Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the almost identical D-450 model, the Olympus D-460L is a user-friendly and budget-friendly digital zoom camera. It offers a maximum resolution of 1,280 x 960 pixels and picks up images with a 0.37-inch, 1.31-megapixel CCD. You can bring objects up to six times closer with the combined 3x optical and 2x digital zoom lens. With programmed exposure control, white balance control, and an automatic through-the-lens contrast-detection system, the Olympus D-460L does all the thinking for just the right exposure and focus. It also features a built-in six-mode flash with red-eye reduction to illuminate a variety of low-light situations.
The Olympus D-460L includes special features such as a 12-second self-timer, date imprinting, and a continuous-shooting mode. While the Olympus D-460L's automatic functions make it easy to take digital images, it also has an assortment of manual options to expand your creative potential. You can manually tweak the white balance, select a film-speed equivalent, or use special settings, such as macro, to achieve precisely the shot you want.
Using SmartMedia memory, the Olympus D-460L comes with an 8 MB card, which is enough memory for 122 normal-quality, 36 high-quality, or 18 superhigh-quality shots. This camera also comes with a software package for photo filing and editing as well as the necessary connectors to hook the camera up to your PC or Macintosh for uploading.
Olympus backs the D-460L with a one-year warranty.
1 my first digital camera
brought the d460 to replace a 35mm camera. By the time I figured out how to use it properly, I was steadily getting very dissapointed with the digital zoom. When you are in an auditorium, taking pictures of your children performing, you cannot get a good close-up. Picture quality is great as long as you are taking stills, scenary, and no action. I've had it for about 3 years and I'm making a better choice next time.
2 Good
Had mine for 3 years now and still works excellent.I ve used it in the woods a lot,broke the front sliding cover off,but still works good without it.Takes excellent photos .A lot of fine tuners on this puppy.
3 Technology gone far beyond
I bought this camera back in 2000 off the internet from www.buy.com. I've since then taken thousands and thousands of pictures with it. Its a wonderful camera but as of times today it is becoming extremely dated. Some of its features have been improved upon in recent years. I have a friend that has an Olympus C-5050 and viewed some of his photos that were taken. The rich color and detail compared to my old camera can be easily seen. The time when digital pictures will meet or exceed the detail on 35mm is almost here! I bought this old camera for 2.5X the price it is today so that goes to show what 3 years can do to prices. But the picture you want to take probably won't wait that long. I would recommend the Olympus line of cameras to anyone! They are a strong performer and reliable too! Take a look at www.consumerreports.com (requires subscription) and see for yourself! My old camera had beer spilled on it and it still takes the best of photos today. For those that want it all check out the new "E-1" model that will soon hit the market. Its bound to set the standard in digital cameras.
4 Customer Service for this camera is lees than desirable
While the camera is performing great! There were some accessories that did not work with the camera. I tried repeatedly to contact Olympus and received the runaround on numerous occasions. I will not buy an Olympus product again. Customer service and support is the focal point of any good business. The marketers at Olympus obviously missed that day of instruction when they were going through customer support training.
5 Don't Buy Olympus
I purchased this camera about one year ago, and already am having problems with it. First, it won't take any photos in very bright light--the photos come out horribly bleached out and grainy. So, that means no outdoor photos at all. It used to take wonderful close up shots, indoors only, with the flash, but now, on the closest settings, they are blurry. I have tried repeatedly to get Olympus to stand behind their camera and repair it, they refuse, it is almost impossible to get ANY kind of response from their Customer Service people, if you don't believe me, check out other websites where complaints against Olympus are rampant.
Save your money and get a camera with a good company name and customer service department behind it.
6 OUTSTANDING
I purchased my Olympus 460Z after the birth of our first grand child over 2 years ago. It was very easy to use from the start. I love the fact that I don't have to buy film and have it developed. Our youngest daughter just recently got married and it was so much fun to make thank you cards and be able to have their wedding picture on the front. I also did this with her graduation thank you cards. Everyone loved getting a picture. I have made business cards for my dad using pictures of his tow trucks as the background. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the photos I have taken. To me the quality of the photos are great. It is very user friendly.
7 Olympus 1.3 over 5.0 Is there a difference?
I received this camera as a Christmas gift 2001 and am I pleased!
This camera is a great compact digital camera with sharp, crisp
pictures. The 1.3mp does not hurt the quality photos either. It
is easy to use with lots of features. I have a hp photosmart
1215 printer that I put my smart media card in & its so easy to
operate & the pictures are pro quality even my 8.5 x 11 sunsets.
