The Olympus D-370 boasts a host of excellent features and a compact, clamshell design. Two features that make it stand out are a superbright viewfinder and a newly developed long-life battery circuit. The battery circuit greatly extends battery life, allowing you to capture hundreds of images during normal operation. This 1.3-megapixel camera produces photo-quality 5-by-7-inch prints at 1,280 x 960 pixel resolution. In addition, the D-370 features a movie mode that lets you capture movie clips in QuickTime.
The Olympus focus-free 4.5 mm lens (equivalent to 35mm in film cameras) has an all-glass element and aperture range of f4 to f8. The camera is capable of a 4x digital telephoto zoom, but like all digital zooms, this increase in magnification comes at the expense of image quality. The Auto Connect USB port allows for easy connectivity to any PC running Windows Me or newer, or any Mac running OS 8.6 or newer, without the need to install drivers. Since the camera is recognized as a storage drive, transferring images is as easy as copying files to a floppy disk. The 1.5-inch color LCD displays your pictures for easy viewing and reviewing in-camera. In addition to accepting SmartMedia removable memory, the camera contains 2 MB of internal memory for capturing pictures.
The built-in flash features six modes: auto, red-eye reduction, off, fill-in, slow synchronization, and synchronization effect with red-eye reduction. With the optional Olympus LB01 (CR3V) batteries, the camera can last even longer than with the standard four AA alkaline batteries. There are several shooting modes including sequence (1.3 shots per second), macro, sepia, and black-and-white. Other features offered are: auto light metering, self-timer, date-data imprinting, and automatic or manual white balance.
1 Great little camera
I bought this camera about 2.5 years ago, Have never had a problem with it. Takes great Pictures. I print out 8 x 10 pics all the time (even though it says you can't). My 7 year old daughter uses it all the time, she takes alot of action pictures with it among her friends, they turn out great.
2 It Was A Love Hate Relationship
I purchased the camera last year and for a number of months it worked great. Now it only takes pictures inside. Anything outside is so over exposed it looks monochrome. Half the time the shutter doesn't click so I have to press it two or three times more until it finally works. When I first purchased the camera I would have given it 4 or 5 stars but now I'm in the market for something more reliable. After reading a number of other reviews where people had the same type of problems I'm convinced this camera is quickly self distructing.
3 I Didn't Know I Was Buying a $150 Disposable Camera
Would be a great little camera if it would last more than 15 months. It took great pictures and was very easy to use. I purchased a 64mb memory card (internal memory was useless) and rechargeable batteries (after going thru MANY sets of 4). Right around 9-12 months the camera starting having problems with the LCD not focusing and the camera wouldn't always take the picture while depressing the shutter button. I had purchased the rechargeable batteries thinking that could be the problem. Didn't use it often enough to notice there was a major problem about to happen. NOW AT JUST 15 MONTHS OLD, THE CAMERA DIED COMPLETELY. Just out of the one-year warranty (plus one month grace period) time frame.
I contacted Olympus Tech Support (be prepared to stay on hold a long time on long distance) and was encouraged to send the camera in. I was told they would check it over and let me know what was wrong all for only the charge of insured postage. Then if it needed repairs, it would be a flat $80. I said it wasn't worth the postage sending it in because I wouldn't pay $80 to fix a camera that can be replaced with a newer model for that money. They talked me into sending it when they said it could be defective and the repair would be covered. Another person there said to right a letter and they would possibly do a one time courtesy repair. My letter came yesterday asking for the $80 fee for repair. I called Olympus to ask them what was wrong with it. They said they needed payment first and then they'd hook it to their computers to find out. Big line of BS just to get me to send it in. I should have followed my first instinct and applied my shipping towards a new NON-OLYMPUS brand digital camera.
After investigating further, this appears to be a very common problem with their cameras. Either the LCD or the shutter is giving out on these.
I WILL NEVER BUY ANYTHING WITH THE OLYMPUS NAME ON IT AGAIN!!! PERIOD!!
4 short-lived
I just threw away a D-370 that I purchased 18 months ago. It worked great until two months ago, then simply died. This is the second Olympus digital camera that I've purchased that has lasted only a little over one year, then inexplicably stopped working. The camera repair shop says it's less expensive to buy a new digital camera than to repair the old one. Think of this as a pricey disposable.
5 Great for the first year but then spirals to disappointment
This camera worked great for the first year I had it -- then it was all downhill. First the card became corrupt so I thought it was just the card and bought a new one-- and the same thing is happening. I lost some pretty special pictures because of this. Now the display screen does not automatically come on when I turn on the camera -- I have to press the button several times when I want to take a picture.
The flash is also goes off like 5 times rapidly *before* the camera actually takes the pictures. So this problem (1) blinds the person before the picture is actually taken (this is really not a good thing for babies) and also (2) deceives the person into thinking the picture has already been taken when in fact, it has not.
I'm thinking about writing Olympus and telling them what a crappy camera this turned out to be. It was great for the first year - but now - it's just a pain in the ass. Spend the extra [money] and get something else with a 3MP.
