The Olympus C4000 the Best Four Megapixel Digital Camera Deal ?
Written: Oct 27 '02 (Updated Jan 12 '03)
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Pros: Lots of manual options, incredible feature set, superb four megapixel digital images
Cons: At this price, none
The Bottom Line: The C4000 is a feature rich four megapixel digital camera with excellent image quality and superb performance at a bargain price,
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| Howard_Creech's Full Review: Olympus Camedia C-4000 Zoom Digital Camera |
Digital photography is ever evolving and nobody wants to spend several hundred dollars on a digital camera only to discover that they might have gotten a better deal. Most consumers spend days and sometimes weeks researching and comparing competing models looking for that perfect balance of features and capabilities versus cost. The comparisons can become mind-boggling. Features, ease of use, overall capability, compatibility, resolution, and image quality are all important points of evaluation. In almost every one of these areas the new Olympus C4000 out competes its rivals, and in a couple of areas, the C4000 breaks new ground.
The Olympus C4000 uses “smart media” cards for image storage, while most of the major digital cameras makers (Nikon & Canon) have opted to go with Compact Flash storage media, primarily due to the IBM micro-drive, and its incredible (up to 1 gigabyte) digital image storage capacity. The Olympus C4000 is designed to appeal to people who don’t need a gigabyte of digital image storage, and the millions of people who don’t want to pay seven hundred bucks for a digital camera. The Olympus C4000 is targeted toward the amateur photographers, family website creators, and part time snap shooters who make up about ninety per cent of the digital camera buying public.
A bit less than two years ago Olympus introduced another digital camera that allowed savvy consumers to do an “end run” around all the hype high tech marketers had thrown up to confuse buyers and muddy the digital camera waters. That camera, the Olympus C3000 was a slightly simplified version of the Olympus C3040 and it was a resounding success. Olympus didn’t have to promote the C3000 or spend money on advertising, with word of mouth and the C3000’s incredible balance of features, capabilities and bargain price the camera sold itself. The idea worked so well for Olympus that they’ve done it again, enthusiastic professional reviews and word of mouth advertising has already got consumers lining up to buy the C4000.
Nuts and Bolts
C4000’s sell for about half what Canon’s new G3 is going for and they are competitive with the G3 in almost every area of consideration. How is Olympus able to produce a camera that performs very well, holds up beautifully, and is competitive with digital cameras costing hundreds of dollars more? Olympus used some old-fashioned business ingenuity. Engineers at Olympus have taken all they learned in the research and development stages of the Olympus C4040 (a faster, more feature rich digital camera) and created a somewhat stripped down little brother, a sibling camera that tries harder.
The major differences between the two cameras are the C4000’s smaller RAM buffer, and a smaller (included) smart media card. There were no research and development costs to be re-couped on the C4000 and the camera was assembled from proven on hand components. Olympus’ engineers mated the 3X zoom (from the C2020 & C3000) and the four megapixel digital sensor developed for the Olympus C4040, and a host of features from the C30320, C3030, and C3040 models and stuffed everything into their standard rangefinder style digi-cam body. Olympus’ marketing folks lightened the software bundled with the C4000 camera (since most consumers use third party image management programs anyway) and chose not to include re-chargeable batteries (the Olympus C4000 is able to use cheap AA NiMH rechargeables) or a battery charger, further reducing “out the door” production costs.
The result is a first rate digital camera with an MSRP of five hundred bucks (the street price ranges from $325-$350). The Olympus C4000 (based on features, resolution, image quality, and usability) is competitive with the new Nikon Coolpix 4500 and the new Canon G3, but at around half the price (actually the C4000’s price is more in line with most three megapixel digital cameras). So, if you’re tired of waiting for digital camera prices to drop to reasonable levels and you’re ready to join the digital camera revolution, consider the Olympus C4000. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you’ll get for your money. Currently the C4000 is the best digital camera deal around, and I’m predicting that they will be selling on-line for $299.00 by Christmas.
Features
Comparing digital cameras is a complex task, as anyone who has researched the purchase of their first digital camera can tell you. Consumers are often left with a plethora of specifications (resolution, zoom range, shutter lag, features, speed, etc.) that ultimately are confusing and sometimes frustrating. How can consumers cut through all the hype and get to the meat of the search? For most digital camera buyers the single most important consideration should be how do the performance, features, durability, image quality, and overall value of each digital camera they are considering stack up against the competition?
