Customer Reviews

Olympus Camedia D-40 4MP Digital Camera with 2.8x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

1) Size. Both cameras are small but the crown goes to Olympus, even if only by few cubic points. Olympus is also lighter of the two.
2) Resolution. Both cameras feature 4.1Mpixel CCD. What Canon misses and Olympus has is an extrapolation to 3,200 X 2,400 (or 7+Mpixels). By making an extrapolation from a raw image (not even TIFF!) the camera may make a much smarter decision then your average Photoshop program. This is the must if you want to print a poster from your picture.
3) Picture quality. Very good and comparable between both cameras. Even the most advanced reviewers have a hard time giving clear advantage to one or the other. Canon has a slightly better rendering algorithm, so the nod goes to Powershot but not by much. ...
4) Lenses - for all purposes the same. Not as fast as on any of the bigger cameras but satisfying for most applications.
5) Zoom - same.
6) Storage media. Olympus uses SmartMedia, while Canon uses CompactFlash (types I and II). Both supply laughable 16Mb out of the box, so you have to purchase larger modules. The prices for memory are comparable but advantage goes to Canon, since Compact Flash is a more advanced format and comes in bigger sizes. Still, 128Mb is more then enough for a day of shooting.
7) Batteries. Both cameras are not ideal. Canon pretty much forces you to buy additional module ... since it uses a proprietary format, but Olympus does not supply a rechargeable batteries and does not allow to recharge in camera, so you need to buy NiMh AA batteries and charger, which would cost the same (smart investment). Still I would give an advantage to Olympus because you can always find AA batteries in any store if you ran out of power. I also want to address here the power consumption since a lot of users are giving their thumbs down based on this feature alone. Both cameras are bad. This is a sad reality if you want a subcompact camera. But not make a tragedy out of this. If you use both cameras smartly, it should last you the whole day of shooting quite easily.
8) Price. Still too high IMHO for both of cameras. Canon is slightly more expensive but not by much. You can buy any camera now for less [money]. With all accessories (memory, batteries, case, etc.) you should just be able to fit in ... budget.
9) Flash. Mediocre at best for both cameras. Canon does a slightly better job at red-eye reduction, but Olympus is slightly better with white-balance adjustment. Still this is probably the weakest point for both cameras.
10) Video. Both cameras have built-in video mode with sound recording and speaker for later review. Since I don't care much for this feature I won't discuss it here.
11) Supplied software. Olympus ships with camera the Adobe Photoshop Elements - by far the best photo-editing package on the market now.
12) Nice extras. Canon comes in a metal casing which gives it a very sophisticated and ruggish look. Olympus casing is more stylish IMHO and is made of very sturdy plastic. Both cameras have auto USB connectivity and optional waterproof cases. Olympus has three unique features that made me buy it. First is a low-light noise reduction that can be activated when you switch camera into night shot option. The special algorithm that Olympus uses allows it to compensate for long-exposure related errors (such as "hot" pixels) and results in a much better looking pictures. If you like to make night photos (I do) you can't live without this feature. Second feature is pixel mapping that allows camera to compensate for dead pixels in CCD. Until you have this problem you won't probably think much about it. The third feature is "User Mode" which allows you to store your preferable settings and access them by simple switch of the dial. I use it quite often and it saves a lot of preparation time before shot is taken and results in a better quality picture. It is especially useful if you take a series of pictures in challenging lighting conditions (such as twilight time).

Overall, I chose Olympus for the above mentioned features, but you can't go wrong with any of these little cameras.

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.

This is the second Olympus camera I've owned, and I bought it specifically for travel. It fits easily in a jacket pocket (or shirt pocket without the case) or a briefcase, so there's no excuse to leave it behind. Like all Olympus digital cameras, the D40 optics are excellent, and the resulting pictures have good color fidelity and saturation. The extra pixels also make a big difference in enlargements. 8x10 prints from the D40 are noticeably better than the 8x10s from my two-year old, 1.3 megapixel D620. Even subtle scenes like sunsets are captured with excellent fidelity - almost as good as film.

