Olympus SP-700 Review
Megapixel reviews the Olympus SP-700, a compact digital camera with a pretty decent look, though I dislike the lack of an optical viewfinder.
The Olympus SP-700 is the first small compact of the SP series. Offering a 6-megapixel resolution, and a 3X optical zoom that does not extend past the front of the camera, the SP-700 also stands out for its very large 3-inch LCD monitor.
The front of the camera is made of brushed metal — the finish for which can be either silver or blue — with a chrome ring around the lens trim while the rest of the camera is covered in a black plastic. Indeed, the finishing on the SP-700 is excellent.
The camera manages to net a rating of 8.4 for functionality and 8.6 for photographic qualities. They loved the image quality and color rendition, as well as the 3 inch high definition monitor, but did not like the soft focus with wide angle images, the weak flash or the small arrow pad that was lacking in precision.
New Firmware for Olympus E-500
Version 1.2 firmware for the E-500 (EVOLT) is out, which included new menu function for exchanging the AEL/AFL and One-touch WB buttons, and an improvement in the exposure level of the built-in flash.
Check it out at the Olympus Online Firmware Update Service
Olympus Mju 700 Review
ePHOTOzine looks at the Olympus Mju 700, a weatherproof digital camera build.
The Olympus Mju series of digital cameras has long stood for stylish design, and excellent weatherproof build quality. In this review Gary Wolstenholme takes a look at whether the new addition to this illustrious line of compact digital cameras is worthy of the reputation associated with them.
The wedge shape of the Olympus Mju 700 is very comfortable to hold. The wider end fits snugly in the palm of my hand making access to the well laid-out control system very easy indeed. For such a small camera, the tapered contour of the camera feels reassuringly secure to hold.
In the end they think that the Olympus Mju 700 is easy to use, nice to hold, but only average in the image department.
Olympus Stylus 710 Review
Digital Camera Resource Page has a reivew up for the Olympus Stylus 710, an ultra-compact digital camera in the 7.1 megapixel area.
The Stylus 710 is a very stylish, wedge-shaped ultra-compact camera. Olympus touts its scratchproof finish, and sure enough, the Stylus was the only metal camera to survive my ten camera Stanford trip without even a mark. Not only is the body scratchproof, but it’s also water resistant as well. While you can’t go swimming with it (without the optional underwater case, that is), the Stylus can get splashed, and since everything is sealed, dust, sand, and dirt stay out of the camera’s important parts too. The camera is well designed for the most part, though it would’ve been nice if some of the buttons were a little bit larger. The Stylus has a large 2.5″ LCD display that’s great in low light, but the 115,000 pixel resolution left something to be desired.
They say that the bottom line for this camera, is that it does not have the image quality of some of its competitors, and so it is probably one to avoid.
Olympus E-330 Available in Kits
Whether for travel, medical, macro, nature, architectural or underwater photography – and just about anything in between – Olympus will introduce six kits to accompany the sales start of the E-330 digital SLR, and thereby provide customised, professional solutions for virtually any photographic situation. Key element in each of the kits is, of course, the Olympus E-330 body – a remarkable feat of technology. It is the world’s first digital SLR to provide continuous Live Previews. Now, instead of being forced to frame compositions by looking through the viewfinder, photographers have the freedom of framing while looking at the Live Preview on the camera’s large 6.4cm HyperCrystal LCD. The availability of these six new kits makes this surprisingly affordable.
Olympus E-330 Pro Kit
Comprising the Olympus E-330 body, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 lens, FL-50 external flash unit plus the protective SBC-1 E-System Bag Compact, the Pro Kit includes only premium equipment and gives photographers everything they need for a professional start into digital SLR photography. Topping off the kit is the FL-50 external flash, which enables exact control and delivers extraordinary power with an impressive Guide Number of 50.
Olympus E-330 Travelling Pro Kit
Looking for extensive photographic versatility with the guarantee of high quality results while on the move but not sold on the bulk of conventional systems? Then the Travelling Pro Kit is just the shot. It contains the E-330 body, ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm 1:2.8-3.5 splash proof lens, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 18-180mm 1:3.5-6.3 lens, FL-36 external flash plus SBC-1 E System Bag Compact for protection while travelling. Covering a mammoth focal range of 11-180mm with just two lenses (equivalent to 22-360mm on a 35mm camera), photographers will enjoy incredible flexibility without the burden of needing to lug around a whole suitcase of lenses.
(more…)
Olympus E-330 EVOLT Review
Digital Photography Review took a long look at the E-330 from Olympus, and were pretty mixed on the camera.
The introduction of the E-330 confused us, it was difficult to see where this new camera fitted into the current digital SLR market. It’s more expensive than the more traditional (but in my opinion better) E-500 yet offers very little more other than live view. Olympus has tried to address one complaint we (and others) had about the E-300, and that’s the design and styling. To me at least it’s only a partial achievement, the E-330 does look and handle better than the E-300 but honestly it’s still not as nice a camera to use as the E-500.
In the end though the camera does get a recommended rating, meaning it is better than average.
Olympus FE-100 Review
Cameras.co.uk has a quick review of the FE-100 fomr Olympus, a starter digital camera, and in my opinion only a step or two above a disposable point and shoot film camera that you’d buy at Wal-Mart.
