Customer Reviews

Olympus Stylus Zoom 140 QD CG Date 35mm Camera

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this camera a couple of weeks ago and used it for the first time at Disneyland. I'm thrilled with the results.

Film: I used 800 Dx film (the type I always use)--1 roll of Fuji; 1 roll of Kodak. Both rolls came out great.

About Me: I am an amateur camera user, not a professional. I have always used point-and-shoot type cameras for vacations, special occassions, etc.

Convenience: The camera easily fits inside a fanny pack, along with a small wallet, comb, sunglasses and an extra roll of film. At only 9 oz, it is almost feather-light. The buttons are easy to use; you don't need a pencil or other pointed object to press them.

Lighting Conditions/Features Tested: I tested all of the camera's features (except the timer) in a variety of conditions--through the windows of the Monorail both while stopped and moving, inside rides with the flash off, in bright sun, in the shadows and shade of Tom Sawyer's Island, etc. Splash Mountain proved an excellent place to test the camera's splash resistance.

Photo Quality: Nothing seemed to fool this camera. All of the pictures came out crisp, sharp and clear with exceptional color, at all levels of zoom. People pictures came out unusually well with very true skin color.

Windows: I am particularly pleased with the camera's ability to shoot through windows. It does not have a "landscape" or "infinity" mode, nor does it seem to need one. The camera consistently focused on objects beyond the glass, and pictures came back without glare.

Flash Off Feature: Unlike other cameras that require you to activate the flash off feature each time (each shot) you want to use it, the Olympus Zoom 140 flash-off remains activated until you either switch to another mode or turn the camera off. In places where flash is not permitted, this allows you to take numerous photos without having to press the flash-off button each time.

Viewfinder: Like many point-and-shoot cameras, the viewfinder is slightly above and to the right of the lens. But unlike other cameras I considered, the Olympus viewfinder has guides that help you allow for that...and prevent "chopped off heads" in pictures. The adjustable diopter is also very easy to use. It works beautifully except when the camera is zoomed all the way to 140, at which point it is slightly blurry. (But the pictures still come out great!)

Zoom: The zoom is extremely easy to use and allows you to zoom to any point within the range. There are no preset zoom stops.

Minor Criticism: My only slight criticism of this camera is that the window that displays the number of exposures and the flash mode is not lighted. But that can easily be overcome by carrying a penlight so that you can read the display in dim environments.

Summary: This camera produces excellent pictures, is very easy to use, and is well worth the price. It has definitely exceeded my expectations.

I own a Nikon N6006 SLR and set out to buy a point-and-shoot for convenience. I bought both a Minox CD 140 and an Olympus Stylus Zoom 140 QD. I shot a roll of film with all three at once, then blinded sorted the the match sets of three pictures of each image based on which were best. My findings:

1. The Nikon SLR was not consistently the best. In fact, the difference between the pictures from the SLR and the two point and shoots was remarkably smaller than I expected.

2. The Minox had somewhat better color, focusing, and contrast than did the Olympus. The difference, however, was slight.

3. The Olmpus was better designed than the Minox. The Olympus fit better in the hand, the clamshell cover gave more protection, it had a greater zoom range, the viewfinder was slightly larger and set back from the camera body (so your nose doesn't bump the camera as much), and the diopter adjustment was nice. On the plus side for the Minox, the placement of the Minox zoom buttons was more comfortable for me than than the Olympus ones, and the Minox turned on and off markedly faster than the Olympus. Also, the Minox case was more practical.

Both point and shoot cameras would be excellent options. Get the Minox if picture quality is paramount; get the Olympus if you want more features and better comfort in your hands.

I first bought this camera for a holiday where I didn't want to carry my bag of camera, lenses, and box of tricks.

I find it very hard to go back after using this gem. It's ergonomics are very good. The metering has been almost faultless. I have shot many rolls of slide film, which requires much more accurate exposure, and they have come out well every time.

So when the camera was stolen, I had no hesitation in ordering another one. I also ordered the extended zoom 170 for my wife, as that had just come out.

After trying both, I prefer the 140 zoom. The 170's zoom is a little jumpy, and you can't always get the exact zoom length you want. The 140 zooms much more smoothly.

