Olympus Reviews

I purchased the camera last year and for a number of months it worked great. Now it only takes pictures inside. Anything outside is so over exposed it looks monochrome. Half the time the shutter doesn't click so I have to press it two or three times more until it finally works. When I first purchased the camera I would have given it 4 or 5 stars but now I'm in the market for something more reliable. After reading a number of other reviews where people had the same type of problems I'm convinced this camera is quickly self distructing.

I recently purchased this camera and with the savings from Amazon.com it is a great buy!! The cameras menu is easy to navigate through and with an added 32MB Smart Media card from Viking (just insert it on the side of the camera) the storage capacity even in the HQ picture setting is over 100 images!
With good light indoors it takes great pictures. I haven't used it outside yet, but I'm sure it will be just fine. The software that comes with it is easy to download, and with Windows 98, the drivers are very easy to install too. Just plug in to the USB Port on your PC and the software walks you right through the process of downloading the images.
Again, a great buy on a nice digital camera for the money!!

I've been very happy with this camera. I like the overall design and ease of use. Photo quality is excellent, given the 1.3 megapixel resolution. It's perfect for sending or posting photos via the internet and more fun than the old Polaroid cameras for taking photos at the spur of the moment. The quicktime movie feature is especially handy for analyzing your golf swing ;-)

Moving photos from the camera to your PC is literally a snap: just plug in the USB cable provided and Windows does the rest for you (just remember to unplug the camera as soon as you're done transferring -- using the USB cable drains the camera batteries). Simple editing software is also included.

Battery life seems very good: I probably took over 150 photos before the 4 batteries Olympus provided wore out. I expect my Duracells will last longer.

The 370 has only 2 Mb internal memory, so you absolutely have to buy a Smartmedia memory card for it. I recommend at least 32 Mb, which will hold nearly 200 shots at high resolution (even more at lower resolution). Of course, by transferring your photos to your PC, you can use your memory card over and over again, so it's like having an infinite amount of film.

Eventually, when prices drop, I'd like to buy a 3+ megapixel camera with optical telephoto, but for now this little Olympus hits the mark. I highly recommend it. I plan to check Olympus first when I'm in the market next time around.

1.3 Megapixel cameras are being phased out as higher resolution cameras drop in price. Consequently, I recommend looking for closeout sales at Amazon and elsewhere.

...

I purchased the camera last year and for a number of months it worked great. Now it only takes pictures inside. Anything outside is so over exposed it looks monochrome. Half the time the shutter doesn't click so I have to press it two or three times more until it finally works. When I first purchased the camera I would have given it 4 or 5 stars but now I'm in the market for something more reliable. After reading a number of other reviews where people had the same type of problems I'm convinced this camera is quickly self distructing.

I recently purchased this camera and with the savings from Amazon.com it is a great buy!! The cameras menu is easy to navigate through and with an added 32MB Smart Media card from Viking (just insert it on the side of the camera) the storage capacity even in the HQ picture setting is over 100 images!
With good light indoors it takes great pictures. I haven't used it outside yet, but I'm sure it will be just fine. The software that comes with it is easy to download, and with Windows 98, the drivers are very easy to install too. Just plug in to the USB Port on your PC and the software walks you right through the process of downloading the images.
Again, a great buy on a nice digital camera for the money!!

I've been very happy with this camera. I like the overall design and ease of use. Photo quality is excellent, given the 1.3 megapixel resolution. It's perfect for sending or posting photos via the internet and more fun than the old Polaroid cameras for taking photos at the spur of the moment. The quicktime movie feature is especially handy for analyzing your golf swing ;-)

Moving photos from the camera to your PC is literally a snap: just plug in the USB cable provided and Windows does the rest for you (just remember to unplug the camera as soon as you're done transferring -- using the USB cable drains the camera batteries). Simple editing software is also included.

Battery life seems very good: I probably took over 150 photos before the 4 batteries Olympus provided wore out. I expect my Duracells will last longer.

The 370 has only 2 Mb internal memory, so you absolutely have to buy a Smartmedia memory card for it. I recommend at least 32 Mb, which will hold nearly 200 shots at high resolution (even more at lower resolution). Of course, by transferring your photos to your PC, you can use your memory card over and over again, so it's like having an infinite amount of film.

