Olympus C-3030 Zoom

The Olympus C-3030 Zoom is definitely the flagship model for Olympus. It has a three megapixel sensor, built-in MPEG movie capture, remote control, many operating modes and excellent image quality. It’s also the most expensive of the cameras reviewed.
Enlargements to 400% using the indoor flash are possible, but outside shots with a lot of glare are slightly less accurate than the Kodak DC4800. Its colour accuracy was the best in all conditions, especially in shadow, but fine details became fuzzy in highlighted areas.
It took about seven seconds to download a IM file over a USB connection, and its startup and refresh speeds were quick as well, at 2.5 seconds each.
Using the camera is straightforward, and the eight buttons (not including the mode wheel) tend to operate in batches for convenience. This isn’t a dabbler’s camera — you’ll need to read the bulky manual. Once you have, the option to swap between aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, video or program modes and the option to totally tailor everything from film speed to metering to sharpness will delight the inveterate tlnkerer. You can check whether all the tinkering has paid off with the clear and bright LCD viewer on the back panel.
The camera is comfortable in the hand, and the handgrip accommodates the two supplied CR-V3 lithium disposable batteries (or four standard AAs if you prefer high-power rechargables). The autofocus zoom is quick and quiet in action, and is supplemented by a 2.5x digital zoom. The 16M Smart-
Media card slips behind the handgrip, and the connections for USB, serial and TV sit under a flap on the
left-hand side. The top-panel LCD isn’t quite as busy as the Nikon Coolpix 990’s, but it works well. Its overall design Is initially unassuming, but the doser you look the better it seems. However, the slightly rattly zoom lens outer cover looks nowhere near as solid as those on the Canons.
The supplied Camedia software was probably the most difficult to install, requiring repeated directory hunting to locate the USB driver. It also has fewer
functions than some cheaper alternatives. Despite this, it’s still one of the best consumer digitals around.