The camera has a dial that lets you select from several pre-programmed modes for scenes like landscapes, portraits, etc. One really cool pre-programmed mode is a night setting that allows long exposures by cancelling the noise that normally builds up in digital pictures. Of course, there is also an "auto" mode for us lazy folks, but if you're ambitious, you can navigate the menus, set everything manually, and save it as a user-defined, custom mode. It also shoots QuickTime/MPEG movies (with sound).

While I like the portability, the camera does have a few drawbacks. It uses a LOT of battery power, so the two AA cells run down very fast. Olympus ships the camera with a disposable 3V lithium battery, but get this, it costs about $10 to replace! I use rechargeable NiMh AA cells, and while they only last 1/3 as long as the throw-away lithium battery, over time they will save $$$. Be sure to get the newer 1600 or 1800 ma-hr AA cells, and pack four of them in the camera case.

Another potential drawback is the complexity of this camera. I enjoy learning how to operate stuff like this, but if you are intimidated by options and menus, you might want to look at a different model.

This is my 4th Digital Camera. I love photography and know how to take great pictures. Olympus has done it again. The D-40 is an amazing product. First remember you are buying a point and shoot camera. This camera is tiny and light. When you put it in your pocket you will not know it is there. The sliding lens cover is great because you can put the camera anywhere with no lens cap to worry about. It is simple... It is complex. This is a real plus. Most of the functions are very simple. But if you are anal, then you can do whatever you want to create interesting photographs. They included a dial that allows you to select the type of picture you want. This is good. However, you need to have your brain alerted to the dial because it is easily moved. They have a view mode when you are taking pictures making it easy to view the picture you took and return quickly to shooting. When I first picked up the camera it was hard to hold because I have big hands. Then I noticed the grooves in the camera that allowed my hands to naturally hold the unit. It stuck like glue to my hands. The zoom is not great but if you have legs you can overcome that problem.

The picture quality is amazing. Colors are extremely accurate and the intensity of the pictures are hard to believe. You actually get excited when you look at your work. Each picture is a little less than 1 meg.

Now I could go on because there is tons more to say... But the reality is, if you like taking pictures of everything, and you want the easiest, smallest way to do that, this is the camera... no questions asked... it is so cool... thank you, thank you, Olympus for giving us this amazing piece of technology.

And when you buy this camera, Olympus has great service. I know because they have helped me with knowledgable customer care...and I do not work for the company!

This camera is fabulous for us. We live in Bermuda so we take lots of outside pictures - beach scenes, foliage, macro shots of exotic flowers etc. The colours on the photos are clear and rich, and our pictures cannot be distinguished from real film shots. We print on an HP960c printer and use Kodak photo printer paper. The results are remarkable.

For indoor shots the subject needs to be close - typically with digital cameras the flash could do to be a little stronger.

When I first started with the camera, the lag between depressing the shutter button and taking the photo was a bit perplexing. However, I understand this typical of digital cameras (but not a problem on my previous Toshiba digital). BUT - I learned to set a manual focal distance to take quick shots. Also the burst function which takes several shots in rapid succession helped alot.

We purchased a rechargable battery kit with 1700 model batteries.
Using the optical viewfinder and occasionally using the LCD to alter commands, I have been able to shoot and download 180 pictures at high quality level. Since the camera takes only 2 batteries, it's easy to keep two spare charged batteries in the case. I did go through the original lithium battery very fast because when I first got the camera I tried out every function, including shootin several movies and used the LCD alot. Re-chargeables are definately the answer.

I recommend to get the camera case designed for the camera - it is compact and has a special compartment for the spare batteries. Also a 128 mb Smart Media Card - it will hold 130 pictures at High Quality.

All in all, we are thrilled. We had also considered the later model Canon cameras but read reviews about poor autofocus. I have had yet to have an out of focus picture on this camera! The manual could be a bit more explicit, but Olympus on-line is very helpful. Next time however, I would like a larger optical zoom.