6 Best bang for the buck
I rate this camera 5 stars, not because it's the best camera but it's the best you can get for the money. this is our third digital camera . The first was a cheapo the second was not
but it was not extremely expensive but was high quality with a lot of features.But my wife who takes the pics hated it. She's the point and shoot type. Camera 2 is heavy, has complex controls and eats batteries like mad. I made it worse by buying a power pack that made it heavier and even more inconvenient. Camera 3 is the Olympus D370 and it's a gem. It was inexpensive
even with a 32MB memory card. It's simple to use and takes great pictures. It's only 1.3 MP, but I can print great 8X10s which it isn't supposed to do,and this is done on a BJC-2100 Canon printer, although I have a good Photo printer. We use rechargeable batteries and they last a long time. we are not sophistcated photo people.In fact we're just average senior citzens and it works great for us. On the third try we Highly recomend it for the low budget ,point and shoot crowd.
7 First Digital Camera
As a long time photographer I did not want to spend a great deal for my first digital camera in case my experience was negative. A local office supply had the Olympus D-370 on a close out at ... so I took the plunge. I am amazed at the quality of the pictures. I took a picture of a covered bridge and printed an 8x10 with good results. I have taken a number of close ups of dragon flies and praying mantis and they came out great also. Unfortunately, the software with the camera did not work with my new computer and Windows XP. However this was not a problem (after a phone call to Olympus tech support). Another complaint was no camera port to connect to a tv to view images. I found software for ... that will make digital slide shows on cd's that can be viewed with my TV DVD player. The last complaint is short battery life. I will try improving this by turning off the monitor and using the view finder, something I have neglected to do. I plan to get another similar model Olympus with a higher megapixel rating and optical zoom when there is another "good deal" to make what I consider good quality pictures even better. Staying with a similar camera will enable me to use the same smart cards and chargeable batteries I purchased for the 370.
8 Error -- I should have said 64 Mb
I recommend at least 64 Mb of Smartmedia memory, not 32 Mb as posted. This will provide for nearly 200 photos on a single card.
9 Excellent entry to digital photography
I've been very happy with this camera. I like the overall design and ease of use. Photo quality is excellent, given the 1.3 megapixel resolution. It's perfect for sending or posting photos via the internet and more fun than the old Polaroid cameras for taking photos at the spur of the moment. The quicktime movie feature is especially handy for analyzing your golf swing ;-)
Moving photos from the camera to your PC is literally a snap: just plug in the USB cable provided and Windows does the rest for you (just remember to unplug the camera as soon as you're done transferring -- using the USB cable drains the camera batteries). Simple editing software is also included.
Battery life seems very good: I probably took over 150 photos before the 4 batteries Olympus provided wore out. I expect my Duracells will last longer.
The 370 has only 2 Mb internal memory, so you absolutely have to buy a Smartmedia memory card for it. I recommend at least 32 Mb, which will hold nearly 200 shots at high resolution (even more at lower resolution). Of course, by transferring your photos to your PC, you can use your memory card over and over again, so it's like having an infinite amount of film.
Eventually, when prices drop, I'd like to buy a 3+ megapixel camera with optical telephoto, but for now this little Olympus hits the mark. I highly recommend it. I plan to check Olympus first when I'm in the market next time around.
1.3 Megapixel cameras are being phased out as higher resolution cameras drop in price. Consequently, I recommend looking for closeout sales at Amazon and elsewhere.
...
10 I have no cable, no pictures...
I have taken many pictures with the D-370, as sucessfully as with an analog camera, but can as yet only view them with the tiny monitor screen on the back of the camera. This is because the USB cable has been lost: Olympus is not making them any more, and the Viking Intelliflash card reader (a sort of miniature disk drive) does not play with my versions of Mac OS and OS X.
Won't it be great when electronics companies start standardizing this kind of equipment?
Great camera, shame about the lack of open systems thinking...
11 Awesome Camera
This camera is great. I have taken 5 mini-movies (60 seconds each), over 35 photos and the batteries still show as full capacity. The quality of photos can't be beat in this price range.
12 Great Entry Level Camera For The Price
I received this camera as a gift from my boyfriend for X-mas last year. I was geeked! This was my first digital camera and so far I am satasfied with the results.
There are however two complaints:
1)The life of the batteries is low- I suggest purchasing rechargable batteries and a charger to compliment this camera.
2)The quality of night-time pictures is somewhat poor. The pictures come out dark with a lot of red tint to them. I don't recommend using this camera in dark conditions.
I feel that this camera is perfect for someone who is just starting out with digital photography. This camera has inspired me and I have recently just purchased a Sony Cybershot DSC-f707 (I can't wait to try it out!). I am looking forward to my new hobby as an aspiring photographer.
Oh and another thing: the Olympus D-370 is a 1.3 megapixel camera- not a 1.2.
13 Great Entry Level Camera For The Price
I received this camera as a gift from my boyfriend for X-mas last year. I was geeked! This was my first digital camera and so far I am satasfied with the results.
There are however two complaints:
1)The life of the batteries is low- I suggest purchasing rechargable batteries and a charger to compliment this camera.
2)The quality of night-time pictures is somewhat poor. The pictures come out dark with a lot of red tine to them. I don't recommend using this camera in dark conditions.
