This exclusive bundle includes the Olympus Camedia D-510 digital camera, rechargeable batteries, battery charger, and an Olympus soft case. The basics of the Olympus Camedia D-510 break down pretty easily: 2-megapixel resolution; 3x optical zoom lens with autofocus, built-in flash with red-eye reduction, fill, and slow-syncro modes; and a 1.8-inch LCD screen. There are also more advanced features to go along with this baseline functionality. Particularly useful is the burst mode, which allows shooting of up to two frames per second. Also, a QuickTime movie mode lets you capture up to 66 seconds of footage. There are a number of special effects, including monochrome, sepia, and resize. Images are generally captured as JPEGs, but you can also choose to use the uncompressed TIFF mode.
Most digital cameras ship with a USB or serial port, and with a set of software drivers that allow you to download your pictures to your computer via an image-editing program. Olympus has gone one step farther, and essentially built the functionality of a USB card-reader into their digital cameras. What this means is that for the newer versions of Windows and the Mac OS, you don't need to install extra software. Simply plug the camera into your computer, which recognizes the camera as a removable drive. You are then free to drag-and-drop your pictures wherever you like. Power requirements are standard, at four AA, or two CR-V3 lithium batteries. The D-510 uses SmartMedia cards, and ships with an 8 MB card.
1 Sharp but not bright.
I bought this camera on Mar.2002, I took some good indoor pictures but I was totally upset by the outdoor picture quality. The colors are always look darker and colder than they really are. The brightest green leaves, beautiful flowers and blue skies could never be recorded by this camera.
Moreover, the optical system is not adjust precisely, the pictures you take are always shifted from what you have seen in the eye viewer.
I don't recommend this camera, I will try Cannon next time.
2 Excellent novice-mid level digital camera..
I upgraded from a Canon A5 zoom. The Olympus is easy to use straight from the box, though not as intuitive as the Canon. The picture quality is noticeably better.
To get the most from the camera, or even make basic changes like the default resolution settings, it is necessary to read the comprehensive manual (.pdf file) on the CD-ROM. The paper booklet included is very basic.
The movie option is good fun, but nothing like a VHS. I use this for e-mailing short clips to friends. Low-resolution mode uses about 70kByte/sec, maybe 5% less in a zip file. High resolution uses about 300Kbyte/sec - unusable unless you have the 64MByte-memory card.
The standard resolutions are 1600 x 1200 or 640 x 480. 16.7 million colors lead to files about 400Kbytes ad 50Kbyte respectively. You can get picture similar to a regular analog camera by using glossy photo paper with an ink jet printer ...
You certainly need the rechargeable batteries. I like the option of using AA, rechargeable or lithium batteries. You can buy the AA batteries almost anywhere, but they do not last!
The USB connection is very fast and easy to use - Windows treats the camera like an extra hard drive. If you do not have a USB port, do not buy this camera, as there is no other way to connect.
I find the pop-up flash a bit irritating - it comes up every time you use the camera. I would also prefer a more protective camera case.
Overall I am very pleased with this purchase.
3 Hard to huck-up to PC
I have not got this D-510 too work on my PC, PC will take the USB
port from the Camera at all.
4 A little bit complicated for beginners
I am pleased with my purchase, however, the instructions are complicated for beginners like me. So far, I haven't learn how to take movie pictures, for instance, and each time I open the lens barrier, I have to change the settings for the picture conditions. And the most important thing: although I made my purchase within the days stablished in the promotion of the "Free 64 MB Smartmedia Card", and submitted the information requested, the Rebate web site (rebatesHQ.com) clasified my reward as "invalid" and rejected it. Lets think it is a misunderstanding and they are not cheating me.
5 Great digital camera!
The Olympus 510 Zoom is a great camera! This is my second digital camera, my first being a low resolution inexpensive camera. The 510 is head and shoulders above it! Be forewarned however, you do need to read the instruction manual carefully before using all of the camera's features. It takes really great pictures right out of the box if you don't want to do anything fancy. Rechargeable batteries are a must. I bought the value package with the rechargeable batteries and they really last a lot longer than the AA alkaline batteries. The package also came with a free 64 megabit Smartmedia card which I'm still waiting to receive (it takes up to 10 weeks). The supplied 8MB card is woefully inadequate allowing only about 13 high quality pictures. The 64 MB card should fit the bill nicely.
6 Just what I was Looking for...
For my first Digital Camara, I wanted one that would provide everthing I was looking for. Not only did it provide all the amenities but it is a excellent camara for the money. Sure you can always get better, but for the money I got more than I was expecting.