I feel there is no need to run out & purchase a 4.0 or 5.0 mega
pixel camera, the pictures are not superior. Buy yourself a
battery charger & store some extra ones in your bag. Also, buy
a few extra smart media cards, a AC battery charger & you are
all set on producing great photo pictures. Great camera!
8 GREAT CAMERA AND EVEN BETTER PRICE
I BOUGHT THIS CAMERA 2 YEARS AGO AND IT IS STILL GOING STRONG ABSOLUTLEY GREAT PICTURES I LOVE IT. AND SINCE I BOUGHT IT SO LONG AGO THE PRICE WAS HIGHER IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH IT TO ME TO BUY IT AGAIN AT A HIGHER PRICE BUT LOOKING AT THE PRICE NOW ITS AN ABSOLUTE STEAL.
9 It's a really good camera for everybody...
I just can recommend this camera for everybody.
It's simple to use and makes good quality pictures.
If you are professional you can buy something more advanced... But for everage people this camera is very good
10 Olympus D-460 still a great deal.
I bought my Olympus 460 on line and saved over [X] 0 off the average selling price for this camera at the time. I have owned my Olympus for about 2 years and have yet to have the first problem with it. Like any electronic device, getting the feel of it takes time and practice. But I carry it with me most always, use recharchable batteries, upgraded to higher smartmedia storage cards, and bought a basic USB card reader (mounted to my computer with velcro) to upload my pics. It's fast and the software is easy to use. This camera is a good buy/value and I will be using it for many more years to come.
11 Don't leave home without it
I take it everywhere. Only complaint is the slow reaction time when hitting shutter release, but all in all it is a great point and shoot digital camera. After a couple of years of frequent use it works just as good as the day I bought it.
12 Exceptional, User-Friendly Digital Camera for the Rest of Us
I ordered my Olympus D-460 on the recommendation of a friend expressly for taking photos of our new addition, six month old Johnny. Boy, has this little camera been a money-saver! After shooting roll, upon roll of 35mm film and paying for processing we are now shooting to our hearts content with this super little digital and only printing the shots we want to keep.
I was most interested in an easy-to-use digital that didn't require a degree in computer technology to operate. I got my wish with the D-460. I had it out of the box and taking photos within 5 minutes. I am especially pleased with the LCD screen quality and the extra features, such as red-eye reduction. Since we are Mac based I simply purchased a [inexpensive] something card reader and can download the digital photos in just seconds. My only disappointment was the web business from which I ordered the camera. The camera was supposed to arrive 4-5 days after my order was placed, but instead took over 2 weeks. I phoned numerous times and was given "the run-around". After getting "ugly" with the manager, I had my camera the next day. Avoid doing business with Cameradealz.com.
13 Fun, Fun, Fun
I have had this camera since xmas of 2000 and other than one trip for a warranty repair I have had nothing but fun with this camera. If you want to collect lots of great shots and display them on your computer using a slide show program this camera will give you all the results that you could possiby want. Recently returned from a trip to California where I took 300 plus pictures. I used the lowest resolution and the quality is great when displayed on my computer. Has enough features to allow changing light and speed settings and focus that gives you the ability to create some rather artistic shots. The price has stayed pretty much the same since my purchase which makes me feel pretty good about having bought it. Try one, you'll like it!!!
14 It's really great digital camera!
I'm very happy cause I have this little 'monster' because I realise my dreams about producting nice and pretty sharp pictures.
But, I think you can make more about linking cameras and cheap PCs or laptops, especcially in my part of world, where people don't have bunches of money.
We have a big potential and ambitions but prices don't help us to be a part of great and wealthy world.
15 Great camera, great price
I received this camera as a Christmas gift in Dec. 2000. It is a wonderful camera, great resolution, but not over-the-top expensive. Paired with a good color printer and some photo-paper ... you'll never need a film camera again! I know I don't! It is easy to use, reliable, and makes terrific photos.
16 Easy to use digital camera
This camera is quite easy to use and we're learning more every day. We just learned how to transfer images to a VHS tape and really like this option. We come home from our trips anxious to transfer the images and relive each event. We normally upload our images to a web site that will print copies of the photos for us, so we never have to deal with the hassel of going some place to get prints made. We would recommend this camera to those out there who are just getting into the "digital" age.
17 A family treasure
I liked my Olympus D-460 zoom digital camera so much that I recommended it to 2 sons and bought it for another son as a gift. I get great action shots of the grandchildren and border collies in our lives, and stunning, color-perfect close-ups of flowers--dew drops, insects, and all. It is compact and light enough to pop in my purse or jeans pocket, and the cover control makes that a safe way to go.
