Olympus Camedia C-4000 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
By: Olympus Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 85
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 On: 2007-01-07
This is the second camera I have purchased from Olympus that has broken down soon after the warranty expired. The camera itself is great for beginers, even if its a bit bulky. The quality of the pics is great! Alas, it saddens me to see the quality of this once great company deteriorate to the point that their products seize to work a few weeks/months after their warranty expires... Yes, there are lemons out there, but two cameras? What are the chanses of that? The first Olympus camera that failed on me was the C4000, when a week after the warranty expired the flash died on me. At least I got a good year more with that model (even if I was confined to day shots)... now, the 770 has totally died on me... it seems like the microchip/bar controlling the off-playback-auto-movie modes has malfunctioned on me as it is only turning off and into playback mode (even on camera/video mode)... no use sending it back to the factory as I dont have any warranty and yall know how much they charge for repairs on digital cameras. So, if you do buy Olympus, get the extended warranty!
Nothing left to use but upgrate... this time im getting the darn extended warranty... oh, and yes, I went for the Sony Alpha 100.... first dive into dSLR... cant wait to get the lenses this week to test it all out... more on that later.
 On: 2006-07-22
Ive owned this camera for about 3 years now and have lots of experience with it. Here are my observations:
Pros:
- Great picture quality
- Good battery life
- Durable (Ive dropped it several times with no ill-effects)
- Good manual controls once you figure out how to set them
Cons:
- Big & bulky
- Horrible delay. From the time you hit the button and the time the picture is captured is at times up to 2 seconds. This is unacceptable. Ive missed way too many shots because of this. This alone is reason enough to consider other options.
- Menus are not intuitive at all and require lots of trial & error or actually reading the manual ;) Other cameras Ive played with make the controls more intuitive.
- After you finish downloading pics to your computer and then turn it off the darn thing insists on cycling through a full lens extention before shutting down. You can hear the lens grinding away against the lens cap until you remove it to let it do its thing...
Im going to be selling my camera - replacing with the Casio Exilim EX-Z600SR 6MP. Cant wait for it to arrive!
On: 2006-07-21
Ive owned this camera for about 3 years now and have lots of experience with it. Here are my observations:
Pros:
- Great picture quality
- Good battery life
- Durable (Ive dropped it several times with no ill-effects)
- Good manual controls once you figure out how to set them
Cons:
- Big & bulky
- Horrible delay. From the time you hit the button and the time the picture is captured is at times up to 2 seconds. This is unacceptable. Ive missed way too many shots because of this. This alone is reason enough to consider other options.
- Menus are not intuitive at all and require lots of trial & error or actually reading the manual ;) Other cameras Ive played with make the controls more intuitive.
- After you finish downloading pics to your computer and then turn it off the darn thing insists on cycling through a full lens extention before shutting down. You can hear the lens grinding away against the lens cap until you remove it to let it do its thing...
Im going to be selling my camera - replacing with the Casio Exilim EX-Z600SR 6MP. Cant wait for it to arrive!
 On: 2006-07-09
. . .decided to purchase an Olympus as my first digital. While its true there are many more manual settings on this camera than some might like, when I got into jewelry making and needed to close in on my subjects these options were appreciated. It did take awhile to find the exact combination of settings that worked best for this kind of detail but once I did the results were satisfying. (Im hardly what youd call an expert photographer so if I can use this camera and get good results, most can with patience)
No problem with the lens cap staying on, to date - it has tabs on each side you pinch to remove, pinch to snap it back on. Also has a lens cap strap that attaches to the camera strap so you dont lose it.
The Camedia lithium battery packs that came with the camera performed well for me, a moderate camera user (somewhere between occasional and high use). I keep the batteries in the camera when downloading pictures directly into my computer and still got decent life out of them. (Some prefer to save battery life by not doing that)
Im upgrading to a higher MP camera now but am definitely looking at Olympus again.
On: 2006-01-19
I have had this camera now for about 2 1/2 years. It sits on the shelf. I have replaced it with a Pentix Optio 33 WR (water resistant).
First off this camera takes beautiful pictures. Crisp with correct color. The macro shots are wonderful too. There is a design flaw with the lens cap as mentioned below, but it can be rectified with an aftermarket lens cap called an olycap.
But the beautiful outdoor pictures are negated by the slowness in focusing and acquiring images indoors. Indoor focusing is very hit or miss, most often resulting in soft focused pictures. Actions shots are impossible, and by action I mean trying to catch your toddler doing something cute. You press the exposure button and sometime in the future the camera will shoot. My wife hates it.
If you want to shoot outdoor scenes, and macros of flowers and bugs its a great camera. Anything else, you take your chances.
Happy shooting!
On: 2006-01-18
I have had this camera now for about 2 1/2 years. It sits on the shelf. I have replaced it with a Pentix Optio 33 WR (water resistant).
First off this camera takes beautiful pictures. Crisp with correct color. The macro shots are wonderful too. There is a design flaw with the lens cap as mentioned below, but it can be rectified with an aftermarket lens cap called an olycap.
But the beautiful outdoor pictures are negated by the slowness in focusing and acquiring images indoors. Indoor focusing is very hit or miss, most often resulting in soft focused pictures. Actions shots are impossible, and by action I mean trying to catch your toddler doing something cute. You press the exposure button and sometime in the future the camera will shoot. My wife hates it.
If you want to shoot outdoor scenes, and macros of flowers and bugs its a great camera. Anything else, you take your chances.
Happy shooting!
 On: 2005-11-27
If youre reading this because youre considering purchasing this camera, my advice is DONT....there are much better cameras available for the money. I have owned this camera for about 8 months now, and though it does take good pictures, sharp and clear, it does have a lot of drawbacks....
1) The lens cap falls off continuously, and it is just quite frankly, almost impossible to keep it on.
2) The shutter delay makes catching the exact shot you want almost impossible, Ive used this in concerts and by the time the shutter snaps, the moment is gone. For me, it is really SLOW.
3) The red eye reduction simply does not reduce red eye. This camera seems actually worse for having red eye than some cheaper point and shoot cameras.
4) It is not the most intuitive camera Ive had. I owned a Kodak 3400 before this, and it was much more intuitive. Olympus spends more time in the instructions telling you how to attach the lens cover cap to the camera than they spend telling you how the menus work.
5) The software that comes with the camera is specific to Olympus cameras only, and you must purchase additional software (from Olympus) upgrading to Camedia Master Pro software IF you wish to email any of the photos you take. I thought this was a big ripoff. And the photos you download into the software are locked within that software and are not easily transferred into the My Pictures on your C drive. In other words, it is pretty lousy software, though to be fair, it is easy to browse your photos in it and the editing feature is easy to use. But the red eye reduction tool is simply useless, and believe me, you need it with the pix you take on this camera!
The camera is very light and uses rechargeable batteries, and the battery life is good. I simply hoped for more, because I paid over $350 for this camera new, with an additional SmartMedia card, which you will definitely need, because the 16MB that comes with it is not enough.
The viewing screen becomes easily smudged, and you will find yourself wiping it after every photo, esp. if you wear any makeup at all.
This is my review, but I felt compelled to write it so others might not make the mistake I did. Im looking to upgrade already to something better, with more optical zoom esp. The optical zoom this one comes with is so inadeqate, though you are able to zoom and crop the photos without too much loss of image quality.
by: predictorx On: 2005-11-08
This camera delivers nice output, and the optical zoom provides some range.
While very happy with this item, there are a few drawbacks:
1. Nearly all controls are menu-driven. Some of the more commonly-used controls would have been nicer on rings/buttons.
2. The lens cap needs to be removed when the camera is turned on.
Still, exposure, focus and aperature controls are flexible, but more sophisticated photographers may find themselves wanting more, such as interchangeable lenses.
On: 2005-10-15
While some people call this a point and shoot camera it is much more than that. It takes pictures of stunning crispness that easily enlarge to 8x10 with no problem. Using an adapter ring you can put filters on the camera. I added a circular polarizer to mine. This camera is trustworthy, reliable, easy to use and taking pictures with it can become a totally intuitive process. My only problem with it is a problem a lot of other similar cameras would have- and that is that the display screen is not protected from glare so sometimes under certain lighting conditions you cannot easily see the image you are taking. I compensate for this by taking "Hail Mary" type shots and most of the time I get useable images. I have also learned to take an extra set of batteries with me when doing a lot of photographic work in one day. I shot most of the time at ISO 400 and had no problems with noise. I did a lot of close-ups of flowers and got really nice images. A great little camera!
