Jump to a part
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Introduction
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01.Testing / Performance
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02.Physical Tour
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03.Components
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04.Design / Layout
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05.Modes
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06.Control Options
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07.Image Parameters
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08.Connectivity / Extras
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09.Overall Impressions
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10.Conclusion
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11.Comments
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Olympus FE-200
First Impressions Review
Previous: Page 4
Design / LayoutNext: Page 6
Control OptionsAuto Mode
The auto mode for the Olympus FE-200 is accessed via the mode dial located on the back face of the camera body. The auto mode is fully automatic, but its defaults can be altered to a couple of image parameters. The alterable parameters when shooting in auto mode allow for adjustment to exposure compensation and flash settings. There are no other manual controls available in this mode or any other mode when shooting with the point-and-shoot FE-200.
The default setting for flash in auto mode is obviously auto flash and this can be the one setting that stops the novice user from capturing a quality image. The auto flash tended to fire regardless of lighting conditions and subjects were subsequently washed out. Switching the camera to flash off will produce images that are immensely better and consistently more accurate in both color and tonal structure when shooting in well-lit situations where the flash destroyed an otherwise well balanced image. The auto mode isn’t fast to the draw but none of the shooting modes found with the FE-200 are; patience and a steady hand are essential when shooting images with this camera.
Movie Mode
Movie mode for the Olympus FE-200 is another area where underwhelming specifications make it a less than desirable purchase when compared to the 640 x 480 full resolution, 30 fps rate found with many lower priced digital cameras currently on the market. With the FE-200, photographers will have to rely on resolutions of either 320 x 240 at 30 fps or 160 x 120 at 15 fps. The resulting image quality is grainy and shooting in brightly lit conditions is highly recommended since lower levels of light resulted in a nearly indecipherable playback image. Audio can be recorded when shooting movie clips. The microphone for this camera is located below and to the left of the lens barrel when facing the front of the camera body. Recording video footage is accomplished by pressing the shutter button once. Once this has occurred, a small timer will appear in the lower left corner of the LCD screen that displays how much recording time is left on either internal memory or memory card. It is possible to review images and monitor audio in playback mode and the user can play, pause and scan within the review mode. Editing of video files is not possible in-camera and photographers would need to export their files to a post-production editing program like I-Movie or Avid Free (not included) to make basic alterations to their video footage.
Drive/Burst Mode
This camera comes with no burst mode and photographers looking to capture images quickly and efficiently without delay should definitely consider another option. The lag time for focusing, adjustment and capture was lengthy even in well-lit situations and the amount of time needed to properly adjust in low light increased noticeably. If quick shooting is necessary, consider a camera like the Canon PowerShot A530. Its predecessor, the A520, had a continuous burst mode of 1.9 fps for up to eight images. The Canon A530 is also priced more reasonably than the A520 and is available for around the same price as the Olympus FE-200. In addition to this, the A530 will also give photographers access to a number of manual controls and other features like a My Colors digital effects mode that outdoes the limited effects on the FE-200.
Playback Mode
Reviewing and making minor modifications to images post-capture is accomplished by pressing the playback button located in the upper right corner on the back face of the Olympus FE-200. The most recently captured image will appear immediately upon entering playback. The menu structure is opened via the same menu button used in shooting mode and photographers will find eight sub-menu options. The rotation and resize options are easy to use and engage while the slideshow displays images in a default playback speed and in chronological order.
By pressing the zoom ring to the left, captured images can be viewed on single full frames, as four images, nine images, sixteen images or twenty-five images in thumbnail format. Scanning through images in any of these display methods can be accomplished by pressing any of the cardinal directions located on the four-way control. In addition to this display setup, users can also choose to engage the zoom toggle in the opposite direction to zoom in on an image. Playback zoom for the FE-200 has a range of up to 10x and the display frame can be moved through the image by using the four-way control.
Deleting pictures and video files is pretty straightforward and users can select a single image by pressing the delete button on the back of the camera directly beneath the four-way control. Multiple or single image deletion is also possible by entering the playback menu and opening the Erase sub-menu. Users can erase all images at once or make selections from here. The select image option will display images as a six-up thumbnail display where users can choose images for deletion by pressing the OK button. If an incorrect image is selected, users must press the OK button again to de-select before continuing their purging process. Once all the appropriate images for deletion have been selected, the delete button must be pressed to open a display that will ask whether users wish to delete selected images. All in all this process works great, especially when you’ve captured a couple hundred images. The select image method will enable users to delete quickly and get back to shooting without wasting time which is great when on a hike, photographing group portraits, or shooting sporting events.
Movies can be watched in playback mode with audio via a small monaural speaker positioned on the top of the camera body to the left of the power button. Movie playback allows for the user to play, pause, and scan when viewing video files. There are no editing options available in-camera for movie files and users will have to export video to personal computer if alteration is necessary.
Custom Image Presets
The custom image presets for the Olympus FE-200 can be accessed and altered by switching the mode dial to the scene setting in addition to selecting from three options that are listed on the mode dial itself. Located on the mode dial are scene modes that cover portrait, night portrait and landscape modes. Additionally there are ten scene modes that cover basic lighting and subject matter. Many compact digital cameras have 12-15 scene modes, with some Casio cameras boasting 34 preset shooting modes. The Olympus FE-200’s scene modes are displayed as a series of icons on the left side of the LCD while the currently selected icon will display an example image and accompanying textual description that fills most of the screen. For instance, a text example is the sports mode description: "Captures fast-moving action without blurring." Obviously this mode is helpful in other situations beyond a sporting event. The scene mode settings found with this camera will cover the following situations: sports, indoor, candle, self portrait, sunset, fireworks, behind glass, cuisine, documents, and auction.
The problem with the scene modes comes when trying to switch to a different mode once a scene mode has been set. Re-entering the scene mode display can’t be accomplished by pressing the menu button. Pressing the menu button will merely open the standard shooting menu found in auto mode. Re-accessing the scene options can only be accomplished by switching the mode dial to a different mode and then back to scene mode or by pressing the playback and the shooting mode button. This is really irritating when trying to work quickly and it seems that Olympus could have put more design thought into an area that is pretty much essential for most point-and-shooters.
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