I feel that this camera is perfect for someone who is just starting out with digital photography. This camera has inspired me and I have recently just purchased a Sony Cybershot DSC-f707 (I can't wait to try it out!). I am looking forward to my new hobby as an aspiring photographer.
14 Olympus D-370 - A Great Buy
I recently purchased this camera and with the savings from Amazon.com it is a great buy!! The cameras menu is easy to navigate through and with an added 32MB Smart Media card from Viking (just insert it on the side of the camera) the storage capacity even in the HQ picture setting is over 100 images!
With good light indoors it takes great pictures. I haven't used it outside yet, but I'm sure it will be just fine. The software that comes with it is easy to download, and with Windows 98, the drivers are very easy to install too. Just plug in to the USB Port on your PC and the software walks you right through the process of downloading the images.
Again, a great buy on a nice digital camera for the money!!
15 good first camera
This is my first digital camera and I love it so. The, lighting, B&W, sephia options are great. I bought a 128 MB smartcard which takes 200 pictures at SHQ. The Camedia program is easy to load and USB connection is easy to figure out. The only thing, though, is that the camera only comes with and a 2 MB internal memory which means you can only take 3 pictures before you run out of space. Many digital cameras come with an additional 16 or 32 MB smartcard but not this one. With the purchase of a smartcard and battery recharger, the price of the camera is doubled. All in all, though, can't complain too too much, especially since we got the camera as a wedding gift.
16 The Good and Bad
I bought this camera last September. I love most things about it except for the fact that when you print out your pictures they come out very grainy and sort of dark. I really hate this about this camera!! It's not my printer, it's brand new. I also tried it on a friends printer and it didn't work. Otherwise if you never plan on printing your photos, then you'll have no worries. They look great on the computer and it's pretty easy to use. I think I'm going to look for a better camera myself.
17 A 12-year old can operate this camera....
I bought this camera for my 12-year old granddaughter Amelia for Christmas. She began using it Christmas Day, and has been using it ever since. She wanted a camera that uses film, but developing film is expensive and one can take dozens of photos and end up with one or two worth keeping. I decided to gamble and bought the digital camera instead.
It took me years to perfect my photography skills using an old box camera and film, but in six months Amelia has become very skilled at taking photos, editing them, loading them onto a computer, and printing them. She showed me how she selects the photos she wants to keep, sizes them to fit her specifications, and gets rid of those she doesn't want.
When we traveled to NYC last month, Amelia was able to take dozens of photos and decide on the spot what she would retain. We went all over the city including the Empire State building where she took some great shots of the city. That same evening I took her to see Spiderman--a highly photographic and animated film. Amelia has an interest in becoming an expert on animation some day and perhaps this little camera will make a difference.
Amelia is a smarter-than-average kid (and not from Lake Woebegone), but I think most kids could figure out how to use this camera. Amelia loves it.
18 Rip off!
I bought the Olympus D-370, reconditioned model and it doesn't work! So, I'm stuck with it! Read the return policy carefully. I'm not a computer dummy so it not the computer! Spend your money elsewhere. I have a $188.00 "doorstop" that looks like a camera, if you want to waste it!
Mike
19 Good Deal
Got this for my hubby for Christmas and have used it a lot more than he has. Has bells and whistles that I havent used yet, but basic operation and dowmloading to a PC is a snap. am very happy I got this-but get a memory card asap and rechargable batteries-it eats regular ones for lunch.
20 Great first digital camera
I originally had an Olympus D-360, the previous model in this line, but it was stolen out of my car (if I ever find the person who did that... grrrr). This camera is quite an improvement over it's predecessor. Smaller, easier to operate, the menu system is 100% improved, and the batteries last A LOT longer. My only gripe is the removal of the small status screen on the top of the camera, it's handy when you don't want to use the LCD screen to save the batteries. Oh well, not a big deal. I do hope to move up to a 2 or 3 mp camera before too long, but this camera takes excellent pictures for it's price/mp range. A good first (or second, grrr) digital camera.
And just a note to the reviewer who had "Mixed Feelings About This One": If the store you bought this from advertised it incorrectly, you can hardly blame Olympus, while it would be nice if a memory card came with the camera, it says nothing about that on the box. And, as for the 2x or 4x digital zoom, if you set the picture quality to the lowest setting, it will digitally zoom up to 4x. As it says in the manual (though not very clearly, took me a while to figure it out too). Of course, digital zooms are junk, they degrade picture quality, but it is there.
21 Great Digital Camera For A Low Price
I bought the camera for a trip to Ireland, and I was not disappointed. Battery life held up from Las Vegas to the Emerald Isle and back again to the West Coast, without ever having to replace the batteries. Impressive.
I also found that having a digital camera was so much easier than toting around a 35mm. Not only can you see the pictures that you just took, you never have to pay for film. And while it's not quite a joy -- I can think of better things to do -- it's easy to hook the camera up to the computer. Buying the Viking 32 MB card also offered me more picture opportunities than I could even take. Or my friends could take, when they stole my camera and took numerous pictures of their feet.
