Rating: 
Summary: Olympus 2100 - An Excellent Value!
Review: I recently purchased the Olympus 2100 camera after considering many alternatives. Here is what I like: Image stabilization and an all-glass 10X optical zoom means that the 2.1 meg pictures usually look better than any 3 meg camera. Great vide clip ability with sound that remains sychronized with the action. [A] Rebate if you buy Olympus accessories. Menu and controls are very easy to use - spend 1/2 hour with the manual and you'll be ready to go. Great battery life - I've shot about 100 pictures and a dozen video clips using the LCD display and I'm still on my original charge. This camera has the option of continuous focus - I usually lock the focus (1/2 press of shutter) at athletic events and then take the picture when the action happens. I had been concerned about slow response times of digital cameras (vs. traditional), but this camera works great in capturing the action when I want. Overall, I'm very happy with this camera. My only complaint is that the camera body is silver (instead of black). Other than that, it has completely exceeded my expectations. Buy a card, a reader, and another set of batteries and you're all set!
Rating:
Summary: This is really great!!
Review: Last night I inaugurated the 2100 at a Friday night football game. Taking the place of my JVC DVM70U, Canon S100 & Olympus Camedia 700 (all of which I like), the 2100 had a lot of big shoes to fill. First of all, I bought it for the 27x zoom, which from the sidelines is absolutely necessary to get into the action, and for its built-in stabilization system, the lack of which made long range zoom shots frequently blurry in the JVC & Camedia 700. I bought an extra set of batteries, a nice, leather Olympus case and a 128 meg SmartMedia card.
I spent about 2 hours with the fairly complicated and not too well written manual before gametime. I pretty much had decided to leave the camera in its 'sports setting" for my first night, which is accessible easily through the thumbwheel control knob atop the camera body (though this requires a little time in the setup menu, which I found pretty intuitive).
Well, 48 plus minutes later I had shot 83 pics at a medium resolution (1024 x 768), and about 12 30 second QuickTime movies at low resolution (320 x 240). There was still a ton of room left on the 128 meg card, and the batteries were still juiced!
The camera was easy to operate, easy to hold and the new electronic viewfinder is about as nice as it gets. The zoom was fine as frog's hair.
When I got home, I installed the nice software package and connected the camera via the USB cable (supplied). Downloading took about 5 minutes (BTW, I ordered a SmartMedia FlashPath reader, but you-know-who didn't get it here on time, despite the overnight shipping charge...but I digress) and playback was a cinch. All in all, the photo quality was very good, though I think I can do better at freezing the action than the so-called "sports program" did. The QuickTime movies, even at the lower of the two resolutions available, were magnificent; they were better than the JVC digital camcorder and the sound was really high quality.
Now this is no point and shoot, but if you have a little time and interest, I think the 2100 represents a great multipurpose digicam.
Rating:
Summary: Over a year of reliable service
Review: I'm convinced that this is one of the best buys in digital photography- mine has been spectacular for over 5000 pictures in the past year. It isn't the best camera on the market, but for the money, it is really great. If you want to learn about photography basics, then it has a manual mode. If you want to point and shoot, it does that too. Long exposures over about 1.5 seconds aren't that great due to noise. Of course the zoom is fantastic, but don't forget to compare the image stabilizing. I've never been friendly with a camera that didn't have it, so I can't compare, but I do know that I can almost always get nice shots at a distance, even in somewhat low light.
