Four 5-Megapixel Cameras In Review

A Bright Zoom

The lens is the same as on the E-10, so the maximum aperture is still f/2-2.4. On the other hand, as the sensor has changed, the focal lengths are slightly different, now being 9-36mm, i.e., a 4x, equivalent in 35mm to 35-140mm. It still has threading for mounting 62 mm filters. The camera comes with a lens hood, which clips on the end of the lens and is mounted the other way round when the camera is in its case.

The Fastest

As we already said, the E-20 stores its photos in a buffer before transferring them to memory. If you use JPEG, you can take a shot-by-shot sequence of up to four photos in about five or six seconds. Beyond four, you have to wait for the cache to empty. The idea was a good one, but it would have been better if the cache were bigger. Four photos is not a lot!

This camera is just as quick to boot. Another good point is that its autofocus is the fastest of the four. It takes barely a second to focus, as opposed to twice the time for the DSC-F707 and time and a half for both the Coolpix 5000 and the Dimage 7. There is no square framing the subject - the image is either clear, or it is not.