Olympus C-700 Ultra ZoomOlympus packs a 10x zoom lens into an amazingly small body, for an amazingly low price.<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 5/31/2001 |
Video Out
The C-700 has a Video Out port that supports the NTSC timing format. (We assume
that PAL systems are available for European customers.) The video output can
be used for reviewing previously captured images and movies, or running slide
shows from the camera. It also shows all of the LCD menu screens, as well as
the preview display from the LCD viewfinder.
Power
The C-700 is powered by two CR-V3 lithium battery packs, four AA batteries (alkaline,
lithium, NiMH, or NiCd), or by an optional AC adapter that can significantly
extend battery life if you're downloading lots of images on the computer or
working in a studio environment. Through the Setup menus, the C-700 also offers
a Battery Save mode, which reduces the amount of battery consumption after the
camera has been left unattended for a while. You can also set the camera to
go to sleep after 30 seconds or 1, 3, 5, or 10 minutes of inactivity.
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| Capture Mode, w/LCD |
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| Capture Mode, no LCD |
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| Half-pressed shutter w/LCD |
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| Half-pressed w/o LCD |
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| Memory Write (transient) |
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| Flash Recharge (transient) |
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| Image Playback |
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| Sleep Mode |
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Because of its electronic viewfinder, the C-700 doesn't sport the incredibly
low power drain of other Olympus cameras, running with their rear-panel LCDs
off. It does seem to power down to a virtually no-power "sleep" mode
quite well though, although we couldn't actually measure the power consumption
in that mode, as it refused to "sleep" when plugged into an external
power source. Overall though, the C-700's power consumption is a good bit better
than average, and you can expect a good couple of hours of capture-mode operating
time on a set of high-capacity NiMH rechargeable AA cells, or up to 3 hours
of operation in playback mode. We saw very little decrease in battery capacity
when the camera was left in "sleep" mode for long periods of time.
- This is good, because it meansyou can blithely leave the camera "on"
all day, ready for instant picture-taking, without worrying about depleting
your batteries.
About
Batteries
We've gotten so many emails about power issues for digicams, that we're 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. We 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 (our favorite), GP, Kodak, and Nexcell. Also, buy the highest capacity
AAs the manufacturer makes, the few extra dollars for the extra capacity is
usually well worth it. Getting a good charger is critical though, almost more
so than buying good batteries. We recommend the Maha C-204F (see the photo at
right), the charger we use the most in our own studio. - Read our review
of it for all the details. Or, just click
here to buy one, you won't regret it.
Included Software
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The C-700 comes with a nice complement of software on the supplied CD-ROM.
Direct camera control and image downloading are provided by Olympus' Camedia
Master software package (Version 2.5) for both Mac and Windows platforms (Macintosh
OS 8.6 and higher, Windows 98v2 / Me / 200 Pro). USB drivers for both platforms
and an Apple QuickTime reader are also included.
Camedia Master allows you to download and organize images, as well as perform
minor image correction and enhancement functions (such as adjusting contrast,
sharpness, and color balance). For panoramic images, Camedia Master supplies
a "stitching" utility to piece together shots vertically or horizontally.
A complete printing utility works with the DPOF settings and allows you to print
images directly to Olympus or other DPOF-compliant photo printers.
In the Box
Included in the box with the C-700 Ultra Zoom digital camera are the following
items:
- 8MB SmartMedia card
- Two CR-V3 AA lithium battery packs
- Software CD containing Camedia Master Version 2.5
- USB cable
- NTSC A/V cable (US and Japanese models)
- Instruction manual
- Carrying strap
- Lens cap with strap
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