We use Windows XP and everything works fine with it. Good Luck!

I've had this camera for 6 months now, and have been very impressed with the quality of the pictures and the ease of use. The compact size and light weight makes this one great camera. My only criticism is that the manual is very difficult to understand, and does not even attempt to explain how the remote control works. Fortunately, the various dials are buttons are pretty self-explanatory, and I've been able to figure out everything I need.

I bought my first digital camera about 6 months ago, the Fuji Finepix 101, 1.3 megapixel. It was handy and I had lots of nice shots, especially after editing in Photoshop.

But the Olympus! Wow! Now I'm back to the old days of SLR photography, even with the choice of B&W or sepia tone images. This camera, in auto mode, captures the colors perfectly.

It is a little hard to figure out at first and as someone else noted, the manual is worthless. But if you don't mind poking around a bit, you'll soon get the hang of it. I am very happy with it.

BTW, I haven't had a single external device connected via USB that hasn't crashed my computer at some point so I'm not going to give the camera negative points for that.

i have had an olympus digital camera for 4 years now, and have been researching for the last 6 months on a new model.. just got the new d40 in time for christmas and also ordered the bu-100 charger and a 128mb extra card... buy both! amazon's service on these products was just great! ordered them 1 week before christmas and got them in 5 days....the camera takes great pictures and the featuers are easy after you play around with the camera.....for christmas my son also got me the olympus USB smartmedis reader which i really like useing to save the battery power...the quick time video uses alot of battery power but the sound and pictuer quality is just amazing and the zoom featuer works really good....compact size makes it a breeze to carry around in the shirt pocket...i mainly use the 1600x1200 sq1 mode
and the COLOR quality is just amazing.....get one now!!!

The D40 is an unbeatable combination that has several key features:

1. Very compact--fits easily in the pocket or a small purse when going out. If the camera is too big to carry around with you, it's worthless--you won't get any pictures if you don't bring the camera

2. High resolution--4 megapixels is enough to make a high quality 8 by 10 print. Unless you're a professional photographer, it has all the resolution you need.

3. Takes AA batteries--this was key, as the Olympus was the only ultracompact that takes AA's rather than proprietary batteries. The lefetime is a little less but if you buy a set of 4 NiMH batteries you can always have a spare pair handy. Other cameras' proprietary batteries will cost another $50-75 over the base price, if you want a spare. And since it uses AA's you can always buy more if you don't have spare rechargables handy, or if you forget to bring the charger on vacation.

4. Optical zoom. Digital zoom is a meaningless number--it's the same thing you can do with photoshop after the fact. Only true optical zoom gives you zoom while keeping the resolution, and the D40 has it.

I was looking for all those features, and the D40 was the only digital that provided them. We took it on our 3 week honeymoon and the pics turned out great. A pair of NiMH's last about a day of fairly frequent shooting.

All in all, I'd highly recommend this camera.

After much shopping around on the internet, and reading reviews I decided on the Olympus D-40. It's my first digital camera and so far I'm VERY pleased. Its compact size makes it easy to take with you. The biggest selling points were (1) the 4 megapixel capability, (2) the size AND (3) it has a remote! I love this feature, it means I can take pictures of myself with my family/friends without having to do the run back and forth routine that you do with a timer. (It does have a timer for those that still want that option) The remote works for a few feet - enough to get a pic of you with that awesome scenery, monument, etc. behind you. Also, you can manually set all settings - shutter speed, etc.

The drawbacks are (1) the zoom and (2) the lag time between the press of the shutter button and the actual picture being taken. The zoom doesn't go as far as I wanted. I would have also liked the capability to put an extra zoom lens on. Sometimes the lag between pressing the button and the photo being taken is enough to miss the shot. For those reasons I've given the camera 4 stars instead of 5.

Overall, this camera has been a great starter for me and I bet would be good for a repeat digital camera buyer who wants a bunch of features in a small package.

P.S. Get the big (128MB) memory card.