Rating:
Summary: Olympus C-2100UZ: 35mm SLR user's "switch" digital camera
Review: If you own fine 35mm and/or large-format cameras, and have toyed with the idea of trying digital, read on at your own risk. You may -- like me -- never pick up your Leica M4P or Canon F1 or Mamiya 645 systems again.Let me tell you the only negative about this camera first: The color correction of the CCD under low tungsten illumination and fluorescent lighting resembles Ektachrome 400, circa 1970. That's it. That's the only defect. You're going to love this camera. Many reviewers wish for a 3.3 megapixel chip, vs. the 2.1 mp chip in this 2100. The recent introduction of cameras with the same image stabilized 10x lens/2.1 mp CCD system from Canon and Sony suggests some rethinking among the manufacturers of these cameras. Simply put, the ability to fill frames with image trumps the cameras with 3.3mp CCDs and smaller zoom ranges. To accommodate those 3.3 mp CCDs, one needs a larger buffer memory...which means a longer write-time...which means either a slower-shooting camera or a greater battery drain, or both, to match the frame-to-frame shooting capability of this lens/CCD/buffer combination. It also means your storage media demands will escalate dramaticaly, as will your needs for imaging media. Add the image stabilization feature, which has some kind of gyro motor running all the time, and you'd end up with unacceptable battery drain, if your had a 3.3 mp CCD. This camera offers two displays -- one the traditional 1.8 inch "TV" display, and the other, an SLR-like eye-level display. At first, you'll be disappointed in the graininess of the eye-level display. And yet, you will be surprised at the speed with which you'll accommodate that. The camera offers a 35mm lover's range of creative control, plus features you'd never dream of finding in an SLR or rangefinder. You can select the ASA of the CCD's sensitivity -- 100 to 400 ASA. You can select white balance, although it's not great under low-light-level tungsten or fluorescent, as noted. You can -- now get this -- choose black-and-white or...SEPIA toned imaging. The latter is a magnificent trip back to the 1950s and 60s. But nothing matches this lens. It's the equivalent of a 38-380mm zoom lens. The image stabilization means that, if you carefully brace yourself, you will easily -- and I mean EASILY -- shoot 380mm hand-held shots at under 1/20th of a second. It's a razor-sharp lens. The image compression algorithm in this camera works extremely well. The standard "HQ" mode generates images of around 400k size, which means you get a whopping 128 images on a 64mb Smartmedia card. You can switch to the SHQ mode and get 45 images on a 64mb card, but for most images, you can't see the difference in an 8x10 print. The write-to-buffer/write-to-Smartmedia time increases, limiting your frame-to-frame shooting speed. If you half-depress the shutter release, locking the focus and exposure, you can capture great sports action shots. If you put the camera in a manual mode, you can shoot almost one shot a second in the HQ mode. Flash reach is astounding. I have easily shot perfectly exposed images in dark rooms at 30+ feet. Recycle time can be iffy -- I minimize it with a Digipower external battery pack that plugs into the AC adapter jack -- but the flash mode seems to generate more data, which takes more time to write to the buffer and then to the Smartmedia, which slows the shot-to-shot time. You can get through about 150 frames with a single charged set of 4 NiMH 1600ma batteries -- I can't imagine going anywhere with fewer than a single well-charged extra set. The camera will kill a fresh set of alkaline AAs in about 10-12 shots -- the deep drain of a digital camera is totally incompatible with this kind of service. The camera is light, well-balanced. Its controls fall under the fingers neatly. Viewfinder controls work well, but I could argue that controls for the manual focusing could be better placed under the left fingers, rather than under the right eye, forcing you to focus with the right thumb. I purchased a C-2040 for my 14-year-old daughter's middle school graduation, and with those two cameras, our family is now fully digital. Stop looking for a new digital camera -- you've found it. You will be tempted to use the different controls and shooting modes. The iESP ("P") setting works so well, for most shooting, you'll leave it there. The only kind of shooting you might wish for a 3.3 mp CCD is for scenics -- digital cameras don't handle fine detail as well as 35mm film. I'd prefer a metal camera to a plastic one, like the the $2000 Olympus E-10. But I tried that camera, and it's S-L-O-W by comparison to the C-2100, and lacks both the zoom range and the imaging stabilizing features of the C-2100. For frame-filling portraits, there simply isn't a better camera.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Value & Quality
Review: The Olympus C-2100 digital camera has the power and features that are hard to find in most other digital cameras. Its ability to zoom from 35mm to over 1000mm (35mm film equivalent) makes this camera worth the price alone! The image stabilization that is also a part of this camera is an added bonus. Most other digital cameras in this price range zoom up to only about 200mm (35mm equivalent) and do not allow for multiple shots. For those of you who are considering a digital camera that goes beyond "point-and-shoot" and has the ability to go in aperture-priority or shutter-priority mode, the C-2100 fills the bill. I do a lot of sports photography and am finding that the C-2100 does a good job. My only additional advice is to buy a 64mb SmartMedia card (the 8mb card that comes with it is insufficient) and a reader for your SmartMedia card that you can connect via USB to your PC. While you can download directly from the camera to your computer, it does add stress onto the camera. You can spend a lot more on a digital camera, but this one will not disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: My C-2100 - Great Camera!
