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Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom Olympus packs a 10x zoom lens into an amazingly small body, for an amazingly low price. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet C-700 Ultra Zoom Sample 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-700 Ultra 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: 5/31/2001

Camera Modes and Menus

Movie Mode: Marked on the Mode dial with a movie camera symbol, this mode records moving images with sound for as long as the SmartMedia card has available memory space.

A / S / M Mode: Setting the Mode dial to this position allows the user to work in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual exposure modes (selection is made through the Mode menu, Camera sub-menu). In Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, the user selects one of the exposure variables (either aperture or shutter speed) while the camera chooses the best corresponding variable. In Manual mode, the user has control over both shutter speed and aperture. The Right and Left Arrows adjust the aperture setting and the Up and Down Arrows control the shutter speed.

Program Mode: Noted with a "P" on the Mode dial, this mode places the camera in control of both shutter speed and aperture, while the user controls all other exposure features.

Portrait Mode: Indicated on the Mode dial with a head icon, this mode optimizes the camera for capturing portraits. The camera uses a larger aperture setting to decrease the depth of field, placing the subject in sharp focus in front of a softly focused background.

Sports Mode: Designated on the Mode dial with an action figure icon, this mode employs faster shutter speeds to capture action shots.

Landscape Mode: A mountain icon marks this mode on the Mode dial. Landscape mode uses a smaller aperture to increase the depth of field, which keeps both the foreground and background in sharp focus.

Auto Mode: This mode puts the camera in charge of all exposure variables, from shutter speed to White Balance. The user can only activate the flash and change the image Quality setting.

Playback Mode: Indicated by the traditional green playback symbol (a triangle within a rectangle), this mode allows the user to review captured images on the SmartMedia card. Images can be deleted or protected, set up for printing on DPOF devices, or rotated.

Record Menu: Pressing the Menu / OK button in any Record mode pulls up the following sub-menus (some settings are not available in all modes):

Mode Menu

• Camera:
  • ISO: Adjusts the camera's light sensitivity. Options are Auto or 100, 200, 400, or 800 ISO equivalents.
  • A / S / M: Sets the manual exposure modes to Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual.
  • Flash +/-: Controls the flash intensity, adjustable from -2 to +2 EV in one-third-step increments.
  • Slow Synchro: Sets the Slow Synchro flash mode to fire the flash with the 1st Curtain (Slow 1), 2nd Curtain (Slow 2), or with the Red-Eye Reduction pre-flashes.
  • BKT: Specifies how many images are taken in an Auto-Exposure Bracketing sequence (three or five), as well as the amount of exposure variation (+/- 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0 EV).
  • Multi-Metering: Turns on the Multi-Metering function, allowing the AE Lock button to gather information from up to eight points in the image and average them.
  • Digital Zoom: Enables or disables the 2.7x digital zoom.
  • Fulltime AF: Activates the Fulltime AF, which adjusts focus continuously (as opposed to setting focus only when the Shutter button is halfway pressed).
  • Sound: Turns sound recording on or off in Movie mode. In any still capture mode, this option allows you to record a short sound clip to accompany a captured image (approximately four seconds).
  • Panorama: Sets the camera to record a panoramic image, only when Olympus brand SmartMedia cards are used with the camera.
  • Function: Sets the color mode to Black and White, Sepia, White Board, Black Board, or Off (normal mode).
    
    
• Picture: (Menu not available in Auto, Movie, Portrait, Sports, or Landscape modes.)
  • Quality: Sets the file quality setting. Options are TIFF, Super High Quality (SHQ), High Quality (HQ), or Standard Quality (SQ). The TIFF setting can be set to record images at 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, 1,024 x 768, or 640 x 480 pixels. SQ can be set to 1,280 x 960, 1,024 x 768, or 640 x 480 pixels, with High or Normal compression levels. Both SHQ and HQ settings record images at the 1,600 x 1,200-pixel size.
  • WB: Sets the White Balance to Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Incandescent, Fluorescent, or Quick Reference (manual) settings.
  • WB +/-: Adjustment bar corrects red or blue shifts in the White Balance.
  • Sharpness: Controls the in-camera sharpening, with options of Hard, Normal, and Soft.
  • Contrast: Adjusts the image contrast. Options are High, Low, and Normal.
    
    
• Card:
  • Card Setup: Formats the SmartMedia card, erasing all files, even protected ones.
    
    
• Setup:
  • All Reset: Specifies which camera settings are saved or reset to defaults. Options are Off, On, or Custom, which allows you to choose individual settings to be saved.
  • Info: Controls the amount of image information displayed on the LCD screen.
  • Beep: Turns the camera's beep sounds on or off.
  • Rec View: Activates the Quick View, which displays a captured image while it's being recorded to the memory card.
  • Sleep: Designates the period of inactivity after which the camera puts itself to sleep. Choices include 30 seconds or 1, 3, 5, or 10 minutes.
  • File Name: Controls whether file names are reset with each new SmartMedia card, or continued from card to card.
  • LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.
  • Date and Time: Sets the camera's internal calendar and clock.
  • M/Ft: Sets the distance scale for Manual Focus to report distances in meters or feet.
  • Battery Save: Reduces battery consumption.
  • Short Cut: Changes the preliminary menu screen short cut items. Factory defaults are ISO, White Balance, and Quality.
  • Custom Button: Changes the function of the AE Lock / Custom Button from AE Lock to control Info, ISO, A / S / M, Slow Sync, Digital Zoom, Fulltime AF, Sound, Function (color effects), Quality, and White Balance.
    

Playback Menu: Like the Record menu, the Playback menu is called up by pressing the Menu / OK button while in Playback mode. The following sub-menus and options are available:

Slide-Show: Identified by multiple frame playback symbols. Activates or deactivates the automated slide-show.

Movie Play: (For movie files only) Plays back movie files, and allows you to edit frames or display each frame in an index.

Info: Controls the amount of image information reported on the LCD screen.

Mode Menu:

• Play:
  • Sound: (Still images only) Records four-second sound clips and attaches them to captured images.
• Card Setup: Formats the SmartMedia card, or Erases all images on the card without formatting.
• Setup:
  • All Reset: Specifies which camera settings are saved or reset to defaults. Options are Off, On, or Custom, which allows you to choose which settings are saved.
  • Beep: Turns the camera's beep sounds on or off.
  • LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.
  • Date and Time: Sets the camera's internal calendar and clock.
  • Index: Establishes whether 4, 9, or 16 images are displayed in the Index display.