Olympus Stylus Verve 4MP Digital Camera with 2x Optical Zoom (Black)
By: Olympus Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 22
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 On: 2007-02-19
I finally got the "card cover open" error that so many other users have gotten (see various web forums). That means I can no longer use the camera.
No great loss. I was getting pretty marginal results with it anyway. As a former E100RS owner, I was looking forward to excellent photos from the Olympus lens and CCD. But it was not to be, the lens/electronics combo is so slow that you need some sort of camera support or bracing for indoor, non-flash shots. Granted, this is just a simple pocket camera, but as such, its a disappointment. Not up to the Olympus standard, IMO.
 On: 2006-08-04
This was a great camera until it was out of warranty. Then at the most inopportune times "Card Cover Not Closed" would appear on the LCD screen preventing any further picture taking. I tried all types of tricks like removing the card and putting it back in until the message disappeared.
Eventually, my frustration sent me to the Eastern USA Olympus headquarters at Hauppauge, NY for service. Well, the flat rate was $80. I decided that it wasnt worth spending this much for a 4MP camera when for just a few more dollars I could get another camera with better features. Too bad I hadnt checked the Web before buying this camera as this card cover problem seems prevalent in any discussion I found concerning Olympus.
On: 2006-06-06
I bought my Olympus camera a year ago and thought it worked great. The pictures came out very clear and detailed. I took wonderful beach pictues, pictures of flowers, and sunsets with this camera and was very pleased with the results.
However, about 2 weeks after I recieved my camera, I went down to the beach at night and was taking some pictures. IT was a little windy so there was sand blowing. My lens cover from then on would not shut. I continued to take pictures and they still came out pretty good but eventually the quality began to decline. Since the lens cover no longer shut over the lens for protection, the lens got dirty and I am guessing damaged. I sent my camera to the company to see how much it wuold cost to repair and they said probably $105.00 which I thought was too much considering I could probably get a better camera from a little more.
If you are one of those people that are so protective of your camera that you wont let it near water, snow or sand then this camera is phenomenal. I would definetly recommend it; but if you are one of those people that like to get the scenic pics and risk getting the natural elements into your camera I would recommend something that is weather proof. A camera that I am thinking of getting is the Olympus Stylus 600 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom or the 700. It is weather proof which I think will make a big difference.
 On: 2005-12-31
I would agree with other reviews on this site that the camera takes good outdoor shots. It took some tuning to get indoor flash shots that were in focus but I figured it out - I have used non digital cameras for years. I was pleased with the features, though thought it a bit smaller than I needed. I bought it used from a friend. It did not have a mark on it. I took it on vacation.
After using the camera productively for several days, routinely swapping in recharged batteries or fresh memory cards, the following error message appeared on the screen - Card Cover Not Closed. But the card cover door was closed; the memory card and the battery were properly seated - and reseated, replaced, recharged, etc. I didnt solve the problem and could take no more pictures with it.
When I returned home, I sent it back to Olympus. It was out of warranty. They asked about $125 to repair it. Since there was no physical damage, the price seemed high - I am walking away from it unconsoled. Perhaps I will inspire one of you to buy something different. I am looking at a midpriced Cannon.
 On: 2005-12-10
As an owner of the full-featured Olympus C-5050, I was looking for a second smaller camera that would slip in a small purse pocket, or easily hang around my neck for trips to the dog park; something that I would always have with me. While I love my C-5050, its too large & heavy to carry all of the time. If you are looking for a supplemental point & shoot camera, and not your sole camera, the Stylus Verve is a good choice.
The curved design of the camera was a key selling point for me; its very comfortable to use with one hand, something I found lacking with other flat recatangle designs. The TFT screen is exceptionally bright and clear. Button placement is logical, and it powers up instantly. The menu system is similar to other Olympus cameras, and fairly extensive, with multiple program modes for indoor, outdoor, nightime, portrait, etc. and color adjustment options not present in the C-series; really more than Ill likely use casually.