Eventually, when prices drop, I'd like to buy a 3+ megapixel camera with optical telephoto, but for now this little Olympus hits the mark. I highly recommend it. I plan to check Olympus first when I'm in the market next time around.

1.3 Megapixel cameras are being phased out as higher resolution cameras drop in price. Consequently, I recommend looking for closeout sales at Amazon and elsewhere.

...

I'm the unofficial photographer for my kid's high school tennis team. I go to all the matches I can and take a zillion photos that I then upload to the net for use by the school and the kids on the team and their parents. I need a versatile unit that works well in all lighting conditions, which is good for action photography and has very good dtorage capacity.

This camera more than fits the bill.

Picture resolution is exceptional even on zoom action shots on the court. It works well with a variety of lighting conditions, a feature I especially like as a lot of my work is in the very late afternoon/early evening time when the court lights come on but some sunlight is still available but changing minute by minute. Changing settings is quick and easy. The only major flaw I can detect for the whole unit is the fluorescent lighting setting is lousy-stay with the standard incandescent setting for better results.

The camera has good storage capacity. It quickly shifts between photos in "view" mode, a feature I like as it allows me to ditch less desirable shots on the fly so as to maximize card storage capacity.

The unit also does excellent close up work. On a recent vacation to Nova Scotia I took a lot of wildflower pictures and they turned out fantastic.

The USB connection is easy to set up and use. There is a Camedia CD for working with your pictures on a pc but it is very basic and offers somewhat limited utility-I use a different photo-shop type program.

A lot of people gripe about the lens cap on the Olympus products. While it's true they were a disaster in previous times, it has improved greatly. Just weave the strap onto one of the side strap bars and all will be well.

I personally find the viewfinder a bit awkward to use and usually just use the LCD on the back to view and set up the pics. On the other hand, my wife loves the viewfinder and that's all she ever uses. I think this is a matter of taste rather than any particular engineering issue.

On the whole, an excellent value for the price on a slew of fronts. I don't see how you could be disappointed with this camera.

The Olympus C-700 is an absolutely amazing camera. First off, it has a 10x zoom lens that's equal to 38-380 mm (in 35mm) -- or an even more phenomenal 38-1,026 mm(!) if one counts the 2.7x digital zoom. So if you're looking for "telephoto," this camera has it in spades!

The camera is even fantastic indoors and in low light (inside or at night). The camera adjusts the exposure to the equivalent of 800-speed film, but I'd swear the sensitivity is even higher. I've gone to indoor theatrical events and shot - with no flash, hand-held and with telephoto -- and the photos have come out great!

Nighttime images are also a piece-of-cake. Long exposures are rendered perfectly (and not washed out)! And even when the scene is too dark to see on the display before the shot is taken, the actual photo is viewable immediately afterwards in all of its splendor. The camera's "exposure lock" is also handy for locking-in the proper exposure indoors (which is useful when the lighting changes dramatically during a stage show, or when the performers are only in the spotlights). Simply press the exposure lock, verify the exposure in the viewfinder's LCD display -- and repeat the procedure until you achieve the level of brightness desired. (Using the exposure lock -- and adjusting the brightness using the digital viewfinder -- takes the guesswork out of overcoming previously difficult indoor lighting situations).

My favorite use for the C-700, though, is taking photos of my kids playing basketball indoors. The camera's dimunitive size (being much smaller than a normal SLR) makes the unit easy to hand-hold and maneuver under all photographic situations. And although the camera's normal focus is slow (like most digital cameras), the shutter will fire almost instantaneously -- if you pre-focus ahead of time (so catching the action is not a problem). (The C-700 will also take a few seconds, in addition, to recover for the next shot; so its important to plan accordingly.) Digital photos of my kids playing basketball are now scattered liberally throughout their rooms. My kids love 'em!

The camera has two LCD displays; one on the camera's back -- and one in the viewfinder; the latter providing an SLR-like view of the actual photo -- both before and after its taken. The LCD viewfinder is ideal for accurate composition, especially when the zoom range is so broad. But both displays will tend to wash-out when shooting in bright sun; so I'll normally end up cupping my hand over the eyepiece when I shoot outdoors. (If most of your photography will be outside -- and if you don't need the ultra long zoom lens offered by the C-700 -- then I would urge you to consider purchasing, as an alternative, a digital camera with a traditional glass viewfinder. Viewing the image in the see-through viewfinder will be much easier -- and much more satisfying.)

