  Olympus C-2020 Many "tweaks" to an old favorite make a fine new camera! (Review first posted 2/1/2000) |
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1600x1200, 2.1 megapixel CCD |
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Multiple exposure modes, including full manual | |
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Optional manual focus, with distance readout | |
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PC sync connector for optional external flash | |
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Many user-interface enhancements |
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Manufacturer Overview
With one of the broadest digicam lineups in the industry, Olympus is clearly
a camera manufacturer who's successfully making the transition to the digital
era. A little under a year ago (this is being written in January, 2000) they
introduced one of the first 2 megapixel digicams on the market, the C-2000 Zoom.
It proved to be extremely popular, offering a compelling feature set and excellent
picture quality. Now, Olympus has released an updated version, the C-2020 Zoom.
The new model is clearly evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, but what we
find most appealing/encouraging about it is the extent to which Olympus has
listened to customer input and incorporated many of the features most requested
by users. Overall, the new camera is an extremely strong entry in the 2 megapixel
arena, and promises to become a real value leader in the months to come.
What's New (Vs. the C-2000)
- Full manual exposure mode.
- Manual focus option with distance readout on the LCD. (Distance readout!
Hooray!)
- Focus feedback indicator tells when autofocus has achieved a "lock."
- Auto exposure bracketing +/- 2 steps in 1/3 increments.
- Two image compression/quality options at each of three different image sizes
- Shutter speeds now extend down 16 seconds.
- Automatic ISO setting available in all exposure modes, manual settings aren't
overridden.
- Movie mode captures up to 60 seconds in SQ and up to 15 seconds in HQ.
- Improved ergonomics & control layout.
- Separate buttons Vs rocker toggle makes option selection easier.
- No power/shutter button confusion.
- More buttons on back panel improve function access.
Highlights
- 2.1 megapixel CCD delivering up to 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution.
- 3x optical zoom, 6.5 to 19.5mm, aspherical glass lens (equivalent to a 35
to 105mm lens on a 35mm camera).
- Aperture range from f/2.0-f/2.8 to f/11, in 1/3 f-stop increments.
- Variable digital zoom at 1.6x, 2x and 2.5x.
- Shutter speed from 16 to 1/800 seconds.
- Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Full Manual exposure modes.
- Exposure compensation from -2 to +2 in 1/3 step EV increments.
- Auto exposure bracketing with 3 or 5 steps of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0 EV units
each.
- Variable ISO of 100, 200, 400.
- QuickTime movie mode.
- Automatic or preset white balance.
- Built-in flash with four modes (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill and Off).
- Flash power controllable via exposure compensation, +/- 2.0EV, 1/3 EV steps.
- Socket for external flash PC sync connection.
- 1.8 inch TFT color LCD monitor.
- Image storage on SmartMedia with uncompressed TIFF available.
Executive Overview
The C-2020 Zoom is an exciting update on an already exceptional camera, the
preceding C-2000 Zoom. At first glance, the newer C-2020 Zoom looks almost identical
to its tried and true predecessor -- the body shape, style and coloring are
all the same. Upon closer examination, you'll notice a few additional control
buttons, the removal of the power button and the new style of the jog dial.
Best of all, the C-2020 Zoom remains lightweight and extremely compact with
its 10.8 ounce weight (306.2g) and 4.2 x 2.9 x 2.6 inch (107.5 x 73.8 x 66.4mm)
dimensions.
The C-2020 Zoom sports both an optical, real image viewfinder and a rear panel
1.8 inch, 114,000-pixel, TFT color LCD screen (almost doubling the C-2000 Zoom
LCD's 72,000 pixels). The LCD viewfinder conveniently supplies detailed feedback
about the current exposure settings, showing the f-stop, shutter speed and exposure
compensation in a row of numbers across the top. We really liked the distance
display that appears on the LCD monitor when using the new manual focus function
-- helpful in those hard to focus situations, where you have to proceed by "dead
reckoning".
The 6.5 to 19.5mm lens provides a range of 35mm equivalent focal lengths from
about 35 to 105mm with 3x optical zoom and a very fast f/2.0 to f/2.8 (wide
to tele) maximum aperture. New on the C-2020 Zoom is the manual focus setting,
with a distance readout that allows you to be even more accurate with difficult
to focus subjects. In addition to the C-2020 Zoom's 3x optical zoom, a 2.5x
digital zoom can capture images at a total zoom ratio of up to 7.5x, with noticeable
quality degradations of course. This variable digital zoom can be set at 1x
(no zoom), 1.6x, 2x or 2.5x magnifications. The basic image size captured by
the C-2020 Zoom is 1600 x 1200 pixels, but lower resolutions of 1024 x 768 and
even 640 x 480 are available. Likewise, the image compression options include
an uncompressed mode producing full resolution TIFF images. Another change relative
to the C-2000 is that the '2020 gives you two compression/quality settings at
each image size.
The C-2020 Zoom offers a great deal of exposure control and we're pleased to
note a full manual capability that wasn't available on the earlier model. Like
its predecessor, the C-2020 Zoom gives you four options for ISO (Auto, 100,
200 and 400 in all modes), but this time doesn't override the ISO setting in
program mode. Program mode controls both aperture and shutter speed, offering
exposure times as long as 1.0 seconds. Aperture and Shutter Priority modes give
you control over aperture or shutter speed while the camera does the rest of
the work, offering apertures from F/2.0 to F/11 and shutter speeds from four
to 1/800 seconds. Manual control gives you the same aperture options and much
longer shutter speed times (as slow as 16 seconds). In all automatic modes,
exposure compensation can be adjusted from +/- 2EV in 1/3 step increments. Add
the optional spot metering and automatic bracketing, and you have a great deal
of creative control.
There's also a 12 second self-timer and an infrared remote for more flexible
shooting. (We really like the IR remote!) White balance can be set to Auto,
Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten or Fluorescent to accommodate a variety of lighting
conditions and the Picture Effects option allows you to capture images in black
and white and sepia tone with white and black board settings (for capturing
text).