18 Great Digital Camera
This is my first digital camera. I have had it and used it extensively since August of 2001. Sharp pictures, good color. Downloads are slow - perhaps this is a digital camera characteristic - I don't know. I bought a larger storage card for it and it works really well. I am buying a replacement and hope to find something that works as well with the movie and sound feature. No reservations in recommending this camera.
19 Fantastic Point & Shoot Cam
This is my first digital camera. I have been using this camera for nearly 5 months. The quality of prints I get are fantastic for a 1.2 megapixel camera. I am able to get prints up to 5x7 with good color tones if the correct setting is chosen. I like that the flash is manual (it doesn't automatically pop up when it detects there isn't enough light) because it gives me a little more control. I have never had a problem with the lens cover hitting the lens when closing it. The lens cover basically is a "two click" close; one to activate the lens to swivel down into the base and then the next to complete the closing of the cover. The only thing I would improve this camera with is for Olympus to add more accessories in the kit. I had to go buy batteries, battery charger, larger memory card and a camera bag, which added up very quickly.
20 Love this camera!
I originally owned an Olympus D-340 digital camera -- loved it! Then the tiny Canon digital camera came out.. so I sold the D-340 and bought the Canon digital camera. While it was nice and small, it didn't take the quality of pictures that the Olympus did, nor did it fit the hand right. I sold the Canon digital camera and bought this one in January of 2001. I also bought some rechargeable 2AA batteries at the same time and finally had to use them. The batteries that come with the camera (lithium, I believe) JUST died this January (2002)! I have taken hundreds of pictures with this camera! (Maybe thousands!) Anyhow, the camera is designed to fit your hand. The size is about what a normal camera might be. If I had a bigger purse, it would probably fit. I just bought a small digital camera bag for it. I can toss in the battery charger, etc. I like the quality of the zoom. The only thing that I don't care for is that the flash has to be flipped up in order to use it. I guess this is good and bad. Good because if you DON'T want to use flash for a picture, just don't flip it up (less having to do with settings, etc.). Bad, though, in case you forget to flip it up when you need the flash. All in all, I will definitely stick with the Olympus brand for digital cameras.
21 Great Camera
This camera is a great buy! It's very easy to use and downloading pictures to the computer is even simpler. Great value for your money!
22 The best digital for a rank amateur at reasonable price
I am a newspaper columnist covering the environment, art, drama, book launchings etc. and so need a camera for close-ups, distance,reproducing paintings etc.For a newspaper columnist and senior citizen with no photographic know-how (I used to be assigned a photographer to accompany on assignments) this digital is invaluable, halving the work involved in getting my copy to the office. Praise for my photographs from professional newspaper photographers, and requests for copies from the artistic community here are, in my opinion, entirely due to the ease of use of this model. I use my camera every day,it has never yet let me down. I visited this site to check the latest price for my insurance because if I should lose it I wanted to know I could replace it straight away with another Olympus D460 Zoom.
23 2 strikes and your out
Purchased a new olympus d460 camera for xmas present. Worked good for about 30 days, then the zoom lens stopped and the motor kept running. Could not turn off so had to remove batteries and sent in for repair which will be [price]. While the camera was in for repair we bought a refurbished olympus d460 as a backup since we had all the extras. We got 20 min's of use out of that camera when it went compleatly dead, so here we are with 2 camers both of which are in for repair. In my opinion Olympus has a real problem with their zoom lens or else we were extreamly unlucky
24 Simple and easy to use...resulting in great pictures
I have had this camera for 1.5 years now. It is very easy to use. Easy menu allows one to explore various camera settings. Really good at taking pictures close up in macro mode. Suprisingly sharp pictures for 1.3 megapixels. Great first digital camera. Only downside is uses AA bateries really quick. But I would buy this camera again.
25 reliable camara, decent performance
I've had this camara for over a year now. It has proven to be an important part of tech life.
I use it to capture random things in the apartment to show my co-workers, family reunion, and work.
Pro: Decent operation, decent resolution for its time.
Con: Lack of usb connection. 8mb media takes up to 10 minutes to download via Serial cable. The program it supplied "Camedia" blows.
