Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love the camera, sorry the review is so long..., September 19, 2006
I love this camera. I have been using it for a couple of months now and it is keeping up with me and my four kids.
I bought this camera because it is small and it fits in my pocket or my purse and I take it everywhere I go. It is light and compact. However it does have drawbacks. The power button is tiny and right next to the shutter button, so sometimes rather than getting that winning goal I turn the camera off instead. Also, I find the wide and telephoto button to be a little on the small side and in a very awkward position. It would be much more comfortable at the bottom. The other buttons work just fine.
The image quality is great. When it is used at full image quality and at wide angle the pictures are crystal clear. The 3X optical zoom is great, but then they also have an additional 5X digital zoom. I do admit though that I avoid the digital zoom because the more you zoom in the more unstable the picture becomes. Fully extended to the 15X zoom it was VERY difficult to hold the camera still enough to even center the picture. We were using it to take pictures of the Grand Canyon, so we were zooming in on objects a mile away at the bottom of the canyon or on Condors on lower edges, so in all fairness we were asking a lot. I have, in most circumstances, found that it is easier to stick with the optical zoom and then crop the picture on my computer. It also has image stabilization, which I first thought was smoke and mirrors, but it really is a great feature for taking pictures while on the move. You really can point and shoot, but sometimes the image stabilization takes a moment to focus in when you first turn the camera on.
It takes wonderful video. You are only limited by the size of your card and a nice feature is that it also records sound. The Olympus High-Speed 1 GB xD Picture Card is supposed to be terrific for this feature, but we had problems using it with this camera. (You can read my long-winded review of the card too.) I have gone back to my old 128MB card and I can get 3 minutes of video.
One of the best features for me is the scene selector. I will list them at the bottom so you do not have to read them if you do not want to. I am still learning how to use all of them, but they are so useful because I do not have to try and figure out all of the settings. I just pick the type of scene that I want to photograph and the camera changes all of the settings for me automatically.
The display is 2.5 inches and really clear. With the zoom button you can zoom in on pictures you have already taken and review to see if you got what you wanted. One drawback is the screen is not protected and since I keep it in my purse I just cut one of my palm screen protectors to the right size and now I do not have to worry about scratches. I like that Olympus included and internal lens protector. My last one was a slide protector, but this one is so much better and it does not get in the way and I do not have to worry about losing a lens cap.
The menu can be a little confusing, because not all features are always accessible. Only the menu items you can change, in the setting you are using, can be accessed. See some menu items below. While you can manually adjust almost anything on the camera I just prefer to let the camera do it for me and it does a better job than I ever could.
Over all there are some very minor drawbacks, but Olympus can not make a camera perfect for everyone. With this camera you get a terrific camera that can easily compete with the much more expensive cameras, but this one is so much more affordable. The compact style makes this camera easy to take anywhere. After two months I am still trilled with this camera. I think my husband's money was well spent. :)
Preset Scenes:
Portrait, Landscape, Landscape and Portrait, Night Scene, Night and Portrait, Sport, Indoor, Candle, Self Portrait (while holding the camera at arms length), Available Light (for low night, but no flash), Sunset, Fireworks, Museum (turns off all sound and flash), Cuisine, Behind Glass, Documents, Auction (takes 3 pictures at different exposures), Shoot and Select (one reduces aspect ratio and takes fast shots, so I capture pictures of my kids running down the field, the other is slower, but both continue shooting as long as you push the shutter button),and Beach and Snow
Photo viewing menu:
Slide Show, Edit (black and white, sepia, red eye, crop, title, etc.), calendar (view pictures by day), playback menu (which also allows you to set up albums), set up, index, and erase.
|
|
|
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoying my new 810., January 9, 2007
I am the type of person who actually reads all the reviews before I make a purchase, especially, on line.
I have been just delighted with my new 810 and the performance.
One of the reviews I read talked about the upgrade from the 800 to the 810 and the person was sorry that they did not wait for this new model to be released. I am sure glad that I read this review and acted on it. I am totally delighted with my camera in EVERY way. I love the large viewing screen and the feature where if my hand shakes the camera automatically compensates. This feature is great especially because I have taken many pictures in the past where this has been a problem.
I hope that others will read this review a enjoy the experience for themselves.
All the best! David P.
|
|
|
40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the camera for an average user like me., September 2, 2006
Compact so it fits in you pocket, high tech enough to dance with it's bigger counterparts. This little camera does it all. I comparison shopped for several weeks comparing and contrasting multiple cameras from cannon, kodak, hp, sony, panasonic, and olympus, and none had features like this, a small size, and in this price range. I bought the stylus 710 soley because I had a good coupon. This was my first choice, but I settled for second due to the pocketbook, but I am not dissappointed.
8 megapixels, digital image stabilization (only it and the stulus 710, and a solo panasonic have this at $300), 2.5 inch lcd viewing screen (higher resolution than 710), and a low price for me of $299 dollars (most chains stores clearence price). OH, DID I MENTION EXCELLENT PICTURES. I have played with this for several days now editing the photos, paling with the on-board and the computer imaging package, and I see nothing wrong with this camera for an everyday average user like me. And with it's weather resistence, nice for a clumsy average user like me. This is well worth the investment, saving your families memories in a fit and proper manner. There are so many bells and whistles, you will have to look at the Olympus website to see the power of this package.
I also highly recommend the Stylus 710 (if you have less money like me). It is on sale at most chain stores at this time. Slower shutter speed, less on board memory (19.1 vs 29.1), lower pixel view screen, but gains 3 photo settings. It is still 7.1 megapixel, so you only loose one size photo shot (something like a 16 x 19), but I would likely never use that size photo. Also the battery life is very adequate, about 120 photos or more, with slide shows, editing ect... You will enjoy your olympus purchase.
Also, the Olympus Mastersoftware is very easy to use, And with panoramic feature, 3d, and Extra ART Features unlocked by Olympus Brand-Olympus Stamped Type H HD, this camera becomes even more of a pleasure to own. you can edit photos on the computer, or right in the palm of your hand. Both ways, this camera will make you feel like a pro in no time.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|