Rating: 
Summary: Olympus C-3040 Zoom Digital Camera by Olympus
Review: I bought this camera in December 2001 as my first digital
camera after many years of using a Minolta 35mm.
I like not having to carry a heavy camera bag with an
assortment of lenses and rolls of film, etc.
I like being able to examine a photo immediately, and
erase it if necessary.
I like being to "lock" a picture I want to keep from
accidental erasure, and being able to add a voice comment.
I like the information about number of pictures for which
there is still room on the card, and time, etc.
I like being able to show the photos on the TV, full
screen, so that everyone in the room can see them.
I find the manual needs study - but so far I have not looked
for any information I couldn't find very quickly.
The only trouble I have had is that the lens cap falls off
very easily - but the lens strap cord prevents any major
trouble.
I can thorougly recommend the Olympus C-3040 as a first
digital camera.
Rating: 
Summary: Olympus C-2040Z, ok, but
Review: Nice camera, good resolution; only comes with a 16 mb card which I promptly replaced with a 64 mb card: why pay for 3 megapixels then not use them? I also have the Olympus E-10. Huge difference in ease of use and in price. The viewfinder on the 3040 is poor, on the E-10 super. Zoom is greater on the E-10, which, I believe also has image stabilization. The E-10 is a pro-level camera and weighs like one; the 3040 is a compact that barely weighs anything. that's why i have both. For serious photo excursions, I'll take both; for bopping around and the opportunistic photo I use the 3040.
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera
Review: I love this camera. Seems like each time I use it or review the owners manual I discover more stuff I can do with it. Recommend a 64mb card. Easy to use out of the box, the interface doesn't take that long to learn if you want to do more advanced photography. I strongly recommend this camera for novice and intermediate camera users.
Rating:
Summary: good camera for the semi-advanced photographer
Review: This camera has a plethora of bells and whistles... I'm learning the bells, I know some/most of the whistles. Great digital output, more than enough for 10"X14" photos at high resolution! Still experimenting with the unit as I am a bit more familiar with 35mm film format, this being my first digital adventure. Shop around, lots of deals to be had. Very light/compact with much potential for greatness, left only to whatever the users imagination can produce. I feel the flash needs to be experimented with however. The camera is not too difficult to handle/understand, but READ THE MANUAL... lots of neat well documented info available. Invest in a Ni-MH batteries and charger if you plan to process a lot of pictures. Also wise (for me) to acquire an AC adapter as well. Nuf said....
Rating:
Summary: How to get around the delay of taking a picture
Review: I've had this camera for 6 months. Along with the HP Photosmart 1215 printer, I've gone completely digital. The ability to see a picture and immediately adjust the flash level for the next picture has been great for indoors with less than ideal lighting. The problem with 1 second delay on taking a picture only exists for flash pictures. This delay can be completely eliminated by holding the button down half way until the green and orange light indicate the flash is charged. The delay is caused from not charging the flash prior to snapping the picture.I would also suggest plenty of rechargeables. Don't use the lithium batteries that come with camera. Save those for backups when your rechargeables go empty before you expect it.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Digital Camera with plenty of Bonus Features
Review: My Olympus C-3040 was delivered on Aug 27, 2001 and I've taken more pictures with it in these 4 months than I did in the last 4 years with my SLR. It's simply a fun camera to use, and I'm sure I haven't even used half the features, yet! I won't list every great feature because the reviews that have been posted cover everything in detail, but I will relate some of my experiences:
- buy a 128 MB SmartMedia card, but only the OLYMPUS card will allow automatic stitching of panoramic shots. The included 16 MB Olympus card has this feature, but the Viking 128 MB card does not.
- buy a charger with 4 batteries plus 4 extra batteries. Keep in mind that most people like to use the display all the time, so batteries will run out quickly. I only use the display to review the pictures taken, 99% of the time I use the viewfinder to take the picture. Consequently, I get great life out of my batteries.
- the automatic mode works for just about every situation. The only problem I've had was taking pictures of a Christmas tree with lights, which seemed to confuse the focus and every picture came out blurry. I had to read the manual and when I put it on manual focus the pictures came out sharp.
- although a large-capacity SmartMedia card will NOT increase the length of the video clips (75 seconds is the max), it WILL allow you to store several 75-second movies.
- I bought a USB card reader that does both Compact Flash and SmartMedia. It works so well that I've gotten in the habit of taking pictures of just about everything. For example, I bought a power tool that I wanted to tell my buddy about, so I just shot two quick pictures, downloaded them, an emailed them to him. "A picture IS worth a thousand words". Popping the memory card out of the camera and into the card reader is a snap, and it doesn't use any of the camera's battery.
- the included Remote Control makes self-portraits a snap; no more hurrying to get in position before the red light blinks; and you can take several remote control pictures in a row if you like.