26 This is the first item I pack for vacations!
I purchased this camera about 1 year ago- and now I don't even know where my 35mm camera is. This takes terrific pictures (you see the results right away), and if you're not happy with the result, just erase and take another picture! This camera is lightweight, and easily fits in a pocket or a fanny pack. It does use a lot of battery power, so buy some rechargeable batteries with your purchase. I have an old HP color Deskjet printer, and the photos I print are good enough to put in my albums at 5x7" size, 8x11" pictures print kind of grainy- but I don't use the high resolution setting on the camera.
The instruction manual is easy to navigate and simple to follow, I carry it with me on vacations to review how to take panoramic photos (these print beautifully!), or how to set the red-eye reduction.
One word of caution, always use the wrist-strap when handling the camera. I dropped my camera once on vacation, photos taken after that were too dark to see. I sent the camera back for service to Olympus, and they were fantastic! I had the camera returned within 3 weeks, and I could track the progress of my repair online at the Olympus website. If I ever feel the need for a new digital camera, it will definitely be an Olympus!
27 Great entry level digital camera
This camera is easy to use with many useful features. It has refreshed my interest in photography and has been much fun recording all kinds of events and sharing the images with friends. The supplied "Camedia" software allows for a little more than just basic editing and is similiarily easy to use.
I find the fold up flash inconvenient. I sometimes forget to place it in its armed position and miss an opportunity. The switch behind the sliding cover which retracts the lens and protects the camera would be better positioned to operate a bit sooner so you would not have to be so careful to avoid hitting the lens when closing the case.
The light weight and smooth compact design of the camera are real high points. When closed, it fits in a pocket or pouch without ever snagging on anything and is well protected. When open, the design allows for trouble free recording without fear of damaging delicate parts.
28 Great Digital Simple to Use
Pretty much point and shoot. Even had it used at my daughters wedding and it took better shots compared to 35mm Nikons FG. I'm happy with it and take it everywhere. For the price its hard to beat. I find the flash a little awkward but i'm getting use to it. Great starter digital! Definetly a good deal.
29 Great Camera
If you're wondering if you can use digital camera, don't hesitate to buy this one! It's easy to use, takes great pictures and if you buy a flash card, you won't have any trouble downloading the pictures and printing them out. The pictures turn out perfect using my HP 930 series printer. It really helps to be able to see the picture before you take it. The size of the camera is nice, too. It's easy to carry.
30 Worth the money
This camera takes some pictures that are crisp and clear. There are also several features that help it adapt to most situations. It is essential that you buy some rechargeable batteries for it though. I bought the Olympus Ni-MH rechargeables along with a charger and I can take over a hundred pictures on the high quality setting before a recharge is needed. The only reason that I didn't give this camera 5 stars is because in some types of bright light, the pictures come out distorted. However, I think this is due to me not figuring out all the features yet. I needed a digital camera so I could send pics to friends and family over the internet and this one fits that purpose perfectly. (...)Hope this review helps someone.
31 Looking for a good digital camera? This is the one.
This is one of the best, for your money, digital cameras. I have been very pleased with the overall performance of this camera. You will never want to use a film camera again! Knowing what your pictures look like while you can still retake them is great! The LCD screen is usually enough to see what your picture will look like or you can view your pictures on the TV. Included is a NTSC video output cable to plug the camera into the "video in" on your TV or VCR. You really notice the excellent quality of the image that way, as well as a great way to share your pictures with everyone in the room. It comes with batteries, Mac/WIN serial cable, 8MB memory card, & software. Everything you need to open the box and start clicking.
The instructions included are easy to follow. The software is limited on the editing it will do, however I have found that I don't really want to edit most pictures, because they turn out fine. The 8MB SmartMedia card included is adequate. I purchased a 64MB card and don't regret it! You can take around 730 pictures on SQ-high quality, 250 pictures on HQ and 150 pictures on SHQ. More than enough for a trip where you aren't able to upload pictures to your computer and clear your memory card.
The downside, it eats batteries like all digital cameras. Purchase the Olympus battery charger and TWO sets of batteries for it. That way you are always covered with a spare set charged. Remember your printer will determine the quality your prints are going to be. A regular inkjet (like the Lexmark 3200) just doesn't have the quality that one like the HP Photosmart P1000 does. I can print an 8x10 picture (SHQ) on the HP that is photo quality.
Pick up a camera case too because it doesn't come with one.
Hint: You really don't have to buy anything extra to make this a great purchase. The rechargeable batteries, 64MB card, and camera case are not absolutely necessary to enjoy this camera. Just stuff that I found after using it for a year makes it a little bit nicer.
32 D-460Z is a great digital camera!
I bought my Olympus D-460Z in May of 2001, so I've had it about six months. I am crazy about this camera, and I have convinced at least three other people to buy it.