Furthermore, as others have commented, the viewscreen is magnificent. It gives really clear pictures, even in bad lighting conditions, and is extremely simple to connect and demonstratively easy to use.
For the price, you can't go wrong buying this Olympus. Make sure you hook yourself up with rechargable batteries and a Viking memory card as well.
22 Mixed feeling here
Office max advertised that a free 16 MB memory card will come with this camera, but it did not. The camera itself takes only 3 good quality pictures. The camera is small and compact and give a good solid feeling with a nice japanses-shutting door design, however it take 4 batteries at a time (it gets to be annoying if you shoot lots of picture, lots of camera take 2 batteries these days) and the berttery compartment is very hard to open or close. I was very disappointed that is camera does not have a video out put because the TV is much more handy than a computer when I travel.
Now, the things I admire about this camera. The view finder is big and bright. Good preview screen & bright color. Picture quality is supreme compared to the camera with the same price like Kodak, because it has the ISO equivalent of 100-400. I can shoot something far away indoor without difficluties. This qualification is hard to come by for a cheap digital camera (they have ISO 100-200 only). It is nice to not have to depend on the flash anymore. The shot is very quick, and the macro mode is far better than the film camera. Although the human skin tone is kind of radish pink, but It can be adjusted. I can adjust the digital zoom up to 2X not 4X as advertised. The menu is extreamely easy, I did not read manual but can operate the camera without any difficulties. And it does not need a sofware to download, just plug in the USB and the pictures were just pop up in the "my document" folder on the desktop.
I think it would have been very nice if the memory card is really included as advertised. I returned it anyway because I want to see my pictures on TV, but Olympus is the camera if you shoot indoor a lot (if you do not want to pay more for a Sony or a Canon). If you are not annoyed by a pop up flash or a difficult case closing, buy a D-510, I got one.
23 Wonderful entry-level digital camera
This is the first digital camera that I bought and for the price the picture quality is good at SHQ setting for 1.3 megapixels. Got it just in time for my new baby, and I will be burning a CD of her first photos soon. Even at lower quality settings, which I use for photos I send over the net, and for applications where I do not need that much detail, I still get good results. Only problem I had, which does not reflect on quality of this product, is that I had to buy a 32 MB memory card to store pictures. Hey, you have to buy film when you buy a camera anyway. I only go as large as 4X6 prints, so with a good printer and photo software (not the included Camedia!), you get very good photos to give away. Battery life is excellent but get some rechargeable Nickel Meta Hydrides. While I will be moving up to a higher resolution camera soon, I will keep this camera for a back-up, to lend, or my wife's use.
24 Good Camera
Good solid camera. Pics are a little grainy but very good at the highest resolution. But i recomend a 32 mb card at least so you dont lose any pics. The movie mode is good but dont by the camera just for it. Easy to use as i must say it is a very good point and shoot camrera
25 okay but I have a question
Can someone explain why they dont put in these cameras a vibration absorver? or is it just the D-370? I know regular cameras usually have that feature today.. the pictures can be fuzzy if youre a person who cant keep his/her hand too steady..
26 Easy to Use
Received this camera as a gift. It is easy to use. With a Smart Card it holds a bundle of pictures so if you were travelling, just bring a bunch of cards along. On the lowest quality (which is still good) the camera hold over 300 pictures. A good buy for the money.
27 Great Camera
For a low price, this camera take just as good or better pics as any other digital camera. Only problem that I found was with Windows 98 it gives you trouble uploading the pictures. So I recommend buying a "smart media reader" it works and makes uploading a lot easier.
28 D-370 Camera with Smart Media card.
I bought the camera on the recommendation of my sister, who owns a D-460 and was well pleased with it. I'm 73 and supposedly too old to learn something new but this is one of the easiest cameras I have ever used.I was able to take my first pictures within an hour of unpacking it. I received it in late Nov 01 and I'm still using the same batteries that I got with it. I've taken 45 pictures so far and downloaded them to my computer and printed them. The clarity and color is top of the line.I've e-mailed them to a number of friends and all of them commented on how good the pictures were. For the price this is one of the best cameras I've ever owned. Thanks for the ease of ordering and the service the people at Amazon provide.
29 Very Misleading
Received the camera in the mail today. Searched all over for the card to insert, couldn't find it, called Olympus support. I was informed it doesn't come with a card, that the card must be purchased separately, but that the camera has internal memory for 3-7 pictures. What good is a camera that only takes 3 pictures. No where in the Amazon.com advertising did it convey this information. I am very disappointed and will be extremely wary of future Amazon offerings as a result, and will avoid internet purchasing in general. This is what makes folks suspicious about e-commerce.
30 Great beginers Digital Camera
After researching alot of different cameras, for price and options, I bought the D-370. For a 1.3 megapixel it produces great pictures for display on the computer. It also produces good prints on my HP PSC950 all in one printer. Menus are a little confusing until you get used to them but even my 8 yr. old daughter can take good pictures with this camera.
31 One of the best beginner digital cameras around
(...) It has enough features as a budget camera to be useful, but it could be better.