Even though printing photos from my PC isn't a problem, my favorite way of outputting shots from my Olympus C-700 is actually -- to bypass the computer entirely -- and use HP's new PhotoSmart PS 100 printer, which reads from the camera's Smart Media card directly. Since both the Olympus and HP save and read, respectively, in what's called DPOF (digital print order format) -- I can crop (and select) the photos I want to print on the camera's rear LCD screen -- pop the Smart Media card into the printer -- and then print borderless 4" x 6" photos by hitting just the "Print" button (since the PS 100 will always call-up the DPOF pictures first). What could be easier?

With its 2.1 megapixel capability, the camera also makes great 8 x 10's, which I output in the more traditional manner from my computer to my HP Photosmart 1315 or HP 990 Cse printers.

All in all, the Olympus C-700 is a great digital camera -- which I use to supplment (but not replace) my 35 mm Nikon SLR, Canon underwater, and Olympus point-and-shoot cameras.

If you're looking for a telephoto digital camera, you won't find a longer, more usable range -- in such a small size -- anywhere else! And if you want to shoot indoors or in low light -- you'll be truly amazed by the (previously unobtainable) shots you'll now be able to take. This digital camera has easily expanded my photographic horizons -- in ways I never anticipated. For the above situations (and a whole bunch more) -- the Olympus C-700 is now my camera of choice!

I've owned this camera for several years now and although the resolution is starting to get low by todays standards, I still greatly enjoy this camera. I absolutely love the 10x zoom, and the pictures taken are much better than if you would have a cheapy low-end 3-4 megapixel camera. For anyone on a budget, this camera now offers alot of quality for an affordable price.

This camera is a very good one for the price, although not for everyone. The menus are complex. Beginning digital photographers might be happier with a cheaper point and shoot camera with 3X optical zoom. People who take zoomed pictures in dimmed light might have a hard time holding the camera stationary to avoid blurring. However, I like the C-730. It can use both SmartMedia and xD cards so you can choose to go cheap with the SM cards now or get the slightly more expensive xD cards that will probably have much greater capacity in the future (I read that this format had a theoretical limit of 8 gigabytes). The camera has a number of programmed modes for moonlight shots, sports shots, portraits, landscapes, etc. It also has manual options on shutter speed and aperture settings. It takes quick-time movies with sound. It's also small enough to stick in a jacket pocket.

There are two things that I wish the camera had: (1) a stablized lens like its predecessor, the C-2100UZ, and (2) an infrared focus light for taking pictures in dim light. However, most people just think about megapixels. Maybe Olympus thought a cheaper, non-stabilized lens had a bigger market.

This camera's quality of picture is terrific. The zoom is unbelievable. This is the first digital camera that we have owned, but not the first we have used. It's true you need to buy rechargable batteries, and I recommend the 128 Media card. With the 128Mb card, at high quality, you can take 161 pictures, and at standard quality over 900! The quality of picture is fantastic, did I mention that? This camera is well worth the price. One more thing, the camera bag for the Olympus C-series that pops up with this camera is too small for this model.

In a word, yes. However, I would say after all this time that some other makes are somewhat better at rendering truly faithful colors and that the Olympus autofocus mechanism is slower than newer digicams and therefore will more often yield a slightly blurred image.
That notwithstanding, the 700 was my favorite digital camera for a long time, that is, until the 720 came along. Then along came the 730, which maintained the 3+ megapixel resolution of the 720, while reinserting the 10X (true optical) zoom (the 720 has an 8X).
In point of fact, zooming at 8X or at 10X without a tripod or image stabilization (not present on either the 700 or the 720) is extremely challenging. Anyway, this camera is beautifully made and ergonomically engineered. The aspherical all glass lens system is excellent and the resulting 3 megapixel images are crystal clear at 8" x 10" and quite acceptable at 11" x 14". The zoom of course remains the trump card on the 730, and the smoothness (just the right damping) with which it reaches its 10x limit is awesome. Another nice feature is its ability to take QuickTime movies, which really adds to its versatility.
The news with the 730 is that it is the first Olympus to utilize the new xD memory card format, the "xD-Picture Card". This is a new type of ultra-compact memory media developed jointly by Fuji and Olympus. The main features of the xD-Picture Card are its ultra-compact size (20.0 x 25.0 x 1.7mm), its lower power consumption (the xD Picture-Card users will benefit from the convenience and savings of longer battery life on a single charge) and its faster read/write speeds. Of course, a new card means a new card-reader will be needed, but these are inexpensive and aren't immediately needed, as the camera can be linked by the included USB cable to your PC without too much fuss. Overall, I think the 730 is a winner, especially as prices have fallen steadily over the past year.