 On: 2004-12-30
I have it. Believe me. The only thing that isnt that great is that it uses Smartmedia cards that really suck. Otherwise its great. Just get a 128MB Smartmedia card with it and youre set.
On: 2004-12-26
I first want to say that I am a total novice. I probably have used about 1/10 of the features of this camera, and even then its been great! I took some pictures of my daughter that would rival a professional photographers headshots. I then printed them in black and white, 8 x 10, and they were superb! I did some of our two cats as well, and they, too, were excellent! I especially like the option of no flash. More often than not, I will choose this feature over flash indoors because the warm tones are amazing. The flash pictures can be cold in comparison. If you want to operate on a budget, heres what you can do: 1) Get a printer where you can easily figure out how to refill the black cartridges (color can be more difficult and the results unpredictable- who wants muddy skintones?) Check out atlanticinkjet.com. Then you can print black and whites at home, and go to your local Wal-Mart, CVS, etc. to get reprints and edits done easily without the hassle of worrying about replacing your color cartridges. 2) Get a Smart Media reader. They are relatively inexpensive, and they give you another option for quickly creating CDs that you can also bring to Wal-Mart rather than risking transporting your SmartMedia card and losing it or damaging it. 3) Use rechargeable NiMh batteries. They are cheap - about $7 for 4 of them. You will probably need at least 3 to 4 sets of 4. The chargers are also cheap. 3)Dont get conned into buying any package deals with lenses, etc.(this isnt an issue with buying from Amazon, but it can be with many Internet camera stores). You will pay a reasonable price for the camera, but a hefty price for the accessories. I know because it happened to me! So since I am a true novice with this camera, and still experiencing great results, I can recommend this camera. My one concern, however, and that may be a power issue, is that sometimes the camera initially shuts itself on and off. I also hope that the few times that I have forgotten to remove the lens cap have not been damaging to the lens. I am going to take the suggestion of several other positive users and use the adapter and UV filter which of course were bundled with all the over-priced accessories that I received. So, have fun, and enjoy getting to know this camera! And take lots of people pictures with no flash. Be aware that some will be blurry because you have to stay really still as does the subject, however, it will be worth it! Here is your accessory list:
1) Printer will easily refillable inkjet cartridges (Lexmark Z55 works great for black refill); 2) SmartMedia or card reader for more than one type of memory card; 3) 3 to 4 sets of 4 NiMh batteries -readily available at Wal-Mart and you should be able to use them to replace AA batteries in other electronic devices; 4) Digital Camera bag - you might get lucky and find it at Wal-Mart or similar store with many accessories included; 5) battery charger for 4 NiMh batteries - also cheap at Wal-Mart; 6) 46mm conversion lens adapter - mine is Sakar Digital for Olympic 2000/2020/3000/3030 models; 7) set of 46 mm filters including UV filter to fit on lens adapter-I have Digital Optics Super High Resolution Multi-Coated; 8) Lens Cleaner and Wipe Cloth; 9) AC Adapter - I purchased switching universal power supply and set it to 6.5V at laptopsforless.com for about $20 - you might need this if you run out of rechargeables and you dont have AA batteries on hand, or if you are connecting using the USB cable and dont want to waste your batteries. 10) 4 - 128 mb SmartMedia cards - each should store about 200 or so photos of good quality - they can be found at very different prices, so check around. Also, since it appears that newer cameras arent sold with SmartMedia cards, you might want to purchase a few just for future use so theyll be readily available. I also have two lenses that were included with the fabulously expensive camera package. I havent used them much, so I cant recommend them, but Ill try to update this review.
Have fun taking pictures!
On: 2004-12-14
Ive owned this camera now for over two years and its done the job over and over again. Chance are if youre looking at this listing at this late date since release, youre not an early adopter of technology, and youre likely looking for something that does the job well, and this definitely fits the bill.
When I bought the camera back in the day it was in anticipation of a 7-day wilderness hike I was embarking on during which I would have no access to power for charging the batteries. The fact that this model uses AA batteries makes it an attractive choice for those away from power sources for extended periods of time. In fact, I made it through almost the whole seven days without power on one charge of my Panasonic batteries that I bought separately. I then slapped in flashlight batteries for the rest of the trip to get me home. As for all digital cameras, Id suggest going with rechargables rather than repurchasing lithiums.
Yes, this thing is bulky compared to others out there. I bought a LowePro camera bag to go along with it to hold all the camera-related stuff in one place. Its big, but no bigger than a comparable 35mm SLR and this camera gives you almost the amount of flexibility with its manual features and exposure control. Ive used the camera with success in instances where speedy automatic performance was required especially wildlife and candid people snapshots. Ive equally been satisfied with the planned landscape, nightime, and "artsy" shots as well. I even had good success getting funky images at a "glow-in-the-dark bowling" party.
Other reviewers have touched on the fact that this camera has a lens cap which is an oddity in the digital camera realm, but was a required design feature given that it had to work with add-on lenses and filters. I havent tried purchasing additional optics, but with this camera, its an option as are external flashes. On the lens cap issue, Ive found flipping off the lens cap is now second nature and doesnt detract from my enjoyment of the camera.
I like the menuing control to access the image functions which is similar across all Olympus cameras, and after my experience with this camera, Id be inclined to stick with Olympus in the future. The newer C-7000 Zoom camera at 7MP and 5x optical zoom seems to be a their newer version of this camera for those looking for the latest and greatest. For those instead looking at something tried and true and more within their budget, this is the way to go, and Ive often seen this C-4000 Zoom heavily discounted on the Net and elsewhere. If youre interested in more than just point-and-shoot, you cant go wrong with this.
by: jemjr On: 2004-10-27
I got my C-4000 after a recent trip when my, up til then, trusty 35mm SLR decided not to function and I lost 1 and 1/2 rolls of pictures that could not be replaced. Now with my digitals, I know that I have the pictures and will not lose nonreplaceable shots. The C-4000 is one GREAT camera with so many options it will be difficult to use them all. I highly recommend getting the "Referance Manual" from Olympus. This is much more complete than the users manual enclosed with the camera.
One method to protect the extended lens - yes, it does move out when the camera is turned on and can be a problem. This will also end the lens cap problem mentioned in some reviews. Get the lens adapter tube, an adapter ring and a UV filter. Leave them on the camera and there is no need to put the lens cap on and the lens will move inside the adapter tube and not get out of wack. It does make the front of the camera stick out a bit, but it is well worth it for the protection it affords.
I have an HP 435 point and shoot pocket size digital to carry around for quick shots, but for the absolute best results use my Olympus C-4000.
On: 2004-10-26
I got my C-4000 after a recent trip when my, up til then, trusty 35mm SLR decided not to function and I lost 1 and 1/2 rolls of pictures that could not be replaced. Now with my digitals, I know that I have the pictures and will not lose nonreplaceable shots. The C-4000 is one GREAT camera with so many options it will be difficult to use them all. I highly recommend getting the "Referance Manual" from Olympus. This is much more complete than the users manual enclosed with the camera.
One method to protect the extended lens - yes, it does move out when the camera is turned on and can be a problem. This will also end the lens cap problem mentioned in some reviews. Get the lens adapter tube, an adapter ring and a UV filter. Leave them on the camera and there is no need to put the lens cap on and the lens will move inside the adapter tube and not get out of wack. It does make the front of the camera stick out a bit, but it is well worth it for the protection it affords.
I have an HP 435 point and shoot pocket size digital to carry around for quick shots, but for the absolute best results use my Olympus C-4000.
On: 2004-10-05
The camera has mostly pros and a few cons.
PROS:
1) Takes great photos. Picture quality either on the computer screen or on print is impressive.
2) Lots of options. You can adjust the brightness of the pic, the zoom, memory usage per pic, record video (without audio), and a bunch of other stuff.
3) Works on 4 standard AA batteries.
4) A 128MB smartmedia card can hold about 150 pics in good JPG resolution.
5) Very easy to download pics onto a computer.
CONS:
1) The camera is bulky. If youre in the market for an Olympus camera, consider the smaller and similarly priced Olympus D-565 with the same resolution (4.0 Megapixels).
2) The lens cap is manual. This can be a pain if you forget to take the lens cap off, and the camera gives up on you (someone here reported this).
3) If youre using 4 AA batteries instead of 2 powerful lithium ones, be sure to carry 4 more AA spares, since they run out very quickly.