The included instructions didn't explain that the included software is useless (just connect to USB, install software, and it appears as "Removable drive", so the download manager IS useles). Had to visit the Olympus website to find updated instructions.
Quality of camera is good. The pictures are a wee bit fuzzy overall, but reasonable. The LCD is quite bright and useful as preview tool. The flash is good and quite powerful. Took many pictures and never noticed any red-eye, both indoor and outdoors, day and night.
The USB port connection is fast, virtually HD speed, and be actly like a removable drive (with only a few megs of memory, of course).
One odd feature: it eats battery like CRAZY when connected to the USB port (even with PC off!) If you left it connected, it can eat 4 AA Duracells in just one day even without using it! Disconnect it when you're not using it and the batteries will last a while.
The flash doesn't charge quite as quickly as one would want to. There's a 1-2 second wait for the flash to charge up, and that means you may not be able to catch that picture immediately. The camera also has a tendency to go into "power-save" and takes a second or two to "wake up", making you miss some shots.
The menus aren't as intuitive as one would expect to. Instead of a "mode" dial like on most cameras, there's only the "shutter" button on top, with all other options controlled by the rear panel arrow/trigger buttons. The result is you need to scroll through multiple menu choices to choose things like turn flash on/off, use panoramic view, take QT movie, and so on.
There is no optical zoom in this camera, and the digital zoom (only 2X) is a bit fuzzy. The built-in 2 megs of memory is useless. You REALLY need at LEAST a 16-meg SmartMedia card to go with it (enough to take 45 pics).
The camera needs 4 AA batteries, which can be a bit expensive, but if you don't leave it plugged in all the time, or get the optional AC adapter, the batteries can last a while. Rechargeable batteries also help.
All in all, this is one of the best cameras in this price range, and definitely worth considering.
32 Nice camera, with a small warning though.
This is the first digital camera I have ever owned. The picture quality seems good to me, and it is very easy to use. I'd definatly suggest getting a memory card for this though. The only problem I ran into was using the software that accompanied the camera. If you use Windows 98, don't even bother with the instructions for the software that come with the camera. Go to their web site and download their instructions right away and save yourself time and grief...otherwise, this is a great camera!!
33 The best gets better
You will not regret it, buy it. I guarantee it. The Internet allows a wealth of information, and when I set out to buy a digital camera for web photos, I found the Olympus Camedia D-360L. It had the most features in the cheapest of models. The D-370 extends those features at a much cheaper price! Everything is self contained all in one package, and a self timer ... Most digital cameras in this price range don't even have a self timer. This camera adds the ability of QuickTime movies as well ... At this price it cannot be beat. Olympus makes excellent cameras. My D-360L has taken over 9,000 pictures in the last year and is still going strong. I'm considering buying the D-370 simply for the added features. I also use it in its lowest resolution. If you're taking pictures for the web, your visitors won't be able to tell if the image was taken with an inexpensive camera or a top of the line camera. Even the images printed out on a color printer look great at the lowest resolution, so I can only imagine that they will be even more enhanced at higher resolutions. I definitely recommend the purchase of an Olympus SmartMedia card as well to store many pictures on one outing. In order to get the camera's Panoramic feature, they state that you should use only Olympus SmartMedia cards. If you've never used a digital camera before, this is a great way to test the waters with an inexpensive digital camera that has all the best features. Again, you will not regret this purchase.
34 Great buy for the price!
I love this camera. It's definitely worth it for a sub $(...) camera. I agree with the other reviewers - the picture quality is great if you snap a shot correctly. It's very good on batteries. With USB, you can hot swap the camera and get your pictures onto your hard drive in no time. I gave it 4 stars because it would've been nice to have more internal memory. I went and bought myself a 64MB SmartMedia card for around $30. Now, I can take about 197 pictures in HQ mode. Too bad it doesn't have zoom, but we'd be robbing Olympus if it did.
35 Definitely a good deal
Although some reviewers complain that this camera should have a larger flash memory card, that really goes without saying on nearly ALL cameras. I got a 64MB card, and it works wonderfully. Can't believe the amount of pictures it can take!
Following the advice of other reviewers, I found that the camera can take good pictures or bad ones. It's ALL up to the user to read the manual and understand how to change the settings to match the light conditions. If you just expect to point and click, the color of the photos will probably not be what you want, especially when indoors.
But, once I learned how to get the settings right, they imported with extreme ease into Windows 98, and opening the photos in a paint program was just like accessing a zip drive. The photos were very very clear and crisp, even when zooming in 2x. The camera has four different resolutions, and the top two produce very good results. I didn't try the other two resolutions, but they probably look good too.
This camera beats my expectations so much that we're buying a second one as a gift for my mother-in-law. Try it... you'll be very surprised.
Just LEARN the features, and you'll enjoy this camera for a long time.
36 Only difference is that you get a case
If you are going to buy a Olympus Camedia D-370 Digital Camera Value Package, only bonus is the case nothing fancy apart from that but the camera wonderful, i highy recommend you buy a32Mb smart media card with which i took about 137 pics.
37 Nice, but not the best.
It is simple to use, and it has many features that I find useful. You must get a memmory card (32mb works fine = 260 pictures) and i think it is a good camera. I think there are better ones out there, than this one, but it gets the job done.