Review: Wow, my first digital camera and I was able to get this. I don't like the reset of the off/on switch. But I just live with the default settings and get awesome results.
I bought it about two years ago when they were discounted at $499. Has seen a lot of use, still works perfect. I've tried side by side comparisins to my Nikon 4004, I miss having a super wide lens, but for pratical purposes the C-2100 blows away the film camera.
The only negative is the time lag for taking the picture compared to film. Good work Olympus.
-Lew
Rating:
Summary: In many ways it overcomes Nikon5700
Review: I own 3 digital cameras.
A Minolta S404, a Nikon 5700, and the one I love the most: a Olympus 2100. The absolutely magnificient lenses of this camera overcomes in many ways all the possible quality of image the more capable sensors of the other cameras could offer.
It's always interesting to note that most people taking digital pictures(including myself)rarely print their pictures in sizes bigger than 8"x10".
Rating:
Summary: Jeff
Review: Have owned this camera for 2 years. The stabilized 10x optical zoom can take clear shots without blur from camera movement. Great indoor picks with flash. Full manual to full auto works as you see fit, old 35mm buffs with like the options available. If you need a camera that can take zoom shots that are close up and clear, you can't do better than this at its current price range. If you have kids in sports, this camera can take nice close ups from the stands. 2.1mega pix allows clean and crisp 4x6 prints. (Size is its only distraction. I would also like to own a pocket camera such as the Pentax/Casio mini 3mpix or the Minolta to take with for unplanned moments.)
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Camera!
Review: I have had the Olympus C-2100 UZ for more than a year and a half.
Its exceptional qualities are alrady mentioned by other reviewers. I would emphasize that most of the available digital cameras have 2 issues: 1. Blurry pictures when shot indoors
The C-2100, due to its Image stabilization can take pics at a lower light level (without using the flash) than others. 2. Slow focus and focus-to-shot-taken times
Again, this camera has a large buffer space and its focusing is fairly fast. It is more than adequate for me. The 10x zoom allows pictures which cannot be taken by a 3x or a 4x zoom (which most cameras have nowadays). If a 2 megapixel camera is able to take reasonably good color/resolution pics (like the c-2100), having another camera with more (3, 4, 5 +) megapixels will not necessarily mean it will take better pics. Probably slower to take the next pic. If you can find it (probably sold new in Japan), buy it!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the last GREAT Values in Digital Cameras
Review: Because I teach digital cameras to more than 10,000 people each year, I naturally have more than a few digital cameras myself and the opportunity to see and use many digital cameras belonging to my students. The Olympus 2100UZ while only a 2.1mp camera, gives the user an optically stabilized 10X platform with an outstanding lens. If image sharpness is a priority for you, the 2100UZ delivers it in spades. It compares very favorably indeed with other 3 and 4mp digital cameras. My students are usually amazed that the digital photos I show them from this camera come from a 2.1mp digital camera. I own not one but two 2100UZ digital cameras. That tells you very well that I rate this digital camera quite highly. If you are considering the Canon Pro-90 which is also a 10X stabilized digital camera, in my opinion, even though it uses the same lens and stabilizer system, it is nowhere near the digital camera that the Olympus 2100UZ is. I own a Canon Pro-90. The Canon is slow to focus, especially in dim light and produces a lesser quality digital photo.
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