The E-420 digital single-lens reflex camera embodies Olympus’ E-System mantra that the Tokyo-based company has been chanting since its inception – the advantage lies in size or rather, the lack of it.

The model inherited some of the elementary features of the E-System such as the Supersonic Wave Filter and Live-MOS sensor.

Olympus omitted the image stabiliser and the multitude features of the E-520 and E-3, presumably as a size- and cost-saving measure. The good news is, with a faster lens, you don’t really need an image stabiliser, and without the frills, the E-420 is easier to handle. The improved LiveView auto-focus works as seamlessly as a compact camera without the annoying mirror-up-mirror-down regime of the first-generation LiveView units.

Additionally, Olympus incorporates a Face Detection feature that automatically compensates for extreme over- or under-exposure dubbed Shadow Adjustment Technology (a feature borrowed from the company’s compact camera offerings), as well as the ability to control up to three groups of off-body flash remotely with its newer FL-36R or FL-50R flash units.

As for compacts, with the right lens combinations such as the Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens, Zuiko 40-150mm and Zuiko 25mm pancake lens, the E-420 even auto-focuses like one.

Unlike the previous-generation E-410, the E-420 is slightly easier to hold, thanks to an additional hump on the grip that provides an anchor point for your fingers. Due to the lack of a full-size grip, the E-420 employs a smaller 1,150mAh lithium-ion battery instead of the traditional 1,500mAh unit.

Olympus also managed to squeeze a dual Extreme Digital/CompactFlash card slot into the E-420, giving users an option of either using their proprietary xD cards or CF cards. Sadly, their MicroSD-to-xD Converter does not work with the E-System.

For day-to-day usage, the E-420 is so small that, coupled with the Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 (that’s the 35mm equivalent of a 50mm), it could fit into the side pocket of my cargo pants with room to spare. Much like its 50mm focal length, however, the E-420 is neither here nor there. If you are used to bigger and faster cameras, the lack of size is a welcome relief when you are lugging it around, but the lack of speed quickly becomes a frustration. The opposite is true if you are used to having a compact camera.

At RM1,999 with the 14-42mm kit lens, those niggling factors are easily overlooked since the E-420 offers better quality than most compacts and complements an existing photographer’s kit perfectly as a close-up or backup camera to the E-3.

Product: E-420
Manufacturer: Olympus
Enquiries: Olympus Customer Service Centre(Tel: 03-62033882)
Price: RM1,999 with kit lens; RM1,599 for body only

SPECIFICATIONS
• Dimensions: 129.5mm by 91mm by 53mm (excluding protrusions)
• Weight: 380g (body only)
• Memory: CompactFlash Types I/II, Microdrive,xD Picture Card(dual slot)
• Display: 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD, 230,000 pixels
• Lens mount: Four-thirds mount
• ISO sensitivity: Auto (ISO100 – 1,600)/ Manual (ISO100 – 1600)
• Battery: BLS-1 lithium-ion (included)

Our verdict: ****
Physical design: ****
Documentation: *****
User-friendliness: ****
Features: ***
Performance: ***
Value for money: *****