It beats my 35mm hands down! Now all I have to scan are the old pictures. My first pictures turned out better than a majority of any pictures I took with my Fuji 35mm. Make sure you get a 64MB (picture) memory card with your camara. It will be all you will need for a long time.
7 Excellent digital camera!
I searched for a digital camera that would meet my photograpy needs. I am always taking pictures, and love to send them online to friends and family. The camera is easy to use, my teen daughters use it too. You definitely need rechargeable batteries. The price is very reasonable for what you get. I take it everywhere for those wonderful candid shots! Buy it, you won't be disappointed, and if you are, it's because you just can't appreciate a good camera.
8 Great Little Camera
One of the best cameras that I've tried. Have had it since Nov. and have taken over 1,000 pictures and they have all been great! especially with the software you can get a quick fix and the pictures come out just great. The zooms are wonderful.
9 Good pictures and easy to use
Easy to use and great pictures. However, every time I downloaded files to my pc the camera crashed my home network. I therefore use a card reader / writer to move files onto my pc now.
10 Digital Delight
I bought the D-510 in mid-November, to get a jump on the holiday rush and to gain some experience with the camera before the holidays. A first timer to the world of digital, I easily got up to speed on this easy to use camera after a bit of trial and error.
The camera itself is a breeze. And the quality of the photos is excellent. If you are a typical point and shoot user, 2.1 Mega Pixals is just fine for great photos of all sizes. The D-510 gives you the option of increasing the resolution quality if you want to print larger format photos, up to 8 X 10. Don't listen to anyone who tells you to waste you money on a more heavy duty camera.
The only negative comment I can make, such as it is, is that the Olympus software to download photos to your PC isn't the greatest. If you don't read the manual, you'll be completely lost. However, most newer PCs (and you need a newer PC anyway) offer good alternatives, like Dell's suite of photo [Amazon.com], and is fabulously simple, and offers great editing capabilities.
Long and short, the D-510 bundle is a super value. I've seen the same camera in retail outlets for $20 more than I paid without the recharger, batteries and case. Throw in the tax and I figure and free shipping and I saved $100.
Buy this camera!
11 The Best Christmas Present
I got this camera from my husband for Christmas, and after a little reading, I was using it like a pro. It's my first digital, and I love it. The software is easy to use, and it couldn't be simpler to download the pictures from the camera to my computer. The pictures are great, very clear. The rechargable batteries are a must. If you want a fantastic mid-priced digital, this is it. Olympus makes a great product. I have one of their 35mm's and the digital did not let me down!
12 GREAT CAMERA!
I love my Olympus. Easy to use out of the box. If you are trying to decide which digital camera to invest in, this is the best! Pictures are fantastic, just can't say enough good things about Olympus!
13 I love this camera
So far I love this camera.
The pictures are crisp, the design is nice, and the interface is the easiest to use and least cluttered I have ever seen in a digital camera. The included software is also very good and with a free 64Meg card (on mail in) you cannot beat the price! Be warned though- the batteries do drain amazingly fast (as with most digital cameras).
14 Best 2.1 megapixel available
After much research I decided on this camera and have not been disappointed. Little features like variable iso settings which allow the camera to work in low light and dioptric viewfinder to accommodate those of us that wear glasses are not available on competitors cameras for this price. Some reviews mention you must turn the camera off to view pictures, this is not true. You just have to hit one button to view the previous pics while the camera is on (read the manual guys before making comments). The pics have come out great in all light situations, actually printed out better than a friends 3.1 megapixel Nikon in low light photos at the same party. The menus take a little learning but it is not hard. The printed manual is scant but the one on the CD has all you need. All in all a great purchase.
15 My first digital camera exceeded expectations
I did alot of research before choosing the D-510 as my first digital camera. With all the research and articles I read I was most concerned with how many megapixels I would actually need to get decent quality. The D-510 has 2.1 megapixels which is probably average at this point compared to all teh cameras on the market.
When I received the camera I was able to figure out how to use it within 20 minutes.
The two most amzing things about this camera are:
- The picture quality was fantastic. I sent pictures to family and they were amazed at the quality. I was initially concerned about only have 2.1 megapixels but it turns out that it is enough.
- Downloading the pictures from the camera is just a matter of connecting the USB cable to your computer. The camera actually shows up as a Drive letter in Windows Explorer. You can drag and drop images from the camera to your hard drive. Real simple! On XP you don't even need the software that comes with the camera - it just works.
This is a great camera. You won't need film anymore.
