C-8080 NOT made by Commodore
Written: Mar 16 '04 (Updated Mar 23 '04)
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Pros: Superb picture quality, easy to use, feature full and comfortable to use
Cons: Does not fully support TIFF, costly for a first time user
The Bottom Line: Excellent choice for the professional and amateur alike
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| LaFeet's Full Review: Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom Digital Camera |
I have been a bit remiss concerning my Epinions account lately. And I apologize to all who may have suffered for my lack in reviewing your submissions...
Today I am here to talk about one of you most fragile and costly, but necessary investments. Your digital camera, at least one that is of some gusto.
We passed our little Samsung over to the kids..and I was on the hunt for a BIGGER and BADDER toy. Olympus jumped to the top of the list with their new C-8080. Not only does this puppy provide a wide zoom feature... it looks cool as well.
Sporting a whopping 8.3 (count them more than one hand yall) megapixels CCD {8.0 megapixels effective} and a superb 5X optical zoom lens, the C-8080 was a present from the gods for this competent photographer.
But what really sold me was the time that I had to wait before shooting. Nothing is more aggravating than having to wait the forty to five hundred seconds that many digital cameras take to wake up. But with the C-8080, I was ready to shoot in less than a second of waiting after powering up.
And this is not just another shoddy computer camera, this monster is a digital camera providing quality pictures as well as a top of the line quality Single Lens Reflex (SLR) digital camera.
I fell in love with the feel in my hand, excess weight being saved by the use of the cool looking Magnesium alloy body. With more features than Lamborgini's LM-007 SUV, I have a hard time figuring out were to start. The camera weighs in at a little more than 1 ½ pounds with the battery installed.
Olympus' C-8080 has a 5x, f2 4-3.5 zoom lens that allows even the most inexperienced photographer to utilize the camera's 8 megapixel CCD imagery to perfection. By grouping the optics (14 high quality lenses arranged in five groups plus two aspherical lenses reduce distortion) the C-8080 can extend it's focal length from 7.1 to 35.6mm (that's the same as a 28mm to 140mm zoom on a 35mm camera).
And it is easier to see what you are taking a picture of because Olympus had honed the LCD monitor. Usually you can not see what you are shooting at when the light is bright out, but with the C-8080 you can see crisp, clear images. Add to this the monitors ability to be tilted {90 degrees up, 20 down} and you never have to fear taking shoddy pictures in bright sunlight again.
Picture selection starts at the old standard (640x480) and allows a selection of eight sizes (all the way up to 3264 x 2448). The pix can be large enough to bog down any email transfer. I did find this useful detailed close-ups at work… you can actually see a fly hair, not that you might want to get that close.
The C-8080 has improved light and white balance metering systems (auto, 9 settings and 4 custom settings) as well as a dual AF system. The TTL contrast system complements the added passive metering system, helping to sharpen the image and provide a better quality and clarity picture. You still have a wide range of focusing options(iESP, spot autofocus, full time AF and manual focus) for that personal added touch.
Additional tweaks to your picture taking capabilities are provided by the Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Full Manual modes (shutter speeds from ½ to 1/4000 of a second). C-8080 has the ability to capture short length movies as well. And the quality of these are much better than any I have seen in some time. You can record a streaming video (640x480 @ 15fps), with audio, for as long as you have memory available.
Couple this feature to the compatibility of the C-8080 to utilize xD-Picture cards or CompactFlash cards and you can download movies to your computer as often as you want. The C-8080 utilizes an USB 2.0 AutoConnect interface that any computer user can handle without any fears. And with the xD-Picture card, you can create panoramic shots for all your vacation memories (up to 10 frames).
I found the electronic viewfinder excellent and aided in shot framing. And with a resolution of 240,000 pixels, refresh rates of 60fps, and a delay of a mere 50ms, I had little trouble taking pictures of the kids during the birthday party after the sugar rush hit them.
And this baby is fast !!!. Lightning fast !!!.
The release time lag is only 0.3 seconds and the rapid data processing provides fast exposure rates. I can shoot nearly two frames a second at 8 million pixels each in sequence shooting and auto bracketing settings in any JPEG mode.
And who does not love accessories... The C-8080 is compatible with a wide range of CAMEDIA system accessories. The bayonet mount system to allow the quick and simple addition of lens converters. And the hot shoe connection allows the use of professional grade external flash units for all your lighting needs. The built in flash was more than I needed for my shots.
This C-8080 comes with the CAMEDIA Master 4.2 software. Perfect for optimising, editing and managing digital files, this updated version of the software allows RAW format images to be converted according to the user's requirements. This offers ambitious photographers the opportunity to develop shots using the optimal PC settings. Additional video output port is included and there is a DC voltage input for those lengthy shooting sessions. I never had any problem with the battery... it always outlasted even the most picture prone HAM.
The only drawback (other than the price) I noted was the camera's inability to completely support the TIFF format. But with all the other bells and whistles, and the dynamite picture quality, who cares??
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 745.00
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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Epinions.com ID:
LaFeet
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Member: Paule Patterson
Location: Cushing, Ok
Reviews written: 314
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:
Retired Submariner, ex Air-Force Brat, current radiation protection tech, hiding in urban Oklahoma
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