Olympus C-7070 Wide ZoomThe Olympus C-7070 offers a nice range of "enthusiast" features in a capable and affordable 7-megapixel camera.<<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 7:Operation & User InterfaceReview First Posted: 03/01/2005, Updated: 04/27/2005 |
Operation and User Interface
The Olympus C7070 Wide Zoom has a similar interface design to previous C-series cameras, with a nice complement of external controls to keep you out of the menu system for most common functions. The C7070's Mode dial quickly sets the exposure mode, and the Command dial lets you change a variety of settings without delving into the LCD menu. The LCD menu system itself is much the same as seen in recent C-series cameras, and the return of the virtual dial for some settings again proves useful. Several of the C7070 Wide Zoom's external controls can be combined in pairs to adjust a third camera setting. For example, holding down the Flash and +/- buttons adjusts the flash exposure compensation. This is excellent in terms of limiting LCD menu usage, but does make the camera's interface slightly more complicated. And even with the liberal use of external controls, the C7070's menu system is deeper and more complex than most digital cameras on the market. I'd say it will probably take several hours for the average user to become fully acquainted with the 7070's control layout.
Control Enumeration
Shutter Button: Located on top of the camera, on the right side, the Shutter button sets focus and exposure settings when depressed halfway and triggers the shutter when fully depressed.
Zoom Lever (see image above): Surrounding the Shutter button, the Zoom lever controls the optical zoom in all exposure modes, and the digital zoom when enabled through the Shooting menu. In Playback mode, the lever switches between Index view, normal image display, and zoomed playback.
Self-Timer / Remote / Rotate Button: Behind the Shutter button and Zoom lever controls, this button accesses the Self-Timer and Remote Control modes when pressed while turning the Command dial. Pressing this button in Playback mode rotates the captured image 90 degrees clockwise. In any camera mode, pressing this button with the Custom / DPOF button resets all camera settings to their defaults.
Custom / DPOF Button (see image above): To the right of the Shutter button, this button can be programmed to access a variety of camera settings while in Shooting mode. (The default setting is the Drive option.) In Playback mode, this button calls up the DPOF settings menu, where you can select images for printing, the number of copies of each, etc. As noted above, pressing this button with the Self-Timer / Remote / Rotate button resets all camera settings to their defaults.
Mode Dial: On top of the camera, the Mode dial selects the camera's operating mode. Choices are Playback, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual, My Mode, Movie, and Scene modes.
Power Dial: Directly beneath the Mode dial, this dial simply turns the camera on and off.
Focus Button: Located on left side of the camera's top panel, this button controls the focus mode. Pressing the button displays a "virtual dial" containing focus options on the LCD. Turning the Command dial cycles between Normal AF, Macro, Manual Focus, Super Macro, and Super Macro Manual Focus modes. Pressing the OK button with the virtual dial displayed pulls up the Focus menu, where you can quickly adjust the focus mode, AF area, or enable Fulltime AF.
Metering / Protect Button: Behind the Focus button on the top panel, this button sets the camera's metering mode to Spot, Center-weighted, Multi, or ESP when pressed while turning the Command dial. In Playback mode, this button marks the current image for write-protection.
Command Dial: Tucked in the upper right corner of the rear panel, this dial adjusts a variety of camera settings when turned while pressing one of the control buttons. In Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, this dial adjusts the available exposure variable (lens aperture or shutter speed, respectively). In Manual exposure mode, it adjusts the shutter speed when no button is pressed, or aperture in conjunction with the +/- button. In Playback mode, this dial scrolls back and forth between captured images.
Diopter Adjustment Dial: Tucked on the right side of the optical viewfinder eyepiece, this ring adjusts the viewfinder to accommodate eyeglass wearers.
AE Lock / Erase Button: To the right of the optical viewfinder eyepiece, this button locks the exposure in any Shooting mode (a second press cancels the exposure lock). In Playback mode, this button calls up the Single Erase menu, for deleting the currently-displayed image.
Quick View Button: Just below the AE Lock / Erase button, this button activates the Quick View function, which calls up the previously captured image on the screen.
Monitor / Info Button: Below and to the right of the Quick View button, this button controls the LCD display, cycling between an information overlay, the image area only, and a detailed status display in place of an image. In Playback mode, this button cycles through several screens of information on the currently displayed image.
Five-Way Arrow Pad: The largest control on the back panel, the Arrow Pad features four arrow keys surrounding the central, OK / Menu button. In any settings menu, the arrow buttons navigate through available options and make selections. In Playback mode, the left and right Arrows move singly forward or backward through the pictures stored on the card, and the up and down Arrows jump ten at a time forward or backward through the pictures; all four Arrows scroll around portions of the expanded image in Zoom Playback mode.
The Central OK/Menu button activates the menu system on the rear panel LCD monitor or Electronic Viewfinder and confirms selected menu settings in the various LCD menu screens. When you press the Display button, it will call up the menu options and display them over the viewfinder image. Pressing this button while the Focus virtual dial is displayed accesses a short Focus menu.
CF / xD Button: To the right of the Monitor button, this button switches between the two memory card slots (CompactFlash and xD-Picture Card), if you have cards of both types loaded into the camera.
+/- Button: Located on a beveled panel on the left side of the camera, this button adjusts the exposure compensation when pressed while turning the Command dial. Exposure can be increased or decreased from -2 to +2 EV in half (or via a menu setting) one-third-step increments. In Manual exposure mode, this button accesses the lens aperture setting rather than exposure compensation. Pressing this button and the Flash button below it accesses the flash exposure compensation adjustment (likewise set by turning the Command dial)
Flash Button (see image above): Directly below the +/- button, this button controls the flash operating mode. Turning the Command dial cycles between Auto, Forced, Suppressed, Red-Eye Reduction, and Slow Synchro modes. When held down in conjunction with the +/- button, this button accesses the flash exposure compensation setting.
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