Olympus D-510 2.1 Megapixel Digital Camera - Improving on Perfection...
Written: Feb 01 '02
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Pros: Gorgeous Images, USB Ready, 2.1 Megapixels, Inexpensive, Easy to use...
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: In the ever-growing competitive world of digital cameras, few stand above the rest. This is one of those few...
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| jag2112's Full Review: Olympus Camedia D-510 Zoom Digital Camera |
When Olympus released the D-490 2.1 Megapixel Digital camera, they knew they had a winner on their hands. And while everyone seemed to love the camera, love the pictures it could create, and love the features it had, there were two glaring problems with the camera that few could overlook. First, the camera wasn't USB ready. And while Olympus rectified that situation by offering a free USB-ready card reader for all those who purchased the camera, it was essentially too little, too late. Second, the flash, while it fired automatically, had to be manually opened in order to function. More of an inconvenience than anything else.
Still, Olympus heard the painful cries and did the intelligent thing - released a new camera that took the best qualities of the D-490 and added USB and auto-flash to the mix. The result? The new D-510 2.1 Megapixel Digital Camera
The D-510, like its younger counterpart, is a superb digital camera for both the beginner and advancing shutterbug. It offers an impressive optical 3x zoom coupled with a digital 9x zoom. And with its 2.1 megapixel imaging system, you're guaranteed to take stunningly realistic images that can be transferred to an 8 x 10 picture. The color reproduction of this camera is impressive, often reproducing gorgeous images with absolutely life like colors. Even at the lower resolution settings, the images this camera can captures is superb.
The D-510 allows you to set up a shot via a standard viewfinder or an impressive color 1.8 inch LCD screen. While the screen is useful for previewing your stored images and accessing the extensive menu system, I find that using it to set up a shot is a little cumbersome at times. For me, I use the simply viewfinder which is aligned nicely to reproduce the image you are framing. Further, use of the LCD display does tend to shorten your battery life considerably.
As mentioned earlier, the D-510 is completely USB ready, allowing you to transfer even the largest images to your PC in lightning time. Other video outputs allows you to also view the stored images directly on your TV - a nice little feature.
The camera itself has a very high-quality feel to it. It fits comfortable in your hand, is easy to use with a single hand, and has a nice lens cover that also doubles as an on/off switch. Additionally, the camera is loaded with essential features.
A 12 second self timer is included, various flash settings are available including flash fill-in and red-eye reduction. You can even take a Quicktime movie, albeit a low-resolution one. Further features include a multiple level image playback routine while allows you to index search and name/number your images. And the added ability to take panoramic images is a nice touch. Use of the included imaging software is required to 'knit' the image together for this effect, but the system works better than expected.
The D-510 comes with a removable 8Mb media card which is sufficient to hold a number of images, depending on the resolution setting you select. I've upgraded to a 64Mb card which insures me room for hundreds of images.
The D-510 is powered by 4 AA Ni-MH batteries which are included, but it'll work equally well on standard AA batteries or an AC adapter.
If you're in the market for a mid-level digital camera and your printing needs are within the 8 x 10 range, then take a serious look at the Olympus Camedia D-510 2.1 Megapixel Digital Camera. It offers all of the features, ease of use and quality that the Olympus name is world renowned for.
And when you see the pictures you can take with this camera, it'll make a believer out of you.
Enjoy and thanks, as always, for reading.
-John
Camera Specifications:
CCD Imager
1/2.7 in. (.37 in.) CCD solid-state image pickup, 2.0 Megapixel (effective) 2.1 Megapixel (total CCD resolution) Interlaced CMY CCD
Lens
Olympus 3x zoom lens (5.4 - 16.2 mm), F2.8 / 4.4 (equivalent to 35 mm - 105 mm on a 35 mm camera) All glass zoom lens including aspherical lens elements.
Seamless Digital Zoom
3x optical + 3x digital zoom for a total 9x zoom.
Aperture Range
F2.8 - 5.6 (W) / F4.4 - F8 (T)
Shutter Speeds
1/2 ~ 1/1000 sec.
