home.

It has horrible results inside the house in full auto mode and the AF
just refuse to focus in home light (which includes halogen)

I took some 100 pics. in more or less all configuration ISO speeds etc
but still photos were way under exposed and every photo had to be edited.

Next morning I tooks it out in bright sunlight - result were good.

Afternoon I took it back to Circuit City and lost $100 as they won't
refund my full money.

Camera sucks big time for the amount of money one is spending and
Circuit City customer support added the topping (I can write a whole
article on their support).

Anyways ,,,,, with the bad taste in mouth! Don't think about buying
this camera.....look somewhere else.


Thanks,
TR.

All I know about photography was from a class I took in High school 10 years ago. I bought the Olympus, for its price considering the 2 lenses. The menu was confusing even after I read the manual. I didn't love the lenses that much, there was too much play in the manual focus, and the view finder was pretty hard to see into.
I went to a camera store and played around with a Nikon and a Canon, both had better menus, the Nikon had the better manual focus. So I ended up with a Nikon. The manual focus was like black and white, compared to the E-500.

The camera itself was a great size, and fit well in my hands. The nikon (D50) feels a bit heavier, but I think it could be the 300mm lens. Maybe if I weren't a beginner I'd feel better about it, but I'd like my husband to be able to play with it too, and the Nikon is a lot easier to use.

I like most everything about this camera. There is one caveat to this and that is the noise levels above 400 are really too much. I generally don't shoot that high and I always use raw. I would suspect that the noise filter would work pretty good on the JPG images, but I don't know (as it does on the Canons). The focusing is not as fast as the comparable Canon or Nikon, but the colors and the spot meterings are better and it has the advantage of the self-cleaning sensor. This is really what pushed me over and I have not been disappointed except with stated above. I'm still giving it 5 because I have used the camera and the picture quality and feel is really good.

Before buying my first DSLR I researched lot and narrowed it down to Canon XT Rebel and EVOLT-500. Finally I bought EVOLT-500 from Amazon just before the Thanksgiving. So far I explored various settings and took photos indoor and outdoor. The photos came really excellent and I couldn't find any reason to edit the photos as some people mentioned for photos at low light settings.

The reason I gave 4 stars is I need to explore the more of it.

Olympus will not honor their warranty if you bend a pin inside the camera body. Mine bent with normal use within 6 months. That my friends will cost you $ 250!!!!!
What a bunch of bull from what I thought was a reputable company. Shame on you Olympus!

For the past one month & half I have been looking into different brands for a suitable Digital SLR with extra lenses. I couldn't find any other with one extra lenses other than the standard 14-45 except Olypus E500. For the past two weeks I have been taking several photos on M XD card. The available options were simply great. Specially the evening shoots.

The only drawback is the non-availability of "Live picture" through the wide 2.5" TFT screen. Other than this the rest is worth its money.

Finally the price from Amazon is trully one of the best in the market.

The E500 is the 7th Olympus camera I've had the pleasure to own. Yes, I have owned a few other brands of film cameras, but I seem to have settled in with the brand that has given me rock-solid dependability, flexibility of use, and above all, the family of Zuiko lenses that always deliver high quality images. This is the first DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera I have owned. The build quality of the body is first rate, and fits nicely in my hand. It harkens to the days of Film SLR's (no surprise) so it was as though I had picked up my old OM-1n body. That's where the similarities end. Where the film cameras need a good deal of photographic theory to set up for each shot, The modern DSLR can be a point-and-shoot. Just set it to AUTO mode and use it as you would any $150 camera. But that's not why an ex SLR guy like myself bought the E-500. I want to be able to adjust the heck out of my shots if I want to. The differences between old and new become a little closer, but the DSLR (any brand) keeps that distance huge. Set up a tripod and take a shot like in the old days. Wait a second, and check it out on the LCD display. Need an adjustment? Make it and shoot away. Need to bracket your shot? Set it and it takes three shots in succession. It is this modern digital instantaneous adjustability that leaves the old days in sepia mode. There are just too many features for me to list with this camera, but I have been using the heck out of it for about 3 months...and lovin' it! Oh, and if you have a collection of old Zuiko lenses from your OM line of bodies, you can purchase an adapter ring for about $100 that will allow you to use them (manual focus) with the entire line of Evolt DSLR's.

I get great pics with this Olympus camera. It's the 5th Olympus camera I've owned and I have always been pleased with this brand. I didn't find the camera all that "obvious" to operate when I got away from all the presets--but I learned! I get great pictures and excellent resolution. The presets are very good as well. I just wish the individual lenses were not so expensive. I highly recommend this camera to anyone making the jump from automatic to SLR--you won't be disappointed. But do take the time to learn the camera!! The manual is not helpful for really learning the camera but there are quite a few books available to teach the fine points of digital photography.

