Features

• One dedicated slot each for xD-Picture cards and SmartMedia
• USB interface
• Reads and writes to and from cards

Reviews (5)

Some problems with Windows XP
I own many Olympus digital cameras and accessories, and have been quite brand-loyal.

But I've been disappointed by several flaws in the recent xD product line.

This MAUSB-10 device appears to have some problems with Windows XP. The driver on the CD is not certified for XP, nor is the latest online driver. The latest online driver is dated 2002, and it's currently summer 2004, so Olympus has had plenty of time to create a certified XP driver.

The MAUSB-10 appeared to work at first, but caused blue screen Windows crashes when running Windows backup, when it was searching for backup devices. I also experienced crashes on card insertion.

I have had other USB card readers working well in the past, and I reverted back to them, now the problems are gone.

I think this driver just isn't 100% polished. It probably handles the most generic case, but hasn't been well tested or implemented for the various system configurations.

I might recommend you try the MACF-10 xD to Compact Flash adapter. That allows you to access your xD cards from Compact Flash readers. It seems to work for me, but I'm not sure if there are cases when the compatibility doesn't work.

Makes downloading a snap
I installed this reader on a Windows XP home system. I found that it was necessary to install the software from the provided CD and then reboot before the system would properly recognize the device. After that, it worked flawlessly. The quality of the reader looks very good.

The only negative I see is that the device is somewhat larger than other USB card readers.

Easy to use -- Makes for FAST downloads
I bought this reader/write mostly because I was frustrated at the very long time it took to download pictures from my (Olympus 340) digital camera. This device really makes it a snap, cutting what took five to ten minutes to download 100 pictures to something well under a minute. You simply remove your memory card from your camera and put it into this cigarette-box sized reader that attaches to your USB port.

I had no trouble loading the necessary software onto my laptop (XP operating system) and the reader/writer attached easily to my laptop. The instructions are clear and it is really quite easy to get your pictures downloaded in a very fast time. The reader/writer comes with a CD-disk with software needed to edit pictures.

I recommend this product highly.

Easy To Install & Use
Loaded the driver from the enclosed CD and plugged the card reader into my USB hub and Windows 98 had no problem recognizing the new hardware and finding the new driver.

The card reader works fine and each slot, one for an xD card and the other for a SmartMedia card, is assigned a different drive letter by Windows 98.

The procedure for removing the card is described in the Quick Start Guide. It involves right-clicking the card reader icon to extinguish the status light on the unit. The use of the word "eject" is misleading because like other card readers removal of the card from the slot is done manually by grasping the edge of the card. Easy to insert and remove a card.

I bought the Olympus MAUSB-10 to use with my new Olympus C50 camera. I'm pleased with both products. Olympus responds promptly to email inquiries and has a toll-free number for technical support.

Combo XD and Smart Media Reader
This reader works great..after getting the driver to load on my XP Pro system. Initially, the reader was on a Windows 98 machine and was the perfect solution to read both medias. Each slot appears as its own drive on windows explorer.
The reader is simple to use and has a light letting you know if the drive is working. The information is moved quickly to the computer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Olympus Camedia E-10 is a near-professional quality four-megapixel single-lens-reflex (SLR) digital camera with a number of unique features. First and foremost, the E-10 features an exceptionally high-quality 4x optical zoom lens with a focal length equivalent to a 35-140mm lens on a 35mm camera, and has a aperture of f2.0-f2.4 to f11.0, depending on how much zoom is used. Unlike many of the digital SLRs on the market, however, the lens is not removable. Olympus works around this by offering an extended set of lens additions that convert the lens from a wide-angle wonder to the equivalent of a 420mm super-zoom. Additionally, while the E-10 is an SLR camera, the LCD monitor also features live preview. Most SLR cameras utilize a mirror to supply the optical viewfinder with its image. Because of this, on most digital SLRs, the LCD monitor does not provide a live preview of the scenes you are trying to capture. The E-10 uses a beam-splitter--basically a prism--that allows the image to speed its way to both the optical viewfinder and the LCD monitor. The LCD monitor also sits on a hinge, letting you tilt it up 90 degrees, or down 20 degrees, allowing you to take pictures from unusual camera angles while still accurately framing the scene.

Unlike most other digital cameras, the E-10 uses both SmartMedia and CompactFlash (Type I & II) for storage. Also unlike many other cameras, the resolution of your image can be selected from 2240 x 1680, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, or 640 x 480 pixels, an unusually large selection. A histogram function lets you view exposure information after you capture an image, giving you instant feedback about how to improve your picture-taking skills. A 32 MB internal buffer allows the E-10 to take up to take up to four shots in sequence at three frames per second, even when set to record images as uncompressed TIFFs.

The shooting options on the E-10 include all of the typical modes you'd expect to see on a high-end consumer digital camera: program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual shooting modes. Other user-controlled settings include exposure compensation, metering mode, ISO setting, flash, white balance, and focus. Users can leave white balance on auto, select from a number of Kelvin temperatures, or manually create a preset. The built-in flash features red-eye reduction, auto, fill-in, and off modes. External flashes can connect to the E-10 through the hot shoe on top of the camera. Exposure compensation can be set from -3 to +3 EV in one-third EV increments. The ISO can be set to 80, 160, or 320. Also, an autobracketing feature takes three pictures, one over-exposed and one under-exposed, and allows you to set the exposure compensation up to one EV step in either direction, in one-third EV step increments. The E-10 uses four AA or two CR-V3 batteries. ... Read more

Features

• 4 megapixel CCD creates 2,240 x 1,680 images for 8 x 10 prints and beyond
• 4x optical zoom with autofocus
• Included 32 MB SmartMedia card stores 16 images at default settings
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• Uses 4 AA or 2 CR-V3 batteries

Reviews (38)

Worth Every Penny
Ok - Wow.

In digital photography, all you need is good photo-editing software (the E-10 comes with Adobe Photoshop LE) and a good printer - no eye-irritating chemicals and hours alone in the dark, like with film photography! Oh ya, and a good camera!

Using the E-10 is functioning on a whole different plane than anything I've used before (digitally, Kodak and Sony in the $800 - $900 range). The control is total. The product is eye-popping. What pictures! I'm producing 13x19 inch prints of amazing clarity. And although there is still quite a bit of effort involved - the comfort level and the amount of ultimate control over the product is astounding. And it all starts with the E-10.

To the hand, the fit and feel are unmistakably that of a 35mm SLR. Of course, there is no f-ring, and no gnarled knob dedicated to shutter speed control - too bad, I thought at first. But with some adjustment to thinking, there is an easy (actually, easier!), total control of these functions - and so much more. The zoom and focus rings are the smoothest I've ever used (and I have a couple of lenses for my 35mm that cost more than this camera).

I also have the 0.8x and the 1.45x lens attachments, for wide and telephoto (or 28mm and 200mm, respectively, in a 35mm format camera). Lens extenders exaggerate chromatic aberrations, flares and distortions - and they certainly reduce the speed of the lens fairly dramatically, among other things. Regarding the Camedia extenders, though there is a reduction in speed, it's absolutely negligible. And for image quality, I performed some tests photographing newspaper (a great test pattern, believe it, or not) and found nothing to complain about - quite the opposite. This is really good stuff. Not perfect, but very, very good. The quality of the lens on the camera, on the other hand, may as well be perfect. Similar, but more precise tests performed against this lens just made me smile. There are some flares and barreling under certain circumstances, but nothing - absolutely nothing to complain about. The contrast and brightness-uniformity (condensing) of the image are as good as you can get without spending a lot, like on some of Canon's Flourite lenses.

Overall, the experience is just great. The designers thought of everything. This E-10 is easier to use, and fits the hand better than any professional grade camera I've ever used.

Just a couple more notes: The optical viewfinder is bright. The shutter release is perfect for handheld, low shutter speed shots in that it requires only a very light touch (but there is good travel to prevent premature release). The CCD is noise-free at any contrast (some owners claim noise at higher contrast settings, but I haven't experienced this. Perhaps, Olympus had dealt with this by the time I purchased mine). The LCD monitor really comes in handy with its multi-position feature - in making waist level and over-head shots.

Olympus suggests that this camera will eliminate the need to ever return to film format cameras. I definitely agree. Digital photography really is a revolution. And this particular camera really is the beginning of the revolution as far as cost/quality combination is concerned.

This is a great camera.