We were very pleased to note the addition of a Movie mode on the C-2020 Zoom,
which allows you to record up to approximately 60 second QuickTime movies in
the SQ mode (320x160), or about 15 seconds in HQ (160x120). Panorama and Sequence
modes add even more to the camera's functionality (with Sequence mode capturing
up to 1.4 frames per second at normal camera resolutions).
The C-2020 Zoom's flash offers four operating modes (Off, Auto, Fill and Red-Eye
Reduction) with flash power extending to approximately 18.4 feet (5.6m) in wide
angle mode and to about 12.5 feet (3.8m) in telephoto. Any of these modes may
be combined with the Slow Sync option to increase the ambient light exposure.
A PC sync socket allows you to connect an external flash unit when a more powerful
flash is needed.
The unit ships with an eight megabyte SmartMedia memory card, connects to the
computer via an RS-232 serial interface and has a video output as well. Images
may be captured and stored at several sizes and compression levels, including
an uncompressed mode for maximum image quality. Software shipped with the unit
includes a basic camera interface package, plus the extraordinary QuickStitch
panorama stitching application and Adobe PhotoDeluxe for image editing.
Since we already liked the original C-2000 Zoom (it's the camera we use for
our own product shots on the web site), we definitely love the new and improved
C-2020 version: The addition of a full manual mode, movie mode and manual focus
make this an even more flexible digital camera than its predecessor. At the
same time, the ergonomic improvements from the control changes make its operation
much more convenient. You get exceptional creative control with the same straightforward
user interface we learned to love on the C-2000 Zoom. Combine this with first
rate image quality, and you have what we think will be an extremely popular
digicam.
Design
Aesthetically, not much on the C-2020 Zoom has changed from the preceding C-2000
Zoom, but there are a few slight differences. For example, the power button has
been completely removed (preventing anyone from mistaking it for the shutter button)
and power is now controlled by the mode dial. The remaining design changes are
on the back of the camera with the rearrangement and addition of a few feature
buttons.
Let's take our standard "walk around the camera", starting with the
front view: At upper left is the zoom control, which we'll see more clearly
from the top view shown below. Moving right, we see the flash tube, self-timer
alert light, viewfinder window, and IR sensor window (used for the IR remote
control). The lens is notable for its speed, with a f/2.0 maximum aperture.
The heavy plastic body ring surrounding the lens contains threads that accept
an adapter ring to attach auxiliary lenses to the camera.
The back of the camera shows some of the differences from the C-2000, with the
separate buttons of the "jog dial" control, two new buttons added
next to it for direct (non-menu) control of the flash operation, macro mode,
and spot or averaging metering. The previous display and menu buttons have been
moved to the right of the LCD screen, under the OK button. In the process, the
display button has acquired a small boss around it, which presumably makes it
less likely to accidentally get pressed when shoved in a camera bag (thereby
draining the batteries). - A nice touch.
The shutter-button side of the camera is quite plain, containing only the hatch
that covers the SmartMedia compartment.
The opposite side of the camera holds the I/O and power ports, hidden behind
an aluminum cover. The external flash sync connector is at lower right, concealed
by its small (and easily lost!) black plastic cover. You can also see the diopter
adjustment control for the viewfinder at upper right in the picture.
The top of the camera shows one of the most welcome differences between the
'2020 and the earlier '2000: No power button! We initially scoffed at people
who in their haste mistook the C-2000's power button for the shutter button
-- until we did it a few times ourselves! You now control the camera's power
by rotating the mode dial shown at right in the photo. The LCD display in the
middle of the top panel provides status indication for a variety of camera functions.
(One feature we miss, although honestly not all that much, was the way the C-2000
let you interact with menu-controlled functions without having to enter the
LCD menu system. Some of these functions are now controlled via the two new
buttons between the jog dial and viewfinder on the camera's back.)
The camera bottom reveals the same ultra-stiff battery-compartment cover, and
the tripod mounting socket.
Like its C-2000 Zoom cousin, the C-2020 Zoom is lightweight and extremely compact
at 10.8 ounces (306.2g) and 4.2 x 2.9 x 2.6 inches (107.5 x 73.8 x 66.4mm).
While the thick body and small lens protrusion keeps the C-2020 Zoom out of
your shirt pocket, the tidy design makes the camera a great candidate for a
larger coat pocket or purse. We're sure you won't leave this one behind, especially
with the accompanying neck strap.
The same telescoping lens design from the C-2000 Zoom extends the lens about
an inch or so beyond the front of the camera body when the camera powers up
in one of the capture modes. Fully retracted, the 3/4 inch thick (20mm) lens
barrel adds about 1/4 inch (10mm) to the overall thickness of the unit, by projecting
that amount beyond the ergonomic bulge on the right front (viewed from behind)
side of the camera. We're pleased to see the same hand grip design sculpted
into the right hand side of the body which encourages your fingers to fold and
wrap around the camera and which should fit a wide range of hand sizes. The
SmartMedia slot is hidden inside the hand grip, beneath a plastic door that
securely snaps shut.
Control layout remains very logical and orderly, as does the user interface,
which is both simple and flexible. Additional controls have been added to the
original C-2000 Zoom design, such as the Manual Focus button, Flash control,
Macro and Metering controls. Olympus has also re-worked the former rocker toggle
button into a more sure-footed arrangement of four separate arrow buttons (which
they call a jog dial). We were glad to see that the camera still supplies feedback
on its shutter speed and aperture value choices and that you can still rely
on the top panel LCD display for a great deal of camera information (helping
to conserve battery power).
The small infrared remote control included with the camera lets you trip the
shutter, operate the zoom lens and scroll through recorded images in Playback
mode. We really enjoyed this feature and the amount of freedom it gives.
We still have one small complaint about the body design -- the very difficult
to operate battery compartment door. Although we previously figured out the
right trick to get it to close on the C-2000 Zoom, we still found that you need
to exert a lot of pressure on the door to hold it shut so you can actuate the
latch. The trick we learned was to invert the camera, place two fingers on either
side of the latch lever and a thumb on the shutter button, and pinch firmly
while rotating the latch with the fingers of the other hand. It seems like a
minor gripe, but we do wish it were a little easier. The only other minor complaint
we have is that the tripod mount is too close to the battery compartment for
comfort, making battery changes while mounted to the tripod a bit of a hassle.