I love the camera. Good weight, good design, comfortable to use even for someone with small hands, like me. Lots of options, pop up flash, easy to use menu configuration, and it comes with two wonderful lenses. Love the solid 'cha-chink' of the shutter release. The photos, even just on AUTO mode, are far, far better than my mother's automatic digital camera (also an Olympus) takes. The HyperCrystal LCD is huge - huge and a perfect preview of the photo to be, rather than a pale imitation. The battery lasts a long time - have only had to recharge twice since I bought it.

Has so many settings I haven't had time to try or master them all.

The bad?
Not even a tiny bit of internal memory for photographs. Make sure you have a card on hand. Or two.

And also, while using the camera in AUTO mode, where the light is dim enough that a flash is needed, the flash can be VERY irritating. As the camera adjusts itself for the photo, it often performs several test flashes, meaning that taking an indoor picture on auto can actually take up to ten seconds - and multiple flashes that thoroughly blind your victim before the photo is actually taken. This is irritating.

I have not used the included software, so I cannot comment on it. It seems that the only way you can update the camera's firmware is by using this software - this, to me, is a minor pitfall, because I don't use Windows.

Overall, I'm VERY impressed with the camera, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a digital SLR.

I chose this SLR camera over the Canon `Digital Rebel' largely as could take the xD cards I have, and I could get the official twin Olympus kit lens for £100 less than the Canon offerings. Plus having lost a `sealed' compact to dust on the sensor the Olympus vibrational dust removal CCD system is great idea. Basically the camera feels like a traditional SLR, holds very well, and is relatively easy to use, although many useful things (and there are a lot of them for your money) are hidden in the various menus (like ASA's above 800 needing an on/off to activate). See the independent site dpreview.com for an excellent review of this camera and it's main digital SLR competitors available on Amazon. Picture quality is very good, although a bit noisy above 400 ASA. Having to swap lenses to get more than 3x zoom is also a bit of a pain, I have got used to a 12x zoom compact, and I tend to leave the telephoto at home as the camera bag is rather weighty with it stashed in. Naturally you need to get a generic second battery (although the supplied battery is good for few days intensive shooting). Like all SLR's the back screen is at very high risk of damage from face contact and scratches so I applied a [PALM branded] screen protector before use.

The only downside is the painfully slow USB 1 (not 2) transfer speed (up to twenty minutes for a days shoot), no top notch autofocus (up to three focus areas not five) and the stupidity of no distance markings on the manual focus ring. So when you try to use manual focus in the dark you find it virtually impossible to set focus manually, whereas you could easily twist to say 3m or infinity on the lens ring if it was there (or shown in the menu). The focus ring just spins round and round and you don't even know which way the focus is going (although I believe this does prevent the manual focus damaging the focus motor and I have lost a film Minolta SLR that way). There's also no focussing light aid other than the short range flash. Having to use the pop-up flash to focus in the dark is also a real pain unless your wish to dazzle the subject (I never use it and switch off the auto pop-up and flash focus aid - the camera focuses far better without it anyway). It also tends to overexpose a little and you often forget to compensate after it returns to default (if you stay on Auto it does remember settings though). It's also a bit noisy at high ASA compared to the Canon and Nikons (and unfortunately I find I use the camera a lot above 400 ASA). Plus you have to pay a little extra to upgrade the limited supplied software to the excellent Olympus Master Pro version (annoying on a camera of this price). But if you can live with the downsides, the camera has a lot to recommend it. I couldn't find any SLR for the price that had everything I wanted, and this SLR offered a good compromise. It has so many features that I'm still discovering some. I also bought the Olympus EX-25 'extension ring' from Amazon for real macro shots. Keep your quality 12x zoom compact though as this is large, intimidating, noisy, obtrusive and heavy beast for some places.

I used this camera to take basic picture. You can use this camera and become a pro in a day.

I am more then pleased with my purchase of my Olympus Evolt 500 Digital SLR Camera . It excides all my hopes i had when i bought it. It takes the greatest pictures and is simple to use. I enjoy all of its great features too. Thank you Olympus For building such a great product.
Charles Miller Sr.

Have been a fan of Olympus cameras since the film days with my 30 years old clamshell 35mm still operable. Have been using C-750 and C-8080 (great optics, steep leaning curve). The E500 optics are almost as good as the 8080,however, much more user friendly. Controls are handy and intuitive. Outstanding feature. NO MORE SHUTTER LAG! Overall quality first class. Only minus is the small viewfinder, hard to see settings off to the side wearing glasses.