On: 2004-10-04
The camera has mostly pros and a few cons.
PROS:
1) Takes great photos. Picture quality either on the computer screen or on print is impressive.
2) Lots of options. You can adjust the brightness of the pic, the zoom, memory usage per pic, record video (without audio), and a bunch of other stuff.
3) Works on 4 standard AA batteries.
4) A 128MB smartmedia card can hold about 150 pics in good JPG resolution.
5) Very easy to download pics onto a computer.
CONS:
1) The camera is bulky. If youre in the market for an Olympus camera, consider the smaller and similarly priced Olympus D-565 with the same resolution (4.0 Megapixels).
2) The lens cap is manual. This can be a pain if you forget to take the lens cap off, and the camera gives up on you (someone here reported this).
3) If youre using 4 AA batteries instead of 2 powerful lithium ones, be sure to carry 4 more AA spares, since they run out very quickly.
On: 2004-09-28
I bought this camera back when it was popular in the market place. I have many cameras (I mean like nearly 20) and this is truly one of my "favorites". It has taken many "great" pictures and I like all the manual controls. It uses only the "smartmedia" card format and is thus limited to having a maximum of 128MBs at any given time in the camera, but Im not really bothered by that; it isnt as though I have to put in a fresh card after only a few pictures. I have 4 128MB cards to use with it and thats essentially the equivalent to having a single 512MB card. Also, I dont really think that it is all that "attractive-looking" a camera, but that also does not bother me because it gives great results. If you ever discover one somewhere and you can trust the seller then I would heartily recommend buying it for yourself! The most important consideration should be the quality of pictures it gives and based on that I give it the full 5 stars!
On: 2004-08-15
The photos this camera produces are the best I have ever experienced, especially using the macro features. I bought an underwater housing to use with this camera, and the u/w photos are just as remarkable. Speaking of this, I had just lost another u/w camera and housing and had a dive trip coming up in less than a week. I emailed the account representative and she assured me that she would send this camera out a day earlier than planned. I did get the camera on time, thanks to the extra customer service provided.
The camera is lightweight and easy to use. I purchased extra batteries and a battery charger and this has saved quite a bit of money and also insures that I will always have fresh batteries. I did choose to purchase a professional editing package, and the photos reproduced are amazing.
This is a wonderful product, and I highly recommend it.
On: 2004-07-20
Purchased this camera at Costco. So that Im not just repeating the things others have already raved about, the top reasons I love this camera for are:
1.) Night Shots - Simply unbelievable pictures when taken at night. You can get pictures in almost complete darkness so long as you use a tripod. Stars far away show up on this camera which is simply amazing!
2.) Customization - The setting features go beyond anything else in its respective price range for features, range of settings, customability and presets including self portrait which does a very good job of capturing you while holding the camera out in front of you when there is no one around to take your picture.
3.) The Macro function for getting really close up shots does an unbelievable job when it comes to detail and clarity. I have compared my shots with people who have much more expensive cameras than mine and they cant believe how crystal clear my close ups turn out.
Ive had people with much more expensive digital cameras get sort of depressed when they see all the features my Olympus has and the quality photo it takes compared to theirs. I did a lot of research on digitals and have still yet to find another camera for the price that does a better job.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-28
This camera generally takes very good pictures but I do have one complaint that has not been resolved. Even with red eye reduction feature on, it still takes bad redeye, especially with babies. The software does not eliminate it either. I have been through their customer service several times for this and one other problem and they were not helpful. I felt I was being talked down to and I finally gave up. I like the camera except for that, but I probably would not buy another Olympus unless customer service is more helpful.
On: 2004-06-27
Ive had this camera for over a year now and Im very pleased with it. Ive purchased nothing but Olympus products since I started photography as a hobby about 10 years ago. This is my second Olympus digital camera and it gives great pictures time and again. Ive made prints up to 20"x30" that look like they were perfessionaly taken. I do recommend having an extra set of rechargable batteries on hand and extra memory cards. Very nice camera that isnt very bulky yet not too small that it will slip from your hands. You will be very happy with this camera.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-14
The camera is just outstanding! I love it! I had it for about a year and the pictures are just great. It has ton of options and even after a year, I havent used them all.There are several reasons, hovever, why I gave it only 4 stars. 1. The cap on the lense got to go. I forgot to take it off once just when I bought the camera, and the camera died on me. I had to send it back for a replacement.
2. Its pretty bulky and you have to carry it around in its own case, which could be problematic when you go to other countries and dont want to attract attention.
3. The flash makes everybody blink and its hard sometimes to get a good picture.
Other than that, I would highly recommend the camera and I would buy it again in a second!
Buy it.
On: 2004-04-26
This camera is absolutely fantastic. The image quality is amazing--and that is the single most important feature of a camera. If it doesnt take decent pictures--why have it?I started my research by purchasing the Sony DSCP92 5MP digital camera. I was so disappointed in the image quality that I nearly concluded that the technology wasnt there yet for digital cameras. I then tried a Kodak EasyShare--same result. The Olympus C-4000 may be a little bulky and heavier than others--but it is well worth the extra weight. The options are amazing--I dont think Ill use everything that is available, but its nice to have the options. Other reviewers have mentioned the lense cap--only a minor annoyance. You get used to removing it before turning it on. Its like putting your car in "park" before removing the key. It gets to be a routine. The pictures from this camera are beautiful. I favor having them processed at a photo lab (shutterfly, walgreens, etc.) and they are better than our 35mm cameras. Ive been able to zoom in, crop, etc. without any loss in clarity. Simply said--I love this camera. I highly recommend it!!
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-08
Exactly 1 year and 1 month after purchasing this camera, the flash stopped working. The warranty expires after one year, so I took the camera in to a local shop. They said that the problem was in the CPU of the camera and they would have to send the camera back to Olympus. Fine, except Olypus charges $250 to fix the camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it!??!?! Im OUTRAGED!
On: 2004-02-22
I bought this camera for less than $300. search the net for lower prices. This camera has wonderful picture quality both indoors and outdoors. a very good buy and worth the money.
by: tigermao On: 2004-02-02
I am very pleased with this camera. Clear shots. Easy to use. The zoom features of this camera, i would say, exceeds everyday use requirement. Also, since it is 4MP, I have enough allowance for cropping pictures without it getting grainy.
On: 2003-12-30
i love my olympus camedia, and just about all the other reviews here are righteously top notch, BUT the problem i have had several times with my own is that the LENS POPS OUT. it is held together by a very weak link on the inside, and just one wrong move and the lens gets bent and wont go back in. it is TOO FRAGILE, and has to be sent away to get fixed, it is not something you can readily fix on your own. it is unfortunate, because otherwise this digicam rules.
On: 2003-11-14
PC World called its picture quality outstanding and I agree after seeing my prints of 8X10s. Pics looked better printed than on screen. One could make out almost every blade of grass in my prints.It has almost every control one can imagine - and a few I hadnt thought of earlier. Exposure control in automatic mode is exceptionally accurate with slight tendency to overexpose. Minimal to no purple fringing..Ive almost never noted it. A set of 4 Panasonic NiMhs lasts me a whole day worth of shooting with electrons left over for downloading pics. Supermacro is astounding - capturing details that my 20/20 vision is not able to discern. Nightshots with noise reduction is amazing for their clarity.
Kind to your wallet by being significantly cheaper than its nearest competitor - probably the G2/G3s from Canon
.
You can control - Focus/Shutter/Aperture/Flash/Exposure/Bracketing/ISO Speed/White Balance - plus more..and assign your favorite setting for quick recall at one go. I give it 4 stars and not 5 because of a lack of a hotshoe. This should have been included in a camera of this calibre. So - whats not to like?
The push button menu driven interface is cumbersome - the C5050 interface is way better in this regard.
Its easy to get your fingerprints on the lens - since the outer element of the lens sits on the edge of the barrel.
Its easy to switch on the camera with the lens cap in place - and the camera makes grinding noises and beeps away. I assume that this does not damage the camera - Ive done it a couple of times.
Requires special cable to use flash and its a very cumbersome solution - lack of hotshoe is the biggest shortcoming and one that almost drove me to purchase the G3 instead.
Move mode does not capture sound (the Canons do) Summary - the camera to buy if pic quality and cost is of concern to you. Very satisfied inspite of Cons listed. Totally usable if you know nothing about photography and are only into point and shoot. But if you want to use the advanced features - its all there for you.