The optical quality of outdoor/sufficient lighting photos is excellent. Results when using the flash arent always great, but thats to be expected in a tiny camera with a tiny flash. Olympus smartly did offset the flash to the side of the lens opening, which helps minimize redeye.
Aside from the limited flash capability, the other downside is having only a 2x optical telephoto, while 3x is generally the bottom for other small cameras. (There is an additional 2x digital zoom for a total of 4x, but I generally stay away from using digital zoom as it usually degrades the image. Better to zoom and crop on the PC.) Aggain, for my intended usage, this is not a big issue; Ive got the powerhouse camera for more planned or serious photography.
With battery, the camera weighs under 5 oz., about the same as my cell phone.
Lastly, a nice feature is small metal plate attached to the back with a hole large enough to accept the metal clamp on many lanyards. As an alternative, Olympus sells a very nice silver chain neckstap.
The flash and limited zoom capability keep me from recommending this as a sole camera for most, as there are better options out there. However, if you want a second go-everywhere camera that looks great, is comfortable to use, and takes great photos under well-lit conditions, then the Olympus Verve is an excellent choice.
 On: 2005-12-10
Very functional and easy to use. The picture quality is excellent. The numerous modes for taking pictures is awesome. From being able to use it behind glass, at night, with beach or snow backgrounds, this is the only camera I have found that has 14 modes. The video quality is good also. For $300, you wont find a better digital camera. The battery is a little annoying as there appears to be no way to save date etc. when you have to take out the battery to charge it.
On: 2005-12-09
I did not buy this camera but used it for vacation after my parents bought it. [...]
To begin with - i am definetly not a digital camera savvy person but i can tell you when a picture is good or not and that is what i expect from a camera.
This one is very sleek looking & is amazing in its simplicity. It has the basic functions you need to take pics, review them and take make small movies. You dont need to be a techie or open a manual for this. I have to say that outdoor pics are GREAT. I have to underline this b/c i saw people complaining in reviews about picture quality. My pics were mostly outside so i am not quite sure about pic quality in dimly lit rooms or at night but day pics are amazing.
Summary:
Good things: sleek looking, easy to use, sturdy, excellent pic quality (at least outside pics)
Cons: you have to buy a memory card b/c w/o one you can only take around 30 pics.
On: 2005-11-18
Good desing.
Bad Indoor quality pics.
Very bad autofocus.
Ill never will buy a Olympus camera again.
On: 2005-09-30
The size is perfect for fitting in a purse, the pictures are clear, and the battery lasted the entire week, I was on vacation. Its the camera Ive been looking for. I am one hundred percent satisfied.
On: 2005-09-24
I got this camera as a supplimentary camera to my nicer Fuji. What I wanted was something that could easily and confortably fit in my pocket, instead of having to have a camera around my neck all the time. The size and form factor is excellent for this; it feels no bigger then a cell phone in your pocket.
Picture quality is great. Pictures are crisp and clear. Macro mode takes very detailed close-ups.
It would be nice to have more then 2X zoom, but that is what my bigger camera is for, so no big deal.
A note the date being retained when the battery is removed. The date is only lost if the battery is out for a period of time. I got an extra battery off eBay (way cheaper then what is offered on Amazon) and on a swap out, the time and date stays. There is probably a capacitor on the memory that keeps this setting. This cap can only provide power to the memory for so long before needing a recharge. Get an extra battery off eBay for $10, problem solved.
For the money, this is an excellent sidekick to your primary camera.
On: 2005-09-10
Great knock around camera. I expected quality of pictures to be better for a 4MP.
On: 2005-07-17
Hi,
I have bought this camera yesterday and i saw a lot of cameras, so ill tell you the reasons that let me buyit:
1st- Small camera, it fits very well in your hand and in your pocket.
2nd- It uses a batery, you cant imagine the money that you can save with it, using regular batteries, it turns your camera very expensive to use (sony and cannon use regular bateries).
3rd- 4 Mega pixes for image quality.
4st- Good loking, and a very solid construction and materials (mutch better, than others).
I have 4 cameras (1 mediaum format, one slr, 2 digital) and this is my 2nd digital camera, i bought it, to use it during my holydays with my familly.
