Customer Reviews

Olympus Camedia D-520 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm a working photographer, and Olympus has always had a good reputation among my fellow professionals for making high-quality, inexpensive point-and-shoot film cameras. I've known many folks who packed an Olympus Stylus in their pocket, in addition to their regular high-end camera gear, for quick grab shots and the like. It seems that for the most part, this high regard can be extended to Olympus's digital point-and-shoot cameras as well.

I'm planning some extended travels, and though I'll be using my film cameras for the majority of my photography, I also wanted to bring an inexpensive digital camera to email a few snapshots back home. I previously had used several other Olympus digital cameras, including the D-380, and had been pleased with all of them, so when I found a D-520 at a reasonable price I jumped on it.

And after a few weeks of general use, I'm happy with the performance of the D-520. Colors are rendered with good saturation and accuracy, especially in sunlight, and the images are sharper and clearer than I expected for a digital camera at this price, particularly at the higher resolutions. The various controls are fairly intuitive once you get used to them, and while I wish there were a few more manual options, there's a good set of control choices for an entry-level camera. Plus it's small - even smaller than the D-380, which doesn't have a zoom lens. It fits easily into my pants pocket or shirt pocket, which is great for travelling.

The downsides, though there are a few, are mostly minor. The flash pops out and sits there in a bit of an awkward spot, and there's no way to put it back in its slot while the camera's on, even if you've turned the flash off. Frankly, I can't see any good reason why they didn't just leave it embedded in the camera body like they did on most of this camera's cousins. The rubber flap over the USB and video ports seems a bit fiddly and prone to breaking off, but that's not a big deal to me. And the flash sometimes takes a while to charge up again after a photo, but since it runs off just 2 AA batteries I guess that was the trade-off Olympus made for smaller size and weight.

It's not a perfect camera, but it's probably one of the better options available in this price range. The Olympus D-520 is a good camera for a beginner, or for someone who won't miss having full manual controls and other creative options in their camera. Its 2-megapixel resolution is well more than adequate for email and the web (which is how I plan to use it) or for 4x6-size snapshots. Those who demand more control and more options, or who plan to print out 5x7, 8x10, or larger enlargements might want to seek out a model with higher resolution.

If you do get this camera, drop the extra $50 or so and spring for an accessory 128mb smartmedia card. The included 16mb card is too small for anything but short photo excursions, while the 128mb card will give you all the space you'll ever need - on the D-520 it holds well over 250 pictures, even at high resolution. You could save a few bucks and get a 64mb card instead, but in my opinion the extra cost is more than worth it to get twice as much storage space in return.

I'd say I was pretty lucky to have found out about this Olympus D-520, which replaces the popular D-510. For about the same price, you'll get more with D-520. It's smaller and lighter. It comes with 16 MB card (instead of 8 MB card that comes with D-510). And, it only uses 2 AA batteries instead of 4, so you don't have to charge them too often (assuming you're using rechargeable batteries, because it's a MUST for digital cameras). The pop-up flash design is a little bit better in D-520, however, I wish that it pops down everytime the lens barrier is closed. The LCD screen is reduced to 1.5", but it doesn't really bother me, as long as the pictures are there :). The menu is easy to use, and the pictures are great. It's my first digital camera, and so far I'm really pleased with its performance. A great buy!!

1. First put in stores in April 2002. Great phot quality for a 2.0 Megapixel. I use it for sending photos on the web. It's great for that.

2. After lots of research, this is the best I could find for under [money]. Super buy.

3. You need a USB port on your computer.

4. Easy easy easy to use. If you have Windows XP on your computer, you plug the USB adaptor into the camera. XP recognizes the camera as a drive. (No software to install). You simply drag and drop the jpegs to your hard drive same as you would any files from any disk or drive. When you unplug the USB, the camera turns off. This probably works on Win98 as well, but you might want to check that out ahead of time.

5. Battery life is unmatched. I have used it all day (in the viewfinder mode) without seeing the battery power indicator move at all.

6. Sixe 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches.

7. Even close, the viewfinder does an excellent job of properly centering the photo. This saves battery life. You don't have to turn the screen on unless you want it.

8. Downfalls: You close the sliding lens cap to turn the camera off. If you push it too hard, the lens caps hits the lens and causes the pull-in-the-lens mechanism to jam. Can't review your photos on the rear screen unless you first turn the camera off. Pretty annoying if you want to show your shot to someone immediately.