On: 2003-10-23
I am extremely satisfied with this product. The pictures are
simply outstanding. Still having a little trouble getting used
to the menu, there are so many features. Try it - youll buy it.
by: hbsharkman On: 2003-10-16
I like this camera alot, pretty much because i used it like a mad mofo, while i was making my map(a level for a game). I used it to create the textures, great detail i had it set to maximum excellence. Point and shoot, go on computer, connect it to usb port, and it acts like a seperate drive. The software is pretty handy if you dont already have photo editing software. I myself have photodraw 2000 and Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8, great software for texture editing. I would have photoshop, but i dont for obviou$ reasons. The only complaint i have, is with the camera itself; when you turn it on, eg. picture mode; the camera doesnt seem to notice the lens cap is on, so lens cap pops off, this would be ok if i didnt already know that it doing this would eventually break the mechanism that makes it come out. A little warning from me to you, the customer, make sure the lens cap is off before you turn it on.
On: 2003-10-10
I bought this camera in March 2003, and have convinced 7 of my friends to buy it also! I have no photography experience, but with a little help from a photographer friend, I have taken some near professional pictures. I carry it with me everywhere, it is small enough to fit in my purse if I need to, and packed with features. It will even take a mini movie, sans sound. I took it to Paris and Brazil with a couple extra memory cards and got great shots! The macro and super macro have opened my eyes to the small things that often go unnoticed. For the first time my pictures come out just like what I was photographing. With Photoshop and an Epson printer, I am hooked.
On: 2003-10-05
I wish I had more than a 1,000 word limit to explain my satisfaction with this camera. I have, until recently, been a know-nothing when it comes to cameras, digital or not. I was the poster boy for disposable cameras until one day I just couldnt take it any more. Digital cameras were appearing on the necks of the people all around me and the possibilities seemed outstanding. So I finally took the plunge and bought this camera. Now, I know some readers are eager to read about the dazzling features and whatnot, but not the bulk of readers, because this camera is definitely not for pros. It is clearly for two classes of users: 1) total novices who want to be able to start snapping GREAT photos within 24hrs of receiving it, and look forward to growing into the cameras many great features, and; 2) dabblers, intermediate and amateur photographers who want superclear photos and a decent variety of bells and whistles to play with. You can get extensive technical reviews and specification sheets all over the net, so instead of giving you an amateurish rehash of all the information I gathered, here are two links that will be of great service to you as they were to me. w w w dot dpreview dot com, and
w w w dot photo dot net/digital/cameras/choosing So far, Ive taken pictures at day and night and have been very pleased with both. Since this camera has a built-in electronic flash, you must eventually read some articles about lighting or youll never realize the latitude you can potentially have on making face shots look a lot better than just point-and-shoot. Consumer Reports Nov 2003 included this camera in its review of 34 cameras and while they made no specific mention of the C4000, it was rated "excellent" for print quality. Its other features were competitive and for the price made them seem like a bargain. Careful of the lens cap. Its easy to forget to remove it before powering on whereby the lens automatically extends. I read the lens gears are plastic so eventually this will grind them down. Ive read different opinions of battery life. Consumer reports says a set of rechargeable batteries should result in 130 photos (I havent taken that many yet). The camera includes a small manual but the real manual is on disc and praised as a worthy read by many reviewers. Dont let the accompanying software get you down. Its meant to be basic and you can find plenty of image editing software online. I personally recommend: - minimum 3yr extended warranty (1yr is standard and can go by fast.)
- Battery Charger and 4 Extra 1800mAh Batteries (supercharger and 2000mAh+ batt if impatient)
- USB media reader to free up your camera while transferring photos
- 128MB Smartmedia (extra digital film) As a first time digital camera enthusiast, I am very happy with this purchase. I rated it a 5, not in comparison to other cameras, but in comparison to my overall experience when making any kind of purchase. I hope this review has been helpful. Happy clicking!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-09-19
This camera is fantastic. Ive used it a lot since I bought it in march and you wont be dissapointed when you buy it.The only thing I have to complain about is that when you record a video, there is no sound. I used to borrow an older type of this Olympus Digital and it even recorded sound.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-08-26
I read a great review for this camera in PC World Magazine which rated it as #2 on their list of the top 10 digital cameras under $500. I bought it here on Amazon & it was better than I expected.
Some of the menus can be a little confusing so reading the instructions is a must. But the results are beautiful & vibrant pictures! :-)
On: 2003-08-26
I bought this camera for half a year. Its perfect.However, I do think it should not use Smartmedia card as storage. Its hard to find large capacity smartmedia card(128MB at most).A two-week vacation can easily kill 500 pictures, which means you need to prepare at least 4 smartmedia card. Few of us brings a laptop to transfer the pic from camera to laptop, huh?If it uses CF card, it will be much metter. CF card has 256MB, 512MB, 1GB option.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-08-16
With a young baby, we decided to purchase this camera to replace our existing 2.3 megapixel one, and boy am I happy. I have close-up shots of my babys face that I had printed that a friend who is a photographer couldnt believe came from a digital camera. We were able to quickly figure out how to use a number of the cameras features with little background in photography. Over the past four months, we have taken more than 2000 pictures of our baby and I couldnt be happier.
On: 2003-08-03
If you looking for a great digital camera that wont take you to the bank, this one is it. I upgraded from a Kodak and I cant say enough about this camera. You have so many obtions to choose from and alot of different settings, that the possibilities on picture taking are endless. Everyone I know asks me to bring my camera on outing and family dinners because of the quality of the images. GREAT CAMERA, GREAT PRICE!!!!
On: 2003-07-18
We ordered this camera just before leaving on
vacation because we lost our Olympus 3030 (let
me know if you found it!). The C-4000 takes
very good pictures. It continues the Olympus
tradition of good optics. The interface is
easier to use than the one on the 3030 -- you
no longer have tiny little buttons that have
to be pushed to change modes. Its a bit bulkier
than some of the other 4MP cameras but I think
you gain in picture quality. This camera
is at the end of its product cycle (Olympus is
pushing 5MP cameras such as the 5050) so you might
be able to find it at a reduced price.
On: 2003-07-11
Great camera but awkward for Lefties
On: 2003-07-08
This is a great camera, it takes excellent pictures. Definitively I recommend buying it if you can afford it. I took more than a hundred pictures and used the display constantly and the batteries didnt run out. The only thing is that when using the digital zoom the pictures came out blurry and if you leave the camera without batteries for more than an hour it erases the memory and you have to set everything again.
It comes with a lot of extra features and settings. You can manually set the camera or use the auto mode. You can adjust everything including the shutter speed. Even in low light conditions the pictures turned out great.
It has everything I look on a camera and more, it even has a socket in case you want to add an external flash and the option of video out to an RCA jack, in case you want to see the pictures/videos taken through the TV either in NTSC or PAL format.
It has a lot of cool stuff. It is a little heavy because it uses 4 AA batteries but I bet you wont regret buying it once you see the results.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-29
I LOVE this camera! It takes great pictures, is fairly easy to operate, and a good value for the price. I have had no trouble with it, unlike the Fugi I bought before it. I would not say it is easy to customize...I still have not figured that out...maybe someday. Meanwhile I will just keep taking wonderful pictures.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-28
So many give the lens cap a bad review. In the instruction it states to remove the lens cap prior to turning the power on. Next the lens cap does not fall of accidently if it is left on and you turn the power on it will not let the lens extend.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-26
PROS:
- Lithium battery
- 4 MegapixelsCONS:
- Olympus is not a good brand honestly, (get Canon or Sony)
- HUGE! This is NOT a portable camera!
- Looks bad
- Bad controls (4 way switches)
- So much more better cameras out there on the market! If you want a hulky camera like this I suggest the new Sony Cybershot DSC V1, which looks better, is easier to use, and is more solidly made. But anyway, if you are the average person looking for a camera to simply get your everyday enjoyances, I suggest a good, compact Point and Shoot camera. Not a big bulky one like this Olympus which isnt that special.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-26
This camera has a problem. Its not for people like you and me, people who simply want to take pictures when we need to.
On: 2003-06-23
It has a lot of functions, but you can easily get good quality pictures up to 20x30 from shutterfly.com. Its perfect for my modeling shoots and the quality is better than me going to some photogrpher. Its a great camera for those wanna be photographers.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-17
I am happy with this Cam. The picture it takes are simple of the best quality, and its management is really easy. I would reccomend this cam to any person with not much experience on them (like me!). It offers different format options to store pictures and with the 64 MB card, it works just perfectly...