One way around this is to just use the AC adapter, which plugs in on the left
side of the camera (viewed from the back) along with the video in and digital
jacks.
Viewfinder
The C-2020 Zoom offers both an optical, real-image viewfinder and a rear panel
1.8 inch, 114,000-pixel, TFT color LCD screen (almost doubling the C-2000 Zoom's
72,000 pixels). Besides the improved sharpness you'd expect from the increased
pixel count, the viewfinder on the C-2020 also has a wider viewing angle. (Like
any LCD though, it's still difficult to see in direct sunlight.) The optical
viewfinder accommodates eyeglass wearers with both a dioptric correction adjustment
and a comfortably high eye-point, leaving a reasonable amount of room between
your eye and the finder for an eyeglass lens to fit in. The optical viewfinder
is also almost entirely immune to framing errors due to lateral variations in
eye location. The optical viewfinder zooms along with the lens, but cannot show
the operation of the digital zoom, which therefore is only enabled when the
LCD monitor is operating as a viewfinder. Orange and green LED indicators adjacent
to the optical viewfinder illuminate or blink to show camera status, such as
focus lock, flash charging, camera ready, missing memory card, etc.
The C-2020 Zoom's LCD viewfinder provides detailed feedback about the current
exposure settings, showing the currently selected f-stop, shutter speed and
exposure compensation in a row of numbers across the top. In Aperture and Shutter
Priority modes, the aperture or shutter value appears continuously, along with
the exposure compensation setting, while the second, automatically determined
exposure value (either shutter speed or f-stop) appears whenever the shutter
button is half pressed, triggering the autofocus and autoexposure systems. The
same goes for Manual mode, except both values are displayed together. One improvement
over the previous C-2000 Zoom is that when using the new manual focus feature,
a distance display appears on the LCD monitor. This is extremely helpful in
situations where it's hard to focus and you'd rather use distance as a guide.
Along with the new manual focus option comes a new, magnified live viewfinder
mode, which digitally zooms only the viewfinder display (not the final image
itself) by 2.5x, as a focusing aid. We were surprised by how well this worked
in practice, perhaps due in part to the increased resolution of the LCD display
itself: The C2020 is the first digicam we've seen with a manual focus option
that you can actually effectively focus based on the LCD display.
When using the LCD monitor to review captured images, you can zoom in on displayed
images up to 3x, and then scroll around the enlarged image using the jog dial
buttons. This is extremely handy for checking focus, small details or precise
framing. There's also the index display option, which shows either four, nine
or 16 thumbnail-sized images at a time. A very handy "quick view"
function lets you immediately check the picture you've just taken in capture
mode by pressing the Display button twice in quick succession. The image will
remain displayed on the LCD until you revert to capture mode by pressing the
Display button again.
Optics
Continuing their good reputation for quality optics, Olympus provides an all
glass aspheric lens design, with eight elements in six groups, on the C-2020
Zoom. The 6.5 to 19.5mm lens provides a range of 35mm equivalent focal lengths
from about 35 to 105mm. Of greatest interest in its design though, is its very
fast F/2.0 to F/2.8 (wide to tele) maximum aperture. Normal focusing distance
ranges from 31 inches (0.8m) to infinity, while a macro mode captures from eight
to 31 inches (0.2 to 0.8m). Autofocus occurs through the lens, using a contrast
detection method. This means that the autofocus will work properly with auxiliary
lenses. The green LED next to the optical viewfinder lights solid as soon as
the subject is in focus (flashing means there's a problem focusing and you may
need to switch to manual focus or macro). This focus feedback is a very nice
added feature relative to the C-2000: With our C-2000, we're never sure whether
the focus has actually achieved a "lock" or not, particularly in dim
lighting conditions.
As noted above, in addition to the autofocus system, the C-2020 Zoom provides
a manual focus setting, activated by the MF button on the rear panel. Did we
already say it? - We really like the distance readout that pops up on the LCD
monitor to help you gauge focus in difficult focusing situations! (Why haven't
any other digicam manufacturers provided a distance readout for manual focus
modes? It doesn't seem like it should be very difficult to implement.) The distance
readout is also helpful when shooting in macro mode, which can sometimes be
a little tricky.
The C-2020 Zoom retains the body-mounted accessory threads that couple to Olympus'
adapter unit, the CLA-1. This optional adapter extends the threads out to just
flush with the front of the lens when it's fully extended, and provides 43mm
filter threads. It's important to note though, that this adapter is made to
work with Olympus' own accessory lenses, all of which use an additional adapter
ring to step the threads up to the diameter needed by the auxiliary lenses.
The consequence of this is that the design of the CLA-1 assumes that there will
be another thread adapter ring stacked on top of it, and so doesn't extend far
enough for 43mm filters to clear the lens barrel: 43mm filters will interfere
with proper lens operation, and could damage the lens mechanism itself! Thus,
if you buy a CLA-1, be sure to also buy a step-up ring to whatever common filter
size you've standardized on, and to give you the extra millimeter or two of
needed clearance in front of the lens barrel.
While the C-2020 Zoom's lens provides up to 3x optical zoom, an additional 2.5x
digital zoom can capture images at approximately 7.5x, albeit with noticeable
quality degradations in the resulting image. Digital zoom is activated through
the settings menu with options of 1x (no zoom), 1.6x, 2x and 2.5x. Note that
the digital zoom cannot be used with the uncompressed TIFF mode and is only
accessible with the LCD monitor on. When the LCD is dismissed, the digital zoom
returns to the 1x setting.
The lens on the C-2020 Zoom appears to be of generally good quality, with very
low chromatic aberration and good sharpness. Our one criticism is that geometric
distortion is a bit higher than we'd like to see, particularly at the wide angle
end of its range: At the maximum wide-angle setting, the lens shows barrel distortion
of 0.9%, which switches at the telephoto end to a moderate 0.38% pincushion.
Exposure
The C-2020 Zoom offers a great deal of control over exposure and we're pleased
to note a full manual control that wasn't available with the former C-2000 Zoom.