Film is dead --- long live digital
I've had a Minolta SLR for the past 10 years and been very happy with it, but after buying the my "other half" a Canon Digital Elph, I found the ability to immediately review photographs compelling. So, I looked for a digital SLR.

Olympus has hit the price/performance sweet spot with this camera. Competitive digital SLRs cost 50% more than the E10 for the body alone -- i.e. before you've bought any lenses. However, I was concerned that the E-10 would be an adequate replacement for my film SLR. So, The E-10 passed with flying colors.

What's good about this camera: terrific image quality, great lens (f2.0-f2.6!), all the control you could want (white balance, focus, zoom, exposure, flash), support for compact flash and smart media, and ability to take up to 4 shots in rapid succession, easy upload of images to a PC, Adobe Photoshop LE included and good battery life on Olympus NiMH AA batteries.

I took scores of pictures every day and was generally pleased with the results. The camera functions well in program mode, but immediate image review on the camera enables you to use more control if you don't get the shot you need. And with digital, you can just keep on taking shots until you get it right without worrying about film.

The ability to take 4 shots in rapid succession is useful when trying to capture spontaneous events -- like the procession of flag throwers (a Tuscan tradition that goes back over 700 years) out for a practice early one Sunday in Siena. Other digital cameras have big problems with both "shutter lag" (time from pressing the button to capturing the image) and the interval between shots -- especially with a 4 megapixel CCD where images take longer to write to flash.

I made extensive use of a polarizing filter to cut glare under the Tuscan sun, and the images came out with strong colors as a result. The E10 seems a little "flatter" in its color balance than Canon cameras, but color saturation can be easily tweaked in Photoshop if this is a problem for any given image.

I never managed to run the Olympus AA NiMH batteries (purchased separately) flat during a day's shooting, so camera power consumption seems to be excellent -- short battery life is a killer for many digital cameras.

The lens is very impressive. It has a great zoom range, and as the camera was designed for digital from the ground up there are none of the multiplying effects of film cameras converted for digital use (e.g. Canon D30). This means that the E10 has great short-range capability as well as telephoto without having to switch lenses. This is very important if you want to travel light, as I did.

What's not-so-good: problems with IBM Microdrive, autofocus requires care to avoid misfocus errors, viewfinder image location leads to orientation errors, general operation could be a lot faster, and the optional Olypus case is poor.

The E10 requires the photographer to carefully monitor whether it has successfully locked on the subject. Early on, I got several poorly focused shots because the AF didn't focus on the subject. It's easy to miss this in the viewfinder or on the LCD image preview -- you only find out when you get home... However, once you learn to watch for mistaken AF lock, it is possible to re-focus and avoid this. Still, after Minolta's exemplary AF system, this was an unpleasant surprise.

I also used an IBM Microdrive with my E10, but discovered that it does not work properly. I would be able to take several photographs, and then the camera would suddenly complain of flash card errors. It's easy to miss candid shots when you're wondering why the camera isn't working, then realizing there's a flash error, switching to smart media... so the Microdrive went back. Get a 256MB flash card instead.

The viewfinder image is large and oddly focused -- it's easy to tilt the camera about a degree and not notice -- until you get to image review. This can be fixed in Photoshop, but it's annoying to have to fix it.

Finally, the Olympus feels slower than many point-n-shoot cameras, and this is likely down to the embedded processor used in the camera. It takes several seconds before an image can be previewed, and it is slow to move around in image preview mode. Also, it seems to take a long time to compress an image and store it to flash. The 4 image buffer dramatically reduces the impact of this, but not entirely -- especially when you want to take one photo and see how it came out straight away.

Finally, don't buy Olympus' case for the E10. It is very cumbersome and you'll end up wishing you never brought it. I left it at home or in the car most days. You cant open up the case and leave it hanging off the camera -- it gets in your way. That means you have to totally remove the camera from the case and either put it down, stuff it in a bag or squash it under your arm while you try to take photographs.

The net is that I can't see why I'd go back to a film SLR. Although the Olympus E10 has its quirks, and Microdrive incompatibility is a drawback, it is a very good digital camera at an excellent price point for the value you receive. Olympus really doesn't have any competition for the money.

After using it for 2 years
The camera has many nice points. These have been covered in other people's reviews. I will mention the few items that I think are less good:
- It is not very good at focusing, especially in less light environment. I had the Olumpus people look at it but they said there was nothing wrong with it.
- It is terribly heavy.
- It is slow to start up.
Dispite the recomendations from Olympus to not use the Microdrive, I have found a somewhat safe way to copy the pictures from the Smartmedia card to the Microdive. In this way, I can take several hundreds of pictures without needing to upload to a computer.
My next camera will be a Minolta - also with a Microdrive function.

A solid performer
I've been a serious hobbyist photographer for more than 25 years and this is my sixth digital camera. After looking for more than a few months I settled on the Olympus E-10 for its high quality photographs. There are other cameras with more mega-pixels and more powerful zoom lens but few if any of those will come close to the quality that this camera produces.

There are manual controls for everything and that big lens just sucks in the light for great low light pictures. The beam splitter view finder is sweet and the manual zoom allows for working the 4x zoom quickly. I bought the matching F-40 flash unit which integrates with the camera to expose flash pictures very well. The flash also follows the zoom lens shifting from wide-angle to telephoto as the lens is worked.

This is a big solid camera that is not for causal snap shots - though when set to the "program" mode it can do that. Where this camera will excel is in the hands of someone who can put that big piece of glass, well matched sensor, and manual abilities to work.

Great DSLR Starter
I started my DSLR career with this cam. Have a film Leica R series with $15,000 in lenses but wanted to expand horizons. This camera is great. I have had mine for 18 months, still learning new thngs about it, keep the owners manual close. I also purchased the MCON and Telephoto 1.45. Macros are really great with the MCON. Tele is okay but only gives you 200 equivalent which isn't always enough. Some of my photos have been good enough to sell in the local art gallery. Buy this camera if you really want great pictures and a great price. I paid $1200 for mine and now they are down to $700 and more than worth every penny. ... Read more

Features

• Automatic features: auto film load, advance, and rewind
• 38 - 105mm zoom lens with aspherical and ED glass elements for sharp results
• All-weather reliability protects camera from a variety of conditions including rain, snow, sea spray, and blowing sand
• Quartz date imprinting
• Pop-up flash features red-eye reduction and auto color balancing

Amazon.com Product Description

With its compact, lightweight, and sleek design, you can take the Olympus Tracker binocular anywhere and still enjoy the great view. With a 12x magnification and an objective lens diameter of 25mm, faraway images will be in sharp detail with brilliant clarity. The lens itself is made from special optical material to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, while the full multicoating keeps maintains brightness and contrast.

The BaK-4 prisms have a high refractive index for complete edge-to-edge clarity. The center knob is in perfect placement for your fingers to comfortably adjust the focus. The built-in dioptric correction adjusts for individual eyesight so everyone can use the binocular to its full potential. The Tracker also has eyecups that twist up and down, allowing each user to personalize the binocular to their comfort, while the long eye relief is a necessary feature for eyeglass wearers. ... Read more

Features

• 12x magnification and 25mm objective lens
• Field of view: 79 meters (at 1,000 yards)
• High-index prisms for a bright, crisp image
• Compact and lightweight for portability
• Twisting eyecups for personal comfort; central focus knob and dioptric correction

Amazon.com Product Description

The new Stylus 105 is Olympus's most compact and stylish 35mm yet. With a new 11-point autofocus system, your pictures will look just as sharp as the camera itself. This system ensures your subject will be in focus at all zoom ranges, as well as in dark or low-contrast situations. For the harsh conditions of everyday life, the Stylus comes complete with a sliding lens cover, an all-metal body, and an all-weather design.

The camera includes an LCD for time stamps and exposure counting to keep track of those special dates. A six-mode variable-power flash and autofocus are standard as well. Automatic film winding, loading, and rewind continue the long list of convenience features. The kit comes with a battery, case, strap, extended warranty, and a remote control. ... Read more

Features

• 38-105mm, 2.8x zoom lens
• 11 point multi-wide advanced autofocus system
• 6 mode variable power flash with red-eye reduction
• Extra-low dispersion glass lens
• Electric self-timer with remote control; all-weather design

Amazon.com Product Description

The Olympus C2100 UZ's most impressive feature is also its most obvious one: the massive 10x optical zoom lens that protrudes from the camera. Normally, it would be difficult to take advantage of a lens this powerful without using a tripod. Why? At full zoom, the camera focuses on such a small area that even the most minute movements result in a blurry image. Fortunately, Olympus equips the camera with optical image stabilization, a complex system that senses shakes and wobbles and continuously adjusts the lenses to compensate.