The Olympus FE-100 is an entry level digital camera. It is easy to use and is aimed at anyone who is looking for a straightforward point and shoot digital camera. The FE-100 is a four megapixel digital camera with a 2.8x optical zoom lens. There is nothing complicated with this type of camera and you can be taking pictures with it as soon as you have taken it out of the box and loaded the batteries.
Olympus Stylus 710 Hands-On Preview
DigitalCameraReview looks at the Stylus 710 from Olympus and so far they seem to like it, though its hard to tell from their short preview of the camera.
The Olympus Stylus 710 is a 7.1 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom. On the back side it sports a 2.5 inch LCD. It also carries with it some nice weatherproof features of the Stylus line.
The camera is very slim and compact, making it very pocketable. If you typically shoot one-handed, I would definitely recommend putting the included lanyard around your wrist for safety. (This doesn’t sport the shockproofness of the Olympus Stylus 720SW). The build quality is top notch - the camera feels solid. You will notice the weather proofing when trying to open the battery compartment and very snug access door to the USB jack. Rubber O-rings help keep the water out.
The controls are easy to use. A mode dial sets the “top-level” mode and a cluster of 4 buttons plus a 5 way directional provides access to the camera functions a settings.
Olympus E-500 D-SLR Review
Pocket-Lint took a look at the Olympus E-500, a digital SLR camera, and it pretty much knocked them off their feet. They found very few things wrong with this camera, and ended up giving it a 9/10 with a big “hot product” badge all over it.
In terms of other specification, it’s more a case of what’s not included as opposed to what is, the camera offers just about everything in its locker of gadgetry. For those who like the camera to do the thinking there’s a cupboard full of scene modes, 25 no less, including the usual bits and pieces but backed up by neat help screens that explain what each one’s for and when to use it.
The only thing of note that they did not like about the camera, was its styling, which if you can get past, then you will probably follow the advice in the last sentence of their review: “buy one”.
Olympus and Panasonic Announce Four Thirds System Digital SLR Cameras
Olympus Corporation (Olympus) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic) have been engaged in joint development of cameras that comply with the Four Thirds System standard for interchangeable-lens-type digital SLR cameras, and will display the fruit of their labors at the PMA 2006 International Convention and Trade Show that starts today, February 26, in Orlando, Florida. Olympus will exhibit the E-330, a recently introduced product that incorporates jointly developed technologies, and Panasonic will announce development of the DMC-L1, its first digital SLR camera. A prototype of the DMC-L1 will also be exhibited.
The two cameras are the result of an agreement announced on January 13, 2005, under which Olympus and Panasonic agreed to jointly develop underlying technologies and key components, and promote the introduction of digital SLR camera products that take full advantage of the significant user benefits offered by the Four Thirds System standard.
The jointly developed mirror box unit and Live MOS sensor used in the two new cameras have significant implications for SLR performance, and have made it possible to develop products with capabilities that go far beyond digital SLR cameras of the past.
The mirror box unit integrates a quick-return mirror, viewfinder, and AE sensor, and effectively functions as the heart of the SLR camera. It was specifically designed and developed so that it could be used in both Olympus and Panasonic products.
The Live MOS sensor is a new-generation sensor that offers the high image quality of a CCD sensor and the low power consumption of a CMOS sensor, thereby making it possible to display Live View images on a digital SLR camera for an extended period of time. In addition, because the sensor features simplified circuitry, the distance from the microlenses to the photodiodes is short, ensuring improved response and higher image quality when light strikes the sensor at an angle.
Utilizing these advanced new devices, Olympus and Panasonic will continue to develop products according to their respective product strategies.
Olympus has already utilized these jointly developed components in the recently introduced E-330, which is the first interchangeable-lens-type digital SLR in the world to offer full-time Live View framing via a rear-mounted LCD monitor — a feat that until now was thought to be difficult to achieve. With its Live View capability, the E-330 is an epoch-making product that makes it possible for users to enjoy an entirely new style of digital SLR shooting.
As its first digital SLR camera, Panasonic has developed the DMC-L1, which combines the operating feel of an analog camera with Live View shooting and other ease-of-use features that are unique to digital cameras. By using the Live MOS sensor and proprietary Venus Engine III image-processing LSI, Panasonic has maximized the performance potential of both devices and successfully achieved the high image quality and high processing speeds that are critical to SLR camera performance. Following additional development efforts, Panasonic plans to introduce the DMC-L1 later this year.
By teaming Olympus’s industry-leading SLR camera technology with Panasonic’s advanced digital AV technology to offer Four Thirds System digital SLR cameras and a wide lens lineup, the two companies plan to offer camera enthusiasts a level of creativity and satisfaction have never experienced before.
Categories
- BenQ
- Canon
- Casio
- Epson
- Feature
- Fujifilm
- HP
- Kodak
- Konica Minolta
- News
- Nikon
- Olympus
- Other Cameras
- Panasonic
- Pentax
- Review
- Ricoh
- Samsung
- Sanyo
- Sony
- Tips
Recent Posts
- Kodak EasyShare C743
- HP Photosmart M437
- NIKON Coolpix S200 silver
- Canon Digital Ixus 70
- SONY Cyber-shot DSC-W35
Related Blogs
E-mail Subscription
