Olympus D450 1.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

by Olympus

Product Details

Product Manual [5.27mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 2.4 x 5 x 2.6 inches ; 9.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000021YUL
• Item model number: D450 Zoom
• Batteries: 4 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,859 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Shoot without waiting--just like a traditional film camera. Real-time rapid shooting mode lets you focus, compose, and shoot without waiting between shots at all resolutions. This camera offers burst mode shooting at all resolutions with speeds up to two pictures per second. Four photo-recording modes let you choose the quality and size of your images--from SHQ 1,280 x 960 uncompressed photos to 640 x 480 VGA images. Image playback modes include automatic advance playback, an index mode with 4, 9, or 16 images, and a 3x inspection mode. With an optical 3x glass aspherical zoom lens, 2x digital telephoto, pop-up five-mode variable flash, and a resolution of 1.3 million megapixels, this Olympus digital camera offers top performance in a compact, easy-to-use package.

MacAddict

The Olympus D-450 Zoom's many premium features come together in just the right mix to make this 1.3-megapixel digicam a fine point-and-shoot device at a very affordable price. It's a well balanced, good-looking, easy-to-use camera that takes great pictures.

Just slip in four batteries, slide the lens cover to one side, and the 35mm-to-105mm optical zoom lens emerges smoothly. You can change its field of view easily with a light touch on a toggle switch near the shutter release button. There's also a top-deck LCD control panel that displays critical settings - flash, battery condition, resolution, picture capacity, sensitivity to light (ISO), and more. You can choose ISO settings of 160, 320, or 640, or you can let the camera decide based on actual lighting conditions. Neat! Be prepared, though, to accept grainier (technically speaking, noisier) pictures at higher ISO settings; still, you'll be able to take pictures under marginal light conditions or shoot stop action with faster shutter speeds. If action's your game, you can use the camera's unique sequence mode, which clicks off images at rates from two frames per second (low resolution) to one frame every two seconds (high resolution).

Clearly marked control buttons perform dual functions, depending on whether you have the camera set to Record or Playback mode. You can choose resolution, flash modes, self-timer, multiple picture display, delete, and two manual distances for shooting fast-moving subjects autofocus can't handle. Quickly access the camera's Playback mode with a couple of taps on a button, bringing exposed images up for review at 4- or 5-second intervals; simply double-press it again and you're back in Record. Unlike some digicams, it doesn't let you erase photos immediately after taking them; you must delete them in Playback. This fail-safe method ensures that you don't mistakenly send one of those priceless images into deep space.

You can adjust the D-450 Zoom's optical viewfinder and easily view the exceptionally bright Thin Film Transistor monitor from off-center. Want to see if you've captured adequate detail? Just use the zoom control on Playback to get a 3X view of any part of the image. Other goodies include video out, a slide-show function, the ability to print directly to an Olympus printer, and a 2X digital zoom that doubles the tele-photo length of the lens to 210mm. Remember, though - with digital zoom, you lose some resolution, so use this option sparingly. The feature works best for small prints or photos headed for the Web.

The only major annoyance is that some of the menu screens display icons only - no words. However, after inadvertently trashing our first batch of pictures, we quickly learned what each symbol meant. You will, too. Be careful not to slam the lens cover shut too fast, or it may hit the lens as it retracts.

If you're looking for a quality digicam that gives you beautiful color prints up to 8 by 10 inches, and you don't need (or want) a lot of manual controls, the Olympus D-450 Zoom is a super choice. -- Arthur Bleich

good news : Very solidly built. Fast learning curve. Short intervals between shots. Excellent low-light performance. Good controls layout. Uncompressed TIFF mode. Printed documentation.

bad news : No USB. No lens barrel threads to accept accessory lenses. Some menus use icons only. Cover may hit lens if closed too quickly. Incorrect exposure compensation instructionsin manual.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

424 of 426 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 450Z could be the best digital camera for the money., November 2, 1999

By 

shiltone "shiltone" (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olympus D450 1.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I started out thinking I was still a year away from affording a new digital camera with the features I wanted. I decided to hold out for a zoom lens and at least 1024 x 768 resolution, or wait. After a lot of research, I knew I wanted an Olympus, because of their excellent optics and their camera-first, digital-device-second approach, and because my Olympus 35mm point-and-shoot had served me well.

I thought my best deal would be on a used or discontinued model; however, because the original price of the 500L, 600L, and 400Z had been so high (in the $800-1200 range), the asking prices for these had not come down as much as I'd hoped, and what I had to be willing to pay had crept up as I shopped. When I saw what the 450Z was going for, I whipped out my credit card. Now that I've played around with it for a few weeks, I can't imagine there's a better digital camera for the money right now. I've compared with a couple of friends that have Nikon CoolPix cameras, and I suppose there's something that's better about them, but I can't honestly tell you what that would be, and the Nikon is twice the money!

The 450Z is an improved version of the well-received 400Z, but at a radically lower street price. Some of this is due to the packaging -- the 450Z leaves out the FlashPath floppy adapter (typically $70-90 alone) that was standard in the 400Z -- but clearly the manufacturing costs are coming down rapidly.