16 Good camera, cheap battery Charger
I bought this camera recently. Most of the reviews are positive so I basically want to focus on the negatives, because I missed following comments in these reviews:
1) Looks good to me except the sliding lens cap. The lens cap is the poorly designed feature in this camera. They could have reduced the weight/size of camera by using just a cap on the lens part only. I find the operation of this lens cap quite inconvenient and unecessary.
2) Also remember that the AVI files (movies) can not have sound in it.
3) Distant pictures are a little blurry too.
4) You need to get one 64MB card too to get reasonable number of shots, which is currently free after mail in rebate if you buy before 1/31/02.
5)The value package also boasts of giving the battery charger which is non-olympus brand and really a cheap one. Looks like it is a cheapest one you can find in the market. I think it is the first thing to blow in this package.
6) Pretty reasonable for the price otherwise.
17 Very Nice Camera
This is a very easy to use camera. The pictures are very clear and sharp and easy to download, especially with Windows ME. I haven't loaded the Camedia software, so I can't speak to that. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a digital camera. Olympus is known for their quality, and this camera lives up to that quality.
18 This is the best 2.1 MP camera for the money, period!
Don,'t believe any of the few negative reviews posted here. Those people didn't take the time to read the manual on the CD. The printed manual says right on the front "basic manual" and that's what it is. Anyone that would get a D-490 must like waiting all day for their pics to transfer. If you have a computer old enough to not have any USB ports on it then try spending 400 bucks on computer upgrades instead of a digital camera. The optical zoom works fine. Panorama mode is cool and sequence shooting is as well. Pics can be viewed easily after taking them. You can either setup an option to immediately preview each picture you take as it's being written to the card or you can double click the monitor button to view them. It eats batteries true, but doesn't any digicam that uses AA's do that ;) This camera has way more options than the competition at this price range. If you're a more advanced photographer who wants more user configurable settings go for the C-2040 Zoom which is only [amount] more, or The C-700 if you want a "mega optical zoom" with its 10X optical/27X Optical + Digital
If you're going to spend [price] or more on a digicam and you're an amateur photographer do yourself a favor and pick one of these babies up.
19 Great Design
I recieved this camera for a graduation present. At first I was a little disappointed in the feel of the camera itself because I had gotten used to using Cannon's ELPH. After three months of use, though, I am completely satisfied with this camera.
The picture quality is extremely good in every situation I have tried it in. Just some experiences with my camera... I took it to the beach once and the door had some trouble closing because it was jammed with sand, but it was easy enough to clean it out.
The only trouble I have had with the camera is that I try closing the intergrated lens cap before the zoom lens has fully retracted and ended up bending the little metal ring on the lens. This doesn't affect picture taking at all, but it's just a little annoying.
All in all, I am extremely happy with this camera and don't see myself needing a new one for quite a while.
20 I saved the best for last!
So far I love this camera. I tried a Fuji Finepix 2600 first, but it's ISO rating is too low for versatility. Not so the D-510. It handles 100, 200 and 400. I takes truer color pics inside the house WITH the flash than without, but that's normal. I found the instructions to be easy to follow. I've heard a lot of complaints about the lack of documentation included, but Olympus included a manual in PDF form on the CD that covers every single feature and function of this camera!
You take your shots, plug the cable into your camera and into your VCR and preview the pics in 5 seconds!! Be warned, though, the color you will see on your TV will not compare with your computer monitor unless you have a high resolution TV. However, I didn't get red eye on people even without using the red eye flash setting.
The camera has night mode, white balance, sharpening ability, self-timer, manual or auto ISO settings, fill-flash, no flash... you name it and this camera delivers! However, while it says it has a panoramic setting (which only works with Olympus media), it really just takes two consecutive pictures of your choosing. YOU have to join the shots together yourself in the software to make it a panormic, so I would hesitate to actually call it a panoramic feature.
All in all, it's a great camera! You can't beat taking a picture, plugging it into your PC, and within seconds, you have pictures!! Find the manual on the CD, read through it carefully, have fun while you're learning, and you'll be a digital camera buff in no time!!!
21 Merry Christmas!
If you're looking for a special holiday present for someone who is either new to digital cameras or who has an early model, this package should make the perfect gift. The Olympus Camedias have been an excellent series, with great optics and a fine record of reliability. The D-510 offers some important features, like a 3:1 optical zoom (disregard most digital zoom hype, optical is what you really want), a 2.1 megapixel resolution (adequate for pretty clean 8 x 10 enlargements), easy USB connectivity to your PC, the ever-clever clamshell case and a pretty good flash. (It includes a mediocre sized memory card, but bigger cards are available readily and their prices have fallen steadily). This package ships with a carrying case, batteries and a charger, all nice extras that mean the D-510 is ready to go right out of the box.