This is not a professional camera, its a very portable camera, and we shouldnt expect mutch more than this.
The lenses are small (because the camera is small) so, to take pitures with this camera in dark places is not the best idea (this is true for all cameras with small lenses, not for just this one), but this is a holiday camera, so its excelent in places with a lot of light (beach and snow, out doors, or indoor placs with a lot of light).
For the persons that are saying that the picture quality is bad, i sugest them to change the ISO, instead to use auto, change it to 100, or in places with a lot of light, you can use 64.
And you will see that the picture quality is verry good.
In general, this is a great camera, it has a lot of Scene programs, that will help you to take better pictures.
Im happy with it.
by: mikey_bikey On: 2005-05-24
I have used a variety of 35 mm cameras over the years, from SLRs to portables. My previous digital camera, a 3 megapixel HP 720, was too large to fit in a pocket. So I bought this for the wife for Christmas. Weve been using it for almost 5 months now.
It is VERY portable. Luckily, I havent had any of the problems some of the other reviewers have experienced (broken lens cover). I did have the experience of the date reseting, but it hasnt happened recently (maybe it doesnt really happen on battery removal, but when you run the battery to empty).
In my experience the photos are very good. I regularly blow them up to 8x10 on our printer. But I agree theres no point in using the highest resolution, maybe because were running into the optical limitations of the lens.
The weakest part of the camera so far is the flash. Digital cameras dont have nearly the contrast ratio of film, so its important to avoid things such as shadows on faces for pictures in bright sunlight. In the past Ive relied on the flash fill to take care of that. But with this camera, Ive had little luck with that option -- the flash doesnt seem to be powerful enough to fill in those shadows. Most I can fix on the computer, but its a bit annoying, nonetheless.
I have used the video function on several occasions. As with my HP, the resolution isnt nearly as good as my video camera. But the audio is very good. The unlimited time is a nice option. And it is HUGELY more convenient. Plugging it into the TV with the included cable to watch my daughters musical performance that I had recorded a few minutes earlier blew grandmas mind!
All in all, I think this is a good camera. If you have the time to wait for the next generation of tiny digital cameras, that may be a wise option. But for now, I like the size and convenience of this camera. It slips into my pocket for almost any outing (but make sure the battery is charged!), and youre ready to go!
UPDATE: After using this camera for 3 years, I gve it back to the wife and bought myself a digital SLR (Nikon D50). The Olympus is still working well. In fact I bought the wife a second battery. She carries with her everywhere in her purse and takes it aout a couple of times a month. The old photos I have taken are not as good as my new Nikon, but still very good. I found this to be a very good point and shoot camera!
On: 2005-04-23
I think the designers of this camera spent so much time making it look cute and slick that they forgot to actually try it out.
I returned mine in 3 days. It was the biggest piece of junk Ive ever bought. The picture quality stunk. My old 2 MP Sony took pictures 10 times crisper. There were problems with the focus. The flash was weak. Itll illuminate your subjects face, but forget about background. Indoors, the backgrouund will come out all black. Its garbage.
If youre considering buying this camera, youre better off choosing something of comparable price with your eyes shut.
On: 2005-02-21
My sister purchased this camera and returned it after a week for the 4MP Canon Elph. It looks stylish, but the picture quality is dreadful. The photos looked about as good as her old 2MP Fuji and were often completely out of focus. Also there is no optical viewfinder and the LCD screen is very difficult to see outdoors when its sunny due to glare. The user interface is also diffuclt to use. Buy this phone if you want something pretty to show off and dont care about picture quality.
On: 2005-02-14
flash is very weak and pictures that are not closeups are blurry and grainy and the battery life is so weak that you can not rely on it. I can barely get 1 hour of shooting maybe 40 pictures so make sure you buy at least a second battery. The LCD is visually only good for shooting in daylight. I bought this as a second camera to put in my pocket, but am getting rid of it and look for something better.
On: 2005-01-25
This camera is pretty good, I can admit that I was seduced by its good looks. But having owned two Canons in the past, I think I still prefer Canon cameras.
The Stylus Verve is shaped like a used bar of soap and is pretty slick, so when shooting pics in a hurry, the camera can easily slip from your grip. The power button is very close to the picture taking button so sometimes you will shut the unit off by accident and miss a moment. Its more sensitive to movement than Im used to. Youll need to have the steady hands of a surgeon. I cheat by leaning against something and having a big memory card so I can take shot after shot until I get a non-blurry one. When I do take a nice picture, its not as crisp as my canon...but I can deal with it. Ive learned to use Photoshop. I thought the 2X optical zoom would be more dramatic than it is. But I realized that I can just walk the extra couple of steps closer to whatever Im trying to shoot.
One thing I really dont like is...once you remove the battery (like when you are recharging it) all your settings reset. There is no back-up power to help you keep your settings. I ALWAYS have to reset date and time--a bit annoying. Oh and the battery, memory card and usb port are all accessed through the same opening. I dont know if thats good. But I prefer the usb opening to be separate from the battery and memory card because you have to access that a lot.
It also doesnt come with a carrying case. Only a carrying strap. I tried to look for a carrying case but Olympus only has huge, bulky, generic ones that fit any camera in their Stylus series. What is the point of getting a cute and tiny camera if you have to carry it around in a huge ugly bag? I ended up finding something else that was suitable enough...at Sanrio (yes, Im a girl).
Through all of that...I still like the camera because it fits in my purse and goes anywhere. It is super cute and it matches all my stuff (I have the white one). The viewing screen is big and bright and it makes funny sounds :) Also its easy enough to use that you can figure it out without reading the entire owners manual.
I like my camera and I willing to put up with the slight functional CONS for all the good looks it possesses. But when Canon comes out with a even cuter Elph...Im there.
P.S. This is definitley not for the serious photographer or people with big hands.
P.P.S I wanted to change from 4 stars to 3 but amazon wont let me :)
On: 2004-12-28
This is my third digital camera I have owned, and my first Olympus digital camera. To start off with the pros, the camera looks really slick, especially when you get it in a color other than silver. The camera is small and lightweight and carrys with it plenty of functions for those that arent very photography-inclined. The photos that this camera takes are superb for being its size and the battery life is excellent. With a 512mb xD picture card I can take 523 pictures on High-Quality (2nd from best setting) and 180 on Super-High-Quality (the best setting). I dont see much of a difference between the HQ and SHQ as I am not a photo-junkie, so taking 523 pictures on HQ is plenty enough for me.
The only problems I have with the camera, however, is that you cannot charge the battery inside the camera, and every time you take the battery out to charge it (or swap it with another) the settings clear and you have to set the camera back up and set the date all over again. One would at least think that a digital camera nowadays would have battery-backup on the memory. Guess not. Also, the camera does not come with very much storage. Although most cameras do not either, most others come with 32mb, while the Sylus Verve comes with only 16mb, so if youre getting one of these cameras, be sure to purchase another xD picture card.
All in all, however, I feel that the pros outweigh the cons with this little camera. The camera is perfect for those of us who are not totally obsessed with digital photography. If, however, you are really into digital photography and want a camera, might I suggest looking elsewhere. But if youre looking for your first digital camera, or just something to replace your old one, and you only want it for family vacations and whatnot, then this camera is good for you. Just be sure to pick up another xD card!
On: 2004-12-20
I wanted this camera badly because of the size & the features (love the soft focus & love the ability to edit after youve taken the picture using the camera itself). Ive had it for a little less than a month and used it at a couple family parties. Id have to say that Im not very pleased with the quality of the pictures. I keep it on the highest resolution setting and I always make sure the AutoFocus lamp is lit before shooting, but my pictures still come out blurry and grainy when I hook it up to view them my computer. Maybe I havent quite figured out the best setting to get the best pictures, but Id have to say Im quite disappointed for the amount I paid ($350). For some reason only objects that are fairly close (from my experience, approximately 6 feet - that would be a guess) to the camera come out clear. If Im going to pay that much for a camera, it better work well!!! I cant return it to Circuit City anymore since its been more than 14 days, so Im stuck with it.