The D-460Z is lightweight, comes with a flash, digital and optical zoom, and optical and LCD viewfinders. I generally use the LCD viewfinder because it's convenient. The camera will take low-light shots without the flash, which has been a nice transition from the 35mm film cameras I've had in the past. The zoom is also a very nice feature that I didn't have on my film cameras.
The camera uses SmartMedia storage cards, which can be bought at Wal-Mart and Target. They're not very expensive. The camera came with the 8mb SmartMedia card, which holds 36 images when the pictures are stored at the default size (about twice the size that I like to send in emails). It also only comes with the serial port connector. Many people feel that this is too slow, but I have no problems with it. It probably takes 5-10 minutes to download 36 images from the camera. You can purchase a SmartMedia card reader that connects via a USB port. That is supposed to be faster, but I haven't found it necessary.
I have bought a few extra components for the camera. It does not come with a case, but it fits normal 35mm camera cases fine. I bought a 32mb SmartMedia storage card (holds about 144 images in default size) as well as a four-pack of NiMH batteries and a recharger. The camera came with batteries that lasted quite a long time, but when they went out, it was nice to have the rechargeables. The rechargeable batteries will last me about a weekend of picture-taking before requiring a night in the recharger. The camera will use regular AA batteries, but you will have to change them at least once a day.
I have been very happy with this camera and I strongly urge others to purchase one as well. I have found the software and the LCD control panel to be user-friendly and easy to navigate.
33 Only one gripe
Being my first digital camera, maybe it's easy to wow me, but I really like this camera. Picture quality is very nice, and the camera itself is easy to use.
My only gripe is the battery cover. Because of where it is and the direction it slides (and the fact that the batteries are literally spring-loaded projectiles), it's really easy to bump or grab the camera so that the battery compartment springs open, spilling the batteries and requiring you to re-enter the time and date (if you do). Many times I've pulled the camera out, only to fumble with getting the batteries back into it.
Other than that, I love it! Oh, and I'd recommend getting a USB reader for the memory. I didn't think that waiting for the serial download would be that big of a deal, but it gets irksome. A larger memory card would be a long wait.
34 Great Camera
I purchased the Olympus D460 because my friends have had good luck with Olympus products. Having an iMac with only USB ports was a concern, but an Entrega USB-to-Serial converter works just fine. Downloads are a bit slow to the computer. The battery life is amazing in these cameras, as long as you don't use the viewing screen much (normally it is off when you're taking photos using the manual viewfinder). I've had this camera for over a month with the same set of orginal batteries. At 122 photos in standard quality, I've taking hundreds of photos on one set. I have purchased a AA battery charger and a few spare sets of NiMH AA batteries (from Batteries Plus).
The photo quality is amazing. I've had some problems with the MACRO mode-- the image seems to want to be much higher than what I'm pointing at, but other than that, the camera is great.
Night photos only work with a tripod... and photos of bright objects at night (such as the Moon) really do not turn out well. So this is pretty much a daylight or flash camera.
I'm not sure you can even purchase this camera any more, but I prefer the optics to some of the newer models.
It also has a cord to hook up to your TV-- we have watched some of my photo shoots on big screen TV's.. which is just great.
At ($) this camera is a fantastic deal.
35 Good Stuff
I love my camera! I upgraded from a $20 point-and-shoot film camera and my D-460 is easy to use but has many extra features that i can explore as well. I am also pleased with it's compact size and durable exterior.
36 The Olympus - great camera!
Took our new Olympus to Europe, over the Alps, through Italy.. what a wonderful experience. Great pictures, easy to use. Downloads to the PC fast, has good editing software. I used the 64mb chip to take lots of pictures, could review them as I went. I would recommend this camera to anyone.
37 wow----...
A great digital camera, but with a size that is almost small enough to be stuffed in a pocket. Simplicity of operation makes this camera user friendly. It is kind to batteries and your pocketbook. The camera is loaded with digital features and options......but..
Best of all it produces excellent photos.
---------------Mike&Judy
38 Great starter camera...
This is my first digital camera. The reason I chose this one, is because a friend of mine had a similar model and I found it very easy to use. A very reasonable price for a camera! I went to 2 parties this weekend and took my photos, downloaded them and put them online. It was very simple for the average computer user. Now I can share my memories with everyone!
39 You've got to get this camera
I just recieved my camera today and have taken about 50 pictures already!! This is by far the best camera for the money. The image quality and the resolution are crystal clear and with the optional San Disk reader downloads are quick and easy....
