Olympus C-3020 ZoomA bargain-priced, full featured 3 megapixel model from Olympus!<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 2/16/2002 |
Video Out
The C-3020 is not equipped with a Video Out connector jack.
Power
The C-3020 utilizes either four AA batteries (alkaline, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, or lithium) or two CR-V3 lithium-ion battery packs. The camera ships with four AA alkaline batteries, but I strongly recommend picking up a set or two of high-capacity rechargeable batteries and keeping them freshly charged. The camera has a DC-In jack for connecting the optional power adapter, handy for more time-consuming tasks such as reviewing and downloading images. (In most situations though, just having a good set of rechargeable batteries will eliminate any need for the AC adapter.) The C-3020 doesn't give you any indication of the amount of available battery power until the batteries become low. At that point, a battery icon flashes in the LCD monitor and status display panel. The camera will go to "sleep" after a period of inactivity, after which you can "wake it up" by pressing the Shutter button. The inclusion of the status display panel on top of the camera allows you to save battery power by working without the LCD monitor, as the display panel reports a variety of camera settings.
|
|
(@ 6.5 v) |
(1600mAh, 4.8v 4 Ni-MH Cells) |
| Capture Mode, w/LCD |
|
|
| Capture Mode, no LCD |
|
|
| Half-pressed shutter w/LCD |
|
|
| Half-pressed w/o LCD |
|
|
| Memory Write (transient) |
|
|
| Flash Recharge (transient) |
|
|
| Image Playback |
|
|
Power consumption and battery life are a bit better than average i most operating modes, with a projected runtime of better than two hours in the worst-case operating mode. (Capture mode with the LCD illuminated.) The real news about battery life on the 3020 though, is that it consumes almost no power when it's powered up in capture mode with the LCD monitor turned off. You can easily just leave the camera turned on all day in this mode and be ready to shoot a picture whenever the urge strikes, without worrying about depleting your batteries. (Most Olympus cameras share this trait, which I highly applaud.) Unfortunately, the 3020's optical viewfinder is rather tight, showing a bit under 80% of the final image area, so if you need accurate framing,, you'll have to resort to using the LCD monitor, negating some of the benefits of the 3020's extremely low non-LCD power drain.
About
Batteries
Time for my standard battery tirade: I've gotten so many emails about power issues for digicams, that I'm now inserting this standard notice in the reviews of all AA-powered cameras on our site: Don't even *think* about using alkaline AA batteries in a digicam! Despite their being packed in the box with many cameras, they simply don't have the juice to handle typical digicam demands. (Even the "high power" ones the battery manufacturers say are designed for devices like digital cameras.) Spend the $35-40 or so it takes to get a set (or two) of high-capacity NiMH rechargeable batteries and a good charger! The few dollars up front will save you literally hundreds of dollars in the long run, not to mention the hassle of wimpy batteries running out in the middle of the action. I suggest you buy two sets of batteries, so one can always be in the charger, ready to go, and so have two sets available for longer excursions. Good brands of batteries include Maha (my favorite, particularly their new 1800 mAh cells), GP, Kodak, and Sanyo. Also, buy the highest capacity AAs the manufacturer makes, the few extra dollars for the extra capacity are usually well worth it. Getting a good charger is critical though, almost more so than buying good batteries. I routinely recommend the Maha C-204F (see the photo at right), the charger I use the most in our studio. - Read my review of it for all the details. Or, just click here to buy one, you won't regret it. (Be sure to buy an extra set of batteries to accompany it though: Even though the 3020 has pretty good battery life, you'll really want to have an extra set to pack along with you on extended outings.)
Included Software
A software CD accompanies the C-3020, loaded with an electronic copy of the reference manual (with more detail than the printed version), USB drivers, and Olympus' CAMEDIA Master 2.5 software. The CAMEDIA interface software is compatible with Windows 98/Me/2000 systems as well as Macintosh OS versions 8.6 through 9.1. CAMEDIA Master provides image downloading utilities as well as organization and editing tools. Also included is a copy of Apple QuickTime, for playing back captured movie files.
In the Box
Included in the box with the C-3020 are the following items:
- 16MB SmartMedia card.
- USB cable.
- Lens cap with strap.
- Neck/shoulder strap.
- Four AA alkaline batteries
- Software CD containing CAMEDIA Master 2.5.
- Reference manual and registration card.
Follow Imaging Resource: