Rating: Summary: Olympus C-2040 Digital Camera Review: I can only say that I have had nothing but total satisfaction with this camera. It's easy to use and with the USB connection I can download pictures in no time. With 1600 x 1200 res. and 2.1 megapixels I have at least 30 pictures of my own that I use for my desktop background picts that are nice and sharp. If your looking for a good compromise between price and quality, this is the one.
Rating: Summary: Never Again! Review: I found the installation of this Olympus camera on my home pc to be a technical nightmare. After I obtained the camera I found the fine print announcing that the driver permiting my Windows 98 operating sytem to recognize the device had to be downloaded from the Olympus website. Easy enough. The very complex procedure to install this driver required very-slow-in-coming e-mail explanation from Olympus Technical Support. After hours of struggle(and help from some very computor savy friends) I finally got it going, only to find the Camedia software very awkward and difficult. There are far more user friendly and home pc combatible systems available at comparable prices.
Rating: Summary: My First Digital Camera Review: I had been wanting a digital camera for a while and had my eye on the 2040. I take a lot of pictures just for fun and film processing cost and delay were killing me. I wish I had bought one of these sooner. I've had mine for a week and I love it. I took a few test pics just using the default options and then connected the USB cable to my WinME PC. My PC then recognized the camera and then started my photo software. I was then able to manage the pictures on the camera as though it were a connected disk drive. I did not have to use the included software. The images look as good as the ones on my 35mm film camera. I also bought the optional 64MB memory card which gives me 128 HQ or 306 SQ1 shots. That's plenty for a day's work! The only downside is that lens cap. If it's on when you power up the camera balks as it tries to extend the lens. The AC adapter also seems a bit pricey but it looks like one of those have to have items.
Rating: Summary: Upgraded from C450Z... Review: I had my C450Zoom for almost 2 years. A friend "broke" it for me...so had to buy a new camera. I was wavering between C2040 and C3040...but since I'm not planning on printing too many 8x10's, went for the C2040. I've been very happy so far. The first adjustment is getting used to the lens cap. Second is the multitude of options added since the early days! I changed my default resolution from 1600x1200 to 1024x768. The latter is just fine for 4x6 prints (which is mostly what I get). Plus, it allows many more prints on the same storage card. The quick time movie option is fun! No audio, but the video looks like old time movies. It is just fun. Period. I bought some filters & extra lenses, but since the standard lense expands out 2" from the body, you need an extension to put on an extra lense. That is fine except if you use the viewfinder to take the shot, the length does cut into your view. Weird! Probably not worth getting extra lenses unless you are way serious. I have been "beating" up the camera over the last 3 weeks and the supplied batteries have not died (3CRV?) I have found that the instructions are straight-forward...but the manual is quite large (compared to the C510). I bought the C510 for a first-time digital friend. I am sure glad I bought the C2040Z!...
Rating: Summary: Superb Camera! Review: I have a C-2020, which is a slightly older version of this camera model. This has been a fantastic camera both in terms of quality, reliability and battery life. Between some friends and myself we have just about every model in this family (C-2000 through C-3040) and we all love our cameras. Quality: I have taken hundreds of shots, mostly outdoor. I tend to shoot at the high-quality jpeg level so I bought a 64MB smart media card. Paired with my HP DeskJet 952 I regularly printout 4x6 prints on photo paper that are absolutely perfect. I have printed a few 8x10 pictures and they are fantastic. No one can believe they were taken with a digital camera. I have to zoom in quite a ways with my photo editing software before I can see any pixels. The only negative thing I can say is that I wish it had a better macro mode. Reliability: It has been rained on, splashed by a wave, and dropped a short distance onto a rock. Despite all this it is still going strong a year and several hundred pictures later with no negative affects. Batteries: I use the rechargeable batteries and during heavy use they last 2-3 weeks. During light use they last 3-6 months. Compare this to most Kodak or Nikon cameras that last a few days of heavy use. A few comments on my accessories: Forget the 16MB card that comes with it. I keep only mine as a back up. You will want a 64 MB smart media card. I bought the Olympus T-CON14 tele-converter lens 1.45x (152mm equivalent) and I am very happy with it. It can retail up to $200 but I shopped around on-line (I went to cnet.com and looked under "Latest Prices - Camera Accessories - Lens") and found it for around $79. My next purchase is the wide-angle lens. I bought the Olympus Accessory Kit (which is the same for C-2000 through C-3040 models), mostly for the UV filter, adapter tube and 43mm-55mm step-up ring, and AC adapter. I bought it for about $95, which is close to what all those things cost separate. The mini-tripod, software, and case that come in that kit are not overly impressive but I considered those 'free'. The lens cleaning kit is handy.
Rating: Summary: The Digital Camera to Buy Review: I have had this camera for about two weeks and absolutely love it. It is extremely easy to set up and use. Very intuitive, so you can have success if you just skim the manual (my method). The images are terrific. I purchased a SanDisk USB thingy which is a much simpler way to transfer the images to my computer than by hooking up the camera, and keeps me from having to have an AC/DC adapter for the camera. I don't use the Olympus for video, so the lack of sound is not a huge deal for me. The price is right, the technology is great and I could not be happier.
Rating: Summary: great camera Review: I have had this camera for around two years now. I am in the military and travel alot. I have used the heck out of this thing. It has never failed me. It provides wonderful pictures. I just bought the remote and am looking forward to trying it out. The one down side is: nothing. I did buy a usb smartmedia reader for PC. It sped up the download from the camera like crazy. That is a must. The supplied software is not the best though. It does often lock up my system. And I have a very up to date system. This camera is a very very good one. It is very durable as well. I have flown all over the place toting this thing along my side and have bumped it here and there and never had even a little problem with it.
Rating: Summary: A great camera! Review: I have had this camera for less than two months, but I already know I bought a great camera. After researching digital cameras for six months, talking to several people who have them, and reviewing what Consumers Report has to day, I settled on the Olympus C2040Z, which was one of the top rated cameras by CR for the money. It takes absolutely great pictures, even at night without background lighting. The color and sharpness are all that anyone could want. Point and shoot - it couldn't be simpler. This camera came with the super bright lense, which I highly recommend. The menu is extensive, and I am sure I will be learning how to use the camera to its fullest potential for months and years to come. So far, battery life has not been an issue. I went through over 120 shots before having to change batteries. I purchased a ZiO card reader with the camera which works great and helps conserve camera battery life. It is a must-have accessory. Bottom line: I strongly recommend this camera. One can hardly do better.
Rating: Summary: A great camera! Review: I have had this camera for less than two months, but I already know I bought a great camera. After researching digital cameras for six months, talking to several people who have them, and reviewing what Consumers Report has to day, I settled on the Olympus C2040Z, which was one of the top rated cameras by CR for the money. It takes absolutely great pictures, even at night without background lighting. The color and sharpness are all that anyone could want. Point and shoot - it couldn't be simpler. This camera came with the super bright lense, which I highly recommend. The menu is extensive, and I am sure I will be learning how to use the camera to its fullest potential for months and years to come. So far, battery life has not been an issue. I went through over 120 shots before having to change batteries. I purchased a ZiO card reader with the camera which works great and helps conserve camera battery life. It is a must-have accessory. Bottom line: I strongly recommend this camera. One can hardly do better.
Rating: Summary: Great Camera for the price. Review: I have owned this camera for about 8 months now and I just love it. It was simple enough for my Mom to use (and get great pictures) while allowing me to use more advanced features like Shutter/Aperture Priority to get really great photographs. The initial installation was a breeze on Win 98 and when I got a new computer with Win XP I still had no problems. You do not even need to use the Imaging software that comes with the camera. You just need the device drivers from the CD-ROM...All you have to do is attach the included USB cable to your PC, attach the Camera to the other end of the USB cable (while the camera is powered off), power on the camera, and a new drive has been added to your computer that you can drag and drop from. It really doesn't get any more simple that that. The one feature I wish I had was a 10x optical zoom. The 3x optical zoom is a little weak for me but I can't complain because there are no other digital cameras in the same price range with a 10x optical zoom. This is a great camera to take you from a beginner to advanced photographer.
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