38 Dandy Little Camera
This is the third 1.3 megapixel camera I've bought. This one is for Christmas for my sister but I'm giving it a road test first! This is a dandy little camera. I am very pleased with the quality of the photos and the ease of operation. It is also light-weight, and seems to have a very fast response time for "action-type" photography. Like all digitals, it tends to munch AA batteries, but it is superior to other models I have used, it's not quite as battery-hungry. Other minuses of this model: it has no optical zoom, no protection for the LCD, apparently no optional AC adapter, and occasionally the colors do not record true. However, for the money and for the fun, it can't be beat! It's an excellent entry-level camera. For e-mailing and prints up to 5x7 inches, it is all you'll ever need!
39 Great for the price
I bought this camera as an impulse buy and haven't been happier. I use the camera mainly for sending pics in email. I haven't had any problems with anything. I used to use a Polariod Fun Flash, and the Olympus is so much better. I like the extended battery life circuitry because the Polaroid seemed to eat batteries. I get nice clean shots, has many features that I use often. It has a great display, and it takes little time to learn how to use all of the features. Half of my initial fun was playing with the features. The included software is very easy to use because it makes the PC use the computer as a separate drive. You can even delete photos from the media from within the software, which saves a lot of time if you have a higher density smart media card. While it takes smart media for storage, ...a 128Mb smart media card? You can spend that in no time on disposable cameras and photo processing! This camera is a winner!
40 Be prepared to pay as much for accessories as for the camera
Overall I think this is a great camera for a beginner- it was relatively easy to use after spending a few hours on-line figuring out what accessories I needed. You must buy a SmartMedia card- you can only take 3 or 4 pics without one. I also bought rechargable batteries and had to get a Flashpath adaptor, since the USB connection doesn't work with Windows NT.
41 Forgot.. About..
YOU have to have a SmartMedia Card to use this Camera - if you DO not get one THEN you will ONLY be able to take about 5 pictures before you have to erase them from the camera memory.
The camera Only comes with 1mb of memory!! This is BAD - they should give you a Smartmedia card - but you have to buy that extra.
I would get atleast an 8mb SmartMedia Card!
42 All the shots I took came out with noticable graininess.
I totally agree with reviewer: John from Los Angeles (see his review on here).
This camera has 2 new nice features; longer life battery circuitry with alkaline batteries and super easy usb compatability. Because with this camera they moved to a FIXED FOCUS lens, this camera suffers in quality BIG time. I have loved Olympus' cheap camera line for a long time. The 340R and 360 are super! All the shots I took with the 370 came out with noticable graininess, especially shadowed areas. For a beginner this camera may be acceptable, but I don't think so! I'd get a used Olympus 340/360 from eBay before ever concidering the 370, Yes, pic quality is THAT bad. Sorry Olympus, I have to say it like it is.
Having said that, I must admit the USB Auto Connect was great, and shooting movies (w/o sound) with this camera was cool.
But aren't we really buying a camera for PICTURE quality? I know I am! Pictures that will last forever...
43 Very impressed
Being a South African customer, I was thrilled when I was notified that new stock had arrived and I could place my order. Excellent timing as a friend was in the States and this product was only for distribution there.
I received my camera and have been on a photographic spree. The quality of the photos are good, especially for someone of my calibre who basically wanted it for e-mailing to family and friends dotted around the globe.
However, I did find that it was a little confusing downloading the photo's onto the computer, but with trial and error we did succeed and I'm now one of many who can give a photo-editorial.
For a first timer, this camera is unsurpassed in my opinion, and extremely well priced - even with the current dollar / rand rate.
A down side to this is that it is extremely heavy on batteries, but rechargeables are an excellent option. As stated by another customer the instructions are a little vague, but with any electronic equipment, playing around will eventually get you to where you want to be.
An excellent buy in my opinion.
44 Great camera Lots of nice features
I first bought the Hp 215 it was easy to use, but it drained the batteries after probley 30 pictures and two days after I bought it the shutter button would work 1 in like 10 times. Also the times it took to take the picture was probley like 2 seconds. So after it broke I returned it and spent a little more and got the Olympus d-370 This camera is far superior to the Hp 215 first I took probley 100 pictures on 1 set of batteries, second The camera feels like its built better and uses better quality materials. Third it has lots of options from black and white photos to self timer for group shots.
On the down side The software it uses in my opinion is really bad and the flash at times seems to be really brite.
Overall its a good camera and a good value I strongly reccomend it Spend the extra 50 dollars and get the olympus d-370 rather than the Hp 215
Chris
45 Great Camera and alot of fun
I did alot of homework before purchasing this camera. The camera cannot be beat relative to price, quality and performance. I recommend getting a baterry charger and a 32 meg card, this way you can take 50 super high quality photos (1280 x 960pixels) without draining the batteries. This camera is very easy to use and the photo quality is exceptional for email attachments as well as 4 X 6 prints. Downloading the photos using the included USB cable is easy and quick. If you like to edit the photos the included software is good. This camera is a great beginner digital camera. I am certainly going to enjoy this camera all year round.