ISO
Auto
ISO 100, 200, 400
Recording Mode(s)
Still image: JPEG / TIFF (DCF: "Design rule for Camera File system")
DPOF support
QuickTime™ movie
Adjustable Resolutions
1600 x 1200 pixel (TIFF/JPEG-SHQ/HQ), 1280 x 960 (TIFF/JPEG-SQ), 1024 x 768 (TIFF/JPEG-SQ) 640 x 480 (TIFF/JPEG-SQ), 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 QuickTime™ Movie
DPOF (Digital Print Order Format)
Print Reserve, All print reservation, Date/time
Optical Image Enlargement
n/a
Image Adjustment Modes
n/a
Image Effects
Rotation
Monochrome
Sepia
Re-size
Panorama
One 8MB card including panorama function is supplied with camera
Sequence
1.8 fps up to 5 shots (excluding TIFF mode)
Viewfinder
Optical Real image viewfinder and LCD moitor
LCD
1.8 in. / 4.5 cm color TFT LCD monitor
Focusing System
TTL system auto focus (contrast detection system) with focusing range: 8 in. ~ inifinity / 0.2 m ~ infinity
Focusing Ranges
Standard mode: 31 in. ~ infinity / 0.8 m ~ infinity
Macro mode: 8 in. ~ 31 in. / 0.2 m ~ 0.8 m
Exposure Control
Programmed auto exposure
Exposure compensation in ± 2 EV in ± 1/2 EV steps
Programmed auto: F2.8 - 5.6 (W) / F4.4 - F8 (T), 1/2 ~ 1/1000 sec.
Motion picture: 1/30 ~ 1/10,000 sec.
Metering System
Digital ESP metering system with imager
Spot metering
White Balance System
Full-auto TTL
Pre-set (daylight, overcast, tungsten light, fluorescent light)
Flash
Built-in flash
Flash Modes
Auto (automatic activation in low and backlight)
Red-eye reduction
Off (no flash)
Fill-in (forced activation)
Night scene mode (first curtain synchronization)
Night scene mode + red-eye reduction
Flash Working Range
Wide: approximately 8 in. ~ 31.1 ft. / 0.2 m ~ 4 m
Tele end: 8 in. ~ 8.5 ft. / 0.2 m ~ 2.6 m
Flash Charging Time
Less than 6 seconds (at normal temperature with new batteries)
Removable Media Card
Removable 3V (3.3V) SmartMedia™ card (4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128MB)
One 8MB card including panorama function is supplied with camera
Selftimer/Remote
Approximate 12-second delay
Setting Memorization
On / Off
Outer Connectors
DC input terminal
USB interface (storage class)
Video output terminal (PAL/NTSC)
Auto-connect USB
Compatible with Windows 98 rev2 / ME / 2000 (Windows XP Compatible) Pro-MacOS 8.6-9.01 (Mac OS-X Compatible)
Image Playback
One frame display
Index-display mode (4/9 frames)
Close-up display (2.0x)
Slide show playback supported
File number display in play back mode possible
Operating Environment
Temperature: 32° ~ 104°F (operation); -4° ~ 140°F (storage)
Humidity: 30 ~ 90% (operation); 10 ~ 90% (storage)
Power Supply
4 AA Ni-MH batteries
4AA lithium batteries
4 AA alkaline batteries
4 AA Ni-Cd batteries
2 lithium batteries LB-01 (CR-V3)
(Zinc carbon (manganese) batteries cannot be used)
Optional C7-AU AC adapter
Date/Time
Calendar Simultaneous recording onto image data
Calendar Up to year 2030
Size
4.6 in. (W) x 2.6 in. (H) x 1.9 in. (D) /
117.5 mm (W) x 66.5 mm (H) x 49.5 mm (D)
Weight
8 oz. / 226 g
(without batteries and SmartMedia card)
Number of Storable Photos With 8MB SmartMedia Card:
1: TIFF 1,600 x 1,200
2: TIFF 1,280 x 960
3: TIFF 1,024 x 768
8: TIFF 640 x 480
8 or more: SQ 1,280 x 960 (high)
24 or more: SQ 1,280 x 960 (normal)
13 or more: SQ 1,024 x 768 (high)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
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jag2112
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Member: John
Location: Clinton, NJ
Reviews written: 304
Trusted by: 310 members
About Me:
The writer stares with glassy eyes...
Defies the empty page...
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