The camera is really nice and works well but, will not work great in low light,unless you use the flash and are pretty close to your subject matter but not too close, other than that the zoom is really nice it really brings things in close and with the 8X Zoom the 3 megapixel is nice,I have taken some great photos in full light and in medium light making sure that the camera was held still. The software will let you do a lot just using the auto enhance option.
On the down side it is just a bit too big to put in a shirt pocket so I had to get a bag for it or put it in a jacket pocket in cooler weather.

I own this camera and am very pleased with it. I have some photography experience but this is my first digital camera, so in choosing a camera my goals were to find one that is as close to a traditional 35 mm film camera, but digital. This camera acheives that goal. The main drawback to this camera is that it is difficult to take action photos. I'll get to that, but first a few pros:

- Of course, the powerful optical zoom and optical lens, (combined with digital zoom gives you almost 30x zoom).
- For having an optical lens, this camera is really compact! It is easily held in one hand.
- Full automatic controls of shutter speed and aperture, but also the option of full manual (as well as shutter speed priority or aperture priority) should you want to do something creative. Though it does not have unlimited exposure time; you can't go past about one minute.

And a few cons:

- The necessary accessories will drive the price up. It only comes with a 4 MB memory card, and much more is needed (I recommend at least 64 MB, probably 128 MB). Also, rechargeable batteries are recommended, as well as a carrying case.
- Though it uses double-A's, most rechargeable double-A's don't last long. I often end up buying regular double-A's in the end anyway.
- Like other digital cameras, the camera must be powered up before taking photos but you don't want to leave it on at all times in order to save batteries. However, if you have a sudden photo opportunity it does take a minute for the camera to power up. The camera will go into sleep mode to save batteries and it "wakes up" a little faster, but still somewhat slowly. This is a minor drawback.
- And the biggest drawback, for me, is the difficulty in taking action shots. It is difficult for two reasons:

1) The auto-focus is slow. By the time the camera focuses and shoots, your photo opportunity easily may have passed. It does have manual focus but it is much slower! You have to use the up/down and left/right arrows on the back of the camera to focus. First, this is an inconvenient location especially if you are using the viewfinder instead of the viewscreen. And, the buttons are digitally controlled; each press of the button requires a short processing time. If you think you can manually focus on the fly with this camera while shooting sports photography, forget it! So, unless you are in a situation where you can focus manually once and take all of your photos at that focal length, you will have to rely on the moderately slow auto-focus.

2) After each photo, the image freezes to show you the picture you just took. This is a nice feature on most any digital camera nowadays, but since you can't turn it off it can really interfere if you are trying to take several photos back-to-back. The viewscreen does this, but so does the viewfinder, so there is no avoiding it. The only option, if you want to take quick back to back photos, is to turn on the "rapid-shooting" which will take 2 or more photos every time you press the button. Fortunately it's digital so you aren't wasting film!

All of that said, I will mention that I have managed to take some decent sports photographs. The drawbacks are a nuisance but can be worked around in ways like those that I have mentioned.

I recommend this camera to anyone that is looking for a digital camera at a very affordable price that will provide many of the benefits of a traditional 35 mm film-based camera. It is good for beginners as well as amateur photographers, but if you're planning to do action photography I recommend sticking to the 35 mm, or finding a different (though surely more expensive) digital camera.

Bottom line: it is hard, if not impossible, to beat this camera for this price.

This camera is great! The best thing about it is the lens-you can take photos of far away objects easily. The 8x optical zoom is wonderful and the digital 3x is surprisingly clear. I especially enjoyed all the options. There is a movie mode and many exposure commands. The LCD screen on the back is bright and clear. You may take timed exposures and macro shots. There are screws on the lens to add filters and other lenses (check out Ebay: "720 Olympus filters"). Also, there camera comes with a wide array of items. It comes with lens cap, straps, cables and manuals. The software included is very good and becomes outstanding with the upgrade-check out free stitch. The memory goes up to 128meg and is easy to purchase at Amazon-lookup "128meg smartmedia". The included (stereo port) TV cable enables viewing shots on the TV-and even slideshows from the camera (12' Sterio cord extension from Radio Shack helps). Overall, it's a great camera with lots of good-great for family or pro. I highly recommend it.