Additionally, the C-2020 Zoom gives you four options for ISO (Auto, 100, 200
and 400, in all modes). As you'd expect, the more sensitive settings also result
in noisier images, but it's useful to be able to select the ISO value you want
to work with. It's a definite plus to be able to use a faster shutter speed
or a smaller lens opening while using a higher ISO, or to achieve slow shutter
effects (like a motion blur) with a lower sensitivity setting. Note that when
ISO is set to Auto in programmed-exposure mode, it automatically resets to 100
when you switch to Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority or Manual exposure modes.
Once set to a given ISO in any of these modes, it stays at that value, correcting
an overly-helpful tendency of the C-2000 to adjust the ISO even when you thought
you'd set it to a specific value.
The C-2020 Zoom
gives you as much exposure control as you want with its Aperture Priority, Shutter
Priority and Manual exposure modes. Aperture Priority lets you set the aperture
anywhere from F/2.0 to F/11 while the camera chooses the appropriate shutter
speed. Alternatively, in Shutter Priority, you can select speeds from 1, 2,
or 4 to 1/800 seconds (the lower shutter speed limit depending on the ISO setting:
4 seconds for ISO 100, 1 second for ISO 400). You have the same options under
the full manual control with the exception of much longer shutter speed times
(as slow as 16 seconds, regardless of ISO setting). An interesting feature of
the manual mode is that as you scroll through the various selections, the camera
indicates whether or not the setting will give a correct exposure. It does this
by showing the f-stop and shutter speed in green when everything is OK. If it
disagrees with your choice, the selections show up in red, and a small arrow
shows the direction it wants you to adjust the exposure to agree with its own
metering. Very handy! The screen shot above right shows the camera asking for
a longer exposure than the 1/15 second that's been selected.) Combine this with
the optional spot metering mode, and you have a great deal of creative control
over the exposure process. The C-2020 Zoom also offers the usual exposure lock
function, activated by a half press of the shutter button. Used with the spot
metering, this lets you easily handle backlit subjects, without having to guess
at the exposure compensation.
In situations where exposure compensation is necessary, simply press either
the right or left arrow keys on the jog dial (in all exposure modes except manual)
and the ever present EV value displayed on the LCD will increase or decrease
in 1/3 EV increments, up to a total of +/- 2EV. (The LCD viewfinder must be
enabled to adjust this setting, but once set it, you can turn the LCD off to
conserve power, and the setting remains in effect.) If an exposure compensation
is currently active, a small +/- icon appears in the top status display panel
as well, to let you know there's an adjustment in force. Additionally, the auto
exposure bracketing function ensures you'll get a correct exposure by automatically
bracketing up to -/+ 2 EV in either three or five steps of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0
EV units each. Very handy when you're shooting on the run, and want to be sure
you've got a correctly-exposed shot without messing with menus and buttons endlessly!
(Better yet, the auto bracketing will center its efforts around whatever exposure
you've chosen as the starting point, including any exposure-compensation adjustments
you've made.) Auto bracketing isn't available in manual mode, presumably because
the camera has ceded complete control of both aperture and shutter speed to
you.
The C-2020 Zoom offers a 12 second self-timer. You can also use the infrared
remote to trigger the self-timer from a distance, which decreases the timer
to only three seconds. (This is one function we really wish Olympus had done
something about: WHY is it necessary to have the camera wait 3 seconds when
you're triggering it via the IR remote? It's not a problem for the sort of tripod
shooting we do in the studio, taking pictures of products, but in people photography,
or macro work with a fast-moving bug as the subject, the 3 second delay could
be a killer!) White balance can be set to Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten
or Fluorescent to accommodate a variety of lighting situations. An additional
feature that we had fun playing with was the Picture Effect option, enabling
you to capture images in black and white or sepia tone. There's also the White
and Black Board settings for capturing text on white or black backgrounds respectively.
(These modes appear to adjust image contrast and default exposure levels to
maximize contrast and force the background toward the appropriate tonal value.
While we don't have any controlled tests for this sort of thing, we were surprised
by how well the White Board setting worked for copying text from a book.
As mentioned earlier, one feature we really liked on the C-2020 was its "quick
review" option: Pressing the Display button twice in rapid succession lets
you review the last picture taken on the LCD screen, without needing to switch
to playback mode. VERY handy!
Flash
Even with all the above ambient light exposure capabilities, you'll still want
to take advantage of the C-2020 Zoom's flash. The camera has a fairly standard
built-in flash unit, with four operating modes: Off, Auto, Fill (always on)
and Red-Eye Reduction. Flash power extends to approximately 18.4 feet (5.6m)
in wide angle mode and to about 12.5 feet (3.8m) at the telephoto setting. Any
of these modes may be combined with the Slow Sync mode to increase the ambient
light exposure. Additionally, a PC sync socket allows you to connect an external
flash unit when a more powerful flash is needed.
Normally, the C-2020's shutter speed is forced to between 1/30 and 1/100 of
a second in Program or Aperture Priority mode whenever the internal or external
flash is enabled. (The shutter speed varies as a function of the zoom setting,
with 1/30 corresponding to the wide angle end and 1/100 to the telephoto setting.)
With both flash units off, the shutter speed in aperture-priority mode will
adjust to whatever is needed to expose properly for ambient light. The full
manual mode of course allows you to use flash with any aperture/shutter speed
combination you care to use.
The Slow Sync setting allows the ambient lighting to make a greater contribution
to the final exposure of the images, producing very nice effects (particularly
in conjunction with the action of an external strobe unit), resulting in more
naturally lit photos. You can also produce shots which combine a motion blur
on the subject (due to the long ambient light exposure) with the sharp initial
or final image (caught by the flash exposure). We say "initial or final"
because the C-2020 Zoom supports both front curtain and rear curtain triggering
in Slow Sync mode, firing the flash at either the beginning of the exposure
or at the end. The rear curtain sync is necessary to produce motion blurs on
moving objects that trail the sharp, flash-exposed image, rather than precede
it.
