|
|
Check out this indispensable reference book for every photographer.
Photography
|
|
|
|
Reviews
Amazon.com
The Olympus D-400 Zoom combines easy-to-use automatic operation with higher-end advanced features to create a digital camera that both novices and experienced photographers will enjoy using. Its relatively slim form and uncompressed image-recording abilities set this digital camera above its competitors. Getting started with the D-400 Zoom is easy--we just popped the batteries and smart card in and were ready to take pictures. The D-400 Zoom provides several recording modes, ranging in resolution and compression. For users wanting the absolute best-quality digital image, Olympus offers uncompressed TIFF recording mode, which lets you save only one or two uncompressed images on a memory card. At the other end of the spectrum, in Standard Quality (SQ) mode, you can record 122 images with 640-by-480 resolution--good for pictures destined to end up on a Web site. For mid-range quality images, you can take pictures at 1280-by-960 resolution with standard or minimum compression. The D-400 Zoom is one of the few digital cameras with an optical (versus digital) zoom, making for sharper closeups. It also has a 2x digital zoom, for a total zoom power of 6x. This digital camera offers a good range of exposure and focusing options, letting you switch to spot metering for unusual focusing situations and adjust the exposure up to two stops in either direction. The four preset white-balance adjustments are a handy feature for shooting inside homes (where incandescent lights tend to give everything a yellow cast) or in the office (where fluorescent lights cast a greenish pall over scenes). Like many digital cameras, the D-400 Zoom is a stellar performer in low light, focusing in near darkness. As long as you have a tripod or something sturdy to place the camera on, this model is a good choice for nighttime cityscapes, fireworks, and indoor conditions where you'd prefer not to use a flash. The D-400 Zoom is by no means slim and lightweight compared with traditional or APS film cameras. However, it is sleek and stylish for a digital camera, using Olympus's trademark sliding lens cover, which also makes it easy to turn the camera on and off. The only real drawback to the D-400 Zoom is its short battery life. We were able to take only 60 pictures in the lowest-resolution mode before the four Duracell AAs gave out. Olympus recognizes this shortcoming in the manual and encourages you to buy rechargeable batteries, but it would have been nice if rechargeables and a charger were included with the camera. Overall, though, the D-400 Zoom gives us just about everything we could want in a point-and-shoot digital camera. Pros:
- Bright, clear LCD viewfinder
- High resolution
- Provides uncompressed TIFF recording capabilities
- Powerful optical zoom
- Plenty of memory
- Performs well in low light
Cons:
- Low battery life
- Doesn't come with rechargeable batteries
Customer Comments
Average Customer Review: 
Number of Reviews: 12
Payline777@aol.com from La Marque, Texas , September 27, 1999
The best camera in its class
Olympus quality lens. Excellent flash photos. Excellent sunlight photos. Fair low light photos. If there's a way to get an extended warranty on this camera, get it. The cover will not hold up if you use this camera heavily. (I take 400-500 pictures a day with it, and open the lens cover 20-30 times a day) I use the camera commercially, and it was the best choice after weeks of research. The LCD display is very expensive to repair, so if you don't have an extended warranty, be careful with the display. With a tripod and the supplied cables, you can set up some creative photo ideas. Use your imagination and you will become an Olympus fan. An electronics enthusiast from Olympia, Wa , September 16, 1999
Great Camera
This camera is relatively easy to learn and it has many features that make it attractive, such as the flash memory unit, on-camera erase, on-camera view, and other features that make this an excellent purchase. I have printed some of the photos that I have taken from my home computer and the people who received them thought they were better than any they had gotten from a professional in the past and I'm not that good. An electronics enthusiast from London England , September 4, 1999
Great Camera to ENCOURAGE you to take pictures
My wife and I have always been a bit lazy about taking pictures until we bought this camera. Now it is easy to take the pics, view the pics on the LCD, and amazingly easy to download them onto our home computer to send to our families. This camera is a winner as it makes you take more pictures because it is fun and best of all you end up saving money because it is digital and therefore nothing needs to be developed. JIsenhart@isenhart.com from Lake Chelan, Washington , August 13, 1999
A GREAT PRODUCT - GREAT VALUE
I have owned several, but NONE have beat this camera for total value. Don't hold back. Buy it. It is easy to use. Gives good battery life with rechargable batteries, does excellent close-ups. indiolee@the-desert.net from Indio, CA , August 8, 1999
Great for creating pictures to frame and hang on your wall
I upgraded from the 320L Olympus to the 400Z and what a difference! I can now create beautiful 8 X 10 photos printed by my Epson 800 at 14400. People cannot believe that these photos were printed on paper or were taken with a digital camera. Also, the 400 will take a 32 meg Smart Media chip. This means one can take 72 Super High Quality pictures with one chip. Then, after transferring them to your computer, a button will delete these and you can start anew. Having a camera whose cover closes over the lens is also great protection. This camera is the best! An electronics enthusiast from California , July 20, 1999 
A great choice
I am very happy with this camera. I took the D-340R back to the store and bought this D-400Z instead. It takes way better pictures! They are so much brighter and vivid. Everyone I showed was very impressed. One friend was so impressed that he is going to buy one! I wanted it mostly for putting images on Ebay but I like to use it as a replacement for my Canon EOS camera. No film, no developing. I highly recommend this camera. I think it is a wise choice! mmoore@dnai.com/Michael Moore from Mill Valley, CA , July 16, 1999
Love this camera!
This is a terrific camera, and not having to buy film lets you take pictures where you wouldn't have before (like whiteboard sessions at work). I would recommend getting the Olympus NiMH batteries which last a very long time. They're expensive, but remove the battery hassle. Also a 16mb Smartcard is a good investment. Lastly, a good tripod, since you will be tempted to take low light pictures and it is hard to do without blurring. Have fun! donrennie@home.com from Richmond, Va. , July 13, 1999
Help with the battery problem!
You can extend the life of the batteries by avoiding the ever present temptation to review every picture you take through the LCD screen. Also, leave the screen off when you take pictures and use the traditional view finder, the batteries seem to last as long as a regular 35MM. A side note, I remember paying $799.99 at a well know merchandise center in April '99. Great price here. Additionally, I believe the Flashpath Smart Media Adapter is a must! Loading full images through the camera cables is like connecting at 14,400 baud vs. ISDN T-3!
Click here for all 12 customer comments...
|
