Top 25 Best Buys

Top 25 Best Buys

Grand Deal: Olympus E-510

Who? DSLR buyers who want a full-featured outfit, right out of the box. What? Olympus E-510 with two-lens kit (14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and 40-150mm f/4-5.6 Zuikos). Why? This is quite a bundle. First, the camera: a compact, ergonomic Four Thirds system unit whose 10MP sensor delivers Excellent image quality from ISO 100 to 1600. It offers unlimited live view and sensor-based image stabilization. Now, the lenses: With a combined focal-length range equivalent to 28-300mm, they're exceptionally light and compact. And in Pop Photo Lab tests, both put up Excellent SQF and very low, often Imperceptible, distortion numbers (except at 14mm, where barrel distortion was Visible). Now!$1,000, street.