Olympus adds yet another high-tech feature on this camera by replacing the traditional optical viewfinder with a camcorder-style electronic viewfinder (EVF)--a tiny LCD screen inside the eyepiece. The benefits of this arrangement are obvious: the EVF provides a traditional SLR-style through-the-lens viewing experience, works well even in bright sunlight, lets you hold the camera in the more stable, traditional position, and helps to extend battery life. The 2100 UZ does have a standard 1.8-inch LCD on the back to compose, review, and share images as you would on most digital cameras.

With the exception of the lens and the electronic viewfinder, the 2100 UZ is essentially a 2-megapixel version of the popular C-3000Z. If you like tinkering with your camera's settings, you'll love this camera--it features shutter-priority and aperture-priority modes, manually adjustable focus, adjustable ISO, manual exposure, exposure compensation, and even a multimode flash with slow-sync abilities.

Olympus has been criticized for "only" having a 2.1-megapixel sensor in this camera, when many new cameras (including several Olympus models) are now shipping with 3- and even 4-megapixel sensors. Though we certainly wouldn't mind if Olympus released a 3-megapixel version of this camera, we found that the sharp optics and minimal compression used by Olympus resulted in crisp, sharp prints even at 8 by 10 inches.

If you're currently using an SLR and are considering a digital camera, the 2100 UZ is a great choice. Its lens isn't removable or interchangeable, but is flexible enough to capture virtually any photo, and the full range of manual controls will help an experienced photographer to get the exact shot he or she wants.

Pros:

• 10x optical, 2.7x digital zoom
• Optical image stabilization
• Full manual controls

Cons:

• 2.1-megapixel sensor is adequate, but 3.3 megapixels would shine

Features

• 2-megapixel sensor captures 1,600 x 1,200 images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
• Optically stabilized autofocus lens with 10x optical/2.7x digital (27x total) zoom
• Included 8 MB SmartMedia card holds 16 images at default resolution
• Connects with PCs and Macs via USB port
• Uses 4 AA batteries; rechargeable batteries and charger included

Reviews (76)

Olympus C-2100UZ: 35mm SLR user's "switch" digital camera
If you own fine 35mm and/or large-format cameras, and have toyed with the idea of trying digital, read on at your own risk. You may -- like me -- never pick up your Leica M4P or Canon F1 or Mamiya 645 systems again.

Let me tell you the only negative about this camera first: The color correction of the CCD under low tungsten illumination and fluorescent lighting resembles Ektachrome 400, circa 1970.

That's it. That's the only defect.

You're going to love this camera. Many reviewers wish for a 3.3 megapixel chip, vs. the 2.1 mp chip in this 2100. The recent introduction of cameras with the same image stabilized 10x lens/2.1 mp CCD system from Canon and Sony suggests some rethinking among the manufacturers of these cameras. Simply put, the ability to fill frames with image trumps the cameras with 3.3mp CCDs and smaller zoom ranges. To accommodate those 3.3 mp CCDs, one needs a larger buffer memory...which means a longer write-time...which means either a slower-shooting camera or a greater battery drain, or both, to match the frame-to-frame shooting capability of this lens/CCD/buffer combination. It also means your storage media demands will escalate dramaticaly, as will your needs for imaging media. Add the image stabilization feature, which has some kind of gyro motor running all the time, and you'd end up with unacceptable battery drain, if your had a 3.3 mp CCD.

This camera offers two displays -- one the traditional 1.8 inch "TV" display, and the other, an SLR-like eye-level display. At first, you'll be disappointed in the graininess of the eye-level display. And yet, you will be surprised at the speed with which you'll accommodate that.

The camera offers a 35mm lover's range of creative control, plus features you'd never dream of finding in an SLR or rangefinder. You can select the ASA of the CCD's sensitivity -- 100 to 400 ASA. You can select white balance, although it's not great under low-light-level tungsten or fluorescent, as noted. You can -- now get this -- choose black-and-white or...SEPIA toned imaging. The latter is a magnificent trip back to the 1950s and 60s.

But nothing matches this lens. It's the equivalent of a 38-380mm zoom lens. The image stabilization means that, if you carefully brace yourself, you will easily -- and I mean EASILY -- shoot 380mm hand-held shots at under 1/20th of a second. It's a razor-sharp lens.

The image compression algorithm in this camera works extremely well. The standard "HQ" mode generates images of around 400k size, which means you get a whopping 128 images on a 64mb Smartmedia card. You can switch to the SHQ mode and get 45 images on a 64mb card, but for most images, you can't see the difference in an 8x10 print. The write-to-buffer/write-to-Smartmedia time increases, limiting your frame-to-frame shooting speed.

If you half-depress the shutter release, locking the focus and exposure, you can capture great sports action shots. If you put the camera in a manual mode, you can shoot almost one shot a second in the HQ mode.

Flash reach is astounding. I have easily shot perfectly exposed images in dark rooms at 30+ feet. Recycle time can be iffy -- I minimize it with a Digipower external battery pack that plugs into the AC adapter jack -- but the flash mode seems to generate more data, which takes more time to write to the buffer and then to the Smartmedia, which slows the shot-to-shot time.

You can get through about 150 frames with a single charged set of 4 NiMH 1600ma batteries -- I can't imagine going anywhere with fewer than a single well-charged extra set. The camera will kill a fresh set of alkaline AAs in about 10-12 shots -- the deep drain of a digital camera is totally incompatible with this kind of service.

The camera is light, well-balanced. Its controls fall under the fingers neatly. Viewfinder controls work well, but I could argue that controls for the manual focusing could be better placed under the left fingers, rather than under the right eye, forcing you to focus with the right thumb.

I purchased a C-2040 for my 14-year-old daughter's middle school graduation, and with those two cameras, our family is now fully digital.

Stop looking for a new digital camera -- you've found it.

You will be tempted to use the different controls and shooting modes. The iESP ("P") setting works so well, for most shooting, you'll leave it there.

The only kind of shooting you might wish for a 3.3 mp CCD is for scenics -- digital cameras don't handle fine detail as well as 35mm film. I'd prefer a metal camera to a plastic one, like the the $2000 Olympus E-10. But I tried that camera, and it's S-L-O-W by comparison to the C-2100, and lacks both the zoom range and the imaging stabilizing features of the C-2100.

For frame-filling portraits, there simply isn't a better camera.

Outstanding Value & Quality
The Olympus C-2100 digital camera has the power and features that are hard to find in most other digital cameras. Its ability to zoom from 35mm to over 1000mm (35mm film equivalent) makes this camera worth the price alone! The image stabilization that is also a part of this camera is an added bonus. Most other digital cameras in this price range zoom up to only about 200mm (35mm equivalent) and do not allow for multiple shots.

For those of you who are considering a digital camera that goes beyond "point-and-shoot" and has the ability to go in aperture-priority or shutter-priority mode, the C-2100 fills the bill. I do a lot of sports photography and am finding that the C-2100 does a good job. My only additional advice is to buy a 64mb SmartMedia card (the 8mb card that comes with it is insufficient) and a reader for your SmartMedia card that you can connect via USB to your PC. While you can download directly from the camera to your computer, it does add stress onto the camera.

You can spend a lot more on a digital camera, but this one will not disappoint.

Best Digital Camera of All Time
Simply the best and most fun camera to use....from Pro to amature....you won't be disappointed. I have owned mine for over 3 years now without any problems and paid over $900.00 for it new then. It is worth every dollar!

Great electronic LCD viewfinder!

Acts and feels like a true SLR 35mm, but takes GREAT...GREAT...Digital pictures.

Fast and easy adjustments from f-stop to speed, lighting, everything!

The best lens I have ever seen on a Digital Camera....has Sony beat hands down! The 10x is remarkable....I will never own another camera without 10x optical....ever!

I will use this camera till it dies, and I have owned Nikon SLR (FE, FE2, etc.) in the past....the ease of operation and output blows them away! Even at 2.1 Mp, the images are sharp and color is right-on!

If you can find one of these....buy it....you won't be sorry! It's worth 10 stars!!! I hope Olympus makes another just like it (same shape and not that square-instamatic-look)with higher MP in the future!

