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Olympus C-211 Zoom Have your cake and eat it too! - 2 megapixels worth of digital photos, and a built-in Polaroid printer! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet C-211 Zoom Test Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on C-211 Zoom Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & Menus Review First Posted: 9/25/2000

Camera Modes and Menus

Record Mode: The Record mode, which allows you to capture still and moving images, is accessed by turning the mode dial to the camera position (second icon from the top). The camera controls both shutter speed and aperture, but you can adjust the flash, exposure compensation, metering system, image quality setting, white balance, and focus. The Record menu is accessed by the Menu button under the LCD (fourth from the left), and offers the following options:

• Self-Timer: Enables the 12-second self-timer, which is triggered by fully depressing the shutter button.
• Metering: Changes the camera's metering system to either ESP (averaged readings from the entire image) or Spot (bases the exposure on the image center spot).
• Sequence: Sets the camera to Single exposure or Sequence mode.
• Record Mode: Adjusts the image size and quality setting. Options include SHQ (Super High Quality, 1,600 x 1,200 pixels), SHQ-TIFF (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), HQ (High Quality, 1,600 x 1,200 pixels), SQ (Standard Quality, 640 x 480 pixels) and SQ-High (640 x 480 pixels).
• White Balance: Allows you to adjust the camera's white balance system to Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, or Fluorescent, to match various light sources.
• Special Function: Pulls up the following submenu:
  • Movie: Allows the user to record up to 15 seconds of moving images, at the 320 x 240 pixel image size.
  • Whiteboard: Sets up the camera to record dark text on a light background.
  • Blackboard: Similar to the Whiteboard mode, this mode records light text written on a dark background.
  • Panorama: Enables the user to record a series of images that can be stitched together on a computer into one panoramic image.
  • External Flash: Works with a remote flash and slave unit to utilize a more powerful flash.
    

Off: Turning the mode dial to this setting powers the camera off.

Playback: This mode is denoted on the mode dial with the traditional green Playback symbol. It allows users to scroll through captured images on the memory card, enlarge them, view them in an index display, protect or erase individual images, set up images for printing on DPOF devices, and display image filenames. Pressing the menu button displays the following options on the LCD monitor when a still image is displayed:

• Autoplay: Play back captured stills in a slide show format.
• Card Function: Use with Olympus special function memory cards.
• Card Setup: Erase all unprotected images on the card or reformat the memory card.

Pressing the menu button while a movie image is being displayed opens the following menu settings:

• Movieplay: Starts the playback of the recorded movie or displays an index summary of the movie.
• Movie Functions: Allows users to edit movie frames or create an index summary and save it as a still image.
• Card Setup: As with the still playback settings menu, users can delete all unprotected images from the SmartMedia card, or reformat the card.
  

Print Mode: Print mode is marked on the mode dial with a green printer symbol. When a Polaroid film pack is loaded into the camera, this mode allows you to print individual captured images on Polaroid film. Pressing the menu button displays the following Print menu:

• Caption: Includes the date, time, or filename on the Polaroid print.
• Quantity: Sets the number of prints to be printed.
• Split: Prints either four or nine images on a single Polaroid printout.
• Print From Movie: Allows the user to print a single frame from a movie image or to print the index summary.
  

Setup/Digital Mode: The final stop on the mode dial, this mode sets up the camera for connection to a computer, as well as enables the Setup menu for changing camera settings. If the camera is connected to a computer with a USB cable in this mode, the camera automatically attempts to establish a connection with the computer. Otherwise, the Setup menu is displayed on the screen immediately upon entering the mode, with these options:

• Monitor Brightness: Increases or decreases the brightness of the LCD display.
• Marker Display: Enables or disables the Record mode display on the LCD monitor (i.e., whether or not the Movie mode, Panorama mode, etc. symbols are displayed on the LCD).
• Monitor Power Save: Determines whether or not the image is displayed on the LCD monitor while it is being written to the memory card.
• Beeper: Turns the camera's beeper sounds on or off.
• File Name: Sets the file naming method, whether the camera resets the file number with each new SmartMedia card, or continues the numbering.
• Format Card: Formats the SmartMedia card.
• Set Date and Time: Sets the camera's internal date and time.
• Adjust Print Tonality Values: Adjusts the sharpness, brightness, color balance, and contrast of prints.
• Sleep: Sets the amount of time of inactivity before the camera goes to sleep, from 30 seconds to three minutes. You can also turn the function off completely.
  

All Setup menu options are reset to the factory defaults when the batteries die and no power is being provided by the AC adapter.