The first step in cutting through the BS is to forget about the "mine is bigger/smaller (or cooler) than yours" hyperbole. Be objective and consider carefully whether you really need to buy the latest “in” model? One of the reasons those “in” cameras are always more expensive is that slick ads and sexy models cost lots of money, and guess who gets to pick up the tab? If you want cool, sexy, and hip then the C4000 is not for you. If, on the other hand, you want solid performance, proven components, excellent durability, and superb image quality at a bargain price then the C4000 may be just what you’ve been looking for.
Viewfinder/LCD
The C-4000 Zoom features Olympus’ standard 1.8” TFT color LCD viewfinder. In addition the LCD screen provides detailed information about exposure settings. The C4000 also features a real-image optical viewfinder with a diopter correction adjustment for eyeglasses wearers. The high eyepoint optical viewfinder zooms with the lens.
The C-4000 Zoom also provides a "live" histogram display, which automatically appears in the LCD display in any automatic exposure mode (Program, Aperture, and Shutter Priority modes), when enabled through the LCD menu. The histogram shows over- or underexposed areas of the image, allowing photographers to fine-tune exposure for correct exposure balance of highlights and shadows. Users can also use the LCD screen to review saved images, zoom in on displayed images (up to 4x), and view the Index display (four, nine, or 16 thumbnail images). The "Quick View" function lets you switch quickly from shooting to playback mode.
Menus
The C400’s menu system is relatively complex because the camera offers so many features. Advanced photographers can control exposure, light metering, white balance, resolution, bracketing, ISO setting, flash mode, and much more through the menu system. Less demanding users can select program or one of the preset image modes to handle pretty much any shooting situation that may arise. The C4000 is a digital camera that users you can truly "grow into".
Lens
The Olympus C-4000 3X Zoom lens is a proven f2.8/32-96mm optic, first used on the Olympus C2020. In the Spot AF (auto focus) mode the C4000 allows users to select from nine AF areas.
Auto Focus
The C4000’s TTL (through the lens) autofocus system uses contrast-detection for precise automatic focusing. The focus is quick and consistently accurate. The C4000’s low light auto focus capabilities are slightly better than average.
Manual Focus
The manual focus option is available through the C4000’s menu system. When Manual focus is enabled the C4000’s LCD displays a distance scale and a bar graph focusing display. The up/down arrow keys adjust the focus distance. When you adjust the focus in manual mode, the LCD viewfinder display changes to show a 2x magnified view of the central portion of the image (the display returns to normal size once you release the arrow button) for precise focusing.
Macro Focus
In Macro mode the C4000’s minimum focusing distance is 7 inches. In Super Macro mode the camera will close focus at 1 inch. The Super Macro mode restricts the zoom to a single wide-angle setting.
Exposure
The C4000 provides lots of exposure control. Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual exposure modes and six scene modes (Self-Portrait, Night Scene, Landscape / Scene, Landscape / Portrait, Sports, and Portrait). In addition to the standard exposure modes, the C4000 provides the "My Mode" option which allows users to save up to four separate sets of exposure settings, so if you shoot pretty much the same way all the time, you can save the settings and instantly recall them on start-up. The C4000’s Movie mode allows user to shoot short video clips at 320X240 @ 15 FPS with time limited by memory (recording time available on the memory card appears on the LCD monitor). Since there is no audio, the zoom may be used during video recording. Video clips can be edited in camera.
Metering
Three metering systems are available with the C4000----Spot, Multi-Spot, and ESP multi-pattern metering. The default ESP multi-pattern metering takes readings from a number of areas across the field of view and evaluates them to determine the best exposure.
White Balance
White Balance options include Auto, One Touch (Manual), or six Preset modes: Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Daylight Fluorescent, Neutral Fluorescent, or Cool Fluorescent. You can fine-tune the white balance with the "WB /-" which uses an adjustment bar on the LCD screen to increase or decrease the red or blue tones.
Flash
The C4000’s multi mode built in flash provides a pretty standard set of lighting options: Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, and Flash Off modes. A flash sync socket allows users to connect an external flash to the camera for more powerful flash lighting. Olympus’ optional FL-40 external flash can be controlled through the camera. Both the on-board and external flash units can be used simultaneously or separately. The C4000’s built in flash has a nifty Flash Brightness adjustment which allows users to vary flash output from 2/-2 EV in one-third-step increments. When using the built-in flash with an external unit, you can use this feature to adjust the light balance between the two flashes.