Great camera
Excellent picture quality and level of control over the pictures you can take. 10X Optical Zoom is incredible for its time and is still hard to beat. The optics are remarkably distortion free at all focal lengths. 2MP CCD makes this a very fast camera, as a lot of time is not waste writing to the card while the photo opprtunities slip away. Great low light capabilities with slow shutter speed. This is a bargain to be had in the used camera market. There are other cameras that sound better on paper, but when it comes to putting pixels on a memory card, there is none that surpasses the versatility and fun of this camera.

Best times 3
I am about to replace my stolen C2100. It will be my third one that I have owned. This camera is a workhorse. Don't let the 2 megapixel rating scare you. Most of my highly acclaimed photos I have taken with this camera and my other Olympus cameras are down the list in ease, quality and zoom length. Buy this camera if you can. It will not disappoint. It is especially good for "personal" and candids which require stealth. The zoom will get you incredibly close and remains the best cropping tool for reaching the latent image from a distance. ... Read more

Features

• Matte paper - ribbon for the OLYMPUS P-400 dye sublimation photo printer
• Good for up to 50 prints

Features

• Carry and protect your valuable xD-Picture Cards
• Black
• Leather construction
• Velcro closure
• Holds up to 6 cards in its plastic pockets

Amazon.com Review

The Olympus Camedia P-400 uses advanced dye-sublimation technology toprint an extremely sharp image on high-quality photo paper. The result looks andfeels like a traditional photograph. The P-400 also accepts a digital camera'sSmartMedia or PC Card directly, and it has USB and parallel interfaces for easyPC connectivity.

Weighing over 30 pounds, constructed of heavy plastic, and accented with metalcontrols, the Camedia P-400 impressed us with its sturdy design right out of thebox. To test the printer, we captured photos on a 16 MB CompactFlash card,placed the card in a CompactFlash-to-PCMCIA adapter (not included), and insertedthe adapter in the printer. (Our evaluation model came with the P-RBN photo inkcartridge already installed, but it is easily replaced through the front accesspanel. Also, our unit did not include driver software, so we were unable to testPC functionality.) Using the menu-driven LCD, jog dial, and arrow keys, wespecified our paper type (A4), input source (PC Card), and output photo size (8by 10 inches). We pressed the Print button, and after 2 minutes and 58 secondsthe P-400 rewarded us with a beautiful 8-by-10-inch photograph.

The Camedia P-400's color was very natural, not neon bright or oversaturated,and its tinting was slightly cool (more blue than red). Resolution was only 314dpi, but the dye-sublimation technology showed no visible grain. The resultswere better than many we've seen from 1,200 dpi ink-jet printers. We alsoprinted a slightly soft photograph and then used the printer's sharpeningfunction in an attempt to improve it. Unfortunately, unwanted pixelationincreased along with any positive sharpening affects. Printing speed was slowbut steady at 2:58 for each 8-by-10 print. Several minutes were required toprint one index/proof sheet of 20 photos, with nearly all of that time spentprocessing the CompactFlash card's data, not actually printing.

With only a casual glance, we could have easily mistaken the P-400's output ascoming from a photo lab. Only close scrutiny revealed minor pixelation, whichreflected the limit of our digital photo more than that of the printer. Theinitial cost is high, and the dye-sublimation ink cartridges and photo paper areexpensive; but if you can afford it, the P-400 Camedia makes a fine companionfor your digital camera. --Mike Brown

Pros:

• Easy walk-up printing of digital photos
• Prints have the look and feel of traditional photos

Cons:

• Substantial cost for consumables
• Not for general-purpose printing

Features

• Professional-looking, continuous-tone, dye-sublimation prints, up to 8 by 10 inches
• Prints directly from SmartMedia and PC cards
• LCD preview and information screen
• USB and parallel interfaces
• Prints up to 50 copies at a time

Reviews (29)

Olympus P400
The technical detail:

a. The printer may be operated as a standalone product independant of a computer. It contains slots for both SmartMedia cards and compact flash PC card adaptors so you don't have to have a computer connected to the printer to use it. The printer has its own small LCD display which can be used in lieu of a computer interface to help you select pictures off your cards for printing and the printer also has a rather sophisticated built in capability to format the final product.

b. The printer has both a parallel port and a USB port for computer connection and is compatible with both PCs and MACs. Configuration software is included on CD for both types of machines. No computer cables are included and will cost you about $20 at your local computer store.

c. If connected to a computer, the printer is used to provide printed output for whatever photo editing software you already own. No computer photo editing software is included with the package.

d. Documentation is complete and voluminous. However, the technical document giving all the nitty gritty is provided as a computer PDF file readable by Adobe Acrobat software (supplied in multiple languages) and is not provided hardcopy. If you are buying this printer to use as a standalone device without a computer, this puts you at somewhat of a disadvantage.

e. The starter kit of paper and printer ribbon is adequate to print only five (5) 8x10" prints so you will want to purchase paper and ribbon with the printer.

f. Printing supplies (paper and ribbon) are expensive, costing almost $2 per 8x10" print.

The Subjective data:

The final print produced is 314x314 dots per inch and looks incredible. I have standard 8x10" Kodak prints produced from my digital photos that do not look nearly as good. Unless you are going to take your digital data to a custom printing specialist and stand over his shoulder, you will not be able to obtain a print better than this printer will give you. Recently, I was trying to restore an old 8x10" photo and scanned it into my computer at the highest resolution possible, edited it in Adobe Photoshop, and wound up with a wonderful restoration. By that time the digital image was up to 58MB size. I asked Kodak to print it, and they did. However, their system couldn't handle the large file size and compressed it to slightly over 2MB. Their final print was acceptable but a lot of the detail and my work was lost because of the compression. My computer fed the entire 58MB file to this printer and it produced a superb picture that made the Kodak image look like a childs effort in comparison. I don't know of any printer today that has comperable capability to the Olympus P400.

Best Affordable Photo Printer on the Market!
This is the best photo printer I have ever used. I bought the Epson 2000 and returned it because the color and quality wasn't good enough. There is not an ink jet printer on the market that can even come close to matching the quality of prints produced by this printer. I am using the Canon D30 and can produce incredible action shots instantly on this printer without even manipulating the picture. I use Adobe Photoshop 6.0 when I manipulate my pictures. Most of the time I copy the pictures back to a SmartMedia or Compact Flash card and print them from the card. This way I'm not tying up most of the computer's memory and can work on another photo project at the same time. The one thing that I have found is when I copy the picture to a card, the printer only recognizes jpeg files from the PC not the Mac.

The search is over
From digital camera to print choose Olympus P-400. For the best print quality choose Olympus P-400. To save on the costs of having any developer make 8x10's choose Olympus P-400. For prints of exceptional quality direct from your digital camera Compact Flash or Smart media --- well you know.

Two minutes after I unpacked everything and assembled this printer I was watching the P-400 create the first print. The menu system and selections on the printer were simple to understand.

The quality was exceptional. Using a Compact Flash required a PCMCIA adapter but that didn't slow this printer down.

... And in about 90 seconds! Unless your Uncle works at Kodak or you do, you can't beat the price and speed of getting a truly remarkable print.

Go ahead and enhance your photos with your PC first. Whatever you do will show up in amazing color on the Olympus Camedia P-400.

My last printer for true photo quality prints!

Only the best will do.
Nestled upon my desk between a new Brother HP-1440 laser and a recently purchased Epson 960 CD printer, is a three year old Olympus P-400. Fast high quality text print-outs are routed to the laser printer, and the Epson is used for the specialty printing of card stock, CDs, and DVDs, but all photographs are created from the P-400, whether in color or black and white.

I originally purchased the P-400 for one simple reason; I wanted the highest quality prints possible of family members and for my wedding video service. The Olympus P-400 has never disappointed my highest expectations.

Most of us are familiar with how bubble-jet printers create dotted print-outs, which from a distance may look OK, but when viewed up-close the actual quality is not as good as hoped for. I have used a magnifying glass on print-outs from the P-400, and not only are there no dots, I actually do believe I prefer the P-400 print-outs over normal photographs. The P-400 print quality *is* that good. In my region of the world, film developing businesses on occasion ruin whole rolls of film, and so rather than my investing time and money into developing equipment to ensure quality photos, I can now get the prints I want, the size I want, and the quantity I want at any time I want.