A nice feature of the C-2020's internal flash system is that it is controllable
via the +/- 2EV exposure compensation. This gives great flexibility in lighting
your pictures, as you can use the internal flash in combination with an external
unit, and adjust the balance of light between the two with the EV adjustment
control. (It'd be nice if there were some hidden way to adjust the internal
flash intensity in manual mode, so you could work the same trick between the
onboard flash and ambient lighting there as well. We played with the controls
a fair bit though, but couldn't find any combination that would do this: EV
adjustment isn't available at all in manual mode.)
A small, ergonomic gripe about the external flash (that we also had with the
C-2000 Zoom) is that the PC sync socket is protected by a tiny plastic cover
that is very easy to lose. There's no tether or anything else attaching it permanently
to the camera and it is very small and difficult to grasp. We bet it's the first
thing that gets lost.
Special Exposure Modes
Movie Mode
We were very pleased to note Olympus' addition of a Movie mode on the C-2020
Zoom. After fully pressing the shutter button, you can record up to approximately
60 second QuickTime movies in the SQ mode (160x120) and up to about 15 seconds
in HQ (320x240). A number indicating the available seconds of movie storage
on the SmartMedia card appears in the status display panel (and in the LCD monitor
if activated). You can use the optical zoom while recording movies, but the
action of the zoom is somewhat slower. Manual focus, exposure compensation,
focus lock, the self-timer, ISO setting, white balance and picture effects are
also available while in Movie mode.
Panorama Mode
The C-2020 Zoom offers a Panorama exposure mode when operating with Olympus'
own panorama-enabling SmartMedia memory cards. In this mode, the exposure and
white balance for a series of shots are determined by the first one taken. It
also provides light-blue guide lines at the edges of the picture to help you
align the successive shots while leaving enough overlap between them for the
stitching software to be able to do its job. Note that this function is only
enabled by SmartMedia cards including the special panorama-related firmware
instructions found on Olympus brand memory cards. Images are saved individually
and then compiled on a computer after they've been downloaded. Of course, the
exposure lock can be achieved with Manual exposure mode using any brand of memory
card, and you could use one of the manual white balance settings to handle that
function as well.
Sequence Mode
Taking advantage of its large buffer memory, the C-2020 Zoom offers a Sequence
mode that mimics a motor drive on a film camera, letting you capture between
six and 12 separate pictures (depending on the complexity of the image and the
available SmartMedia space) at approximately 1.4 frames per second. The manual
states that shutter speed is always set to 1/30 of a second in this mode. (In
fact, the maximum exposure time is set to 1/30: Shorter exposures will be used
if the lighting warrants it, and longer exposures can be set in full-manual
mode if desired.) It also notes that the mode is available with all compression
settings except for uncompressed TIFF. One obvious limitation of sequence mode
is that the camera's internal flash may not be used with it. However, if you
have an external flash capable of cycling at the 1.4 frame per second rate and
shoot in aperture priority mode, the external flash should work just fine in
this mode. Additionally, you can set the camera to base all exposure and focus
settings on the first one taken or adjust the exposure and focus with each image
(which will also decrease the speed).
Shutter Lag/Cycle Times
When you press the shutter release on a camera, there's usually a lag time before
the shutter actually fires. This time is to allow the autofocus and autoexposure
mechanisms time to do their work, and can amount to a fairly long delay in some
situations. Since this number is almost never reported on, and can significantly
affect the picture taking experience, we now routinely measure it.
The C-2020 Zoom is just slightly on the slow side of typical among 2 megapixel
digicams we've tested (January, 2000), with a shutter lag of 0.92 seconds in
full autofocus mode, 0.22 seconds when the lens is prefocused by half-pressing
the shutter button, and 0.54 seconds in manual-focus mode. Shot to shot cycle
time is quite good though, at only 2.1 seconds for the first four or five shots
in SHQ JPEG mode, until the memory buffer fills up, after which the cycle time
stretches to something on the order of 7 seconds or so. In lower size/quality
modes, you can shoot more pictures before the buffer fills. In practice, for
anyone but sports photographers, four or five rapid-fire shots will be enough
for most shooting. In the "sequence" shooting mode, we clocked the
camera at frame rates of 1.33 frames per second at high resolution, and 1.56
frames per second at low resolution/quality.
Operation and User Interface
The user interface on the C-2020 Zoom relies heavily on the LCD monitor for
menu selections and feedback on current settings during use. However, we were
pleased to see that the top status readout also displays a few camera functions.
We liked the user interface of the C-2020 Zoom a great deal. We generally prefer
mode dial interfaces, as they simplify the menu structure and allow faster operation.
One of our favorite user interface features on the C-2020 is that the camera
tells you what aperture and shutter speed it's selected whenever the shutter
button is half pressed. (The C-2000 did this also.) Many film-based SLR camera
users find the most annoying characteristic of digital cameras to be the inability
to determine what the camera is actually doing exposure-wise. Most digital cameras
leave you totally in the dark about the shutter speed and aperture setting.
Happily, C-2020 Zoom displays aperture, shutter speed and current exposure compensation
settings across the top of the LCD when it's in use. We also especially liked
the distance display with the manual focus option.
One of the few quibbles we have with the C-2020's interface design is that some
functions can require a lot of button-pushing to access. Moving the flash, macro,
and spot-metering functions out of the LCD menu system and onto the camera's
back-panel controls was a great step in the right direction. We'd like to see
even more of this though, or at least a greater ability to control the camera
via the top-panel LCD readout, rather than forcing you to the larger LCD screen
all the time.
We really liked the tiny infrared remote control provided with the C-2020 Zoom.
In our own usage, we shoot most of our tests from a tripod, and the studio shots
tend to have fairly long exposure times. To avoid any loss of resolution, we're
always keen to reduce our disturbance of the camera while taking pictures. On
a conventional camera, this would require a cable release, to avoid jostling
the camera when pressing the shutter button. With most digital cameras, the
best we can do is use a very sturdy tripod and press the shutter button lightly,
or use the self-timer to trip the shutter and spend a lot of time standing around
waiting. Thus, with the C-2020 Zoom (as with the previous C-2000 Zoom), we loved
being able to trigger the shutter without the risk of any camera disturbance
at all. The remote also allows you to change the exposure compensation setting
or zoom the lens in and out. In Playback mode, you can scroll between pictures
and move in or out of thumbnail and zoom playback modes (also helpful when viewing
images on a television screen). Olympus states the range of the remote as five
meters (16.4 feet) when aimed at the camera from straight ahead, and three meters
(9.8 feet) when aimed from an angle of 15 degrees to either side of center.