I am really enjoying it....
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-04
I have nothing bad to say about this camera. My husband is a professional photographer who shoots with the Olympus digital SLR cameras...the images off the c-4000 look equally as impressive, for a lot less cash. It even has flash sync hook ups for his studio lighting. I sure wish it took compact flash instead of smartmedia, but it is worth dealing with that drawback for the camera. That and the fact that if you turn it on with the lens cap attached, it makes this grinding noise and tries to extend the lens anyway lead to not getting all 5 stars...I do this from time to time and worry that I am going to mess something up! Action shots come out blurry using the automatic settings, but my husband says they would be fine if I knew even a smidge about manual settings...oh well! All in all, an excellent choice..this was my sixth digicam, and I am stopping!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-03
WHO ITS FOR: With its complete set of manual controls, the Olympus C-4000 is for the serious amateur photographer or a novice wanting to learn a lot more about photography. If youre one who would rather just point-and-shoot, this camera or its rivals (like the Canon S45) is NOT for you, better just save your $200 and go for the cute compact types.Granted that YOU ARE serious about your photography BUT you are on a tight budget, then this camera is perfect for you. The 4MP is just right for the occasional 8x10 prints and more than enough quality for 5x7 prints. Among the competition (Canon S45/G2, Nikon Coolpix 4300, Sony S85), its price and features stand out. I bought this camera here at Amazon 5 months ago for 2 main reasons:
- given the features and full manual controls, it had the most competitive price among the competition.
- although not included in the package, the camera uses standard 4 AA-sized NiMH rechargeable batteries. I brought the camera to Europe for my honeymoon and have taken 300+ pictures with it. I am extremely pleased with it. Prints on 4x6 came out as crisp as my 20-year-old SLR (the excellent Nikon F3), and sometimes better (mainly because you can preview a shot and tweak exposure and composition without worrying about the cost of film: an obvious advantage for all digicams). PROS:
- excellent daylight exposures on full auto or manual modes.
- a fully-charged set of AA NiMH batteries lasts me two days of shooting 60+ pictures and previewing the LCD, something the proprietary batteries of other digicams would be hard-pressed to match. CONS:
- You have to remember to remove the cap before turning the camera on -- an annoyance for all C-class Olympus cameras. Forgetting that doesnt damage the camera, but its an annoyance still.
- No remote control. You have to turn on the timer every time if you want to be in the picture or you want to take long exposures.
- The lens cap more often than not gets removed inadvertently when removing or replacing the camera in its case. Be sure to always bring lens tissues or whatever you use to clean lenses.
- The paltry 16MB card that comes with it. Although all camera brands have this fault of not including enough memory, I hoped Olympus would just do the right thing and pack it with a 128MB card. RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Always have two sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries. Buy the Olympus B-50SU Quick Charger or the Kodak Max K2000 Battery Charger. They both come with 4 NiMH AA batteries and works whatever a countrys voltage is. Then buy an additional set of 4 Kodak Max 1850mAh NiMH batteries.
- Buy at least 2 128MB SmartMedia cards. Each 128MB card stores about 60-70 pictures at full 4MP SHQ resolution. Better still, bring your laptop along when going on extended vacations to backup your pics. I made the mistake of not bringing mine and had to look for shops to transfer my pics to CDs whenever space on my cards were running out. Finally, just go ahead and buy it (with the charger, extra batteries and extra memory cards). Its an excellent camera given its features and price.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-05-26
Super camera. Excellent clarity of pictures on enlargement. The Camedia 4000Z has many features that you would expect in a camera significantly more expensive. The Camedia software makes editing pictures easy! Panoramic views great. You should purchase a larger Olympus card if you tend to take alot of these though. Other brands not compatable for panoramic views. Good value. Highly recommended!
On: 2003-04-30
I like very much this camera because is easy to use, you can transfer pictures to PC in no time, no drivers needed (Win XP), with amazing photo quality, allowing to choose many options for different light and exposure conditions.
For the price of this Camedia, you can buy a nice SLR camera. Maybe as you are right now, I hesitated a lot between SLR or Digital, but, considering the large quantity of photos I am taking now for my newborn daughter, the possibility of sharing and re-taking and the scale economy of the digital era (eliminating film, processing and printing), by all means, digital is the best choice.
The same options you seek in a SLR, you will find in this Camedia, because it can be adjusted manually (ISO, Aperture, exposure) or semi-automatic (portrait, landscape, both, also low light and fast action).
Note: Fast moving objects (NASCAR or so), you have to pre-focus in order to get a good picture.
Overall, I am delighted with this camera.
Updated: Until Aug, 2004, over a year of use, this camera works perfectly, AA NimH rechargable batteries are cheap and last long, and a lot of great moments have been captured. I recently discover that great photos can be taken easily under very low light conditions, like a photo of a Chicago at night over the Sears Tower.
On: 2003-04-27
I cant believe the reviewer below gave only a three stars to this product because he or she cant figure out how to e-mail photos. FYI, you can e-mail photos from MS Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo! and nearly every other e-mail out there. I agree Olympus shouldnt be taking advantage of peoples ignorance but why pack up a camera and send it back? Simply use one of the free e-mail programs out there.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-22
I am very disappointed with the software that comes with the camera as it does not include an email option. If you want to send pictures to your family or friends you will have to send Olympus an extra $20 to have additonal software activated. The help file included in the software is very good about describing how to use the email, it just does not give you a clue that you have to pay extra to actually use it. A customer service agent at Olympus admits that they get a lot of calls about the issue but would not give me the software. So I intend to pack up the camera and give it back.
On: 2003-04-18
I just recently bought this model for my first digital camera, and I have to say Im extremely impressed. Within 30 minutes of opening the box, I was taking photos at work and downloading them to my iBook (this camera works GREAT with iPhoto).One thing I do like is that Olympus makes it easy to get started, but gives you TONS of control over the photos if you want the control. A friend of mine who is very knowledgable about digital cameras was showing me some of the manual controls and how they affected photos. I definitely recommend you read the manual (in PDF format) on the CD... its much better than the small, printed manual Olympus provides. All in all, I think this camera is going to keep me happy for quite some time!
On: 2003-04-14
Pros: Lots of manual options, incredible feature set, superb four megapixel digital images, Fantastic optics for color and clarity, Manual and automatic controls for pros and debutants, Very little lag, Excellent image quality and easy to use buttons, Fast, Many settings and options, great zoom ratio, nice control layout, nice size LCDCons: Slightly Heavy, Not as cool looking as other cameras, 8 MB Storage card supplied with camera is woefully inadequate, User manual, software kind of plain, battery life, Size of pictures and erase features are not what I would like. Summary: The C-4000z is a very impressive digital camera and for the price it cant be beat. This camera packs a serious punch with features only found on higher end digital cameras. I have been using digital cameras for the past four years from Kodak to Sony but this one out beats them all. Now I wont beat around the bush and say there are no flaws with the cam, the first being the batteries shipped with the cam (they are one time use only)! So right off the bat you have to spend a couple more dollars for rechargeable batteries. The batteries I got Im able to take about 200 hundred high res. (TIFF) pictures before being replaced. The second problem is the small memory card shipped with the cam (at the time of my buy Olympus was giving free 64 mb cards with mail in rebate). The camera does come with a owners manual but has very limited information in it, for a extensive manual you have to read it off the installation disk in PDF form which isnt bad for me because it makes it a little easier to look something up using the word find feature. Now for the good things about the camera. This camera is packed with features and this should be taken into account if your new to digital cameras there is a lot to take in. Everything is arranged on the camera that makes it easy to navigate and set up. Olympus even went and put a user choice setting button which is nice if you use certain setting such as focal length, shutter speed etc. which enables you to set your preferences and return to them without having to set the whole camera up again. The pictures that result from this camera are amazing! I was at Yosemite a couple of weeks ago and shot some impressive pictures which I framed and had hanging on my wall a service tech who was doing some work in my house actually wanted to know where I had bought the pictures. Several other features that Olympus thought of were the ability to attach an external flash (optional). The camera also gives you the ability to crop pictures right on the camera. The panoramic feature takes a little to get used to but works really well. I dont want to bore you with the fine details (exposure settings, shutter speeds etc) but just wanted to let you know if your looking for a decent digital camera at a fair price the C-4000z is for you. Oh just one more thing a little tip I use all the time, If you happen to have a smart media card take it along with you to your local camera shop or electronic store and ask the sales person if you can insert your card and try the camera. You can then take the card home and if you have a media reader or printer that has a reader built in you can see the results of the camera prior to buying it (just a suggestion). It also gives you the opportunity to see how your digital dark room will do when it come to printing from this camera.