The paper used in the P-400 is thick, very similar to normal photographs, and instead of the photographs having a brand name on the back side such as "Kodak", it reads "Olympus". The finished photograph also automatically receives a clear protective high gloss coating that does make the print feel and appear to be a developed photo. Unless a person has considerable experience with photography, they will not be able to tell the difference between a regular photo and one printed from the P-400. The actual cost per print-out is around $2.00 (paper and ribbon costs combined), which is not bad at all for an 8x10 or four 4x5 photographs. Advertised life of prints is about the same as regular photographs, around 50 years or more, which is far better than just a year or two with bubble-jet printers.

Changing the ribbon and paper is fast, clean, and very easy. Software installation is also quick and uncomplicated. The user friendly printer actually is a 'plug and play'.

Though the P-400 has a normal printer parallel port, I highly recommend only using the USB port. The time required to transfer data from the computer to the printer usually only takes several seconds per photograph while using the USB, but it may take minutes through the LPT1 cable. With about two minutes from clicking "print" to receiving a finished 8x10 photograph, the speed is more than pleasing. The printer is fast enough and simple enough that I have not yet found a need to use the Smart Card slot nor even any of the other console controls. Through use of most any photo or graphics program, print-outs are as easy as 'view and print'.

The only problem I have encountered was when the printer was new and the plastic ribbon roll rod would occasionally bind in the ribbon holder slot (caused by too tight of tolerances). I was able to trim off the holder's excess plastic to allow the ribbon to turn more freely, and after speaking to the Olympus technical support describing the problem and remedy (of which they were appreciative for the information), surely the new models will no longer have similar minor problems.

Three years ago I paid over one thousand dollars for the P-400 on sale, and I have never regretted the cost. Recently I was able to print-out numerous specially-formatted 8x10 copies of my daughter's college graduation, which if done through a photographer would have cost me more than the price of the printer. Today's prices are very reasonable, enough that my wife has begun saying she wants one for herself. In our high-tech low-cost society, not many items produce true quality results, but the Olympus P-400 is one product that actually does live up to our best expectations. Highly recommended, I know of no better desk-top photo printer than the Olympus P series.

Great photo printer for the commited digital photographer
I've been printing 3.2 megapixel images on this and they're virtually indistinguishable from a "real" photo, even at the 7.64x10" full size (7.7 megapixel as advertised in the printer information) resolution. Don't believe the inkjet monkeys who tell you that an inkjet can produce comparable prints - they can't.

I chose this printer over the others available because of the size it is capable of printing, the better color-handling (for instance, the sony dye-subs tend to skew towards overly bright and red tones), and the recommendations of hard-core photo people.

Things you should know about this printer: when all is said and done, you can find this printer for under three hundred, and 100 prints are going to run you about a buck sixty five each (for a single 8x10) if you shop around. If you want smaller, cheaper photos, just print two or four up on a sheet, get 4 prints out of it on a sheet for about 40 cents each. Get out the scissors, and enjoy. Horray.

The printer has been having EXTREME difficulty printing directly from a smart media card - I don't like printing two-dollar blank pages - I've only had consistent success printing via USB connection to my 'puter, but it's a lot faster than printing from the smart media card anyway, so no real loss there - just something to keep in mind.

Reviewers have noted that the ink ribbon can be difficult to install. I don't really agree - olumpus' packaging makes this a straight forward procedure - it's just a little more work than the plug-in-the-inkjet-cartridge laziness we've all become accustomed to.

The printer is rather large and heavy, but you have to understand this was really initially intended as a professional's printer. It is solidly built, has a real feeling of quality construction. Just make sure if your living space is small that you've hollowed out a suitably sized location - think of it like a 16" monitor and you're working along the right lines size and space-wise.

For those with a mac (like me - running OS X 10.3), Olympus is seriously lagging on making a compatible driver. I wrote them and got a swift but lackluster response (no deadline for producing a driver). After printing several blank pages directly from my memory card and freaking out, I found the solution: do a google search for "Gimp-print," an open source & free driver bundle for the mac that runs under 10.3, and powers this printer just fine (so far - haven't tested with photoshop yet - only iPhoto, but I suspect it'll do just fine). It's free. Yay. Problem solved, no thanks to Olympus.

For those of you looking at this printer vs the P-440, the newer version of this printer, the differences are relatively minor (though the 440 does do TRUE 8x10 prints). They use the same paper and ink ribbons, so presumably olympus has a vested interest in continuing to make consumeables for this hardware.

Driver bitterness aside, the quality coming out of this printer had me jumping up & down once the photos started coming out. I'm really pleased, and the overall quality of the prints is enough to let me overlook the negatives, which have all been temporary. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The rugged all-weather Olympus 7x50 waterproof binoculars were built to stay in your hands in even the roughest waters and weather. Suitable for boating, camping, hiking, and fishing, they feature an illuminated compass, internal range finder, and individual eyepiece focus settings. Hermetically sealed and nitrogen purged for true waterproof and fogproof performance, the Olympus 7x50 waterproof binoculars can enhance any outdoor adventure--day or night, sun or rain, land or sea.

Smartly constructed with a durable green rubber coating for a nonslip grip and increased shock resistance, they also come with a bright yellow floatable neck strap for quick retrieval if submerged.A high-index BaK4 prism and big 50mm objective lenses produce clear, sharp images, even in low-light and night conditions.These binoculars also feature long eye relief for comfortable extended viewing. ... Read more

Features

• Rugged, waterproof, shock-resistant construction
• 7x magnification
• Large 50mm objective lenses offer exceptional brightness
• Individual focus system for each eyepiece
• Includes floatable bright yellow strap for easy retrieval if submerged

Reviews (1)

Almost perfect
I have owned and used the 108-768 (aka. Magellan) binocular for about 1 year. They never leave my boat. I like the grippy-light weight body and the focus and forget individual eyepiece's. The internal compass is as stable as most any brand and can be quite handy when taking bearings. The prisms are BaK4 optical glass and help to keep false color to a very low level. They have taken more than a few bumps, both from handling and rough water, but have always came through and asked for more. I am happy with theses binoculars and they are several hundred dollars less than top notch Fuji's or Steiners.
On the critical side, it would not have killed Olympus to multi-coat the optics. Full coatings are good, but multi-coatings make great optics, with all other optical quality being the same. The reflections off water(theses are geared toward marine use) can be a pain and contrast suffers. The flotation strap is a good idea, but you will get tired of the rough nylon covering rubbing on your neck in short order. ... Read more

Features

• Ultra-compact and super-sharp 37.5-150mm, 4x Zoom
• Quartz Date/Time Imprint
• Innovative Camera Shake Indicator warns of camera shake and reduces the risk of image blur
• Multi-wide 11 point AF System for highly accurate autofocusing
• Amazing high quality lens system featuring an ED glass lens and two double-sided aspherical lenses

Product Description

Image resolution up to 2288 x 1712 11x digital zoomNew docking station charges battery and connects to optional 4x6 dye-sublimation printer and/or 40GB hard drive Album and Calendar functions easily manage and display images as digital photo albumEasy-to-use scene mode dial19 selectable shooting modes for maximum versatilityVGA QuickTime Movie Mode with sound TruePic TURBO Image Processor allows quick and repeated shots while reducing noise Auto-Connect USB requires no software installation PictBridge compatible3 3/4 W x 2 4/5 H x 1 DUses rechargeable Li-Ion batteryUses xD-Picture Card up to 512MBIncludes16MB xD-Picture Card Li-12B rechargeable Li-Ion battery dockingstation USB and AV cables wrist strap and Olympus Master software ... Read more

Features

• xD-Picture Card compatible (16MB card included); uses Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
• 4.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 11 x 15-inch prints
• Extra-large 2.5-inch semi-transmissive LCD flips 360 degrees on hinge for easy viewing when open and protection of display when closed
• New docking station (included) allows you to charge the battery and connect to the optional 4 x 6-inch dye-sublimation printer and/or 40 GB hard drive (printer and hard drive not included)
• TV-quality VGA QuickTime Movie mode with audio

Features

• Record up to 90 minutes of digital sound
• Download lectures, notes, etc. to your computer with the high-speed USB interface
• Listen to your files from your computer with Olympus's "Digital Wave Player" software
• LCD display panel helps you keep track of important recording information
• Voice activation function allows for hands-free recording

Reviews (21)