9. Other things you will need. Get a cheap (non Olympus) NiCd batter charger. I found an Eveready set for [money]. It's much cheaper than the Olympus and works as well. Get a SmartMedia 128MB card to replace the one in the camera. You will have trouble filling it up before you download. ... You may want a vinyl case. It's not included.

10. Lots of other features I have never found the need to use, but they give a lot of added capability and depth to the camera.

11. Finally, the pop up flash does a great job with fill in ... like when you are taking a photo of people with a window behind them. The center weighted metering is not very good, so you will have to select flash instead of automatic.

After doing extensive research both online and in stores (where you can actually hold the cameras), I decided that the Olympus D-520 was a great blend between features and price. Unless you're a pro photographer, you're not going to need more than 2 megapixel detail. I don't even use the highest setting, so I can store more pics on my memory card and computer. The camera has so many options, it's awesome. Read the manual for all the details.

Having used an older Olympus 1.3 mp model, I knew what I wanted in my OWN camera. The 3x optical zoom is, IMHO, essential. Taking big pictures and cropping doesn't make up for being able to zoom in. A store salesperson said that zoom lenses have to be of a higher optical quality than normal ones too. I wanted a small, lightweight package, which this definitely is. It only takes 2 AA batteries, and it's a lot smaller than previous models and those ones with the big 10x lenses. It takes Quicktime movies (in 15" or 1 minute segments, depending on resolution), but they don't have sound, so it's pretty useless, in my opinion.

Recommended accessories (in no order):
1. NIMH batteries (I got a set of 4 with a rapid charger)
2. Extra memory card (I already had a 64 Mb card, but it goes up to 128 on this camera.)
3. Carrying case (Bring your purchased camera, batteries, and memory card to a bunch of stores until you find one that fits well. I got a Tamarac that fits like a glove!)
4. USB Smart Media card reader (If you won't be using rechargeable batteries. If so, the included cable is just as fast and more compact for travel.)

If you plan on doing serious editing, the included Camedia software probably won't cut it, but it works fine for the casual user who just wants to view and edit pics.

I hope this helps your purchasing decision. It's an awesome camera!

I was looking for a good digital camera at a reasonable price. The D-520 definitely fits the bill. I wanted to make sure the camera I bought had enough features to keep me happy, but wasn't so complicated that my wife wouldn't use it. This camera seems to fit the bill. She can power it up and shoot away without worrying about changing any settings. I like the 3X optical zoom, it gives you lots of options for framing a shot as you take it without losing resolution like you would cropping the picture later in your computer. All of the pictures I have taken so far look great.

The only down side to this camera keeping me from giving it 5 stars is the Camedia Master software that comes with it. It doesn't allow you to do much but download pictures off the camera and put them in albums. My biggest beef is that it appears that you can't change where the software stores it albums. You can upgrade to the "pro" version of the software, which adds some nice features like being able to rename groups of pictures to one name root with a numbered extension ...Thankfully, the ability to drag and drop the pictures from the camera (it shows up as a removable drive on your PC) offsets this drawback.

I would highly recommend this camera. As with all digital cameras, you should invest in some good nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries and a good charger. You may want to carry some spare charged batteries as well. I also recommend getting more smart media cards as the included card is only 16 MB. Some people recommend 128 MB, but since I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket (what if that card gets damaged or lost?) I recommend getting two 64 MB cards. The price difference isn't that much, and you have a backup card in case on gets damaged.

The D-520 is another of the Olympus line of clam shell cameras dating back to the old (non-digital) Stylus models of the mid-80s. In that sense, the design is tried and true and I like it for its compactness and its ability to protect the lens from those with a penchant for losing lens caps. For the vast majority of digital camera users, this camera will meet all of their needs well into the future. The D-520 offers adequate resolution at 2 megapixels. As I have stated in numerous reviews of other digicams, resolution much beyond 2 megapixels is worse than useless for *most* applications, it is costly. It not only costs money in the sense that it raises the initial price of the camera, but operationally, it requires greater battery use, usually involves longer lag times between shots, takes much longer to download to a PC and especially prolongs both phases of e-mailing photos (your uploading the file and your recipient opening it). These latter issues are, in my opinion, the most important, as the real purpose of digital cameras is their neat integration into the world of personal computing. [note: For those folks whose needs are enlarging photos beyond 8" x 10", higher resolution is required] The other features of the D-520 worth noting are its very adequate 3X optical zoom *plus* a vaguely helpful 2.5X digizoom (do not accept digital zooms in place of optical zooms; they are not equals), its ability to operate off readily available AA alkalines (though it will accept rechargeables and these make more sense in may ways), its easily expandable memory (it uses SmartMedia, not quite as good as CompactFlash cards, but close enough) and an adequate number of user-controllable settings, all of which can be handled automatically if you prefer. The only drawback of significance has been slow focus on the Olympus digital cams, resulting in more blurred pics than I think acceptable (and this even with my 700, self-stabilizing model!). Anyway, at the current price, which is about half what it would have been 18 months ago, this is a good camera and a good deal, though for even money, I'd take the Canon A20.