I was an early adopter of digital photography and thus had an older, 2MP Kodak camera. I decided it was time for an upgrade and after an extensive search, I settled on the Olympus C-5060. I couldn't be happier. This camera is loaded with features for the advanced photographer, but also is simple for my wife to use as a point and shoot camera. I find the wide angle lens much more useful than a long zoom lens, since most of my photos are either indoor shots or scenic outdoor shots. The wide lens captures so much more of the action. And the camera is fast. I have it set on the highest quality JPEG mode and it snaps away pictures very briskly. The quality of the shots is breathtaking. My only complaint is that like all cameras, in auto mode, you have to be careful when taking highly contrasting shots because the auto exposure will sometimes be fooled. That being said, you simply have to change the exposure mode to focus on the subject (rather than the whole scene) and your exposure will turn out fine.

Overall, an excellent camera and a fine value.

I've had the C-5060 for about a month and I love it. The quality of the photos is excellent. I'm very happy with the built in flash which is MUCH more powerful than the one in my Kodak DC4800. I also like the fact that I can control the intensity of the flash.

Yes it uses a proprietary battery, but I've taken hundreds of photos with flash on one charge. I will admit that I've purchased two spare batteries just in case.....

The menus are not difficult to use, although there are so many features that I've only just scratched the surface on it's capabilities. The User Manual on CD is 289 pages! The camera has lots of "one touch" buttons that allow you to set features without needing to navigate through menus.

All told I'm very happy with this camera and don't think I'll be looking to buy a replacement for many years to come.

Just for information to the people who bought the c 5060 recently like I did and reported the problem with the charger's blinking red light when first charged out of the box. I had the same problem but went ahead and fully charged the battery overnight despite the instructions saying to call customer support. The battery was fully charged in the morning, the indicator light was green, and have not had a problem since. What happened I think is the battery came from the supplier uncharged so the first time it is charged it takes a long time (I left it overnight probably 10 hours) and red indicator light is blinking.

pros:
- fast F1.8 lens, 5MP resolution, 3X zoom lens.
- very good resolution.
- good reliable metering.
- good color balance.
- full manual controls.
- allows fine-tuning of white balance.
- impressive macro performance.
- solid build quality.
- shooting priority play mode (double press quick view button to go to shooting mode).
- eight separate user settings - that's a lot!
- very wide range of manual and parameter controls.
- flash hot-shoe.
- good night exposures with noise reduction enabled.
- no color cast from flash.
- AF assist lamp.
- impressive bundle included IR remote control.
- flexible: supports three types of memory cards: xD, SD, CF.
- supports both RAW and TIFF formats.
- uses non-proprietary rechargeable AA batteries. this means that in a pinch, replacement batteries are as close as the nearest convenience store.
- impressive battery life.

cons:
- competition has at least 4x zoom.
- noticeable purple fringing.
- images noisier than expected, even at low ISO setting.
- jagged diagonals sometimes visible.
- complex user interface - button placement has a random feel to it.
- shutter lag when shutter speed isn't fast.
- LCD only tilts and not flip-out like canon's and nikon's.
- cannot cancel writing to memory during TIFF capture - very frustrating if you already know you're going to trash the picture you just took.
- slow start-up (over 5 seconds!).
- slow shot to shot times.
- bigger and heavier than its competition: 4.5 x 2.7 x 3.2 in, weighing 17.1 oz.
- 32MB xD card provided is inadequate so add $$ to your budget to buy external memory.
- manual is on CD - very annoying.

this is a solid 5MP camera but suffers from noisier than expected images (even at low ISO settings) and noticeable chromatic aberrations. its flexibility and wide feature set deserves consideration; just makes sure you also check out its impressive competition: the canon g5, sony dsc-v1, and nikon 5400.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

Typically, digitals have suffered from two major problems. Shutter lag and poor performance in low light situations. The Olympus cameras (particularly this one) suffer none of that. The shutter opens when you push the button which is crucial when your subject is a two year with the attention span of a gnat. Additionally, the f1.8 aperture lens is as good as it gets for a non-slr and consequently this camera does a great job in low light situations. Combine this with the incredible # of features (umpteen shooting modes, you can shoot the shot in Sepia, save to SmartMedia, CompactFlash, & XD picture cards), this is one great camera. I simply could not be more pleased. Finally, if you learn to master a decent photo editor (e.g., photoshop, paint shop pro), you can produce near works of art with this camera that people are willing to part money for. I have.