Excellent!
I purchased the Olympus DW-90 Voice Recorder to record ambient sounds for some web work I'm doing. I found the DW-90 easy to operate after browsing the manual. Loading the included software was a non-item. Once you record a sound you just plug the unit into a USB port and the software automatically pops up on the computer screen. You then push one button and it uploads the file or files to the computer. Fast, simple. You select the file (it records in .wav file format) with your mouse and hit the play button and there you are. I'm into recording sounds of doors creaking, birds chirping, water dripping, etc. I record outdoors and in, on the hiking trail, voices in the park, the crackle of a fire in a fireplace, children's voices. In short, I record anything that might make a digital scene come to life. I also use the sounds for link buttons: the ping of a pencil on a drinking glass or china, the crumpling of an aluminum can, fist on a tabletop. Once I've uploaded the sound, I open it in my sound editing software (Sound Forge) and go to work on it. The sound that comes from the DW-90 in HQ mode is crystal clear. Since it's designed to record voices, I was worried that it might muffle background noise, but found this to not be true. Everything the ear hears, the DW-90 records (not the same frequency response, of course), which can at times be a problem for me. Human hearing is selective, so we don't ordinarily hear the refrigerator running or whir of our computer's fan. But they will all be there when you replay a DW-90 sound file. The DW-90 is smaller than it looks in the pictures, ~3.5 inches in length, and extremely light weight, so you can take it anywhere. But it definitely has its limitations. File storage volume is one. Just make sure that prior to purchasing the unit you evaluate its specifications against your requirements. I'm immensely pleased with it, but then I'm not trying to record a one-hour lecture in HQ mode (limit 22 min) or LP mode (limit 90 min) where so many of the reviewers here on Amazon have complained about sound quality.

Very Small Capacity
I purchased this thinking that I was getting a recorder that would actually hold 90 minutes of audio. Unfortunately that capacity is only available for "LP" mode which is highly distorted. HQ and SP modes record very well, but only plan on getting 20-30 minutes of use out of it before the memory is full.

The PC connection was not automatic, despite the instruction manual comments that no additional software was required. On the whole, I found no little to no support material available on the Olympus website.

I returned the recorder and am still looking for something <$100 that provides 2-3 hours of high quality recording with a PC connection.

Proved with time
I've been using this recorder for about 5 months now, and I love it now just as much as I did when I first purchased it. One thing that I like very much about the design is that the Erase button is extremely hard to accidentally push (and that, twice) - which shows someone was thinking when they designed it. The software installed perfectly, and works perfectly. I am very satisfied with this little recorder; it does not weigh much, but it gets the job done - and very well at that.

Compact yet full of features
I just got this little guy (so small it fits in the palm of my hand), and I am thoroughly satisfied with it. It is small, yet it has a lot of features, and it seems to be well manufactured - doesn't seem like it will break real soon or anything. I have recorded four files so far, and have even transfered them to my laptop (running Win 98 SE). The installation of the software was seamless, and all works great. I have not had a chance to try out some features of the recorder (lecture mode for instance), but I am very satisfied with what I got so far.

limited functionality, short duration very good LP mode poor
Bought this model to record science lecture notes, but the advertized 90 minute recording capability is only in LP mode. In LP mode, the playback is completely illegible. In HQ mode, the sound is superb, but you only get 22 minutes of recording. I will return this and continue looking.

Should have read the reviews here first, it would have saved me time but I was out on errands and stopped in at a local superstore to buy one. ... Read more

Features

• Fully automatic 35mm camera
• 38mm - 105mm zoom lens for close-ups
• Red-eye reduction flash, self-timer, date/time stamp
• Fully automatic focus adjustment with film auto-load, advance, rewind

Amazon.com Product Description

With true 4x zoom and date printing, the fully automatic Olympus IS-20QD SLR camera offers versatility and professional quality. It combines theadvanced functionality of an SLR camera system with a compact, lightweightpackage. The 28-110mm aspherical glass lens provides a high degree of opticalresolution with reduced distortion. A full-auto mode automatically sets shutterspeed and aperture, while audible beeps confirm focus.

A set of direct modeselect buttons make creative photography easy. A landscape mode capturesforeground and background with equal clarity. You can also create dramaticportraits with a sharply defined subject and shallow depth of field. A night- scene mode keeps the shutter open for up to two-second exposures. An intelligentflash automatically fires in low-light situations and includes fill-in flash,red-eye reduction, and soft illumination settings. ... Read more

Features

• 35mm SLR autofocus camera
• 28-110mm, 4x zoom lens
• Full-auto mode automatically sets shutter speed and aperture
• Quartz date and time recording
• Built-in flash with red-eye reduction

Reviews (23)

Olympus iS-20 QD Camera
Very versatile, stylish, easy-to-use camera! I used several rolls of my 2-month daughter basically in the portrait mode and I found them very good (w/flash or without it). But more impressive pictures have been done outdoors with 28mm focus. They a really great! The images are sharp, clear, a full of depth. Before I used 35mm fixed Olympus Stylus and my manual Minolta XG-7. This IS-20 QD camera has a lot more to offer for for the beginner and experienced photographer!

Easy to use, powerful flash, great ergonomics
I purchased the IS20 in July 2001. My first interest in it was its design. Not only does it look good, but its shape and ergonomics makes it really easy to hold, handle and operate. We often forget to admit that looks are one of the major purchase motivations.

The second thing i liked about it was ease of use. if you have minimal camera operation experience you might never read the manual at all!

It also integrates a powerful flash. My boss told me once that he thought it was on fire when it blinked to reduce red eye effect.

The 28-110 mm zoom is also nice, quick. Battery life seems above average (I still have not changet it).

Negative aspects?

Probably its weight and size, its definately not a camera you would stick in your pocket.
You will notice that when the camera is on the lens sticks all the way out wich makes it look more like an Olympus IS3000.

Wow!
I purchased this camera for my 11-yr old daughter to use in a summer photography gifted & talented art class that required the kids to bring an SLR camera (I got a reconditioned model really cheap). What a find!! I bought it because it seemed much easier to use than a standard SLR (which befuddle me), but I didn't expect that the pictures or adjustability would be that great - I was terribly wrong. There was no discernable difference between my daughter's photos and the photos from the kids (most older & more seasoned in photography) who used a standard SLR - except she said that she got to take more pictures because she wasn't always messing with her camera. Her photos included color, black & white, landscapes, close-ups, and many "trick" shots with long exposures and light effects - everything the other kids did with their cameras. He teacher even recommended that she enter a couple of her photos in a local contest!

The "one step" buttons for landscapes, close-ups, long exposure, and short exposure produce excellent results, and the automatic speed setting with the manual f-step option is very nice as well - no charts or graphs needed to figure it all out.

My husband and I have always been interested in photography, but we never wanted to deal with the complicated SLR lenses, F-stop/speed settings, etc., but we were so impressed with the IS20 that we just purchased another one for our own use, and intend on doing a little hobby SLR photography ourselves! The IS20 actually makes photography fun! I've taken the best photos of my life in the past few days, and I'm excited to continue.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND for the beginning or even intermediate SLR user.

Golden!
I was looking for an entry level SLR and decided to try the Olympus IS 20 at the advice of a friend who works as a semi-professional photographer. After shopping around and comparing the Olympus to other brands such as Nikon and Cannon, I found that Olympus does not necessarily enjoy the reputation found in other brands. Still, I decided to get the IS 20 based on the functions it offered and the great price on Amazon. Since I have owned the IS 20 I have shot over 20 rolls of film including 200, 400 and 800 speeds. The camera is very user friendly and my photos are excellent. The last roll of film that I shot with 800 contained photos of Seattle taken from the incoming Bainbridge ferry at sunset. When I picked up the photos from processing, several members of the staff were waiting for me to compliment me on the outstanding colors and detail in my photos. They were convinced that I am a seasoned photographer with a superior understanding of manual cameras and photography in general; even though I only have a basic understanding! This camera is everything that I hoped it would be and I would highly recommend it for beginners. Also, if you buy this camera, there is a teleconverter lens available at the Oympus Emporium website (but in limited quanties.)

Great Pictures!
Easy to use camera that takes great pictures! I replaced my old Nikon 35mm with this Olympus and have been nothing but pleased. ... Read more

Features

• Perfectly frame your subject or move in even closer with a 38-120mm zoom lens
• A rugged, splash-proof design lets you capture great pictures under almost any weather condition
• New 11-point multi-wide autofocus system recognized off-center subjects and adjusts accordingly
• Pop-up flash features red-eye reduction and auto color balancing
• Automatic features: auto film load, advance and rewind

Reviews (4)

great pictures, so far.
I just recently bought this camera at a Targe store and have only had it for a short time. I just recieved my first role of pictures from it and they were great! The only bad thing I have encountered is that the shutter speed is not that fast. For the price I think the pictures are excellent! I especially liked the pictures I took when standing a couple of feet away but using the zoom for a close up. I bought this camera to take picture of my kids, so I didn't want one too expensive or big to carry around in my purse. So far, so good!

