Olympus D-630

Model Design/ Appearance
The D-630’s polycarbonate body is brushed silver in color, measuring 3.1 x 2.4 x 1-inches. Weighing just 4.4 ounces, the Olympus D-630 is incredibly light and compact. The point-and-shoot digital camera is one of the sleekest cameras available by Olympus and definitely takes the prize for the D series. Its sexy design and petite form offer a strong aesthetic appeal to the eye. The lens bows from tradition with the smaller glass portion off-center from the lens barrel. It looks slightly odd at first, but the rotating motion in which it opens and closes contributes to the overall modern look of the camera.

Size/ Portability
Sporting extremely portable dimensions of 3.1 x 2.4 x 1 inches, the Olympus D-630 can slip easily into a pocket. With extended, flat surfaces composing the frame, there are no notable protrusions, making the camera both durable and portable.

Handling Ability
The Olympus D-630 has a polished, raised vertical bar on the front that acts as a finger grip. While polished metal isn’t the best material for gripping, it works as long as fingers aren’t sweaty and slippery. On the back of the camera, there is a shallow circular divot where the right thumb can rest and provide increased stability.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
The Olympus D-630 Zoom maintains an impressively uncluttered back face. There are limited controls and buttons, most of which are clearly labeled and easily distinguishable. The buttons are large and properly spaced, so users won’t have to overextend and fumble around, chancing activation of unintended controls.

Menu
The Olympus D-630 aims to be user friendly with its automatic settings and menu selections. Most of the menus are text, although there are some graphics included, creating an intuitive interface. When users scroll through scene modes and menu options, they see an example of the setting and a written explanation of it.

When the Menu button is pressed, four options appear: EV, Picture Size, White Balance, and Menu. While the first three options offer adjustments, the Menu button has three lists of sub-settings: Camera, Card, and Setup. The Camera menu has the following options: Digital Zoom, Auto Focus, Panorama, 2 in 1, and ISO. The Card menu can either format the memory or back it up. The Setup menu has the following options: All Reset (returning the camera to the factory default settings), Language, Volume, Recording View, File Name, Pixel Mapping, Exposure Compensation, Time, and Video Out. The video-out option lets users choose NTSC or PAL compatibility.

Ease of Use
While the automatic mode is the bread and butter of the D-630, the ease of use is the jelly. All of the settings are easy to find and menus are easy to navigate. With features like written explanations of modes and example pictures or live views, choosing the correct setting is simple.