22 The Perfect Present
I was lucky enough to receive a Canon D-510 for my birthday in June, just before setting off to Puerto Rico with my family for a vacation. Although I drove my two sons (19 and 22) crazy, I couldn't stop taking pictures. The quality was wonderful, and I could edit out the ones I didn't want to keep every night. I even took some video in the rain forest above San Juan. When we got home, I simply plugged in the camera to my iBook and downloaded the pictures I had saved (over 100 of them). With the Camedia software, I was able to "tweak" any of the pictures I wanted in almost any way imaginable.
Then in July, I took my camera to Mexico with me for a month-long sabbatical in San Miguel de Allende. Once again, I took pictures all day, but this time I had my iBook with me so I could download each night the pictures I had taken. I took well over a thousand pictures and have a marvelous visual diary of my wonderful month in San Miguel, which I have since edited down to some 150 pictures to show school groups through a video projector.
The enthusiasm I have for this camera can be measured by the fact that two colleagues have bought digital cameras as a result of having seen my pictures of Puerto Rico and Mexico. I also continue to use the camera at school, taking pictures of school events, classes, excursions, plays, etc. I print them out (multiple pictures/page format) and display them on hallway walls. Coppys of the drama production stills, printed on glossy inkjet paper, are sold as a fund raiser for the thesbian society.
I can't think of a more wonderful gift for someone who likes to or has to take pictures than this relatively inexpensive, reliable, versatile camera.
23 Excellent Choice
We spent 6 weeks checking out options and compairng features for our first digital camera. The D-510, with the value package has been an excellent choice. We haven't fully teste battery life, but the pictures exceed expectations. The full image is tack sharp - to the corners, a problem I noted on several other 'pocket' cameras.
24 Love the D-510!
I opened my D-510 last night and took about 75 pictures today. My first impression is that it's a wonderful digital camera in keeping with my prior experience with Olympus film cameras. Picture quality, expecially photo colors are wonderful. I would not recommend the camera to someone who must have simplicity. While I quickly learned how to use the camera, I have extensive camera experience. The written documentation enclosed with the camera is minimal. While I had the camera operating within minutes, downloading photos to my PC did not go so well. The necessary drivers did not appear on my PC. I had to call the Olympus 800 number. The technical help I received was excellent and the wait time was short. One point - the 800 # message said that I might have a 20 minute wait. I actually only had to wait about two minutes. One of my relatives saw the pictures the camera took today. She's already ordered a D-510 for herself!
25 tlyonker
This is the second digital I have owned. The first was also an Olympus, a 1.3 megapixel. This is twice the camera if not more. The features are better, the picture clearer. This is a great camera and worth the money. Only 1 feature I do not like, that is that you have to close the lens barrier (shut the camera off) then turn on the monitor to review pictures already taken. A bit "time consuming" especially when that awesome shot comes up and goes away before you can shut the monitor off and turn the camera back on, by then the awesome shot may be gone.
26 Worth Every Penny!
I can't say how impressed I am with this camera. I carry it everywhere. It takes the best digital photos and even at its lowest resolution settings, the photos are still great for printing. It's also really easy to use. Like the brochure says, point, zoom, click and shoot! The only problem is, I lost the USB connector cable that comes with the camera and being a special USB cable made only for this model I could not find a replacement anywhere, even in the Olympus site.
27 Solid camera, great value!
I have had my D-510 for over 2 months now and am happy with my purchase. I initially spent a couple weeks reading reviews all over the web on different 2 and 3 mega pixel digital cameras. Bottom line is that I would recommend this camera to anyone that is just starting out with a digital camera and wants to have a powerful camera that is a great value.
Pros
1. 3x zoom (You should get at LEAST a 3x optical zoom, digital zoom does not matter because you can do the same thing in software later)
2. Retractable lens.
I really like the fact that the entire lens retracts into the camera and gets covered so there is no danger of it being scratched. Some people might not like the fact that when you open the lens protector to turn on the camera for picture taking, the flash will come out and you have to wait a few seconds for the lens to come out. I got used to this and did not find it very bothersome.
3. Small size - it fits in the pockets for easy carrying around. Nice compact package when the lens is retracted.
4. Crisp and colorful pictures. The 4 x 6 prints I made turned out very nicely. I couldn't even tell the difference from pictures that came out of a regular camera. If you need bigger pictures often though, a more expensive 3 or 4 mega pixel camera would probably be bigger.