40 It's great! I love it! But keep the SLR...
I have had more photo fun and taken more pictures since buying this camera than during the rest of my life put together. With no film to lose I can really make sure I like a picture by doing what the pro's do: take a lot of pictures and select the best ones. I generally run the 460 at maximum resolution since it isn't particularly endowed in the pixel area. The color rendition is excellent as well as the autoexposures. Basically, if you can see it, it can photograph it. Some of the night shots are quite impressive.
The 3X optical zoom is good. I wouldn't have a digital camera without it. The lens is prone to "barrel distortion" where straight line things like poles and trees at the edges of the frame appear to bend toward the center. A little strategic framing can make that less of a problem. The camera is rather slow when trying to do live action shots. It takes about a second between button press and shutter release. This is an eternity when trying to photograph my son doing a bike trick or catching a hawk on the wing.
Being an old SLR hobbyist, I miss my telephoto and my filters. I miss an instant shutter release and other areas of total control. In fact, we're shopping for a replacement for our old Canon AT-1. An SLR digital camera with the capabilities of a film SLR is just way too expensive for me right now. So I will continue to have two cameras: my super fun and somewhat amazing D-460Z and my SLR. Each with its own strengths, each with its own creativity.
41 pamayo
I received my Olympus D-460 Digital about 3 weeks ago, It has been very easy to figure out, I've taken dozens of pictures of my grand-daughters and all sorts of things, and they have all came out great, it was easy and fast to download onto my computer, easy to make adjustments to lighting and just all around great, what you see in the view finder is what you get a picture of. I also got the smartmedia floppy adptor to transfer the images to the computer, I think the batteries have held out real well and still going strong, but I did also get rechargable batteries.
42 Great Camera For The Price !
I have had this camera for about 6 months now. Have taken many pictures with it. The lithium batteries that came with the camera lasted for a very long time. I did not use the lcd display though. If the lcd display is used you will see very short battery life. I bought an optional ac adapter to save battery life when uploading pictures onto my computer. I also bought a set of rechargeable NiMh batteries w/ a charger. Both are a must!
I am a resolution freak, so this camera doesnt deliver the resolution quality I hoped for. But then again, I am a very picky person and to the "average" person the quality is probably fine. Most people that see the pictures I take comment on the great quality.
I have never printed any photos out yet since my printer is archaic and I know it wouldnt do a good job. So I cant comment on this end of things.
I have had the camera in for service. This was my fault though. The camera took a pretty good beating on the back of my atv this spring. Ended up costing me $108 to repair. Quite a bit considering I paid $280 for the camera. I found out the hard way that digital cameras are quite a bit more sensitive than your average 35 mm film camera! And yes, I was pleased with Olympus service department.
43 Good product
No complaints, outstanding pictures.
Get yourself a 64mb memory card [price]will give you 256 picture capacity.
Also get rechargable Ni-MH batteries and charger (any brand). Otherwise you will be buying lots of batteries.
44 FUN BUT LIMITED
I bought this camera at Xmas for my wife and have had alot of fun with the pictures. I bought a HP 970cxi to print the pictures and am a little disappointed at the color quality. It isn't bad but it ain't great either. When I print from cds i get with my 35mm the quality is great so I feel fairly sure it is the resolution or something that is at fault. I had a problem with the camera and had to send it in for repair. It was back in 2 weeks which i thought was acceptable. NOt a bad camera for the price. I paid more when i bought it last year(so what else is new)Go with higher resolution if you can afford it.
45 Not bad at all
I think this was a damn good camera. Two cons- the battery liffe isn't too long, even with the batteries they give you, and the zoom isn't the greatest. I have never seen such good quality pictures ever- this is the best in its class! SO- if you want a camera get this one! ...
46 I'll never use a 35mm camera again!
After some careful research, I decided the Olympus D-460 Zoom was the digital camera for me, and I wasn't disappointed! This is my first attempt at digital photography, and I wanted a camera that would take pictures of excellent quality, but wasn't too complicated to use. (I don't know much about manual settings for different situations and lighting, etc.) I love the way you have a choice as to whether to just point and shoot, or to adjust things first. The settings are so easy to understand and the menu so intuitive that even I can change the settings manually if need be. I did purchase immediately the following accessories: a USB reader, a 64 MB SmartMedia card, a battery charger and two sets of rechargeable batteries, and a case. I considered these items "must haves" for the sake of speed and convenience. I would recommend this camera without reservation to novices and experienced digital photographers alike. The picture quality is amazing, and I've already had some prints made by Ofoto.com from pictures I've taken on this camera. You would never guess that they weren't made from conventional film. You can't go wrong at the price I paid for this camera!