46 AT LAST I FIND MY DREAM CAMERA
I bought this camera for a few days. Olympus D-370 is my first digital
camera. But is not the first camera that i touch or use it. I planned
1,5 years beforeto buy myself a digital camera. But i waited until i
can get a good and reliable digital camera with a reasonable price. My
price range was between 150$ - 250$. I know there are so much digital
cameras with higher qualitiy and higher prices on the market.
But i won't spend to much money for a digital camera. Because, i am not
a professional photographer. But i like shoot around the world and from
my all day life. Every picture will be one time a good memories. Before
i bought my Olympus D-370, i used a normal 35mm camera and used a
scanner to save my images in the digital world. But its takes a long
time to scan and edit them.
After a long research at shopping centers and web pages, i come to a
decision. Olympus D-370 is more "then good starter camera". Because
Olympus is a famous and reliable company in the optic business. The
Olympus D-370 has a glass lens, what i know is impotant for a good
picture quality. The Olympus D-370 makes a good job and has a good
picture quality. With the new circuit desing makes the batary life
longer. The menu is very easy, the size of the camera is good. The LCD
screen is sharp and clean and has no frame delay.
At last i find for 199$ my dream digital camera and reward it with a
32mb sandisk smart media.
47 something you should know
This camera is not compatible with Windows 95 without purchasing additional hardware!
48 I could have never asked for a better camera
.....
As soon as I opened up the package, I found a nice-looking camera, and even when I put in the batteries, I found that the camera was still very light. As a digital camera user, I wanted something that would take good photos indoors and out, movies, and have an LCD screen. This camera has all this and more.
The camera is the best purchase I have made, the pictures are so clear that I was surprised at the quality. My mum has a more expensive Olympus camera, and I found that this camera was just as great. Landscape photos and indoor photos are very clear. Also I found that the menu upon the LCD screen was very easy and fun to use. Pictures can be deleted without having to go on the computer, and I read that other cameras don't have this option. I have been able to get up to 10 pictures on internal memory by changing from High Quality to to SQ1 which is very suitable for emails.
The LCD is quite large for a camera this size and pictures can be view quite easily. There is also a function on the camera where you can move the picture up and down and side to side.
The best part of this camera is the movies. I have found the quality of the movie better than that of a webcam, it's fun and very easy to use.
I couldn't find any fault with this camera, for the price range it is definitely the best one.
Update:
About a month ago, I was on the train, and in the morning found my camera to be stolen. I was very distraught. However, I was given a gift certificate to Amazon. I'll be purchasing the same camera because it is easy to use and I could not imagine buying another.
49 Nice for the price!
I purchased this camera to post pictures on my website and, I must say, I'm pleased. After using another digital camera with only low resolution capability for almost a year, this is a vast improvement in picture quality. I'm not a digital camera or computer wiz, but I can honestly say this camera was easy to learn. Although, I think if I'd never used a digital camera before, I might have been confused when it came to downloading pictures. The instructions aren't as clear as they could be for rank beginners. I had to call the toll-free customer support hotline for clarification and they were extremely helpful and courteous. The manufacturer claims this camera will extend battery life - don't count on it, unless you plan to haul around a case of AA's! After taking less than 10 pictures, the batteries were drained in half! I immediately purchased the charger with four batteries and I expect it will save me a lot of $$ in the long-run. The 2mb internal memory only holds 3 pictures at a time in the HQ mode, which is recommended for web pix. I urge you to purchase a removeable memory card of at least 16mb or higher if you want to spend more time taking pictures and less time reviewing and deleting them. This camera has some very nice features. The color LCD screen is sharp and large enough to be very useful for reviewing your pixs. Downloading is extremely easy if you have Windows 98 or Me, just click and drag into the file of your choice. My 12-year old, who has never used a digital camera, took some excellent pictures her first time out and didn't require any assistance. (She can't wait to shoot a short video to post on the web for friends and relatives.) My husband uses a comparable Kodak digital camera at his office and finds this one much easier to use. Overall, we're very pleased with our purchase.
50 Nice for the price!
I purchased this camera to post pictures on my website and, I must say, I'm pleased. After using another digital camera with only low resolution capability for almost a year, this is a vast improvement in picture quality. I'm not a digital camera or computer wiz, but I can honestly say this camera was easy to learn. Although, I think if I'd never used a digital camera before, I might have been confused when it came to downloading pictures. The instructions aren't as clear as they could be for rank beginners. I had to call the toll-free customer support hotline for clarification and they were extremely helpful and courteous. The manufacturer claims this camera will extend battery life - don't count on it, unless you plan to haul around a case of AA's! After taking less than 10 pictures, the batteries were drained in half! I immediately purchased the charger with four batteries and I expect it will save me a lot of $$ in the long-run. The 2mg internal memory only holds 3 pictures at a time in the HQ mode, which is recommended for web pix. I urge you to purchase a removeable memory card of at least 16mg or higher if you want to spend more time taking pictures and less time reviewing and deleting them. This camera has some very nice features. The color LCD screen is sharp and large enough to be very useful for reviewing your pixs. Downloading is extremely easy if you have Windows 98 or Me, just click and drag into the file of your choice. My 12-year old, who has never used a digital camera, took some excellent pictures her first time out and didn't require any assistance. (She can't wait to shoot a short video to post on the web for friends and relatives.) My husband uses a comparable Kodak digital camera at his office and finds this one much easier to use. Overall, we're very pleased with our purchase.