Best value in its class
I'm an experienced hobby photographer who's spent many years helping people select the best camera for their needs.
This is an unusually good one for most people's needs.
The difference between a great camera and merely a very good one is versatility -
and versatility is achieved by striking a good balance between capability (features), ease of use (automation) and choice
(manual overrides for when the automation makes a bad decision, which they all do from time to time).
This model strikes a very good balance, and offers an unusually good lens - key to great picture quality - in this price class .

Pro's - 1) Unusually high quality lens, both in terms of construction (aspheric lens elements) and materials (ED glass),
makes for very high quality pictures across the entire zoom range. 2) Stepless zoom - most cameras in this class "step",
that is, they restrict you to a handfull of pre-determined points in the zoom range. So instead of, say, a "38-120" lens

as advertised, you actually have a "38, 50, 70, 90, 120" on these other cameras (Canon, Minolta, and many others).
The Stylus lets you zoom to any point in its range, which makes it easier to frame your picture accurately. 3) Multi-zone
metering detects and automatically corrects for backlight (putting the sun in the picture won't ruin your shot). 4) Spot
metering option let's you tell the camera that you want to concentrate on a small area (your friend's face) under difficult

lighting conditions. 5) Focus lock let's you focus on your subject and then reframe (your friend's face again, next to the
small tree in the foreground - you want your friend in focus, not the tree). 6) Flash modes for just about every conceivable
need in a point and shoot camera. 7) Relatively high shutter speeds for a lens-shutter camera (1/630 second vs 1/400 or so on
some other makes) 8) Advanced flash control adds the right amount of flash when needed, not too much, not too little
9) Small, lightweight, reasonably rugged, weather-resistant, clearly laid out controls, clamshell design protects lens when
closed.

Cons - 1) Zoom range doesn't go truly wide - you won't get a large group in without backing up. This is common to almost all
point and shoot cameras - most people will buy a longer lens rather than a wider one, thinking that "bigger is better". For
people who would rather get the group shot, or that shoot indoors a lot, try the Stylus 100 Wide, which has a true wide
angle lens in it (28-100mm instead of 38-120mm). 2) Clamshell design can develop problems with the electrical contacts (but
other designs can develop problems with their lens covers, so
you're trading one for another here, in my experience). 3) Red-eye reduction is oversold - they all have it, but it's more
annoying than effective. To avoid red-eye, have your subject look just to the side, not right at the camera.

In short, as a "second" camera for the enthusiast, or a "main" camera for the mainstream user, this one's hard to beat.
For the record, I have no relationship with any company or person in the industry.

Film will not load!
We registered for this camera on our bridal registry and we actually received two cameras at my bridal shower. However, after spending over an hour trying to load the film, I gave up and went to Target to get help. The electronics clerk also could not get the film loaded for the longest time and finally he did something (he doesn't know what) and it loaded. We followed the directions over and over again but the film was so tricky to load that it isn't worth the hassle! We even opened up the other camera I had received in case the first one was defective, and that one would also not load the film. I still don't know how to do it and we returned both cameras and chose a different one. We were taking this camera on our honeymoon and we didn't want to risk getting stuck on the cruise with a camera that would only load film at random. For a brand new item, this was not high quality. Shop carefully!

Good for a while
This camera has sharp pictures, ease of use, and a good zoom. However, it suffers from a design flaw. To turn the camera on or off, you must slide the lens cover to one side. This design is fragile and thus vulnerable to breaking. We have fixed it once within the first year of use. Recently, it broke again. Fixing it again is more than it is worth, especially given that such a repair would only be temporary. Instead, we are looking for a new camera--one with a traditional (and sturdier) on/off switch. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Until now, choosing a digital camera has meant a tradeoff between size and functionality. The feature-packed, high-resolution SLR replacements were too big to tuck in a pocket or purse, and the ultracompact models lacked the extensive manual controls many advanced photographers desire. With the D-40, Olympus has bridged the gap between portability and power--it's one of the smallest digital cameras on the market, yet it includes virtually all of the advanced features found on full-size models.

Compared to an ultracompact like the Canon Elph, the D-40 is the same width, about half an inch taller, and three-fourths of an inch thicker--still small enough to easily slip into a jacket pocket, and less than half the size of most compact models. Despite the tiny dimensions, Olympus packs a 4-megapixel sensor, 2.8x optical zoom lens, full manual controls, and a movie mode with audio into the camera's small plastic body. The trademark Olympus sliding clamshell cover turns the camera on and off, and also protects the lens, viewfinder, and flash when closed.

Images are stored on SmartMedia cards. A 16 MB card is included, which holds 16 images at default settings. If you want to take advantage of uncompressed mode and movie mode, or plan to take more than a handful of photos at a time, you'll want to get a 64 MB or 128 MB card. Like virtually all Olympus cameras, the D-40 has a flexible battery arrangement, accepting either a disposable lithium battery (one is included), or a pair of AA batteries (rechargeables strongly recommended).

This is a camera you won't quickly outgrow. If you're just getting started in photography, leave the camera in Auto. In this mode, taking pictures is as easy as sliding the lens cover open and pressing the button. As your photo skills progress, you can start taking advantage of the camera's advanced modes, including shutter priority, aperture priority, and full manual modes, plus manual focus, slow-sync flash, spot metering, manually adjustable white balance, exposure compensation, and more. The D-40 also comes with a remote control, making it easy to include yourself in group shots and it allows you to keep the camera steady in low-light situations.

For a break from taking pictures, spin the control knob to movie mode and you're ready to shoot mini-videos with sound. Though they don't have the resolution of camcorder movies, these clips of up to 30 seconds are perfect as e-mail attachments.

When it's time to transfer the images to your computer, the D-40 is a breeze to use. Connect the included USB cable between the camera and your computer, and the operating system (Windows 98 or newer for PCs, OS 8.6 or newer for Macs) will automatically detect your camera as an external drive, making picture transfers drag-and-drop easy.

If you can't decide whether to grab a full-sized digital camera for its advanced features or a tiny point-and-shoot for its portability, consider the D-40--it offers the best of both worlds. ... Read more

Features

• 4 megapixel sensor captures 2,288 x 1,712 images for prints at 11 x 14 inches and beyond
• 2.8x optical zoom lens with autofocus
• Included 16 MB SmartMedia card holds 16 pictures at default resolution
• Automatically connects to Macs and PCs via USB port
• Uses LB-01 disposable lithium battery (included) or 2 AA batteries

Reviews (51)

Finally.. a high resolution pocket size digital camera!
I've used Olympus point-and-shoot cameras for years, starting with the XA. Though my 'main' camera is a Nikon F3, over the years I've opted to carry the small Olympuses for travel. If it can't fit in my pocket or purse, it doesn't go!

Finally... there is a pocket-sized digital camera that rivals the resolution of a film: the Olympus D40Z. It has more bells and whistles than the average photographer will ever need, but it also runs just fine in the 'PHD' AUTO mode. And the quality is fantastic! Another feature I really liked was the drag-and-drop feature that allows you to offload pics direct to a PC hard drive through the USB port makes download a snap. On a short boat ferry, I powered up my laptop and had the pics downloaded in less than 30 seconds. (One friend uses his Olympus to transfer files from one PC to another at home!)

Battery life has not been a problem - I've run several hundred photos through the camera and am still on the original battery. I don't however use the viewer much - I save battery life by downloading photos to the PC rather than viewing and editing them in the camera. Nevertheless, purchasing the rechargeable batteries is recommended in the long run.

I was looking at the Nikon CoolPix 990 and 995 before this camera was released. Though the quality and durability is very good, I was put off by the larger body size and weight of the Nikon (if it's not small, it will probably be left in the drawer more often than not). So if you're in the market for a digital camera and need small size, high picture quality with enough features 'headroom' to allow a high degree of control over the image, you should definitely consider the Olympus D40Z.

Good performance and generally usable
I concur with the first two reviewer's comments, generally. The camera takes excellent, clear, vivid pictures and is very small (not as tiny as the Canon digital Elph line, but the small Canons are currently only at 2.1 MP).

