When Olympus announced that their compact E-400 digital SLR would not be sold in the US, the collective groan could’ve been heard in space. Thankfully someone at Olympus was listening, and they brought the E-400’s replacement — the E-410 — to the America market. The camera include the following main features:

• Super compact body design (no handgrip). Modeled on the OM series of the 70’s. Retro looking
• 10 MP sensor, this time manufactured by Panasonic, called “Live MOS”
• Live view which allows you to use the LCD to view / compose / capture an image
• Supersonic Wave Filter for dust removal
• 2.5” LCD
• XD and CF card capabilities
• 3fps shooting speed. Up to 7 images for the RAW buffer. Capable of shooting RAW + JPG also
• ISO 100 to ISO 1600. Auto ISO also.
• Exposure compensation +- 5.0
• Capable of accepting any Four Thirds lens

Here’s the summary of the 5-part review by Lawrence Ripsher:

“In terms of use and what I’ll get out of it, I don’t think it’ll be of any surprise for me to say that the entry level E-410 is not about to replace my 5D as my primary camera. I do however feel that given its size and ability to perform, it’s going to be able to fill a much needed gap for a second body / system for me.

The extra depth of field that the Four Thirds sensor brings, and access to the fantastic E system lenses which are both competitively priced and typically either faster or smaller (or in some cases both) than their counterparts, are both two key benefits for me. As a result of using the E-410 for just a week, I’ve made the decision to adopt Olympus as a second system. …I’ll end with saying that this is an excellent choice for an entry level DSLR and if you anticipate becoming serious about your photography in the future, know that Olympus already has a lot of world class glass already out there for when you’ll need it. The E-410 is definitely able to compete head to head with its Nikon (D40X) and Canon (400D) counterparts and although it’s a close call between the three of them, there are definite advantages that the E-410 holds (such as Live View, a working dust cleaning system, size advantages, the excellent / great value 14-54 lens that you can upgrade to, etc).”

Website : Olympus E-410 Review by Lawrence Ripsher