In practice, we found this range to be very conservative, and in fact almost
always used it from behind the camera, bouncing the IR signal off of our test
subjects! About the only additional thing we could ask for in the remote would
be the ability to prefocus the camera by half-pressing the shutter release (as
you can do from the camera's onboard shutter button) or some other way to reduce
the nearly 3-second delay between pressing the remote's shutter trigger and
the actual firing of the shutter.
Although Olympus has added a few controls to the former C-2000 Zoom, the on-camera
controls of the C-2020 Zoom are still simpler than many other digicams we've
seen. (Although, as noted above, we'd actually like to see more functions added
to these controls.)
Control Enumeration
Power / Mode Dial
On the top of the camera is the Power / Mode Dial which selects the various
camera operating modes (Playback, Off, Program, Aperture/Shutter Speed/Manual
and Movie).
Shutter Button
Located in the center of the optical zoom control lever, the shutter button
sets focus and exposure settings when halfway pressed and triggers the shutter
button when fully pressed. In Playback mode, the shutter button works in conjunction
with the printing function to select the number of prints to make.
Zoom Lever
On top of the camera, surrounding the shutter button, the zoom lever controls
the optical zoom in all exposure modes. In Playback mode, the lever switches
back and forth between index view, normal image display and playback zoom.
Flash / Erase Button
Located on the top of the back panel of the camera, this button controls the
flash mode in all exposure modes. Pressed sequentially, it cycles through Auto,
Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-In and Off modes. In Playback mode, this button pulls
up the Erase menu which allows you to erase the current image displayed.
Macro / Spot Metering Button
Directly beneath the Flash / Erase button on the back panel is the Macro / Spot
Metering button. In all exposure modes, this button cycles between macro, spot
metering and off modes.
Four Way Jog Dial
Also located on the top of the back panel, a lot of the camera's operation revolves
around this control.
- In all capture modes except Manual, a left/right actuation increases or
decreases the exposure compensation setting (provided the LCD view screen
is active).
- In Aperture or Shutter priority exposure modes, up/down actuation of the
jog dial adjusts the setting of the lens aperture or shutter speed, depending
on the mode you're in.
- In Manual mode, the up and down arrows control shutter speed while the left
and right control aperture.
- In Playback mode, left/right actuation moves forward or back among the pictures
in memory, or scrolls around the expanded image in zoom playback mode.
- In the LCD menu system, the jog control steps between menus and selects
settings. (The design of the jog dial on the C-2020 is a big improvement over
that of the C-2000: The separate buttons on the C-2020 make it much easier
to make selections, as there's no chance of accidentally pressing "down"
when you actually were trying for "right", etc.)
OK / MF Button
Located on the back panel, on the right side of the LCD monitor, this button
confirms selected menu settings in the LCD menu screens. If pressed when not
in the menu system, this button activates the manual focus option. In Playback
mode, this button write-protects individual images accidental erasure.
Display Button
Located beneath the OK button, this turns the LCD monitor on or off.
Menu Button
Located directly beneath the Display button, this activates the menu system
on the rear panel LCD monitor (it also activates the LCD monitor if it was disabled).
Dioptric Adjustment Dial
Located on the left side of the optical viewfinder, this dial alters the optical
viewfinder to accommodate eyeglass wearers.
Camera Modes and Menus
Movie Mode
Accessed by turning the mode dial to the movie symbol, this mode allows you
to capture up to 60 second SQ movies and up to 15 second HQ movies. Shutter
speed is automatically set anywhere from 1/30 to 1/10,000 seconds. (! - We can't
help but wonder why the 1/10,000 second shutter speed isn't available in non-movie
modes as well.)
Aperture Priority
Allows the user to select the desired lens aperture (in 1/3 EV steps) as the
camera adjusts the shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure. If the required
shutter speed is beyond the camera's capabilities, the shutter speed/aperture
status numbers in the LCD will flash red. (Minimum shutter speed in automatic
exposure modes is one second, even though the camera is capable of longer time
exposures, as noted earlier
Shutter Priority
Allows the user to select the desired shutter speed (in 1/3 EV steps) while
the camera adjusts the aperture to achieve the correct exposure. If the required
aperture is beyond the camera's capabilities, the shutter speed/aperture status
numbers in the LCD will flash red.
Manual Mode
Allows the user to select both the desired aperture (f/2.0 to f/11) and shutter
speed (16 to 1/800 seconds, depending on ISO) settings. If the settings are
beyond the camera's capabilities or would not produce the correct exposure,
the settings displayed on the LCD screen turn red instead of green, and a small
arrowhead icon will indicate the direction you need to adjust the exposure to
get into the range the camera thinks you need
Programmed Exposure
Here, the camera selects both shutter speed and lens aperture, but does so in
a fairly intelligent manner, opting for faster shutter speeds when the lens
is in the telephoto position than when it's working in wide angle mode
Playback Mode
This mode allows the user to view previously captured images. Here, the jog
dial advances between successive frames stored in memory. The zoom toggle switches
the display to an index mode when moved in the wide angle direction and zooms
in on the currently displayed image in a series of steps up to a maximum of
3x when moved in the telephoto direction. While zoomed in on an image, the jog
control can be used to move the enlarged view around the full image area, letting
you inspect all parts of it.
Capture Mode
Menu
- Drive: selects between One-Shot, Sequence, AF Sequence (exposure
metered and focus adjusted with each frame), Self-Timer/Remote and Auto Bracketing.
- External Flash: sets external flash modes. Options are off, on, and
auto. (It's important to note though, that "auto" here just refers
to whether the external flash is fired or not: There's no exposure feedback
signal transmitted to the flash, so the flash exposure is not automatically
determined once it's fired.)
- Slow: turns on the Slow Sync function with first curtain and second
curtain options.
- Digital Telephoto: sets the digital zoom at 1x, 1.6x, 2x or 2.5x.