After comparing features of many similar cameras in the same general category, I selected the D-520 ZOOM. I immediately noticed that the viewfinder was out of focus, but initially, I assumed that it was my own eyesight, or a smudge on the lens, or that there was a focus adjustment I hadn't found, so I used the camera for about a week before deciding to return it for an exchange.
When I went to exchange it, we discovered that all five additional cameras in stock also had out-of-focus viewfinders ! It was verified by the store's sales people.
So i simply got a refund.

I like the features of the D-520, and the digital version of the pictures always turned out well; but it was just too irritating to be looking at a blurry image through the viewfinder when trying to frame the shots. How difficult can it be for a camera design to make sure the viewfinder focuses properly ?.....especially a company of Olympus' reputation ! That is why i wasn't more critical of the flaw when I first noticed it.

The sales manager said he was contacting Olympus and returning all his defective stock. So I will probably just wait and see if Olympus solves this quality control problem and perhaps buy another D-520 unless I find something I like better in the interim. If you are thinking of a D-520, be certain to check the viewfinder very critically. It is just irritating to have the subject always out-of-focus when taking pictures, even if the digital version comes out looking good.

The olympus D-520 is a great buy for the price. I wanted to get away from the hassle of developing films at the same time I wanted a camera that was not too expensive. I looked at different 2 megapixels digital cameras(2MP or greater is better if you want to print your pictures) and settled on this one.
Pros:
1. Its small & handy.
2. Very good picture quality.
3. The movie mode is nice to capture some insane moments.
4. Downloading images is very easy with the drag & drop feature. (I have WIndows 98)
5. You can view pictures right after taking them without having to power off the camera. (You need to press the monitor button twice and it goes to playback mode and then if you press the shutter halfway it reverts back to shooting mode)
Cons:
1. It looks a little cheap because of the plastic body.
2. Opening and closing the shutter is not very convenient and especially while closing the shutter I am constantly afraid that I am going to break either the lens or the shutter.
3. Though movie mode is a neat feature it captures only about 15sec and without sound.
I am currently using regular alkaline batteries and though I have had no problems of battery consumption, I am planning to buy NIMH batteries and also additional memory (it comes with 16MB). On the whole, I am happy with this product.

I just bought this camera. I have never used a digital before and am not a serious computer user. I really like the camera. It is extremely easy to use. I read the directions once and started to take pictures and videos the same night. I had no trouble with it. I recommend the rechargeable batteries. It ate two AA batteries the first day. The picture quality is as good as my 35 mm camera and it is easy to download and store your pictures. I am very happy with it.

Well I bought this camera after a lot of study about the price/value trade off over the net.finally i had to choose between canon A40 and olympus D520.The two are almost the same.
I gave more preference to olympus camera because of its 2 battery usage and easliy available in a good deal.
I feel the camera is fabulous.Its lightweight,take great pics even in small size,uses 2 batteries....
well there is a slight problem of prolong time between continuous photos..but as some other customer mentions it,its not 30-40 seconds..its about 10 seconds.....
The photographs are very much clear with outstanding colour.Also the photo only gets blurry if u dont take according to the prescribed way to take the photographs...Its always better to read the manual bfore taking the pics...
Some of the other reviewers mentions that u cant have a preview of the last picture without shutting off the camera is absolutely wrong.There is an option in which u can see the last photo taken without shutting the camera off.(its clearly mentioned in the manual)....
well i am a visitor to US.I bought this camera here.I took this camera to New york for my visit and it gave me fantastic results.I have used this camera for around two weeks and I am out and out impressed with this olympus stuff.Just keep in mind read the manual and understand the settings to take the best use.