So far I am very happy with this camera!
It is easy to use & easy to take great pictures.
I have used it many times, since getting it!
The only thing that would have been nice would have been for it to have had some kind of memory card in the package.
Upon opening it on Christmas morning, of coarse you want to use it right away to capture the occasion.
Especially since there is no internal memory.
Over all Great Camera, Great Package (except missing memory card), Great Price!

This camera is absolutely incredible. It has so many features I am still getting to know it. One of the features is a SCENE mode. This is a special section of settings like candlelight for low light settings, high key for a lot of sun, children for taking pictures of active kids, night scene for nightime, landscape and portrait among others. These scenes let you take perfect pictures. The candle scene "absorbs" the light making the pictures a lot brighter than they would normally be. I cannot believe the pictures I've taken!
I went to Europe with this camera recently, and my friends borrowed my camera all the time, by the third day they left their cameras at the hotel and decided to use mine for all the pictures. I kept getting comments like "lets use her great camera, its much better than mine." A lot of people had Cannon EOS cameras, and there is no comparisson whatsoever, this camera is superior in every way.
I got so much more than I payed for!!!!

i love this camera. this is exactly what i wanted and with a fabulous price.

I purchased the E-500 kit with the 14-45 and the 40-150 zooms. The price I paid for a two-lens kit was less than the price of competitor's kits offering only one lens.
Kit lens quality is very good, better in my opinion than either Canon's or Nikon's offerings in this category.
The 40-150(equal to the view offered by 80-300 in 35mm photography) is made in Japan while China makes the 14-45. But they both feel the same, solid. The camera body, on the otherhand, feels a bit light and I wonder about its durability. We'll see, I guess. With a lens attached the camera has a real good feel and is quite easy to compose and shoot with. Overall, pretty sharp and warm images. I like what I'm getting. At some point I'll put down for one of the higher grade lenses offered by OM but for now I think I'm pretty happy. I can't comment on noise because, so far, I haven't shot in very much low light. The LCD is big and bright. I've read other columns referring to the viewfinder as being a bit small. It's big enough for me. From what I've also read the E-500 might have been knocked for being a little slow, in start-up and from shot to shot. Well, it's fast enough for me and from what I understand part of the slow start-up has to do with the automatic sensor cleaner. Slightly slower is a good tradeoff for a clean sensor. Besides, we're only talking about a second or so. This is my first digital SLR and I like it very much. I think most people would agree it to be one of the sweeter deals out there.

There were several reasons I settled on the Olympus E-500, some of which were due to the customer reviews from this site. I researched and read reviews, visited web sites from Canon, Fuji, Sony and Nikon. I also read reviews about the various lower-end DSLRs from those respective sites. For the price and features and quality/bang-for-the-buck - there could be no other choice but the E-500. I received mine on Jan. 18 of '07. The very first picture I took (camera on full auto) was my goofy face. I was stunned to see skin pores and little hairs I never knew existed! For better or worse, the detail I have seen with the two lenses are amazing. My other buddies (who also have more money than I) have a Canon, Sony and Pentax. I feel that the crispness and color are much better than the aforementioned DSLRs. This camera kit rocks! I received so much more for my $$s spent. Excellent!

The quality of the eight megapixel images are excellent, particularly if you focus manually. Using auto-focus doesn't appear to yield quite such good results. The Olympus E-500 isn't altogether an easy camera to use - on the other hand, a thorough reading of the user manual means it's not exactly difficult to learn either. As you'd expect with an SLR, the viewfinder is really accurate and clear, and the screen very good too. The shutter delay is an impressive 16 hundredths of a second - so you have a good chance of capturing the moment you want. You also get lots of options to control the way your photos look. Although it's still the best part of a kilogram in weight, the E-500 together with the 14-45mm lens is a bit lighter than some of the other digital SLRs I looked at, and slightly more portable as a result. The battery life is superb, and the flash is strong. It also has an anti-dust feature, which is a definite advantage.
Overall - this two lens package delivers excellent value for money.

For anyone who is interested in amateur photography. Simple and yet very complete

A nice value purchase , is a solid camera with many functions thats works I was shooting on the beach and my fotos were amazing, naturally I am experiencing all the functions and modes and I am ready to take my photo course soon. I recommend this camera.

I'm getting back into the world of photography after many, many years away. When I decided to purchase a digital outfit, I didn't