- White Balance: sets white balance at Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten
or Fluorescent.
- ISO: selects ISO sensitivity from Auto, 100, 200 or 400.
- Function: sets picture effects at Off, Black and White, Sepia, White
Board or Black Board.
- Special Function: for taking panorama pictures or using special function
cards.
- Card Setup: formats the SmartMedia card.
- Mode Setup: pulls up the following submenu:
- All Reset: resets all options to factory defaults.
- Sharpness: sets image sharpness at Normal or Soft.
- SHQ Setup: selects either JPEG or TIFF.
- SQ Setup: selects either VGA-Normal, VGA-High, XGA-Normal or XGA-High.
(Note dual quality options at each image size, for the first time on an Olympus
camera.)
- Volume: sets beep volume to Off, Low or High.
- Record View: turns the instant image review function on or off.
- File Name: resets file numbers with each new memory card or continues
in sequential order.
- LCD Brightness: adjusts the brightness of the LCD.
- Date/Time: sets the camera date and time.
- M/Ft: sets camera measurement to either meters or feet.
- Quality: sets image quality at SHQ, HQ or SQ.
- A/S/M Mode: selects either Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority
or Manual exposure modes.
Playback Menu
- Play: activates a slide show display for still images or plays back
movies.
- Function: for use with Olympus special function cards. (Such as the
standard panorama-enabling cards.)
- Card Setup: formats the SmartMedia card.
- Mode Setup: pulls up the following submenu:
- Volume: controls the camera's beep sound.
- Index Display Adjustment: sets index display at four, nine or 16
images.
- Brightness: adjusts the LCD brightness.
- Date/Time: adjusts the camera's date and time setting.
- All: sets up to print all images on the memory card.
- Date Print: configures date/time overprinting on images. (Options
are off/date/time)
- Card Index: sets up to print an "index print" of thumbnails
of all images on the memory card.
Image
Storage and Interface
The C-2020 Zoom uses SmartMedia memory cards and comes equipped with an 8 megabyte
unit. Currently, you can upgrade to sizes as large as 64 megabytes. (64 meg
SmartMedia cards began shipping shortly before this review was posted in January
2000.) We appreciated the C-2020 Zoom's file naming protocol, which optionally
progressively numbers each image shot with the camera and also includes the
month and day at the beginning of the file name.
Entire SmartMedia cards can be write protected by placing a write protection
sticker over a specific spot on the card. Stickers can only be used once and
must be clean to be effective. Additionally, the C-2020 Zoom allows you to write
protect individual images from accidental erasure through the Playback menu.
Individually-protected images can still be erased by a card-format operation,
but cards write-protected with the sticker are protected against formatting.
The C-2020 Zoom can store images in both uncompressed TIFF format, as well as
compressed JPEG. Uncompressed mode is available only in the largest image size,
while two different compression options are available in all sizes. The SHQ
JPEG mode is another area of improvement over the C-2000, as the C-2020 appears
to use significantly less compression in SHQ mode. One major annoyance we found
with the '2020 though, was that it apparently insists in defaulting to "HQ"
mode upon power up! We like to shoot in SHQ mode as a default, and it was a
pain constantly switching to SHQ every time we turned the camera on. One saving
grace in this respect though, is that the camera takes almost NO power if the
LCD is turned off in record mode. You can thus simply leave it "on"
all day long to preserve your settings, without the slightest worry about battery
consumption. The table below summarizes the compression ratios and number of
images which can be stored on the included 8MB memory card with each size/quality
combination.
|
Resolution/ |
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Compression |
|
Compression |
|
Compression |
|
| 1600 x 1200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| XGA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| VGA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The C-2020 Zoom comes with interface software and cables for both Mac and Windows
computers. It employs an RS-232 serial interface, a standard not known for its
speed. We didn't test the transfer times over a serial cable, suspecting that
most owners will opt to spend the extra $50 or so for a card reader for their
computers. (Such readers are typically upwards of 50-100x faster than serial
transfers, and well worth the minor investment.)
Video
Out
The C-2020 Zoom has a video out port which supports the NTSC timing format.
(The manual states that PAL systems are not available, but we can't imagine
there aren't PAL versions available for European customers.) The video output
can be used for reviewing previously shot images or running slide shows from
the camera, but also shows all the LCD menu screens as well as the preview display
from the LCD viewfinder. Combined with the very flexible infrared remote control
we mentioned earlier, the availability of a live viewfinder display via the
video signal opens interesting possibilities for portrait photography, using
a video monitor as a remote viewfinder.
Power
The C-2020 Zoom is powered by four internal AA batteries or by an optional AC
adapter that can significantly extend battery life if you're doing a lot of
downloads via the serial port or working in a studio environment. As we've mentioned
before, LCD monitors on digital cameras can really devour batteries and the
C-2020 Zoom is no exception, although we were surprised to find it's overall
power consumption lower than many other 2 megapixel cameras we've tested. Fortunately,
the top-panel status display panel and the optical viewfinder can substantially
reduce LCD usage, thereby increasing battery life. On the C-2020, leaving the
LCD screen off in record mode adds enormously to battery life, as power consumption
drops to less than 10 milliamps in this mode: You could easily leave the C-2020
"on" all day without significant battery drain, a very nice feature.
Unfortunately though, the menu systems, advanced exposure modes (Aperture Priority,
Shutter Priority and Manual) and exposure compensation adjustments require the
LCD in order to operate. Big kudos to Olympus for including a set of high-capacity
NiMH batteries and charger in the box with the C-2020. We don't know if this
will be a permanent situation, or if it's just a temporary thing they're doing
as the product is introduced, but it's certainly welcome, and saves you a good
$20-30 on the really mandatory rechargeable battery solution. Still, we recommend
you pick up a couple extra sets of batteries, so you can have several charged
sets to bring along on outings.
The table below summarizes the results of our power measurements on the C-2020
Zoom:
|
|
|
| Capture Mode, w/LCD |
|
| Capture Mode, w/o LCD |
|
| Capture Mode, half pressed shutter |
|
| Capture Mode, w/o LCD half pressed shutter |
|
| Memory Write (transient) |
|
| Flash Recharge (transient) |
|
| Image Playback |
|
Included Software
|
The C-2020 Zoom comes with a nice complement of software on an included CD.
