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| Olympus D-490 Zoom (Cameras) |
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Hardware Reviews January 2001 • Vol.9 Issue 1 Page(s) 25 in print issue |
Olympus D-490 Zoom (Cameras) | ||
 As much as there is to like about the two-megapixel D-490 Zoom digital camera from Olympus, there is nearly as much to question about aspects of its design, features, and bundled extras. This dichotomy ultimately leaves a bittersweet taste in our mouths. At first glance, the D-490 Zoom appears to be another stellar offering from Olympus, which has a history of producing excellent models. The camera takes above-average images at resolutions as high as 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, includes a new QuickTime movie option to capture 15fps (frames per second) of video up to 60 seconds, and is travel-friendly. In addition, it has four image-quality settings (including an uncompressed TIFF [Tagged Image File Format] mode), four ISO (International Organization for Standardization) settings, programmable auto exposure, five white balance settings, a five-mode pop-up flash, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) support, and a burst mode that takes 1.3 shots a second up to 45 shots in Standard Quality. That's a lot of camera for less than $400. Unfortunately, Olympus omitted a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection for transferring images, which forces users to use a much slower serial port alternative. That is almost inexcusable for a camera of this quality with two-megapixel shooting ability. In addition, Olympus doesn't include an A/C adapter and rechargeable batteries, the Olympus Camedia Master Utility software bundled is limited, and the camera ships with a smallish 8MB SmartMedia card that stores just 17 High Quality shots at 1,600 x 1,200 pixel resolution. More frustrating are the vague menu icons and button labels. Many buttons have dual functions, and the menu isn't nearly as intuitive as it could be, so you'll need to keep the manual close for reference. In addition, turning off the camera requires sliding the lens cover over until it physically bumps against the lens, which could cause possible damage over the long term. Also, you can't immediately review shots without first shutting the lens cover and accessing the menu. More positive are the camera's fast startup and recovery speeds and its quality lens (5.4mm-16.2mm, f2.8-f4.4), which has 3X optical zoom and 2X digital zoom and focuses 8 inches to 31 inches in macro mode and 31 inches to infinity normally. And, the camera's images are very good. Although colors were darker and muddier than we'd expect from an Olympus model, our images still rendered excellent crispness and focus in nearly every shot. Initially, getting a two-megapixel model with options and images this good seems like a steal. However, there is no USB connection and you'll probably be shelling out for rechargeable batteries, an A/C adapter, and additional storage capacity. In the end though, the camera's good features narrowly outweigh the bad ones. by Blaine Flamig
$395 Olympus (800) 347-4027 (631) 844-5000 http://www.olympusamerica.com
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