Just purchased the Olympus e510 DSLR!! Has anyone else gotten this camera and if so are they excited about it?

Answer 1

I don't own this camera. If I did I'm sure I'd be excited as you are.

Now some friendly advice:

1) Study the Owner's Manual. Do a google search for Magic Lantern and if they offer a Guide for your camera buy it. Their Guides are heavily illustrated with step by step instructions and make a good companion to the original Manual.

2) Register your camera with the manufacturer and keep your receipt.

3) Go to cameraarmor.com and bonicadive.com and choose a protective cover and buy it. After reading all the horror stories in here - "I got my camera wet" or "I got sand in my camera" - it seems wise to spend a few extra $$$ for the protection.

4) Buy a HAZE/UV filter or a Skylight 1A (uncoated) or 1B (coated) filter to fit your lens and then leave it on. When you buy a new lens, buy it a filter. The HAZE/UV filter helps remove the atmospheric haze seen in scenics. The Skylight removes the bluish tint seen in distant shaded mountains or snow and in photos taken in open shade. Buying both wouldn't be a bad idea. Look for HOYA, B+W, TIFFEN.

4a) Most important is the protection they give the front element of your lens. All it takes is one scratch or acidic fingerprint or smudge and your lens becomes an expensive paperweight. No lens should go out in the world naked - it should wear a protective filter.

5) If you plan on a lot of scenics, buy a circular* polarizer. The polarizer allows you to darken blue skys so white puffy clouds really "pop" or just for the visual effect. The polarizer also removes glare/reflections from glass, water, sand, snow and painted metal - but not polished metal.

6) Your camera should either be in your camera bag or hanging around your neck. If it comes with a skinny little strap you can easily replace it wiith a nice wide comfortable one. I shudder when I see people carrying their camera like a loaf of bread in the palm of their hand. In 36 years I've yet to drop a camera. You can buy one with OLYMPUS printed on it. How cool is that!

7) If and when you decide to add an external flash, buy the top of the Olympus line for this camera. Yes, there are numerous after-market alternatives but Olympus designed their flash for their camera. If Olympus offers an off-camera flash bracket buy it too.

8) Buy a good quality camera bag or backback. The Aug. 2007 issue of Shutterbug magazine has a review of backpacks. Go to shutterbug.com and you can find it.

9) A tripod is a valuable tool for low-light photography and scenics or just so you can get in the photo too. Look for Slik, Bogen, Manfrotto, Velbon to name a few. A fluid tilt/pan head with a quick release is the best. Buy one that "fits" you - if you're 6' tall and the tripod only extends to 5' you'll be too uncomfortable to use it. However, if you're 5' tall and the tripod extends to 6' all the better - you don't have to extend the legs fully and that makes for a more stable support. Don't be tempted to extend the center column more than a couple of inches - fully extended its really unstable, especially if there is any wind. Don't waste your money on no-name ones sold at Wal-Mart or similar stores.

10) Read and study your Owner's Manual. Experiment. Try different settings.

Subscribe to a photography magazine. Visit your library and check which ones they have. Read about photography.

Most of all - ENJOY!!

* There are two types of polarizers - circular and linear. The linear one will interfere with through the lens metering and the AF so its to be avoided.