Rating:
Summary: Great pictures, very flexible in all light settings
Review: This camera is great. There are plenty of options for the novice photographer to the low intermediate photographer. The pictures come out clear, well focused and the camera responds well to a wide variety of light conditions. Whether taking pictures in a dimly lit theater without flash or at night or during dusk hours - the pictures come out very well. I would definitely buy this camera again. One or two little nits, 1) carry a set of extra batteries if you're going to take several pics at a time. There is only brief indication that the batteries are getting low and then - boom - the camera is out of juice. 2) there is a brief delay between hitting the shutter button and the picture being taken - but it is easy to get used to.
Rating:
Summary: High Performance Control Freak
Review: +Performance
This digital camera allows FULL control of picture capture - apeture size, speed (1/800th sec!), film speed, a white balance differential, manual zoom, and basically everything you have in an SLR and more. The pictures are excellent on the auto setting for outdoor shots. Indoor shots are more difficult, but can be done well with some steady hands and setting customization. Close up shots are limited to greater than 7-8 inches. However, there is a macro option allowing the range finder to know you are focusing up close. The flash can bleach out images, but I've been using the white balance to correct this easily. From a straight forward image quality and ease of picture taking, I cannot complain. The LCD screen is fabulously clear. The interface does take some time to understand, but is no more difficult than a computer monitor interface. The read/write can lag if you really push it with semi-auto like shooting or using repeated multi shot. The zoom is not bad, but has something to be desired with the tube extension making the proportions not quite a true point-shoot camera or an SLR. +Bonus
There are some nifty and useful functions like a 3-spot light meter that gives you the average, a 360 panorama stitching function, 5-shot 'autowinder,' and video recording capability. The tactile feel is excellent with a non-slip surface on the hnad-interaction areas. +Connectivity
No card reader needed with the included USB patch cable. Super simple and a very fast download time. Using XP makes it even easier - don't even need the 3rd party software. +Longevity
With a 128 MB card at 1600x1200 resolution (medium) I can burn through the card 1-2 times with downloads no problem, dependent on the flash and LCD use. This is a lot of shooting on 4 AA NimH - from my past Kodak and Nikon dig cam experience. Peeves include no immediate delete option when you've just taken a bad picture. And you can record audio to a picture, but can't playback on the unit until cpu download. I could continue with the lame 16 MB card included and one-time use batteries, but the overall verdict is that Olympus made a very professional camera for people who want total control but the convenience of semi point-shoot size dimensions. 5 stars for rock-solid performance at a fair price.
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera!
Review: I didn't think I'd enjoy the video capturing feature as much as I do - and don't fool yourself, having sound makes a BIG difference (c-3020 doesn't have sound). People are not aware that it records video because it looks so much like a regular camera. You can get some truly funny captures. Having a strap for the lens cap is a simple but NICE addition, too. The c-3000 doesn't have it and you're always losing the damn thing. The f1.8 is great, too. Every little bit helps in those low light situations. The only thing I didn't like is that, though it has serial output (along with USB), the serial cable itself is considered optional and is not included. Chincy (...)!!! Buy a large memory card - you won't regret it. At the highest resolution with a 128MB card, you can snap 163 photos. Max record time on the high resolution is 75 seconds. Navigation though the menus are intuitive and easy - the manual is only necessary for advanced features. I have now seen and used the c-3000, c-3020, and c-3040. The c-3040 is my pick!
Rating:
Summary: My 3rd Olympus digital... Excellent, but small issues
Review: This is my third Olympus digital camera. I also own the D460Z and D490Z. The C3040 overcomes the main shortcoming of these other cameras: speed. The C3040 is speedy two critical ways. First, it has an onboard memory buffer, so you can shoot many shots immediately after each other. Indeed, it features a "rapid shoot" and "exposure bracket" option to take 3 or 5 shots rapidly in about 1.5 seconds. This is a great option if you need the "money shot". I was at a friends wedding and wanted to provide a few unique candid photos. The 3040 did not disappoint. Second is the F1.8 lens... which means that low light shots are definitely possible. Last month I was on the Great Barrier Reef as turtles came up on shore to nest at night. The turtles are frightened off by light, so flash photography was out. With the speed of the lens, plus a near full moon and cloudless sky; I've got some grainy, but still incredible pictures. Other great features: sound recording/annotation and built in USB connector (soooo much faster to download). The C3040 is not perfect. Three issues... yes, the lens cap is a problem. No solution I know of. Second, the viewfinder is not WYSIWYG. The mismatching is significant... though at least the viewfinder errors on the side of showing you less than what is actually captured. Third, versus Olympus's digital point-and-shoots, the C3040's form factor is large, which sometime discourages me from carrying it. So the search for the perfect digital goes on. I'm going to also pick up the C2100, which solves the WYSIWYG viewfinder issue.
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