Controls, Design, & Ergonomics
Nothing new here. If you’ve used any of the Olympus “C” series cameras (C2020, C3000, C3020, C3040, and C4040) then you’ll be right at home with the C4000. If you haven’t used any of Olympus’ mid sized cameras then the C4000 will require about 15 seconds of familiarization. All the controls are logical and well laid out and the camera is comfortable to hold and use. To maximize all that is available through the C4000’s menu system will require a little quality time with users manual.
Creative Photography Options
One of the neatest things about the new Olympus C4000 is the “Tweak” adjustment function. Through the menu system, users can fine tune (or tweak) several key exposure parameters in small incremental steps. White balance, contrast, color saturation, and in-camera sharpening may be “tweaked”. My compliments to Olympus’ engineers, this is a wonderful tool for creative photography and precise exposure control and nobody else has it. In camera cropping is also available.
Power
The C4000 is powered by two CR-V3 lithium battery packs or four AA batteries (alkaline, lithium, NiMH, or NiCad). Like all “C” series Olympus digital cameras power use is very well controlled. Users can leave the camera on and ready to go all the time without worrying about draining the batteries. This means the C4000 is ready to go instantly, rather having to wait through a 7 to 10 second “boot-up” cycle.
Technical Specifications
Resolution: 4 megapixels (2,288 x 1,712)----3,200 x 2,400 pixels with "Optimum Image Enlargement" interpolation)
LCD Viewfinder: 1.8” TFT Color LCD
Optical Viewfinder: Yes
Exposure Modes: Program AE, Aperture & Shutter Priority AE, and Manual Exposure
Lens: 3X Zoom 32 to 96mm (35mm equivalent) 8 elements in 6 groups
Maximum aperture f/2.8
Minimum Aperture F11
Sensitivity: Auto (ISO equivalent) 100, 200, & 400
Exposure Compensation: Yes, /- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments
Flash: Built in multi mode and external flash capability
Image Capture: JPEG, Uncompressed TIFF, and QT Movie modes
Image Storage Media: Smart Media (16 Megabyte card included)
Connectivity: USB 1.1
Included
16MB SmartMedia card, two CR-V3 lithium battery packs, USB cable, NTSC video cable, Camedia Master 4.0 software CD-ROM, Neck strap, Lens cap with tether, Printed users manual
Optional
Olympus’ FL-40 flash unit, AC adaptor, lens adapter tube CLA-1 (the CLA-1 design requires another threaded adapter ring because it doesn't extend far enough to clear the lens barrel. If you buy a CLA-1 adapter unit, be sure to buy a step-up ring to whatever filter size you plan on using. The CLA-1 provides excellent protection against accidental damage to the delicate lens telescoping mechanism should the front of the camera bump against anything
In the Field/Operation and Handling
My friend and I have been talking a lot the last few weeks about the new crop of digital cameras. The Christmas buying season always brings a large number of new and updated model introductions. My friend (who sells new and used digital and analog camera equipment) like most camera retailers makes almost fifty per cent of his annual income during the three months immediately preceding Christmas and the month after Christmas, so new digital cameras are very important to him. We both liked the Olympus C3000 and when my friend heard that Olympus had introduced a new bargain digi-cam with four megapixels he was very interested in testing the new camera.
The C4000 has been available since August and unlike some hot new digital camera models there is no waiting list, you can buy it today. My friend and I took a new C4000 to Cave Hill Cemetery and to shoot an old growth Osage Orange Tree and an ancient Ginko that was brought to Louisville from China on a Clipper ship before the Civil War. Neither tree was in peak color, which was too bad since both are old favorites, especially at this time of the year. We shot some of the Confederate Civil War grave markers and found several trees in beautiful color. My friend and I were able to try several of the camera’s features, including the auto bracketing (which works quite well) and the various white balance modes.
The following day was absolutely gorgeous with cobalt blue skies and cottony white clouds. We took the C4000 to Cherokee Park, a large urban green space in Louisville’s East End. Cherokee Park has lots of old growth trees and we were looking for some nice displays of fall color. We are still a week or so away from our fall color peak here in the Ohio Valley but there are lots of trees turning and small displays are not difficult to find. We drove along the Park Boundary road, right beside Beargrass Creek and found a couple of really colorful displays. Saturday’s weather was overcast (no reflections which means more intense color) and cold but it did clear up nicely for a short period in the early afternoon.
