An Olympus-designed Image Stabiliser unit using supersonic wave technology provides for up to 4 EV stops of image stabilisation capability, particularly useful for telephoto lens shooting and lower light photography without flash. Sports and motorsport photography enthusiasts will especially appreciate the special pan-stabilised mode.

Implementing shake-stabilisation functionality in-camera has tremendous advantages for the photographer: Apart from allowing for all camera lenses to benefit from shake-stabilisation, the cost of lens ownership is made affordable since dedicated shake-stabilised lenses are typically much higher in price. In terms of the all-important image quality consideration, lenses without built-in stabilisation generally provide for higher optical performance because of a lack of movement adjustment to the light transmission path to the sensor, maximising the benefits of the unique telecentric digital lens designs of Olympus Digital Zuiko lenses. In-camera stabilisation also allows lenses to be made more compact and lighter, enhancing portability, and user mobility.

Featuring an all-new Olympus Truepic III image processing chip, picture noise, image detail and picture tone has been improved to a remarkable new level, even at higher ISO settings. An infrared (IR) cut-off filter of a quality only found in professional-class cameras is used to deliver enhanced colour purity, providing clearer colour tone separation with subtle or light colour shades. The famous Olympus picture quality is therefore now even better!

New high speed onboard data processing technology gives the E-510 an astonishingly quick data transfer speed, ensuring that you'll rarely have to wait for the camera even when shooting in the RAW picture quality mode. The E-510 features an 8 shot RAW image buffer with a rapid 3 frames per second continuous shooting capability. A special lossless RAW compression algorithm means that each 10 megapixel raw shot is a compact 11 megabyte (approx.) in filesize, allowing you to, quite literally, squeeze more maximum quality shots into your memory cards. An up to 650-shot capability (CIPA test standards) on a single battery charge lets you shoot all day long with confidence.

The new LiveView capability of the Olympus E-510 provides for real-time preview of white balance, exposure compensation, histogram and depth of field. An improved 2.5 inch HyperCrystal LCD display allows for convenient away-from-eye-level picture composition capability with its 176 degree wide viewing angle (better than previous screens), and even displays camera settings when its backlight is turned off. High and low angle shots or awkward-angled photography is made easy with the E-510's LiveView screen, providing the photographer with expanded creative possibilities and increased shooting convenience. A controllable 7-10x zoom magnifier with a movable magnifying frame helps to provide precise focus for accurate macro-photography, even for off-center close-up subjects. The versatile zoom magnifier can even be used for precise depth of field preview checking!

For users who prefer using a traditional viewfinder, the improved optical viewfinder of the E-510 provides a larger and more comfortable view than previous models, with a near-constant magnification diopter adjustment feature.

All experienced photographers know that a camera is really only as good as the lenses that are used with it.

The new Olympus E-510 is quite simply, a lot of camera for the money.