Manual Control Options
The C-5500 Zoom includes Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes as well as a full Manual mode on the camera’s main Mode Dial. This allows the user to set and control various aspects of the exposure, using aperture, shutter speed, and ISO ratings to create the desired image. The My Mode setting also lets users customize four combinations of manual functions from the following options: Aperture, Shutter Speed, Exposure Compensation, Monitor on or off, Zoom, Flash Mode, Self Timer, AE/AF, Macro, Drive, ISO, Flash Compensation, Noise Reduction, Digital Zoom, Full-time AF, Panorama, Function, Info, Histogram, Microphone, Frame Assist, Image Size, White Balance, White Balance Adjust, Sharpness, Contrast, and Saturation. My Mode creates another four manual modes, which the user can toy with and save for later selection.

Auto Focus (7.0)
The auto focus uses a contrast detection system and can focus as close as 1.9 feet in normal shooting mode. In the Macro mode, the C-5500 can focus from 3 inches to 3.9 feet. In Super Macro mode, the camera can focus from .07 to 3 inches. This camera has an extremely impressive Macro mode; .07 inches is nearly unheard of in this price range.

When shooting at normal distances with the C-5500, I noticed that the lens had trouble focusing in low light and was slow to focus even in adequate lighting.

Manual Focus (0.0)
There is no manual focus available on the Olympus Camedia C-5500.

Metering (6.5)
The Olympus C-5500 has both Digital ESP and Spot metering modes. The Digital ESP mode meters the center of the subject and surrounding area separately. Spot metering only meters within the targeted focus area. There is also a Multi-metering function that meters from eight different points in view and is recommended with high contrast subjects. Perhaps the metering modes save energy on this camera; most digital cameras’ multi-metering modes use many more points to measure from. For example, Nikons meter from 256 points.

Exposure (6.5)
Like many digital cameras, the exposure compensation settings lay within the standard -2 to +2 range in 1/3 steps. To change the exposure compensation, users must press the right and left arrows of the navigational dial. But users must know this intuitively because the arrows are not labeled with that function at all.

White Balance (8.0)
The Olympus C-5500 uses a through-the-lens multi-pattern system to determine its automatic white balance. If that is not sufficient, users can access the following preset modes: Daylight, Overcast, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, and a White Balance Compensation mode. When users scroll through the preset options, they can see live views of the lighting, so they can make educated choices about which white balance mode is best. The manual white balance is represented by a vague icon, but the actual function is very easy to use. A Set window lets users capture a picture of a white object, which “tells” the camera what is truly white beneath the lighting. Once captured, users enter the manual white balance mode to use their latest setting.

ISO (7.0)
When scrolling through ISO options in the menu, users cannot see live views like they can in the white balance menu. The following options are available: Auto, 80, 100, 200, and 400. However, the auto setting cannot be selected in the Manual mode; users must make some judgment of the lighting and do it themselves!

Shutter Speed (7.0)
The C-5500 can shoot as fast as 1/1500th of a second and as slow as 15 seconds. This is a decent range for the versatile shooter and is manually accessible in Shutter Priority and Full Manual modes. To change shutter speeds, users do not need to enter any menus. The speed shows onscreen with arrows pointing up and down. When scrolling through the options, there are no live views.

Aperture (4.0)
The Olympus zoom lens has an aperture range from f/2.8 to f/4.8 in 1/3 steps. While this appears to be a somewhat restricted range, users can control the diaphragm in both Manual and Aperture Priority modes. Aperture control is accessed through the on-screen display with arrows showing users to scroll left and right. Unfortunately, there are no live views of aperture settings, so effects will only be seen in finished products.