For more than ten years of mountaineering, running rivers and exploring remote corners of the world, my OM-1 was my constant companion. Although not a professional, I was passionate about photography. In 1990 I was experimenting with low-light color photography. In a cement health clinic in a roadless corner of Nicaragua, my OM-1 suffered a fall and a fatal head injury.
I had bought and experimented with half a dozen cameras since, but none could begin to replace my photographic partner. After only a week with my C5050, I am still learning just how to get the precise image I envision - but already I am capturing wonderful light effects, the color is true, the display almost as good as the SLR. The brilliant optics, the feel of the shutter, the sophisticated but not unfriendly programs and manual override, and the ease of in-camera composition echo this camera's great film predecessors. My beloved OM-1 is reincarnated for the 21st century. I can hardly wait to get back into the wilds.

pros:
- 5MP resolution in a small, well-designed metal body.
- allows a great deal of manual control.
- good color reproduction.
- higher than expected contrast from tonal balance.
- low image noise with moderate shutter speeds.
- spot metering.
- shooting priority play mode (double press of quick view button).
- good night exposures with automatic noise reduction.
- solid build quality.
- bright, high resolution LCD monitor with anti-reflective coating.
- included Infrared remote control.
- decent battery life (but i'd still recommend getting a spare).
- compact dimensions 3.9 x 2.3 x 1.7 in, weighing 8.0 oz.

cons:
- some purple fringing / chromatic aberrations.
- noisy images, "jaggies" visible.
- limited adjustment on image parameters.
- no manual white balance.
- no manual focus.
- some blue cast using the flash.
- no AF illuminator.
- high redeye occurrence.
- poor movie mode when compared to competition.
- manual is on CD.
- LCD not very useful in very low light.
- glacial write times for TIFFs.
- slow image write times.
- RAW format not supported.
- you can't slide the lens cover to turn the camera on and off when mounted on a tripod nor can you change the battery or xD card.
- poor macro ability.
- fastest continuous shooting speed is only 1 fps.
- no histogram display in record or play mode.
- the supplied 32MB xD card is inadequate. be prepared to shell out a few more bucks for more memory.
- the batteries supplied are proprietary so add a few bucks to your budget for a spare.

the c-50z is a decent camera with 5MP resolution in a compact package. but there is no manual white balance and no manual focus plus the images compare unfavorably against its competition. at this price point, check out the canon s50.

i hope this helps you in your buying decision. peace.

This is really my first digital and I have only had it a couple of weeks. However I find the delay between when I press the button and when the picture is taken far too long. It averages 6 seconds on auto and 2 or more on the sports setting, which I am told is as fast as it gets. By this time my kids are halfway down the block. I have a lot of pictures of my yard, empty doorways, and blank walls. At least I know I have to take the picture again because I can view it immediately, but somethings can not be repeated. Is this delay normal for other cameras...?

Pros: Ultra compact, five megapixels, manual exposure options, Compact, high resolution, razor sharp, bright LCD, Small, lithium ion battery/charger, picture quality, compactness, easy to use, loaded with advanced features yet point-and-shoot simple on automatic, multiple resolution options, including uncompressed TIFF, compact and light.

Cons: No LCD screen cover, no AF assist light, questionable low-light capabilities, many settings, price, uses new xD picture card, Poor LCD viewing in very low light, extremely slow save for TIFFs, occasional image noise, works poorly with a tripod.

Summary: I did quite a bit of research before deciding on the Olympus C50. I wanted a small digital camera that had some manual controls. The camera also had to feel sturdy and have a menu system that was intuitive for me. The C50 won out over my other choices hands down (Minolta F100 and Nikon CP4500). Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and can live with the little quirks I've read about with this camera. The remote comes in handy when displaying your pictures on TV. Also, the battery life on this little guy is quite good -- much better than the Kodak I had. Olympus could have done a better job on the printed manual. The manual on CD is much better and they should have just printed out that manual in the appropriate language for the countries they ship to.