On: 2004-12-03
There are a lot of great digital cameras on the market, and when comparing features and functions they all start to look pretty much the same. Unless youre a hardcore photographer you probably wont even use half of the functions on your camera anyway. As far as technical specs, the Verve is comparable to a lot of other cameras in its price range, but what makes it so cool is the way it feels in your hand. I know that sounds silly, but its true. You have to actually see and touch this camera to get the full effect. Its about the size of a cell phone, so I can fit it in my jeans pocket (which makes such a big difference in terms of how often I actually USE a camera), yet it doesnt have the chintzy plastic feel of so many other cameras. It feels really solid and has lots of nifty dials and buttons. Okay, so these probably arent the qualities you buy a digital camera for, but they are the qualities that make you LOVE your digital camera. Because it also takes great pictures, and its extremely easy to use. I highly recommend the Verve.
On: 2004-12-02
There are a lot of great digital cameras on the market, and when comparing features and functions they all start to look pretty much the same. Unless youre a hardcore photographer you probably wont even use half of the functions on your camera anyway. As far as technical specs, the Verve is comparable to a lot of other cameras in its price range, but what makes it so cool is the way it feels in your hand. I know that sounds silly, but its true. You have to actually see and touch this camera to get the full effect. Its about the size of a cell phone, so I can fit it in my jeans pocket (which makes such a big difference in terms of how often I actually USE a camera), yet it doesnt have the chintzy plastic feel of so many other cameras. It feels really solid and has lots of nifty dials and buttons. Okay, so these probably arent the qualities you buy a digital camera for, but they are the qualities that make you LOVE your digital camera. Because it also takes great pictures, and its extremely easy to use. I highly recommend the Verve.
On: 2004-11-30
First, Olympus as a company does not sell any of the verves cameras at a seprate price structure. The Prices venders pay for the cameras are exactly the same, so if you see different prices for different colors then the vendor is setting those prices. Just look at Amazon every color is the same price. As far as bad picture issues my Verve is great! The pictures are awesome and look really good on the LCD screen. Compaired to some of these small LCD screen cameras, I can see everything in great detail. I really dont se how you could take a bad picture with this camera. Plus, as far as awkwardness, I find the camera very easy to use. I can take a picture and zoom in and out and switch between movie picture and play back modes with one hand! Im again dont understand how it could be awkward when everything is so easy.
On: 2004-11-29
First, Olympus as a company does not sell any of the verves cameras at a seprate price structure. The Prices venders pay for the cameras are exactly the same, so if you see different prices for different colors then the vendor is setting those prices. Just look at Amazon every color is the same price. As far as bad picture issues my Verve is great! The pictures are awesome and look really good on the LCD screen. Compaired to some of these small LCD screen cameras, I can see everything in great detail. I really dont se how you could take a bad picture with this camera. Plus, as far as awkwardness, I find the camera very easy to use. I can take a picture and zoom in and out and switch between movie picture and play back modes with one hand! Im again dont understand how it could be awkward when everything is so easy.
On: 2004-11-26
Olympus has a good reputation, sooo, I decided to buy the Verve, should have been a bit more alert, why Olympus changes the price so drastically because of color is beyond me. The difference between a silver one and a colored one is substantial, looks like 30 to 40 dollars, go figure that one out.
I now have it 3 days, it is terribly awkward to use, the shutter release is too stiff, photo results were erratic, about half somewhat out of focus, and half very good.
There are many pluses to the camera, unfortunately there is no point in writing them, today went to Thanksgiving dinner with my family. When I turned the camera on all I saw was bright blurs in the screen, it was finished in 3 days and got no photos of family or friends.
To say that I am angry is just too simple, I would love to prefix the word angry with some other adjectives but will not do it here as I would like this warning letter published for others to see.
I am returning this camera tomorrow, that is if I can control myself from throwing it out a window, shame on you Olympus.
My rating on this product is zero stars. not 1, cannot get this on with zero stars, Olympus, get your act together.
Very Angry Customer
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