Olympus FE-230

Auto Mode (7.0)
The Auto mode for the Olympus FE-230 is engaged by rotating the mode dial on the back of the camera to the AUTO setting. Auto mode provides the user with access to exposure compensation levels and flash settings while dictating parameters of camera performance. The user can also choose to not adjust these features and use this model strictly as a point-and-shoot camera. The Auto mode performed adequately when shooting in well-lit situations, with the focus time being reasonable while not speedy. When switched to a situation with low or no light, however, the camera often took several seconds before struggling to produce an in-focus image.

If shooting in scenes overwhelmed by the camera’s flash, the ability to adjust flash settings is invaluable. This is definitely the case when shooting portraits in Auto mode, since the Auto Flash setting will almost always produce subjects with flagrant red-eye. The Red-eye Reduction and Fill Flash settings greatly improve the range of situations the camera can be used in, and allows the photographer to capture photos they’d like to keep forever. And since both are accessible through the right arrow of the four-way control when in a Shooting mode, there is no need to enter a confusing menu system.

Movie Mode (7.5)
The Movie mode is accessed by turning the mode dial to the film camera icon. Movie clips are captured as AVI Motion JPEG files and include audio. Users have the choice of capturing video clips in either a full resolution of 640 x 480 at 30fps or 320 x 240 at 30fps. Both options are listed within the image quality setting of the Movie mode’s Shooting menu. The only other in-menu option allows videos to be captured with or without audio. Exposure compensation is still manually controllable outside the menu system. Access this feature by pressing the up arrow in the four-way control when the camera is not in a menu system. The horizontal exposure compensation scale is a graphic overlaying a live view of the composition on the LCD. Users can adjust the exposure levels +/- 2 EV in 1/3-step increments with the left and right arrows of the four-way control.

The major benefit to turning the audio recording off when capturing video files is the switch from digital to optical zoom. When capturing video with audio the camera only allows digital zoom, while video files without audio clips can use the optical zoom range. It’s a trade off, but I’d rather have non-synchronous audio and a better quality video recording than audio and video captured together.

Drive/Burst Modes (0.0)
Another area where the FE-230 fails to bring any sort of feature comes with the vain search for a Burst mode. The more expensive FE-250 comes with a Burst mode option, another reason it's priced higher. Considering the sluggish focus and capture times, the lack of a Burst mode means users need to set aside several seconds before a shot can be captured. Cameras like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 are priced for around the same amount as the FE-230 and come equipped with a Burst mode option.

Playback Mode (6.5)

The Playback mode for the Olympus FE-230 enables users to review and, to a certain extent, edit or adjust captured photographs. The Playback mode is accessed by pressing the play button above the upper right corner of the LCD screen

The Playback mode allows for users to view images as single frames or multiple thumbnail images in four, nine, 16, or 25 image formats. The formats can be switched by toggling the zoom ring to the left toward wide angle. Thumbnail images can be scanned in any of these displays with the four-way navigation control, and individual images can be selected by pressing the OK button. This camera is able to view single images at up to 10 times its original size by pressing the zoom ring to the right toward the telephoto setting. The Playback mode viewing and editing options are listed within the Playback menu system, opened using the menu button on the back of the camera. These options are Slide Show, Resize, Print Order, My Favorite, Playback menu, Setup, DIS edit, Erase, and Silent mode. The Playback menu option opens an additional screen that allows users to protect an image, add an audio file of four seconds to a still image, and rotate the image 90 degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Playback mode allows users to review video clips and audio files captured by the camera or on the memory card. The audio component of the audio + still image files plays when the file is selected and once complete will not repeat again. Repeating the audio file playback is only possible by switching to another image and then returning to the file with the attached audio clip.

Custom Image Presets (8.0)

The plethora of options provided on the Olympus FE-230 outdoes the more expensive FE-250 with 19 preset scene settings. Four of these preset-Shooting modes are located on the mode dial, while the rest are in a sub-menu off the Scene setting on the mode dial.

The Scene modes accessible on the mode dial are Night + Portrait, Landscape, Portrait, and Digital Image Stabilization mode. Located within the Scene mode menu on the mode dial are; Sport, Indoor, Candle, Self Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, Behind Glass, Cuisine, Documents, Auction, Under Water Wide 1, Under Water Wide 2 and Under Water Macro. Because this camera is neither water-proof nor water-resistant, all three underwater modes can only be used when the camera is encased in the optional underwater housing.

A final preset Shooting mode can be accessed if an optional xD-Picture card and Olympus software are used. The Panorama mode allows users to shoot images in either Panorama Up/Down or Panorama Left/Right. This mode is found within the shooting menu under "Panorama.'

The abundance of Scene modes are definitely point-and-shooter friendly and are a strength of the FE-230.