On: 2003-04-13
Pros: Lots of manual options, incredible feature set, superb four megapixel digital images, Fantastic optics for color and clarity, Manual and automatic controls for pros and debutants, Very little lag, Excellent image quality and easy to use buttons, Fast, Many settings and options, great zoom ratio, nice control layout, nice size LCDCons: Slightly Heavy, Not as cool looking as other cameras, 8 MB Storage card supplied with camera is woefully inadequate, User manual, software kind of plain, battery life, Size of pictures and erase features are not what I would like. Summary: The C-4000z is a very impressive digital camera and for the price it cant be beat. This camera packs a serious punch with features only found on higher end digital cameras. I have been using digital cameras for the past four years from Kodak to Sony but this one out beats them all. Now I wont beat around the bush and say there are no flaws with the cam, the first being the batteries shipped with the cam (they are one time use only)! So right off the bat you have to spend a couple more dollars for rechargeable batteries. The batteries I got Im able to take about 200 hundred high res. (TIFF) pictures before being replaced. The second problem is the small memory card shipped with the cam (at the time of my buy Olympus was giving free 64 mb cards with mail in rebate). The camera does come with a owners manual but has very limited information in it, for a extensive manual you have to read it off the installation disk in PDF form which isnt bad for me because it makes it a little easier to look something up using the word find feature. Now for the good things about the camera. This camera is packed with features and this should be taken into account if your new to digital cameras there is a lot to take in. Everything is arranged on the camera that makes it easy to navigate and set up. Olympus even went and put a user choice setting button which is nice if you use certain setting such as focal length, shutter speed etc. which enables you to set your preferences and return to them without having to set the whole camera up again. The pictures that result from this camera are amazing! I was at Yosemite a couple of weeks ago and shot some impressive pictures which I framed and had hanging on my wall a service tech who was doing some work in my house actually wanted to know where I had bought the pictures. Several other features that Olympus thought of were the ability to attach an external flash (optional). The camera also gives you the ability to crop pictures right on the camera. The panoramic feature takes a little to get used to but works really well. I dont want to bore you with the fine details (exposure settings, shutter speeds etc) but just wanted to let you know if your looking for a decent digital camera at a fair price the C-4000z is for you. Oh just one more thing a little tip I use all the time, If you happen to have a smart media card take it along with you to your local camera shop or electronic store and ask the sales person if you can insert your card and try the camera. You can then take the card home and if you have a media reader or printer that has a reader built in you can see the results of the camera prior to buying it (just a suggestion). It also gives you the opportunity to see how your digital dark room will do when it come to printing from this camera.
On: 2003-04-09
I got this camera as a Christmas gift last year. I love it! Its very easy to use and my pictures come out incredible. I highly recommend it.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-03-12
This is my second Olympus Camedia digital camera. My first was a Camedia D-460 (1.3 mp.) It was a nice little camera that performed well for a couple of years, but I just need a little bit more. After a lot of research (go to any search engine and lookup "Digital Camera Reviews") the decision came down to 2 cameras in slightly different price ranges. The Olympus C4000 and the Canon G3 (the G3 is roughly $... more than the C4000). After some side by side comparisons of photos of the same subject, under the same conditions I decided to save some cash and selected the C4000. The test photos were identical. (again same settings and picture environment) Initial setup of the C4000 was easy, I had it out of the box and taking pictures in about 15 minutes. Olympus provides a poster size quick start guide to help with the basics. Handling of the camera was quite easy. The controls are easy for a grown up to use. (some cameras have controls so small that its hard for an adult to use them) Olympus provided starter batterys but plan on buying a bunch of AA batterys and a recharger. Also plan on spending a few dollars on extra SmartMedia. It comes with a 16MB SmartMedia disk, but that is only enough for 13-16 HQ pictures. I wish I could tell you that the documentation that came with the camera was good, but I cant since the print is so small I honestly found it to be useless. (and I have perfectly good vision) The menus are fiarly easy to navigate, and changing the cameras settings was not a problem. Taking portraits, and landscape pictures was fairly easy, but I found that taking action shots were difficult. The camera has a long rebound time from picture to picture. (about 3 seconds or so) So, if you plan on taking action photos of motocross, Nascar events or anything else that requires a fast transition from picture to picture, you might want to do more homework before buying this unit. Shooting video was OK, but anyone serious about digital video should be looking elsewhere. (the camera was OK for fun, little, 30 second videos of kids and pets) The software that came with the camera installed easily on Windows 98 and Windows XP platforms. Downloads from the camera to your computer with the USB (auto connect) is fairly simple. Novice computer users shouldnt have a problem. Overall a great buy, and I would have given it 5 stars except Olympus got lazy with the User Documentation, but if you spend a little time on the Olympus Web Site, there are some pretty detailed Specs and Manuals available to download. (PDFs)
On: 2003-02-26
I really beat myself up trying to decide which digital camera to buy, and once I had this baby for a couple of days, I knew I made the right decision. Im a person who enjoys photography with a SLR, but I was amazed at the quality of the photos from this little camera. I love the fact that it does have some features of an SLR. The pictures are very vivid, and the LCD readout is outstanding. I just cant say enough about it! If you see someone that has not rated this camera well, its probably because they just got a dud.....and it happens once in a while...But dont let that stop you from SERIOUSLY considering this one. If you want great results for the money, this one is the way to go...and yes, I recommend reading the manual on the CD. It will make your experience with it much more enjoyable.
An outstanding camera for the money!!
On: 2003-02-23
I absolutely love this camera!!The pictures turn out brilliant and it is easy to understand the manual. This is the best camera that I have ever owned, and I have had alot. The fact that the camera has so many options on it is also great. I was scared about going digital, but buying this camera has made me to never want to look back! No more guess work about how my pictures will turn out. No more disapointment when I get my pictures back from the photo shop!!! I Love this camera more than my husband!!(Well almost)
On: 2003-02-21
This camera takes great pictures in low light and standard light. The image quality is great. I have printed everything from macro to outdoor landscapes on my epson photo 820 printer. The images are better than any 35mm camera I have owned in the past. The focus works great and flash is very bright and shows true color. It stores the images very quickly, giving ample time to take next picture. This camera is very easy to use once you get used to having a multitude of options. The only must is a 128mb card. The 3200x2400 option only allows for 5-6 pictures on a 32mb card. I have no regrets
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-20
This is my 3rd digital camera.I spent quite a bit of time reading reviews and customer comments on the web. I am an amature, but I wanted a camera that was resonably fast so that my photos would not be blurry when the subject moved a little. I had the Oly D-490 and could not get decent photos of my grandbaby because she is on the move when she is awake.
There are so many features that make this a great camera for beginners as well as more advanced photographers. The photos that I have taken indoors have been much better than my other camera. The flash seems to do a good job without much distortion of color. There is a delay between shots when using the highest resolution setting SHQ. This is somthing that people new to using digital cameras will have to get used to.
Many reviews complain about how fast digicams use up batteries.
I strongly suggest using an external battery pack. I have been using a MAHA PowerBank for almost 3 years. I can take over 100 photos with it and then charge it back up in about an hour. That is while leaving the camera LCD viewer on. If I did not use the LCD viewer, I am sure the PowerBank would last longer. It costs around $50.00.
I dont plan on buying another camera until this one no longer functions. I have purchased three of these cameras for my family members so they can have fun and e-mail photos to me. They all love it, too.
On: 2003-02-16
This camera covers the gamut from Point-and-shoot to Full Manual, with everything in-between. Worked seamlessly with iPhoto too. Battery life is great with over 200 shots on the set of included batteries. The rechargeable types never seem to hold a charge for me. These new Li-ion batteries have a 10 year shelf life which is great for me. No more picking up the camera just to find dead batteries - like my video camera.
On: 2003-02-10
I own and have owned many cameras, but this one is by far my favorite. It will function as a "simple point and shoot" as well as manually. You can set it to take a portrait, a landscape, or even a back-lit photo. You can adjust the shutter speed and the aperature opening at the press of a button. It has a timer and a special function to keep self-portraits in focus and the zoom is amazing. I describe it to my friends as the last camera Ill ever need. I am very pleased with the picture quality I recieve. The software it comes with for editing your photos is mediocre, but thats the same as with all the cameras you can buy. I recommend this camera to amature as well as more advanced photographers. Amature will love its ease and the advanced will love its features.
