Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

The Olympus D series is tailored for point-and-shoot users who don’t want to be bothered with manual adjustments to capture impressive images. The 5-megapixel Olympus D-630 debuts as the new top-of-the-line model with more resolution and increased ease of use with an added Help Guide. A 3x optical zoom lens rotates into place, giving the camera a modern and sleek look, unique in the D series. At 4.4 ounces and only an inch wide, the D-630 provides consumers with a slim, no-fuss digital camera that’s as easily portable as it is to use. There are no manual options included on this Olympus Camedia model; the focus is more on automatic settings and user friendliness. The Olympus D-630 will be available for a retail price of $299 in April.
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Viewfinder
There is no optical viewfinder on the D-630; however, there is a 2-inch LCD screen that has a 100 percent field of view for composing live scenes and viewing prerecorded images.

LCD Screen
A 2-inch semi-transmissive LCD screen keeps the glare of the sun from inhibiting the view. With a 100 percent field of view, the D-640’s screen provides an accurate viewfinder for users. With 115,000 pixels, the LCD screen has plenty of resolution. The semi-transmissive screen effectively diffracts glare and is one of the D-630’s strongest attributes.


Flash

The built-in flash has a limited selection of modes: Auto, On, Off, and Red-Eye Reduction. The flash reaches from 0.3-11.8 feet, which is about average for a compact digital camera.

Zoom Lens
The 5.8-17.4mm lens looks slightly odd, with a tiny glass opening in the larger lens barrel. However, the little lens grows on you with its unique twisting motion. When the Olympus D-630 is turned on, the lens extends in three segments. However, instead of extending straight outward from the body, the segments twist into place. The actual lens is off-center from the nose of the barrel because it is positioned directly over the 1/2.5-inch CCD. The rotating design allows the barrel to fold flatter within the thin camera and to automatically close the lens cap when it is powered down. The 3x optical zoom lens is constructed from 7 lenses in 7 groups with 3 aspherical elements. It is equivalent to 35-105mm in 35mm format. The D-630 has a 4x digital zoom that can be engaged through the Camera menu.

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