Direct camera control and image downloading are provided by an updated version
of Olympus' own Camedia software package for both Mac and Windows platforms.
In addition to the Camedia 4.6 package, Olympus provides acquire plug-ins
for both Mac and Windows platforms. The Mac acquire module is a Photoshop
plugin, supported by many Mac image editing applications. On the Windows
side, a TWAIN driver will provide near universal access, given the wide range
of applications that support the TWAIN standard.
Olympus also bundles Adobe's PhotoDeluxe image editing software which allows
you to perform image correction and manipulation with a variety of filters
and even get your images ready for the web. An additional CD holds QuickStitch,
which pieces together your panorama images. It not only stitches conventional
panoramas, but can assemble images two dimensionally to create high resolution
images from smaller ones. (An array of up to 5x5 images can be assembled
into a single enormous one. More to the point, you can easily stitch images
either vertically or horizontally). The software has a remarkable ability
to compensate for barrel or pincushion distortion between images, successfully
stitching together photos that would be hopeless with lesser programs.
Overall, the software bundle provided with the C-2020 Zoom provides a complete
suite of capabilities for capturing and manipulating your photos. Even better,
all packages provided are fully functional on both Mac and PC.
NOTE: The software package above is shipped with the US version of the camera.
Other countries may have different software bundles included, or none at
all, at the discretion of the regional Olympus organization...
Test Results
In keeping with our standard policy, our comments here are rather condensed,
summarizing our key findings: For a full commentary on each of the test images,
see the C-2020 Zoom's "pictures" page.
As with all Imaging Resource camera tests, we encourage you to let your own
eyes be the judge of how well the devices performed: Explore the images on
the pictures page, to see how well the C-2020
Zoom performed, and how its images compare to other cameras you may be considering
buying.
Overall, the C-2020 Zoom turned in an excellent performance, particularly
in the area of creative control. Colors were bright, accurate, and well-saturated,
and detail was excellent. Its 1/3 f-stop accuracy in both shutter- and aperture-priority
exposure modes as well as in its new full-manual mode, and the 1/3 f-stop
resolution in its manual exposure compensation setting mean you don't have
to compromise on exposure accuracy. More significantly, the 1/3 f-stop aperture
accuracy allowed very precise control over flash exposures, even with a "plain
vanilla" external flash unit.
The C-2020 Zoom continues the Olympus tradition of bright, "snappy"
color, although Olympus appears to have toned-down the color saturation very
slightly relative to the earlier C-2000 Zoom. Possibly as a result, tonal
range appears to be somewhat enhanced over the prior version as well. Relative
to the current top of the field, color handling is very good, with only a
minor weakness in the "subtractive primaries." (cyan, magenta,
and yellow) The difficult red/magenta separation is very good, and the camera
does a pretty good job with the awkward blues of our model's pants and the
blue flowers in our outdoor test shot, showing only a slight tendency to
go purple. (A common failing among cameras we've tested.)
Resolution is about the same as production models of the C-2000, but we've
become a little more conservative in our ratings since first testing the
C-2000, leading us to rate the C-2020 at about 600-650 lines per picture
height horizontally and 650-700 lines vertically. Geometric distortion in
the lens is also virtually identical, showing 0.9% barrel distortion in wide
angle mode and 0.38% pincushion in telephoto. Chromatic aberration is also
quite low, amounting to about 1 pixel (roughly 0.06%) in the extreme corners
of the image.
The optical viewfinder is a bit more accurate than most, showing 88-89% of
the final image area, while the LCD viewfinder shows 96-99%, depending on
the zoom setting of the lens. The LCD on the C-2020 is very sharp and high-resolution,
now sporting 122,000 pixels, compared to the 72,000 pixel unit in the original
C-2000. This improved LCD resolution becomes significant in manual-focus
mode, as you can really use the LCD to judge camera focus by, a rarity in
digicams we've tested. (January, 2000)
The C-2000's low-light performance was very good, with the camera producing
usable images in lighting levels as low as 1/4 foot-candles (~3 lux), a very
dim lighting level indeed, about 2 f-stops darker than typical city night
scenes under streetlights. The main limitation to better low-light capability
was sensor noise on long time-exposures. We did observe an odd phenomena,
in which some of our darker (1/4 foot-candle) shots came out better than
brighter ones (1 foot-candle). This bears some more examination, if we can
allocate time in our busy test schedule to accommodate it.
Native macro performance was also quite good, with the camera capturing a
minimum field of view of 2.5 x 3.6 inches (62 x 92 mm). This is good, but
not exceptional macro capability, although the availability of high-quality
auxiliary macro lenses from Olympus will make the C-2020 Zoom a much stronger
player in this arena once the accessory adapter unit is available. (As it
should be by the time the production units ship.)
Overall, Olympus has built upon the strengths of its predecessor C-2000,
adding features and improved ergonomics, without losing anything in the basic
camera functions: A very strong performer!
Conclusion
Well, what can we say? Olympus took an already great digicam, the C-2000
Zoom, and made it even better. The new C-2020 Zoom increases the already
exceptional exposure control of the C-2000 with its full manual exposure
and focusing capabilities and goes a step further with the addition of the
Movie mode. Multiple user-interface improvements make for greater ease of
use and flexibility. Finally, excellent image quality and compact portability
make for a unit that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The C-2020 Zoom looks
like a case of a manufacturer really listening to their customers, and we
expect the C-2020 to be very popular as a result.
Reader Sample Images!
Do you have a C-2020 camera? If you'll post an album of your samples
on one of the photo-sharing services and email us at [email protected],
we'll list the album here for others to see!
- Boudewijn Pelts' Sample Images - Pictures from the Spanish Sierra Nevada - great colors!
- Peter Havey's Sample Images - Some of these pictures illustrate use of a/s/m manual mode for time-lapse as well max shutter speed and a variety of outdoor lighting conditions.
- Ingrid van Vliet's Sample Images - Here are Ingrid's pictures...where are yours??!
View the data sheet for the C-2020
View the test images from the C-2020
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