Super Camera
Written: May 08 '00 (Updated Oct 29 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, great quality and great price
Cons: Directions for hooking up to computer are vague
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| craftgun40's Full Review: Olympus D-340R Battery Charger |
I purchased my first Digital Camera a few months ago. Before I made my purchase my knowledge of digital cameras was non-existent. Because I knew I would be spending several hundred dollars or more on a new camera, I wanted to make sure I got my moneys worth.
I began a somewhat intense search on the internet to read reviews and try to grasp a bit of knowledge on digital cameras before I made a purchase.
It was a very wise move on my part, I found many sites that had camera reviews (this was before I was aware of Epinions). I read review after review, pros and cons and in the end narrowed it down to two cameras, one by Hewlett Packard, and the Olympus D-340R.
The reason I decided on the D-340R is that the reviews mentioned that it took excellent outdoor pictures and that is where my heart is. I have dabbled in photography on and on for years and have even done free-lance for the local newspaper (years ago).
Armed with the new knowledge I had gained by reading reviews on the camera, I went in search of the best purchase price I could find. I found several warehouses on the internet that listed it anywheres from 249.00 up to $350.00. Again I checked reviews on the service of the different warehouses and distributors that listed the product. I found the ones that offered it at the lesser price, also had a lot of negative statements about the service of the distributor and their reliability.
I finally made the purchase from J an N distributors and received the camera in two days. The purchase price was $299.00, but in the same package the camera came in was a flyer from J and N announcing a sale on the same camera for twenty dollars less than what I had paid for it. I immediately called them and they did credit my account with the twenty dollars, dropping my purchase price to $279.00 plus nine dollars shipping.
The camera is fantastic. It turned out to be one of my better buys and I am completely satisfied with the camera and the purchase price.
(NOTE: See Craftgun40's photo on my profile page, taken with the OlympusD340R within two days of purchase.)
The camera came with the basic neck strap, the video cable cord, the PC serial cable and a conversion connector for Macintosh, four alkaline batteries and one 8mb card (which holds up to 122 pictures...really)
Main Features of the camera:
1,310,000-pixel ccd
High recording mode
a removable memory card with panorama function
with use of video output connector, pictures can be viewed on tv screen
optical viewfinder plus 1.8 inch LCD monitor
Digital tele mode, (you can crop to make pic. appear twice the size)
Direct printing directly off the camera is available via OPTIONAL
Olympus printer.
The manual that comes with the camera is adequate, though I think they could have included a few more instructions and been a little more complete on some of the instructions.
The camera itself is a snap to operate, fifteen minutes after you have the camera in your hands, you can be snapping photos, as long as you keep the manual handy for quick referrance. Even after several months of use I still pull the manual out occasionally to make sure I am using a feature correctly.
The only problem I had, is actually not with the camera and may simply be because of my lack of computer skills. But after I had taken some quick photos to try out the camera, we hooked up the video output connector and viewed them on the tv screen. This was a snap and took only a minute or two to hook it up and view them. The quality of the photographs was fantastic.
But when I tried to download them into the computer for printing, I ran into my first major snag. When I followed their directions, which appeared to be extremely simple, "plug the pc serial cable into the camera and into your computer using the D-sub 9 pin com 1 or com 2 serial port on the computer," then the frustration began.
My computer does not have a real easy access to the back of it, it was almost a major thing, to move everything to try to plug the serial cable in. When I finally accomplished this, I simply got error message after error message, I tried changing the ports..same thing. I tried every way I would think of ....none of it worked for me. The manual was of no help at all at this point. I tried to find a site that I could get some info from for possibly FAQ, but could not locate that either. I could not locate a toll free number or a way to call the company, but I did have an option. A friend of mine, had given me a FujiFilm Floppy disk adapter (FD_A2) for Smart Media cards..and I lucked out.
I downloaded the program and set up the flash path for the adapter. It was extremely easy to do. Now to view the pictures on my computer I don't have to pull the computer out and try to hook up the cables. I simply remove the memory card and insert it into the adapter and put it use it like any floppy. The images come up instantly and in seconds I can view the pictures. This is actually easier and faster than using the cables.
The downside of this, is the average price of the adapter can run anywheres from about $60.00 to $125.00 depending on where you purchase it at.
You can also view the photos immediately thru the LCD panel on the back of the camera, though caution here, as it will eat up your batteries. Use the optional ac adapter if you have one, when doing this.
If I hadn't had so much trouble using the pc cable, I may have never tried the the adapter and I guess I can say that I am glad that it happened the way that it did. I love the adapter and use it all the time with the memory cards.
The memory cards do actually hold the amount of pictures they say they will hold, depending on the settings on your camera. I can get anywheres from two pictures of fantastic quality to as many as 122 pictures of good quality. The memory card can be erased completely or selectively and used over and over again.
After I bought the camera, I did purchase three more memory cards thru another warehouse company that offered a excellent price on them, almost a third of what they would have been if I ordered the Olympus brand, but I found that after taking hundreds of photos, I am still using the
original memory card. I simply download them into the computer, then pick thru the ones I want, edit them and then store them on floppy. I can get about eight pictures sometimes more on a floppy.
The only other item I purchased was the ac adapter to use if I am taking pics in the house and for using if I run the pics thru the tv. I tried to shop around for this item also, but the best price I found that for was $44.00 thru a warehouse.
I am completely satisfied with the camera and the quality of the photographs. If you take the time to edit favorite photos, you will find
that with careful editing they can compare to professionally taken photographs.
Generally I print only up to a 4x6 size or a 5 x7, you keep the best quality by keeping them smaller, the more you enlarge them the more risk you have of having graininess in your photographs. Some can be edited out, but not all.
After hundreds of photos taken, I am still using the original batteries that came with the camera.
The camera also has a built in flash that is adequate for short distances, but does not do well for longer distances. A tip to using the flash for close ups of inanimate objects...place a piece of scotch tape over the lens of the flash unit, this will help soften the flash for close up shots.
The hardest thing to remember is that you don't have to be "careful" of taking pictures anymore...take as many as you want, view them thru the camera on the LCD display and erase the ones you don't want.
The camera is a wise buy and possibly one of the best for the money.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
craftgun40
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Location: Michigan
Reviews written: 156
Trusted by: 123 members
About Me:
I am retired, extremely active and enjoy my life, family and dog.
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