47 Great bang for the buck
I have owned this camera for about a year now. It takes excellent pictures and is well-suited for producing photo-quality prints. It writes the pictures to memory at a decent speed, and has a rapid sequential mode at the lowest resolution. There is a slight delay for autofocus when you take the picture, but if you depress the button halfway while you're setting up the shot, pressing the button the rest of the way will take the picture instantly (much the same as in many autofocus 35mm cameras).
Battery life with the included lithium batteries is excellent, but beware--they cost about [price]each (you need two). I have had a lot of success using rechargeable NiMH batteries; the battery life with NiMH is still decent, and it doesn't cost much more to get started with them than it does to buy a replacement lithium set.
Picture quality leaves nothing to be desired. You even have the option of taking pictures in a lossless format (TIFF as opposed to JPEG). This is great for pictures that you need to enlarge. Note, though, that one or two uncompressed pictures can fill up the average-sized memory card.
The special features work well and can be useful, although the default settings are good enough that the average point-and-shoot user will never need to change them. The lighting and macro features are particularly well-done; you can take close-up shots in macro mode that would typically require an SLR camera in the world of film.
The camera's weakest point is in its serial link. It works fine, but you can spend a long time waiting for the pictures to transfer to your computer. It would be wise to figure the cost of a USB smartmedia reader into the total price for the camera--with my Lexar reader, the images transfer in a matter of seconds.
I did a lot of research before buying this camera and can say that I was not in the least disappointed with the results. You would be hard-pressed to find a worthy competitor in this price range.
48 update from my feb 21 review - perfection has been achieved
When I reviewed this camera back in February I was thrilled with its quality and functionality but I was frustrated by the ordeal of getting my PC interface up and running.
Thanks to a few helpful people in the ... community I was able to fix the problem, ( I'll repeat the tip I got which was to deactivate any Palm synchronization routines - really easy to do)
I have been using the camera constantly since then. It was especially useful when our baby was born recently. We live in New York and have no familly here so I took a lot of pictures that were emailed to family and friends around the world. We received many compliments on the quality of the pictures.
So I am now very very happy with the camera and rate it 5 stars plus. It is simple to use and easy to pop into a small bag and carry around with you. In the past few months it has travelled with me constantly. Although I bought this camera for my wife I found that I also used it a lot...so I bought another one! My poor Nikon SLR system hasn't seen the light of day for months!
A great camera!
49 Still a good camera, but showing its age.
I bought my D-460 in Sept last year. I would have given it a 4-star rating then, but now it warrants only 3 stars from me. After 10 months of steady use, I can now point out its deficiencies:
1. The lack of USB connection which makes it horribly slow to download pictures. It can take up to 10 minutes to download a full card! I had to buy a SM card reader to save time, which meant more $$ required.
2. A very noticeable shutter lag, i.e. there is a delay of about .5 to .75 sec between the time you press the shutter release, and when the camera actually captures the shot. This camera is definitely not suitable for capturing "the decisive moment". If you've previously used an anolog SLR camera (like I did), this delay is unacceptable.
3. There is also noticeable barrel distortion from the lens. Basically it means the lens makes people look fat and straight lines bulge outwards. To be fair, this is a fairly common problem in consumer digicams, and you can fix the problem with good photo-editing software.
4. The "guillotine" lens cover. It is quite easy to bash the lens when trying to close the retractable lens cover. You're supposed to slide the cover forward SLIGHTLY (but not touch the lens), wait for the lens to completely retract into the camera, then slide the cover completely shut. Whose bright idea was that?!
Don't get me wrong though. This camera still serves me well (I work for a newspaper). The D-460 has many plus points which others have covered previously, so I won't repeat them. But before you decide to buy it, consider the four drawbacks I mentioned above.