Low- light shooting under the trees along Beargrass Creek was fairly simple with the excellent range of options provided by the C4000’s relatively fast zoom lens, exposure compensation, and variable ISO settings. By using these features in combination, it is possible to fine-tune exposures for almost any lighting situation. The C4000 offers a tremendous amount of manual control for a camera in this price range.
Louisville is fortunate to have one of the most extensive city/county parks systems in the country, so after finishing up in Cherokee Park we took the camera to Seneca Park to shoot a small waterfall on Beargrass Creek. We wanted to see if all the manual exposure options and fill flash would allow me to shoot at a slow shutter speed (in order to “feather” the water) and use a small F-stop to show as much of the Creek both above and below the small waterfall in sharp focus. I wanted to use the fill flash mode to add a little light and some sparkle to the water in the gloom under the old growth trees that almost completely shield the area from sunlight. The C4000 (mounted on a sturdy tripod) produced well-exposed images with water that looked like flowing milk. We’ve had almost two inches of rain over the past couple of weeks, so the Creek was high, but the still water behind the small falls was mirror perfect and the images showed the reflections of the colors of the leaves.
Shutter Lag & Timing
Overall the Olympus C4000 is a bit faster in operation than many four megapixel digital cameras, but a bit slower than top of the line models like Canon’s new G3 and Nikon’s CP4500. The Olympus C4000’s longest lag is the write to card time for full-res TIFF files. (There's no buffer when shooting in TIFF format---- you have to wait for the camera to save the image before you can shoot another). Shutter lag is about average for four megapixel cameras but “boot-up” cycle time is not a consideration since the C4000 can be left on all the time because of the cameras exceptional power management.
A Few Concerns
The only real concern I have with the C4000 is minor chromatic aberration (purple fringing) from the 3X zoom that is visible in some high contrast images. Barrel distortion is so well controlled at the wide-angle end of the 3X zoom that it is virtually invisible, but there is some barely visible Pincushion distortion at the telephoto end of the zoom. Overall the 3X zoom is an exceptional optic with astounding resolution considering the cost of the camera. The thumb pad directional arrows are a little difficult to reach without strain.
Image Quality
My friend has been carrying the C4000 around for a week so when we looked at all the images I was amazed at the range of stuff the two of us had shot. We had fall color and waterfalls, some shots from the Kentucky Flea Market, a couple of shots inside at the Twice Told Coffee House, and some close-ups shot at the Bardstown Road Farmers Market. The images were consistently excellent, as good as any four megapixel images we’ve shot with any of the cameras we’ve tested, and better than many. We printed two 8X10’s (one of the Seneca Park waterfall and one of a close-up of some bright red leaves and a couple of gray-brown mushrooms we shot at Cave Hill. Both prints (printed with an Epson Stylus Photo 785EPX on photo paper) were excellent.
The C4000’s image quality was consistently excellent with accurate color, excellent sharpness, and a wide dynamic range. The "tweak" adjustments provided enough additional control to allow my friend and I to customize the camera’s exposure system to pretty much produce exactly what we wanted. We both loved this feature and our dual prediction is that it will start popping up on lots of top of the line digital cameras from Olympus’ competitors in the near future.
Conclusion
C4000’s consistently excellent performance and superb image quality make the camera a real option for any demanding photography enthusiast, especially those on a budget. The Olympus C4000 is a real value that offers the opportunity for digital photographers to enjoy the performance and features of a high-end prosumer digital camera (like the Nikon CP4500 or the Canon G3) for hundreds of dollars less. I highly recommend this camera. In terms of “bang for your buck” the Olympus C4000 is in a class all by itself. So, if you’ve been waiting for the perfect digital camera at the right price, this camera may be as good as it is going to get.
Links
Are you considering spreading your imaging wings and setting up a home digital darkroom? Check out my reviews of a pair of bargain priced and very capable photo quality ink-jet printers.
Epson Stylus Photo 785 EPX ink-jet printer
http://www.epinions.com/content_60776812164
Epson Stylus Photo 780 ink-jet Printer
http://www.epinions.com/content_54223670916
For definitive advice on How to Choose a Digital Camera please see my review:
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2E46-17B174E2-39A418E3-prod1
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Just “cut’n’paste” the URL into your browser’s address bar/window.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 329.00
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
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Howard_Creech
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Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
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About Me:
Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
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