After months of trying to find the perfect digital SLR to meet my needs, and after poring over the exhaustive reviews over at PCMag.com, I think I may have found the one.

The Olympus Evolt E-500 is certainly no Nikon D50 or Canon Rebel XT, but in my price range, the E-500 offers me the best in quality and functionality. The 14mm-to-45mm f3.5/5.6 lens that comes with the E-500 is enough for a guy who only wants to take pictures of his dog, his girlfriend (not necessarily in that order), and other little scenarios he comes across. And the camera is much cheaper than a similarly outfitted Nikon D50. Also, I like the way the E-500 feels in my big hands; it fits me better than the other entry-level D-SLRs on the market.

The E-500 shoots in a variety of formats, including high, medium, and low JPEG formats as well as TIFF (a dying breed that still has some redeeming qualities), but the camera really shines when you see the supersonic wave filter reduce most of the dust in the picture. Take a picture that may have otherwise been junked because of dust, and in seconds the camera creates a crystal-clear image. The E-500 takes about 2 or 3 seconds to boot up, which is a little slow for a D-SLR, but can refresh about as quickly as any other SLR on the market.

One issue I have with my E-500 is that the exposure information is on the LCD, and does not have the top-display screen you would find on a D50. Each time I want to take a picture and need exposure information, I have to keep backing off and looking at the screen. This may be fine for a run-of-the-mill point-and-shoot, but not for a nice D-SLR.

If you want the best entry-level D-SLR this holiday season, the Evolt E-500 might not be the best way to go. But if you want a camera that can stand up to any other device on the shelves, and can provide quality for novices and pros alike, the conservatively priced E-500 (around $500 to $600, depending on the vendor) might look awfully nice in a present box with your name on it.

For a full review, check out PCMag.com.

Post by Don Reisinger