As for build quality, I certainly can't complain. I recently accidently dropped the 140 from about 3 feet onto a concrete sidewalk. It scratched the camera's plastic case, but the camera was unphased, and continues to perform perfectly.

If you want a versatile, great quality, good value compact camera, I can't recommend this camera highly enough.

This camera is amazing! Not only does it take great photos using any type of film but it is extremely durable. A professional photographer highly recommended this camera which I purchased prior to my once-in-a-lifetime African Adventure. The night of our Zambezi river cruise, my tote bag fell overboard and drifted 200 yards before kindly fishermen saved it. Luckily, this camera was in my zippered compartment so it didn't sink to the bottom like my binoculars. I thought the camera was wasted because the entire body was flooded with river water and the lens was fogged. After opening up the film and battery compartments and letting them air dry in the hot sun, the camera works perfectly. The view lens has bubbled so it's a little difficult to see the subject but the photos are beautiful. This made me a loyal Olympus customer.

I bought this camera just before I traveled to Europe. It's always good to check out a new camera before you go on vacation with it, (so you can get to know it and see the results ...nothing worse than coming back from a vacation like that with a bunch of garbage rolls of film as your memories). I was SO happy with the results of the test roll before I left, that I shot another roll "to test" it, and then another... the images are SO sharp and clear! I had VERY FEW pictures that didn't turn out from my entire trip. Good exposures, clear focus... The camera was overall quite adaptable to the various elements a person may come across while on vacation or just out taking pictures at a family event. I've had so much fun taking pictures with it!

Neat that it has several different options for the function of the flash! It has a flash override, two different types of red-eye reduction, a selection for night time outdoor flash, as well as a self timer, and the option to put the date on the pictures/ date and time, or no data at all.

I really don't have any complaints about this camera. But since it's all automatic, make sure to always have an extra battery on hand! Especially when you first get it, because you'll probably use the zoom and stuff a bit more at first. Another thing that I noticed with mine is that the flap that slides over to close the lens and cover/protect it will VERY SLIGHTLY rub along the side of the lens as it is being pulled in if you push too far on the flap. So just be aware so not to mar the finish.

What would make this camera better is if it came with a made to fit case!

The Olympus Stylus Zoom 140 is an easy-to-use and flexible camera. The camera is push-button simple, has an awesome lens, is a small package--not too small so you can't comfortably hold it, like many APS cameras, but small enough to go anywhere--and it is weatherproof. In short, a great camera for trips. The camera feels solid and produces excellent quality images.

I bought this camera as an easy-to-use backup to my 35mm SLR, but this lens and package is so flexible, this has become my first choice for picts . . . plus, it's very easy to carry around....

All in all, a the Stylus Zoom 140 is a worthwhile buy and a good value.

I have had this camera for 2 years now and wouldn't trade it for anything. We took many pictures while in Ireland and the mist never had an effect on the camera. This was the best investment in a camera that I have made.

Easy to use. Much better pics than our 1995 Pentax IQ120. We've put through 1 roll and are very satisfied. It is showing subject eye clarity that our old camera did not. Really is a decent camera and the price is reasonable... considering the market relatives.

I bought this camera about a month ago, and I'm delighted with the pictures it takes. It's very easy to use, and had several features that other cameras in the same price range didn't offer. For the money, I think it's the best camera that you can buy.

I had an Olympus Stylus Zoom 80 for a few years, but I decided I wanted a longer zoom. I shopped around and came to the conclusion that I wanted to stick with the Olympus Stylus series, not only for the price, but because I knew for a fact how great the pictures would turn out and how easy it was to operate! I have had the Olympus Stylus 140 for about 1 year and absolutely love it. It takes awesome, CRYSTAL CLEAR pictures - and it's a point-and-shoot! It's design is sleek and light-weight, the viewfinder is accurate, and the film rewinds pretty quick (good when changing rolls to catch all the action!) It's also very quiet (which is great for the times you're at a wedding or some other event where people might get irritated with outside distractions). I just honestly love everything about it...most of all the resulting pictures, which is really the most important thing! When people see the photographs that I have taken and tell me they have never seen such amazing photos, I proudly tell them what kind of camera I have (and I do consider myself an amatuer)!! I would highly recommend this camera to anyone. You will NOT be disappointed with your purchase!!