Olympus C-740 3MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom

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Product Details

Product Manual [9.84mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 2.7 x 4.2 x 2.6 inches ; 10.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008IHTY
• Item model number: 740 Ultra Zoom
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,536 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 3, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description
Point and shoot ease and full manual controls, the Olympus Camedia C-740 delivers sharp, crisp 3.2-megapixel images for print enlargements up to 11 x 14 inches. With its powerful 10x optical zoom digital camera (30x total zoom when combined with the 3x digital zoom), you'll capture image detail you didn't know existed. The Camedia C-740 also features a more compact body than its predecessor (the C-730), a new extra-low dispersion (ED) lens, movie mode, a built-in flash, and compatibility with XD memory cards.

Optics and Resolution
The 3.2-megapixel Olympus C-740 digital camera can capture images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels; it can also produce 3200 x 2400 pixel images through interpolation for extra-large prints. It boasts an outstanding Olympus aspherical glass 10x zoom lens with 11 lenses in 7 groups. When combined with the 3x digital zoom, you get a total zoom of 30x. The F2.8-F3.7 lens has a focal range of 6.3-63mm, or 38–380mm equivalent in 35mm photography. The ED coating on the lens helps reduce the purple fringing normally seen on larger zoom cameras.

The C-740 also features Olympus TruePic technology, which optimizes the image information captured on the CCD before the data is saved by using the brightness and color information of the neighboring pixels when processing the pixel data. This leads to digital pictures that set standards for picture sharpness, contrast, true colors, and gradation.

Storage and Transfer
With the C-740, you can store images on XD memory cards. With the included 16 MB XD card, you can store 20 images at HQ mode (2048 x 1536 pixels). Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Movie Mode
In movie mode, the C-740 captures continuous video (without sound) at 15 frames per second in two formats: 320 x 240 (up to 33 seconds) or 160 x 120 pixels (up to 148 seconds). The QuickTime Motion JPEG format offers a limited resolution, which is great for capturing a short movie that can be e-mailed to friends and family, but is no replacement for a true camcorder.

More Features

• 1.5-inch low-temperature poly-silicon LCD screen and electronic viewfinder.
• Built-in flash with auto, red-eye reduction, slow synch, and fill in modes.
• Stitch up to 10 frames to create a panorama effect with Camedia Master software when using Olympus brand XD memory cards.
• Six scene program modes; Four customizable My Modes let you choose and save preferred settings
• Image adjustment modes include sharpness, contrast, and saturation (adjustable +/- 5 steps).
• Super macro mode gets as close as 1.2 inches away from your subject.

Power, Size, and Contents
The camera is powered by two CR-V3 lithium battery packs (LB-01, included); rechargeable AA-size NiMH batteries are recommended (four are needed to power the C-740). It measures 4.2 x 3.0 x 3.1 inches and weighs 10.4 ounces. This package includes the Camedia C-740 digital camera, 16 MB XD memory card, batteries, USB and A/V cables, wrist strap, and CD-ROM with Camedia Master imaging software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.

Product Description
OLYMPUS Camedia C740 Ultra Zoom - Here's a compact digital camera with a solid, SLR-like feel and a broad spectrum of capabilities. A 3.18 million effective pixel CCD delivers image resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 pixels (3200 x 2400 interpolated) Spot, Digital ESP, and Multi-Metering Exposure modes Eight White Balance settings Built-in multimode flash ISO sensitivity from 100-400 QuickTime Movie mode (no sound) JPEG & uncompressed TIFF file formats Images saved on xD-Picture Card (16MB card included) Up to 10 frame stitchable Panorama mode Also includes USB & A/V cables Powered by 2 CR-V3 batteries (included) or 4 AA batteries (optional) Unit Weight - 10.4 oz. w/out battery or xD-Picture Card

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

119 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great features, great size, good price, July 16, 2003

By	"sirtuckerman" (Southern Maine) - See all my reviews

I just got the C-740 a week ago and I'm really enjoying it so far. I moved up from an Olympus D-360L 1.3 megapixel camera and aside from more megapixels, I really wanted the optical zoom (since digital zoom is a marketing gimmick... really). This Olympus (and its cousin the C-750) has an unmatched 10x zoom lens for this price bracket. In fact, it could cost in the thousands to get a camera with a similar zoom factor. The lens is all glass, which is important.

The camera does very well. Not only are the distance shots great with the 10x magnification, but close ups are also superb, especially with the Super-Macro mode; some of my best pictures have been close ups of flowers. It has all the manual features, which I also wanted for more creative control.

It is worth noting that at full zoom, you can get blurry shots, but this is typical of any unstabilized zoom lens. To correct it, just steady the camera with both hands or use a tripod. I haven't found it to be a big problem, but it is worth noting so that when you get some blurry shots, you were warned.

I like the electronic viewfinder. Most cameras have the LCD and an optical viewfinder. This has the LCD and an EVF, which is a mini-LCD in place of the viewfinder. The result is that you get a smaller LCD (and thus less battery consumption), but you can change all the options via menus WHILE looking through the viewfinder. Lots of cameras require you to take the camera away from your face, turn on the LCD, change settings, and go back to composing the shot. Some people may not like it, but I personally like the option. Olympus even did the ergonomics right with the menu navigation buttons!