On: 2003-02-09
knowing nothing about photography...didnt read the manual...just turned it on, point, click, and shoot.Some of the best photographs I have ever seen. Printed in conjunction with HP130 photo printer. Even use some of the many, many features, but it would be worth it without them. THE QUALITY IS SUPERB!
On: 2003-01-29
This is my second digital camera, the other being a Sony Mavica 1.6MP. That camera was pretty good under ideal conditions, but the Olympus 4000 blows it away in terms of image quality and flexibility. With the Sony, I would have to color-balance nearly every photo in Photoshop to get a proper tonal range, but the Olympus automatically does everything for perfect images every time (even offering to show you the histograms as proof!). The range of settings available, as well as the flexibility of the menu system, makes this camera a pleasure to use. Even with extremely low-light conditions, using a fixed camera and subject, excellent images are possible, with up to 16-second exposure time! If I could change one thing it would be to add a more powerful optical zoom, and perhaps to include at least 32M of storage out of the box. Sometimes its difficult to take indoor shots of moving subjects (namely, 15-month-old toddler), but thats typical of any camera. Ive noticed that some people have complained about the manual being poor... the truth is that the paper manual is only a reference guide for the massive 260-page electronic manual which comes supplied as a PDF file on the CD. This manual goes over every function in minute detail with many, many charts to show what functions can and cannot be used together. Do yourself a favor if you own the camera and read it--there are lots of things you will learn about how use your new toy. Of course, something cheaper and better will come along eventually, but if youre considering this one, its a great buy!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-01-19
My girlfriend has an Olympus3.2 and loves it. When I told her that I would like one for Xmas she bought it for me. What a camera. Once you figure out the menu it is so easy to use. Just got back from a ten day cruise and took over 189 pics. Eveyone of them was sharp and clear. This camera takes great closeups or panoramic pics. It is so much fun to use that I find myself searching for pictures to take. I am not a professional, but I tell you what... if I ever decide to get another camera. You can bet it will be an Olympus. We already have three in our family. My girlfriend,her daughter and myself. Keep up the good work Olympus.
On: 2003-01-18
ok, let me start off by saying that many people think that the menu on this camera is difficult to understand. i dissagree with that common statement. i think that the menu on the c-4000 can be navigated with ease, if you have common sense. i found no difficulty while navigating the menu. and about that redeye thing, the camera has a red eye reduction flash feature. obiusly someone didnt read their manual. the guy that said the manual was not helpfull must have purcsed a gray market camera (gray market- camera made for use in another country, uasaly very cheep), ... also this camera has mimamal sutter lag.
On: 2003-01-11
Now I see why digital is comming on. This camera is everything it says. The pictures are great. the ability to send them by E-mail or burn them on CDs for slide shows makes you the producer. Of course you can print them with a photosmart printer getting excellient results. This area is costly though, but no waiting for the photo shop to deliver. The only area I wished an improvement on, was the opitical zoom. For the money that is, 5X instead of 3X should have been a go.
On: 2003-01-09
This is a very full featured camera for not a lot of money compared to other similarly equipped cameras out there.Relatively compact size with a nice comfy handgrip. Menu features are easy to access, although this sometimes makes it difficult to quickly customize your shot (such as setting f-stop, shutter speed, ISO, etc). Fortunately, the automatic mode takes very good pictures and does a good job adapting to lighting conditions. One of the buttons can be set to access a feature you commonly want to change, such as picture resolution or ISO. Two of the menu items can also be customized for quicker access to shot settings. It does a much better job at focusing in low light conditions and seems to be a little easier on batteries than older Olympus C model cameras Ive used. The flash is adequate, although if you want to light things up more than 5 meters away, youll probably need something with a little more oomf. The viewfinder is reasonably accurate (actual photo is a little bit larger than whats seen in the viewfinder), but for close-up shots youll want to use the LCD. One nice feature I have been taking advantage of is the ability to take panorama shots using panorama-compatible Olympus SM cards (the cards will indicate this compatibility). Switch to Panorama mode and you get two boxes on either side of the LCD that you can use to help with registration. Overall, an excellent camera with tons of features for the price.
On: 2003-01-08
I had a hp720 camera that I exchanged for this olympus c 4000.The complaint i had with the hp was that it gave the red eye real bad. The olympus seems to do the same thing.I am not sure if i am any better off with the olympus than i was with the hp720.The hp camera seemed easier for me to use than the olympus does. The olympus pictures seem to be better quality as far as true color. If anyone has this camera do you have any solutions for the red eye(indoors)? I am not sure if I will even keep this camera yet. I have small childern and want something easy to use. I do not have time to try and figure out alot of settings.
On: 2003-01-02
Let me begin by saying that this is a wonderful camera. I dont have a lot of experience with digital cameras yet, but having been a semi-professonal film photographer for a long time, Id say the image quality here is very good. You have to eat up lots of memory, of course, but thats a given. With this camera, you also have to be willing to go through some fairly intricate "on screen" menus if you want to deviate from the default settings. The defaults are fine for most purposes, though. My only complaint is that while the manual is multilingual, it is not very helpful. It tells you the obvious, but does NOT tell you that if you enable X function, you will disable Y and Z functions. Although Ive taken many photos that Im pleased with, I STILL have to figure out how to enable some of the features. Ill use the 800 number once the holidays are over. Overall, great camera, mediocre manual.
On: 2002-12-31
I must say that I would like not to like a digital. However, this camera is really good. I have a good 35 mm and a Nikon film scanner. This camera, the Olympus 4000, comes really close in in image quality. The controls, manual shutter,f stop, and even a very cool manual focus, are a must for capturing the right images. Controls/menus are a bit confusing, however, like anything, you will adjust. The LCD screen is large and sharp. The camera is not too tiny, so one can hold it more firmly and not get a hand cramp either. Like the tiny cell phones can do to you. I bought this for my wife as a gift. I may buy one for me, too.
UPDATE....I did buy one. I liked it, however, after using the camera for one month, and on a trip to Italy, I returned it the place that I bought it. Many good things but, the digital cameras are too slow to react when you take/press the shutter. The zoom is slow, the LCD screen is often glared and the view finder is 75% of the image and skewed. Although quite impressive and versatile, change iso, color, hue and so on, I find the 35mm SLR to still be a much better camera for the same money. The digi-camera has a long way to go. Still, I believe that one in the family is great. My wife loves her Olympus C4000. I do at times. One nice thing...carrying the equivalent of 15 rolls of film in a tiny pouch was sweet, and no fear of the film getting ruined at airport scanners.
On: 2002-12-30
If youre going to use this camera with Linux, dont waste your time with gPhoto (it wont work anyway). In fact, getting this camera to work with Linux is really easy.Just connect the USB cable to the camera and your computer and Linux automatically detects the camera as a SCSI device. So just mount it as normal: mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 /mnt/camera And get your pictures from the filesystem!
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-27
Id give it 4.5 stars...it misses getting 5 because the menu is somewhat cumbersome, it comes with only 16MB card and the lens cap can be bothersome at times. These are all minor complaints and can be overcome. Read on...
Once you get the hang of it, the menu is not that bad. Need to play with it a bit...and some favorite settings can be "preset". Picture quality is great. Very flexible/good performer under different conditions. Excellent value for the price. Invest in 64mb or greater card. Battery life is good. Very comfortable to hold. If you want a good camera, that has a few more "bells and whistles" than its competition, you cant go wrong here. Its a nice camera.
On: 2002-12-13
This is my third (and best) Olympus digicam and I honestly think that Ive sold more Olympi than Amazon this year. I tell everyone who asks that I think Olympus makes the best camera for the money, bar none. I got the C-4000 because I wanted more flexibility...and I got it. Its as easy to use as you want it to be but as powerful as youd like it to be thanks to things like aperature and shutter priority. Its the first digicam Ive owned where I can dial in depth of field via the aperature setting. Its got a great lens and, in my humble opinion, the best CCD on the market. As for the non-retractable lens... All of the C series cameras have a fixed lens to accomodate accessory Olympus or Tiffen lenses via a CL-1 adapter tube. That makes the thing expandable. You can even add filters if you want. Youd be surprised how a simple polarizing filter can make a cloud shot simply pop. You cant get that with a retractable lens. For vacation snapshots, Ill still use my little "D" series, but for images I want to frame, Im reaching for the C-4000.
