Olympus reveals budget compact with enhanced low-light capability

Olympus VH-520
Olympus has crammed some interesting low light technology into its latest compact

The VH-520 is an ultra-compact 25.4mm, but it still manages to pack in a 10x optical zoom. This reach is extended by Super Resolution Zoom, a form of digital zoom, to 20x. The lens starts at 26mm at the widest point - in 35mm equivalent terms.

A 14 million pixel CMOS sensor can be found inside with a TruePic V image processor, which was originally designed for DSLRs. This is the same processor as found in Olympus' high end cameras, such as the OM-D and PEN series.

Low light

Olympus says that the iHS technologies inside the camera make it particularly good for shooting in low light conditions. It is also capable of shooting at up to ISO 6400. Furthermore, mechanical lens-based Dual Image Stabilisation is available to reduce blur caused by shaking, even during long exposures.

HDR Backlight Adjustment is designed to produce the best exposure when shooting against the light, while Magic Filters are included for adding creative effects to stills or Full HD videos.

Full HD video recording is available, with the added feature of High Speed Movie for recording video at high frame rates (240 or 120fps) and playing it back in slow motion.

A 3 inch 460,000 dot LCD screen can be found on the back of the camera.

The Olympus VH-520 price will be £129/$195. It will be available to buy from late April.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.