This camera performs incredibly well on the bottom-line measurement: It takes stunningly detailed and accurate pictures under a wide variety of conditions.

We've gotten used to accepting less than perfection for pictures taken in other than bright sunlight at normal distances. The 450Z adds several categories of picture-taking where you can now get predictable results: Flash, macro (including with flash), indoor lighting, low light, etc. There are just enough features to make the camera useful over the range of conditions, but not so many as to intimidate the snap-shooter. Because of the intelligence of the autofocus, exposure control, and white balance, it is still a great point-and-shoot camera.

Many features are related to getting the picture right at the right resolution, such as spot metering, exposure override, mode (resolution), different flash modes, macro, etc. Other features are related to viewing and managing the pictures you've taken. You can plug the camera into a VCR or TV monitor (RCA video jack) and give a quick slideshow of what's in memory. You can get around the small size of the LCD display (and this is one of the better ones) by zooming in on one segment (out of a 3 x 3 grid) of an image, to make sure the detail is there.

One other feature that other reviewers have found important: The 450Z will store images uncompressed, if you choose (the file size is huge); most other cameras up to this point perform at least some compression, even on high-quality settings.

The only thing I couldn't do well -- and this may just take some practice -- is action shots. All digital cameras have some lag between the time you decide to pull the trigger and the time the image is committed to memory, and this takes some getting used to, but the 450Z is quicker in this respect than its earlier counterparts. One significant feature is the "burst mode", which allows you to keep capturing images (about 1-2 a second) as long as the shutter button is pressed, and until the buffer fills up (seems to be about 6-10 images).

Most of us get into digital because of the cost and overhead of dealing with film and processing, only to have to scan prints or pay extra to the processor for digital images from film. Depending on resolution, you can get up to 122 images onto the standard 8MB memory card before unloading, and that's very liberating -- no more agonizing over whether to take another shot! However, once you play around with it a while, the mind starts to boggle at the possibilities, and film cameras seem like Stone-Age technology (especially since we are approaching the resolution of film with the million-plus pixels you can store in an image now).

The 450Z is a milestone in the improvement of digital cameras, a quantum leap in value vs. features and quality, even compared to other Olympus cameras. You won't believe how easy it is to get breath-taking digital photos. Get one!

213 of 216 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Photo-Snappin' Grandma, December 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Olympus D450 1.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

Purchased the 450Z after a lot of research, have had it for a couple months now and absolutely LOVE it. Agree with other comments on slow (frustrating) D/L speed using the serial cable, and definitely recommend the FlashPath reader. Before you jump to buy a cheaper camera, take into consideration the features that the 450Z offers that, even if you're a novice, you'll probably not want to live without, i.e., optical zoom, 8MB memory card included, and photo settings usually found only on high-end cameras (overcast conditions, fluorescent lighting, etc.) One of the best features I used this week was the ability to take great photos of my newborn grandson on the delivery table with the flash OFF! Auto shutter-speed compensated for the flash off and produced extraordinary photos! All digicams are battery hogs, but I was able to take about 120 photos (med res) before replacing them (I rarely use the LCD monitor, and never use battery power for D/L'ing pics). You MUST read the manual from cover to cover before using the camera for the first time, but now I only refer to it when using a setting I don't normally use. AC/DC port is not standard and I was forced to get a converter from Radio Shack that has several different adapter plugs (cheap). PhotoShop Home Deluxe s/w included, but BEWARE -- make sure your PC video card drivers are up-to-date. Go to your PC-makers website and D/L the latest updates before installing this s/w. I had major conflicts with the video drivers req'd by PhotoShop and the 18-month old drivers on my Gateway. All in all, I am extremely satisfied with the 450Z. The only improvements I'd recommend to Olympus is replacing the serial D/L connection with a USB compatible one, making the camera a little more user-friendly so the manual is not so indispensable, changing the AC/DC input to something more standard, and include a FlashPath adapter with the camera. Unless you abhor reading manuals and instructions, you won't go wrong with this camera.

169 of 171 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could Not Be Any More Pleased!, November 27, 1999

By 

Peter Shaddock (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olympus D450 1.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I am one who always jumps into new tech stuff during the first or second wave. I have been holding off on a digital camera purchase for more of a value reason than anything else. When I saw this camera loaded with features combined with my experience with Olympus, I knew I was time to buy. I was still slightly fearful that the process from taking shot to downloading it to my harddrive would be cumbersome; however, this was not true.

The software that comes with this camera is powerful yet straight foward and easy to use. The images are great and a lot of fun to have instantly. IT WORKS JUST LIKE A GOOD AUTO FOCUS 35MM.

Cons: Uses batteries quick if you use the LCD and during the download to PC process. It takes a long time to download a 8mb smartmedia card (30-40 pics @ medium quality). It does not come with a case. The LCD is just below the optical eye opening so your fat nose smudges the LCD screen everytime you take a picture.

FINAL WORD: BUY IT --- IT'S GREAT along with: 1. Case 2. Rechargable Batteries 3. Get a 3.5" Floppy Smartmedia Reader and skip the download process all together.