On: 2002-12-05
I have to say that I waited a long time for this camera, but it was worth it. The picture quality is outstanding with the capability of producing 20X30 photos using the default settings. The camera does not have the appetite for batteries that the earlier high-resolution digitals had. All the functions are completely adjustable and the capacity of the memory cards is very good (about 1 meg per picture at the default resolution). I have been into photography for more than forty years and can honestly say that I may never use my 35mm camera again.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-01
This Camera really have some awesome features and queality for the price. For a 4 MP you can not go wrong. This is true for the 2002 Holiday season. Im sure by next this time this will be outdated, but for now, you get good value for what you pay for.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-11-24
Needed a camera that would operate with ease for spouse who just wants to shoot good snapshots, and at the same time have enough manual capabilites for me to have some fun as an enthusiast. This camera takes great shots, is easy to learn how to use, and connects to our computer USB without installing or hassling with software. It does all we could ask of it. It is also small enough to be carried and large enough to help this 50 year old see and navigate the controls. Only beef is small memory that comes with it. Do yourself a favor an buy more memory and battery charger immediately.
On: 2002-11-17
Four primary factors pushed me to buy the Olympus C-4000. 1. I already own an Olympus D460 Zoom and have been very happy with it. The Camedia software is the best I have found for fixing pictures that are under-exposed or off color, and that is saying a lot. I have used many of the main image software including Microsoft and Adobe and the Camedia is still the best in my opinion. 2. Cost - when compared to the Canon G2, which in my opinion is the only other camera close in the 4.0 MP league, there was a $200 to $250 price difference. The on-camera ease-of-use features are slightly less on the Olympus C-4000, meaning you need to go into more menus and adjust things manually instead of turning a dial or pushing a button, but overall the camera will do all the same things that the G2 can. 3. Batteries - The largest cost savings advantage is the savings you get in batteries. The G2, and many other cameras like it, require special batteries. The C-4000 will run on 4-AA batteries. Of course standard alkaline will run out quickly, but using NiMH rechargable batteries works EXCELLENT. They last a very long time and you can use them over and over again. The camera comes with 2-CVR3 batteries, but dont let that scare you, the literature clearly states you can use standard AA batteries. 4. Maximum PC Magazine put the Olympus C-4000 head-to-head with the Canon G2 and several others and the C-4000 came out on top. Their review is worth reading. Their motto is (and it is on the cover of each magazine) "Maximum PC, Minimum BS" and they certainly live up to that claim in my experience so far.
On: 2002-11-13
They almost got it right. I have owned mine for about 2 months now and have learned enough to make an informed comment.
The camera takes very sharp pictures, and most of the time the color is true. I love the ability to manually adjust everything, and the ability to adjust flash levels has come in very handy for me.The main problem with this camera is big, but stupid. It has a lens cap instead of a retractable lens. That isnt the bad part. The REALLY stupid part, is you HAVE to remove the lens cap before you turn on the camera, or the lens tries to extend, and it bangs into the cap which is attached to the body of the camera, not the lens. All this technology and this was the solution for the lens cap? I am still suprised that this is how the camera works. It is excellent that you have the ability to manually adjust everything, however it is a bit cumbersome until you get accustomed to it. You cannot be adjusting and taking pictures "on the fly". It is too hard to do that. Set the camera for the best general setting you are in and keep shooting. I had lots of problems taking pictures indoors of my one year old running around. Every shot was blurred, even if she wasnt moving very much. I had to change from "point and shoot" to manually setting the ISO to 400. That fixed the blurring problem. I now leave it at 400 for all general shooting. It is nice that it has a button you can program settings into, so you can use a one button push to change to your prefered settings. I havent used this option yet, but I know it will be helpful. The other big bonus for me on this camera was the ability to add lenses. This may be why the lens isnt retractable. I am going today to get some filters, and possibly a wide angle lens for it. I looked at many cameras that didnt have this ability. I am crossing my fingers that the lenses dont behave like the lens cap. If they do, I will make another review probably somewhat different than this one. Bottom line for me, is that it is much better than my old Cannon 2MP camera.... I have grown accustomed to the lens problem and I dont even think twice about taking off the cap first. The menus...well, I am still working on those. If you buy one, plan on there being a learning curve involved. Knowing what I do now, I would still buy this camera.
On: 2002-11-08
With research and talking to everyone we could think of before buying, we finally decided on the Olympus -- which we took on an extended New England vacation to see the ocean and the changing fall colors of the area. Terrific subject matter for testing out a new camera. We also took a 35mm Nikon and used 200, 400, and 800 film. All pictures are back now to compare and WOW! Considering we didnt know everything about properly using the Olympus digital, we were amazed at the pictures! The colors were often better and more true in digital than the Nikon 35 mm. The digital pictures had much better lighting indoors by far (compared to our 35mm) when we were inside large buildings, like old barns, museums, and a manufacturing plant, where a flash was useless. The digital camera picked up details at great length with excellent exposure and clarity. It also had zoom capabilities, and for our picture taking style, it is the only part of the camera we wish offered more -- more zoom. Another great feature to us was that it has rechargable batteries. We recharged at the end of each touring day and were ready to go again the next day. We took several hundred pictures and nearly every one was a keeper.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-10-29
This is my first 4mb digital cam and i love itit takes very good picture sharp and does not change the color
i bought the cam over a month ago and i took over 500pic useing the same batts that iv got with my cam. so i dont know yet regard other batts but the power seems to last.
I use the auto mode for most of my pics and use the cam lcd to review them.I also used the man mode and know its good to have control at all the parm live speed and F ... and so on
i took some night shot at slow speed (16sec) that came out excelent and also some micro shots. I recomend this cam for all i bought it for 500$ after tax and Im happy even dou you can get it for under 500$ when you buy this cam or any other dont forget to buy lots of mem and batts
by: Anonymous On: 2002-10-25
I bought this camera as an upgrade from a 1.3 Mega Pixel camera. I expected and received excellent quality photos with the Olympus. It comes with a 16 MB memory card, which I upgraded to 256 MB - a must do for this camera. Automatic settings produce sharp pictures, but manual settings are available for the adventuresome. Adjusting camera settings is a little cumbersome. Lense cap is very nice. No camera bag; wasted lots of time shopping on line - just go to Walmart and get a $6 bag. AVI videos are pretty crude, definitely not a replacement for a camcorder.
On: 2002-09-25
I had to return this camera after one weeks use. While taking some important photos, the zoom lense motor decided to go berserk and over extend the lense. It actually got locked at a 30 degree angle and would not retract! I could only compare it to a periscope that did not work. How embarassing. It failed horribly and frustratingly. This is the second olympus to fail on me and definitely the last. I took it back and got a Sony.
On: 2002-09-24
I researched this camera for about an hour and a half and almost bought it. It has great optics, size, and at a 4mp res. it would have been my first choice-except for one thing. It does not have a lens that retracts, so you have to use a lens cover. This to me is archaic for this level of Camera. I just know that this a factor for a lot of other people too. I am very disapointed that I had to pass because of his design feature that did not appeal to my active lifestyle. When I am out in the outdoors, I have to insist that any camera I own has a lens that retracts and protects the Camera.
On: 2002-09-15
I upgraded to the Olympus C-4000 from a 2 MPix camera about a month ago and have taken about 400 photos since. I am very impressed with the results. First the plusses: Photos are extremely sharp. Very high quality output - no comparison to my old 2 MPix model. The pre-programmed modes are convenient and work great. Automatic mode is a decent default setting if youre in a hurry or dont have a pre-programmed setting for some shot (not as common as youd think). Really very easy to switch from mode to mode. Camera is also very comfortable to hold and use. Everything is adjustable on this thing. If I find something I dont like (too much lag between pushing the button and taking the picture), there is usually a remedy (change to contiouous focus mode which makes the camera focus change wherever you point it without pushing 1/2 way - burns up batteries that way). Only negative is that in manual mode, it is a major pain to jump from menu to menu adjusting apeture, exposure, etc. I recommend this camera for anyone looking to upgrade.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-09-14
...Im impressed of its full control mode - its so elastic - even sharpness you can adjust in 6 steps, bracketing in two modes (great !!!) The only thing I dont like is an effect of chromatic abberations that appears in scenes with high contrast objects (trees with a strong light in a background). But comparing to Canon S200 - sharpness is outstanding, and 2 cm macro ability .... fun fun fun.
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