51 Great camera from 1st time digital camera user
Very easy to set up; I did it on Win 98 and Win 2000; worked like a breeze. Movie video mode is a really cool feature. I don't believe it has a TV output which would be nice. The camera does not come with an AC adapter (even though the product specs say it does). Overall it seems like a lot of nice features for the money; I highly recommend it.
52 Great Camera... But you should know before you buy...
The rating from me is actually 4 1/2 stars. Just because it's not perfect, but VERY good.
First, Picture Quality. Let me tell you that I think that the camera is a VERY good camera. When I first got it I was dissapointed by the picture quality, until I got the hang of using the camera. It seems the pic quality was more due to poor user than poor camera, I needed to learn HOW to take pictures first. Its not that it's hard to do. I just couldnt do it right. :) Now almost all of my pictures come out Crisp, clear and colorful. The camera's pic quality isn't perfect (what camera DOES take perfect pics all the time though?) but it's incredible for the price.
Second(and the thing you should know before buying), The Product specifications for the camera (at least at the time of writing this review) claim that it comes with an AC Adapter. It doesn't. The AC Adapter is sold seperatly. I was very dissapointed by this, and I hope that Amazon.com changes the specifications soon so no one else gets "burned".
Third, The Quicktime Movie mode. It is ok. It is soundless, somewhat grainy, and a pretty small picture, but it does have a nice framerate. The maximum length of the video is 60 seconds (at least on my 16 meg card that I bought for the camera). The video only takes up about 4 megs in size so I assume that this is the maximum length it can take at one time before compressing the video. It's a nice feature, but DONT buy the camera FOR it
Fourth, The battery power. It is VERY good on batteries. Even with the LCD screen turned on. (The LCD screen is bright and colorful in it's own right.) I am still on the set of batteries that came with the camera after 3 days owning the camera and have taken MANY pictures (at least 100) and 5 or 6 movies. I used the LCD screen for all the movies (I dont think you can turn it off when taking movies) and used it for taking about 15 pictures but always use it to review the pic after I take it.
In summary, This camera is great, and MORE than worth what they're charging for it. It's easy to use, takes nice pictures, and doesn't drain your batteries. I suggest buying a smart media card with it so you can take alot of pictures at once without having to empty the camera's memory. I got a 16 meg card and it is MORE than enough. I hope you found this review helpful.
53 Disappointing replacement for the D360
Olympus recently discontinued the excellent D360 camera and introduced the D370 to fill the spot in their product lineup. This camera has 2 new notable features; longer life battery circuitry and usb drive compatability. The new battery circuitry lasts noticably longer and the usb drive makes transfering images into a drag and drop task. However, the primary difference between this camera and the 360 is the lens on this camera is FIXED FOCUS. This camera is intended to be an entry level point-n-shoot, but you'll notice that all intermediate to professional quality cameras have auto focus. In using this camera I noticed two areas where something was left to be desired. Firstly, the flash is lacking. Night time pictures appeared exceptionally dark and lacking detail in dark corners. Secondly, all the shots I took came out with noticable graininess, especially shadowed areas. For a beginner this camera may be acceptable, but anyone with some camera experience might find a higher priced camera better suiting.
54 Good performer.
I have long been a fan of the Olympus Stylus-derived design. Not only is the clamshell case attractive, it is functional, eliminating the need for lens caps and protecting the camera's vitals from damage. The D-370 is a great camera for a digital beginner. I reserve it for the beginner category mostly because its lack of a true (optical) zoom lens (the 4x digital zoom is an electronic trick that allows you to double the size of the center of your image, but at the expense of halving the resolution; as the 370's 1.3 meg resolution will at best produce slightly grainy 5" x 7" enlargements, any degradation of the resolution effectively prohibits any serious image printing). The reasons to like this camera though are many: the battery life is excellent, the optics & flash are very good, and its connectivity (to your PC) is above average. I love the fact that it is capable of shooting short, QuickTime movie sequences. However, to enjoy this feature (or for that matter, to even find the camera useful), a much larger memory card is needed (the 2 meg card included is worth about a buck!). All in all, as an introduction to digital imaging, this is a fine camera, though if you can afford a bit more for a 3x zoom, look at the D-460.
55 Awsome !!!!
Took Me less than 5 min. to Point, click, install software, hook up the USB, and Crop Pictures !.. The Internal 2MB Memory allowed me to take a few Pixs. I just ran the software, Drag and Drop into my computer and I'm done. Very Cool !:-)
56 Say goodbye to "black out"
To most digital cameras users, replacing new batteries within seconds is a must skill while you come up to an excellent moment and you desire to get that picture. In D-370, the battery circuit greatly keeps you from the nigtmare. It extends batter life and allow you to take hundreds of pictures during regular operation. The built-in 2MB memory is also a merit.