5. Fast USB connection, in my opinion you do not need to get a separate digital film reader.
6. Output pictures to TV, cables comes included.
7. Can fit over 200 pictures on a 128MB card. It uses 3.3V Smart Media. Don't buy the wrong stuff! Viking works great.
Cons:
1. Only comes with a 8MB card. You need to buy Olympus Smart Media if you want to use panoramic mode. You can just buy a new card of a cheaper brand and use the one that comes with the camera for panorama pics, which is what I do.
2. Software could be more robust, it works though.
3. Batteries, you need to get lithium ion batteries. If you do not have a set and charger already, you should get the 510 package to save money. Batteries will last a pretty long time if you do not leave the LCD monitor on and use flash all the time.
28 Superb Digital Camera
We use one of these at my job to make ID's, take pictures of incidents and events that take place at work. The CAMEDIA software is very user friendly, so easy even a 5 year old could use it. I like this camera so much that I am seriously thinking about purchasing one sometime in the near future for myself. I highly rrecommend this camera to anyone shopping for a digital camera with great features although not too taxing on the wallet.
29 Shopped around
I guess in todays high tech society It would be foolish to purchase something without fully checking it out. Well after reading all the reviews posted here as well as a host of others concerning different Digital cameras, I decided on the D-510. I use it constantly for my business and I must say that it was a very wise decision to purchase this camera. Anyone that is thinking about purchasing a digital camera for the first time will be pleased with the quality,functionality and overall performance the D-510 has to offer. I appreciated all the helpful tips when I decided to purchase a digital camera for the first time and offer a few of my own.
1) Rechargeable batteries are a must.
2) To save even more battery life I purchased a "SanDisk" USB downloader which is fast, easy and doesn't require you to use your camera(your camera doesn't even have to be there)
...Hope I may have been some help....
30 Amazing product
Incredible resolution and very easy to use. Very dynamic, I can see the pictures in the TV and in the PC. The video option is a plus. I'm really satisfied.
31 Fantastic!!
I just love this camera. It is the first digital camera I own and I must say it honestly took me FIVE minutes before I could put my first 6 pictures on the web. Put the batteries (included) into the camera and shoot photos like a pro. The downloading is EASY! I can recommend this camera to anyone looking for a great and affordable camera! The pictures are seriously perfect even at lower resolution. I am glad I spent the 400 bucks. It is worth it!! Good luck!
32 Good First Digital Camera
I shopped around a lot for my first digital camera, and this value package cinched it for me, since it came with rechargeable batteries, charger and camera case, all for the same price as the major chains. Overall, I love the camera. It was really easy to use right out of the box, and I know very little about taking pictures. Although the automatic setting is handy, you can experiment easily with the specialized settings, and the menus are easy to navigate. It's great that this Amazon value package comes with rechargeable batteries because, as every other review has noted, this camera eats batteries. However, the rechargeable batteries that are included do not come with any instructions, so you have no idea how long you're supposed to charge them. The charger even says "Read instructions before use," but where are the instructions? In general, the pictures were easy to transfer to my iMac. Whereas the manual says you don't need to install the Camedia software to use the USB, I did in fact have to install it, though that took seconds. And frequently, the USB connection doesn't work, and I have to fiddle with the cable and restart the computer before it works. Maybe it's my computer.
Some other tips:
1) To turn the camera on, you have to slide the lens cover all the way until you hear it snap. If you just slide it without hearing the snap, the camera does not work.
2) If you use any specialized settings or the digital zoom, these settings are wiped out when you turn the camera off, and when you turn it back on, you start at automatic again w/o digital. If you want to keep digital on at all times, go to the shooting menu and navigate it to "hold settings." When you do that, everything you set is stored in memory.
3) The instruction manual is very skeletal and does not go into detail. A more detailed description of the camera's features are in Adobe format on the included CD-ROM.
4) It took me a while before I realized you can preview your shots while you're in shoot mode (i.e., while the camera lens cover is open) just by hitting the monitor button twice.
Yes, I would recommend this camera. It's got a lot of great features in a sleek package.
33 "Easy to use, good enough for me!"
I just take pictures every now and then. Instead of paying for developing, I decided to buy a digital camera. After shopping around for several days, I was down to HP 618 or this one. I went to a store, and took the same picture with both. The Olympus looked so much better! So that was it for the selection. Overall, my pictures look great on my Sony 17" monitor. I have taken some very acceptable pictures in very dark conditions. I have the resolution set at low 1600 x 1200, and with the 128 MB card I can take well over 220 pictures. The only thing I have noticed is that when taking a picture of something "purplish", it looks kind of blue, for some reason. As a first digital camera, I strongly recommend it.