Although you don't have to be a genius to figure the camera out, ease of use is not the camera's strong point. Icons and menu labels don't make immediate sense; you must read the manual (PDF format on the CD -- no print version!) to understand what the menus and dial-mode positions do.

Though the controls are complex, they're also deep and feature-rich. The camera gives an Auto mode, a Program mode, Shutter priority, Aperature priority, and full Manual modes, and automatic scenery, portrait, and people-in-front-of-scenery modes. Macro mode and night-time mode are also on the dial for quick access.

Olympus includes an infrared remote control in the package (nice not to have to go buy one separately).

The 30-second movie mode works fine, but don't think of it as a substitute for a camcorder--the microphone doesn't work that well.

It is a mystery to me why Olympus chose to use a proprietary battery size. The included NON-rechargeable lithium battery is about the same size as two AA batteries, and you can use two AA batteries in place of Olympus-brand lithium batteries (which, yes, do cost $10 each). Ni-MH rechargeable AA batteries are the cheapest solution in the long-run; the camera chews up Alkaline batteries like crazy, and lithium AA batteries are about as expensive as the Olympus-brand battery, per picture. Note: you can't recharge your Ni-MH AA batteries inside the camera; you must have a separate charger. Silliness. But not so silly that I wouldn't recommend the camera. I'm happy I bought it.

Last item: I use Windows XP Home, and I tried hooking up the camera to my computer via the included USB cable. It worked the first time, but it crashed my system the second and subsequent times. This might just be my fault, but I can't be sure yet.

The best you can have for the price.....
I have used about 5 digital cameras so far (pentax, sony, olympus) for more than 2 years. The D-40 is my last upgrade from the Olympus 2040. My remarks:

1: Olympus gives the best results when you print your fhotos(in an average quality... printer like HP-920). Simply you cannot tell the difference from a hi-quality film camera.
2: If you like the quick "point and shoot" photography without tripods and professional settings, the camera is amazing and the zoom is just what you need. It takes clear and sharp pictures. The camera of course has noumerous settings and capabillities but it works fine in auto mode. Just turn it on and shoot.
3: The camera is the smallest by far in 4 megapixels. You can have it always with you, everywhere, even in your shirt pocket.
4: Real plug and play. Just plug it into a USB port and that's it. No drivers no CDs...Just drag and drop like a hard drive. With the 128 MB SM card you can cary more files than a 100 MB zip drive. Yes I use it to copy and transfer files.
5:It gives you for an extra the pixel-maching technology. You never know when you could need this, but other brands, more expensive cameras, still haven't it.
6:Yes, it drains batteries fast but not faster than the other models by Olympus, if you take into consideration that it takes only 2 AAs. So you have 2 more for spare.
5 stars with no doubt. And remember : SIZE ALWAYS COUNTS.

Terrific, easy to use camera.
This was my first digital camera, which I used constantly for the three years I owned it. I loved it and I shouldn't have been so eager to "upgrade" (I recently, and foolishly, switched to the Sony T1).

This is a fantastically easy to use point-and-shoot camera that takes fabulous photos, up to and probably even beyond 8x10. It's friendly in low light conditions, at the beach, in the bright white snow, and just about anywhere a person would want to take their camera. Action pictures turn out great. The flash is strong. It is light, compact, and very sturdy. The picture taker's hands don't have to be deathly still to take a killer shot. The lense stays closed. The batteries are AAs--YAY! (I'm amazed at these features I took for granted because my T1 lacks in ALL these areas, much to my chagrin.)

For the price this camera is being offered at on Amazon, you can't go wrong, even if they are used. You won't be disappointed with the D40.

It's very frustrating
The camera is small and compact. The resolution is great and if you buy extra memory it can hold tons of pictures. But...sometimes i want to just use a disposable camera because this one is soooo frustrating. The auto-focus takes forever, so many times, you miss "kodak moments" because the camera isn't ready to shoot. When you have the display screen on, it sucks up the batteries. You can't view pictures right away unless you close the lens...which takes forever. Little things like this are very frustrating. And the dial for photo settings is so convenient that it often moves without you knowing so your settings will be off and you get a messed up picture. I'm no camera genius, i know how to use all the functions but this camera really tests my patience and i've missed alot of good shots. It's not just point and click like many other cameras i've used. ... Read more

Features

• Adjustable Tape Speed.Adjust the speed control from
• ¿15% to +30% for all levels of transcribing skills."
• Dual-speaker headset for comfort and excellent sound quality.
• Tape-end alarm signals when to change or turn over Microcassette.
• Quick erase feature automatically eliminates old messages to free up space.

Amazon.com Product Description

Record your memos and meetings with the Olympus L400 Ultra-Compact Microcassette Recorder. It fits easily in a shirt pocket and weighs only 3.2 ounces, so you can travel with it anywhere. The easy-to-read LCD displays tape direction, operation mode, and a tape counter. Voice activation enables hands-free recording with adjustable sensitivity. With dual tape speeds, you can record up to three hours on a 90-minute tape. An auto-reverse function provides uninterrupted recording or playback from one side of the tape to the other. ... Read more

Features

• Compact design, weighs only 3.2 ounces
• Voice activation for hands-free operation
• Dual tape speeds for longer recordings
• Auto reverse for uninterrupted operation
• Fits easily in a shirt pocket

Reviews (3)

Disapointing sound quality
I bought the L400 and 500 recorders, and am disapointed in the sound quality with both. The 500 had a real "tinny" sound, and unsuitable for dictation. The 400 has a loud motor whine on playback (which doesn't happen if I play the same tape back on a Sony recorder), and a similar tinny sound. Olympus recorders seem to be well constructed, compact, and great gadgets. But, the sound quality is inferior, and causes me not to recommend them until Olympus makes this better. My various Sony recorders are so far superior in sound quality that Olympus should be ashamed. Is my experience unique?

Tiny yet loud
I bought this as a replacement for a previous Olympus pearlcorder for my father-in-law and he loves it. The Olympus microcassette recorders blow all those cheap recorders in the retail stores. Olympus can pick up your voice easily and play back loudly. The bonus is that the L400 is so small, it's cool. If my father-in-law can use it easily, then anyone can!

Actually needs to be a little bigger
I ordered this from Amazon, who had the best price on the internet or otherwise. When I received it, I spent several days thinking I might send it back. It has its problems and is a little "too" small for me. However, I've worked through the problems and gotten used to the device and it is pretty good.

First, the problems. Someone with real small hands will appreciate it. Others with bigger hands might find it too small. Those used to holding a microcassette recorder a certain way (using the thumb to work the controls for example) will have to get used to the small size. The controls on this device are electronic buttons instead of manual push buttons. But I have to shift the device up in my hands to access all the buttons with my thumb. In addition, only the rewind function works while the tape is playing. That is, you can't fast forward without stopping the tape first. Further, they didn't add a separate fast forward button, but you hit the rewind button twice to go forward. I don't really like this feature. Finally, the voice activation doesn't work too well. At least not for me.

Now, the good news. You can turn the access to the buttons off, so if it is in your pocket, it won't go off prematurely, and it won't accidentally pop the tape open since the eject slide is on the bottom of the unit. The speaker sounds pretty good and recording quality is about the best I've seen from the total of 4 recorders I've had. All in all, I have started to like it, but I would have made it a little bigger and gone for controls more like traditional recorders.

Update: I have used this recorder almost every day (at least 3-4 days a week) for about a year and a half. Everything above still stands, but there are other things, some good some bad. First, the bad (or, perhaps, not so good): you MUST use good quality tapes in the machine. I used whatever tapes my firm had, some cheap tapes that probably are good for 2 or 3 erases even in a cheap machine. This caused the unit to act up -- and you would hear 6 beeps when trying to play, record, or even rewind. I thought the unit was defective and called customer service, who told me to send it in. Finally, I realized that the problem didn't happen when I use Maxell, Sony, or TDK (high quality tapes). Second issue, you can't start talking immediately after hitting record. I didn't realize this unitl recently when my secretary was always missing the first words of sentences. I wondered why until I was rewinding one day and found out that there is a quick delay before recording. It is constant, but lasts for less than or about a second.

Now, the good news: this thing still produces the best sounding stuff. Olympus clearly makes the best analog recorders. Although I think the unit could be a little better, you do end up getting used to the small size (if that was ever a problem) and the controls. I haven't gone back to the voice activation feature to see if I was the problem, but one day I will. Good luck, and after 1.5 years, I would buy this again. ... Read more