Olympus FE-230 Review

One of four simultaneously announced new FE-series digital camera models with approachable, beginner-friendly features, the Olympus FE-230 ships from February 2007 priced at $200. The Olympus FE-230 combines a seven megapixel CCD imager, Olympus-branded 3x optical zoom lens, and a 2.5" LCD display in a compact body. The FE230 aims to keep things simple, with sixteen scene modes that make it easy to get the shot without understanding the subtleties of shutter speeds, apertures and the suchlike. As well as 20MB of built-in memory, images can be stored on xD-Picture cards. There's also USB computer connectivity, and video out to let you see your photos on a television.

Compared to the entry-level FE-210 model, the FE-230 reduces camera size and weight significantly, increases the maximum ISO sensitivity to 1250 (vs. ISO 640 in the FE-210), adds audio to the VGA movie mode and doubles the framerate to 30fps, as well as switching to a proprietary Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, adding a few more scene modes, offering slightly more built-in memory, and offering an optional underwater housing.