Pros:
- 10x glass, optical, ED (Extra-low dispersion, which reduces chromatic aberration) lens
- Great great macro
- Intuitive menus
- Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)
- Excellent photo quality
- Solid-feel
- Small
- Takes AA batteries, so you can buy them anywhere in a pinch. VERY GOOD IDEA!

Cons:
- EVF, due to extra battery consumption... unfortunate tradeoff for not having optical viewfinder
- Mostly plastic body, I believe... just don't drop it!
- Manual-focus is iffy, but I've used the Canon manual-focus system and it's no better. I'm waiting for [$$] digicams like this to get focus rings!
- Small capacity xD memory included and xD is new, which means expensive! But it *is* physically small
- Non-rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries replace em with NiMH rechargeables!

All in all, it's a great camera with great picture quality. 3.2 megapixel is good for crystal-clear 4x6's and sharp 8x10's. I highly recommend. The next model up, the C-750, has sound recording with movies (which I think is a novelty and unnecessary), a hot shoe for optical flashes, and 4 megapixels. But it's a bunch more money for not much extra. You don't need 4 megapixels unless you're doing big 11x16 blow ups. This is not a simple point-and-shoot camera; I'd recommend the Digital Stylus line or the Canon S45 and similar for a more simple, smaller package. If you want a great zoom, lots of creative control, and great photos, this is for you.

102 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No better than the 730., September 28, 2003

By	Rheumor (New Orelans) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

However, it does address some of the 730's sluggish autofocus mechanism issues for fewer blurred images.
That notwithstanding, the 700 was my favorite digital camera for a long time, that is, until the 720 came along. Then along came the 730, which maintained the 3+ megapixel resolution of the 720, while reinserting the 10X (true optical) zoom (the 720 has an 8X). Think of the 740 as a refreshing of the line while Olympus was waiting for the truly improved 750 to hit the streets.
In point of fact, zooming on any of the 700 series at 8X or at 10X without a tripod or image stabilization (not present on either the 700 thru the 740) is extremely challenging. Anyway, this camera is beautifully made and ergonomically engineered. The aspherical all glass lens system is excellent and the resulting 3 megapixel images are crystal clear at 8" x 10" and quite acceptable at 11" x 14". The zoom of course remains the trump card on the 740, and the smoothness (just the right damping) with which it reaches its 10x limit is awesome. Another nice feature is its ability to take QuickTime movies, which really adds to its versatility. However, these have no sound, a drawback the 750 will address.
The 740 (a feature that began with the 730) is the second Olympus to utilize the new xD memory card format, the "xD-Picture Card". This is a new type of ultra-compact memory media developed jointly by Fuji and Olympus. The main features of the xD-Picture Card are its ultra-compact size (20.0 x 25.0 x 1.7mm), its lower power consumption (the xD Picture-Card users will benefit from the convenience and savings of longer battery life on a single charge) and its faster read/write speeds. Of course, a new card means a new card-reader will be needed, but these are inexpensive and aren't immediately needed, as the camera can be linked by the included USB cable to your PC without too much fuss. Overall, I think the 740 is a camera I'd take a pass on. If money is an issue, go with the 730 or even an earlier model (I still love my 700); if features are what you long for, pop for the 750.

65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zoom Zoom Zoom, May 22, 2003

By A Customer

Let me say right off the bat that I gave this camera 4 stars because the video does have not sound -- how wack is THAT??

Except for this, it's a really great camera. The zoom is INCREDIBLE for a digital camera, along with the 3.2 mp, producing crisp, detailed images. I know everybody hates to read manuals, but honestly, if you just take the time to read this one (the cd version), you will be to correct all of the complaints I've read about with this camera. So let me just sum it up below:

Pros
1. Incredible zoom. And by reading the manual, I was able to prevent the blurriness that normally occurs without a tripod -- at least a great deal of it.
2. XD card -- it's worth it having to start all over with new media. I've had my camera for one week, have taken over 200 pictures and 5 videos, and the batteries are still at full strength. That's because of the XD card. It also downloads to the computer super fast, and again, doesn't drain the batteries.
3. The scene modes -- read about them. They REALLY work.
4. The 2 modes for slow flash -- slow1 and slow2 -- they somehow prevent blurry pictures when zooming (I'm not sure how).
5. The mode scenes -- they do well with what they are supposed to do. Adjusting the flash helps, if you have any problems.
6. The ability to save 4 "my modes" custom settings.
7. The manual mode -- I haven't learned how to use it all yet, but I can tell this is where you can start to get perfect shots if you master this.
8. Shots in the dark -- I mean complete darkness -- UNBELIEVABLY good! Again, use the "night" mode and the slow flash.

Cons
1. The viewfinder -- it has an adjustment (diopter?), but it's still sometimes hard to see. However, just using the "automatic" mode or one the of scene modes will help compensate for this.
2. No sound with the videos. Okay, I'm not trying to use it as a camcorder or anything, but it would be helpful to be able to make quick movies with sound to email to family members.
3. The XD card -- I know I also listed this as a positive, and even though it is, it still [is bad] that I have 4 cf memory cards just sitting around now!
4. This is an odd place to put this, but the Olympus C750-- wait for that model. It will have all the features of this one, PLUS a hot-shoe flash, PLUS 4 mp, PLUS sound with the movies. I really think I'm going to return this one and wait for the 750.

All that being said -- if you can't wait or can't spring for the extra bucks for the 750, you CAN'T GO WRONG with the 740!