50 4.5 out of 5
One of the best camerias that are super! I say buy it. Yes the amazon prediction is correct. a 4.5. HAve the cash than buy it
51 Good camera, but some noticable drawbacks
I have had this camera for about 4 months. Starting out, I thought wow, this camera has everything: zoom, autofocus, flash, memory cards, the whole bit. But somethings i've noticed about it sometimes get me to worrying about it. First of all, everytime you open the screen, it takes about 3 or 4 seconds for the zoom lens to pop in and/or out. This is bad because it wastes the batteries if you keep doing it for taking different pictures. Next, when taking the picture, you push the button, and it takes about 1 second for the shutter to actually flash. I think this is because of all the focusing and dithering. Also, you can use the viewfinder to see pictures once you take them. But to review them, you have to completely close the lens, wait the 3 or 4 seconds, and then hit a button to turn on the screen and wait for the picture to load. This is not absolutely horrible, but sometimes I am in a hurry. Biggest thing: While taking the biggest quality picture.. the camera will take like an entire minute to load the picture to the disk. This is horrible because in a minute, the thing you may be shooting will be gone, or the group of people will become antzy. The serial port is so slow, its like having a really slow internet download. On the plus side, the camera takes wonderful pictures. It has 2 sizes, the larger size has 3 quality options, and the smaller has 3. The higher quality ones look quite nice. Very clear, very good lighting. Everyone always complains because the pictures are so clear, you can see every blemish. Overall, great camera, but sometimes the lengthiness of the operations can be a bit overcoming.
52 Best mid level digital camera deal.
I had given that honor to the (now sold out) Kodak 280, but the Olympus is now the clear winner. Its classical, Stylus-like design is attractive and functional. It is well made, well-balanced in the hand, and has intuitive controls and menus. It features 'burst mode' shooting (great for sports events, etc), superior optics, a great 3x (plus 2x digital) zoom and USB transfer (though only a memory card reader will make you love the simplicity of digital cameras). The included 8 meg SmartMedia card will handle about 100 480 X 640 pics, and larger cards are easily found and reasonably priced. The 1.2 megapixel resolution is more than adequate for everything from emails to printing 5 x 7s. The flash, battery life and software are acceptable. The price is a real bargain and makes this the #1 mid level digital camera at this time.
53 Olympus D-460 Zoom Digital Camera
This is one fantastic camera. Very easy to use and the pictures come out great. Love all the features it has to take pictures in any kind of light. Took pictures of the Grand Coulee Dam at 10pm and no one could believe how beautiful it came out. Easy to download the pictures with the software and adjust any photos you may want sharpened or adjust. I would suggest buying a USB Reader/Writer to download faster though. Very happy I purchased this camera and highly recommend it.
54 Great camera for beginners
This is definitely an all in 1 solution for a digital camera. Featuring 1.3 MP it definitely gives real professional quality shots. Even in pitch darkness the camera with the flash gives amazing pictures. Further the panoramic feature is also wonderful. The only downside of this camera is the manual lens cover. Anyway this is a must buy for serious starters with digital camera !!
55 Great Camera for the First Timer
This is my first digital camera and I could not be happier. I can't say enough about the camera's performance and the quality of the pictures. This camera is great and the price was terrific.
56 Great Camera, dont belive everything you read.
I've owned a D-460Z for almost a year now and am very happy with it, the camera feels solid, the zoom works well, good battery life. This camera takes 1280x960 shots, plenty big enough for use on the web or printing 5x7 prints.
Has advanced features like adjustable ISO and Spot Metering, also has a panoramic mode.
Quote from another reviewer
"In order to view pictures you've already taken, you need to close the lens cover. This is slow because the zoom needs to retract. Similarly, to switch to photo mode from viewing mode, the camera needs to be reopened."
This statement isn't true, you dont have to close the lens cover, just simply press the button twice on the LCD display, will toggle it from shooting mode to viewing mode.
Only hole I can find in this camera is the serial connection. save yourself alot of time and buy a $50 USB smartmedia reader, can copy an 8mb card to your computer in seconds., I have the SanDisk ImageMate USB smartmedia reader, use it with my desktop and laptop.
57 Can't download pictures!!
I have owned this camera for 2 years -- for the last 14 months, I haven't been able to download pictures on my computer. I called customer support and they sent me new software for my computer; that didn't work either. I have wasted numerous hours trying to make it work and have given up.
58 It's ok...
The camera captures very good quality images but there a few things that make it's use cumbersome. First, it takes a fairly long time to warm up (perhaps a minute or more). This makes capturing those special and fleeting moments difficult. By the time the camera is ready to photo our 18-month daughter has moved on... Second, the ability to alternate between viewing photos and taking new ones is slow and unwieldy. In order to view pictures you've already taken, you need to close the lens cover. This is slow because the zoom needs to retract. Similarly, to switch to photo mode from viewing mode, the camera needs to be reopened. Finally, the ability to delete picturs is also quirky. You need to switch to viewing mode to delete and it take a few steps. All of these features make the use of the camera really slow and annoying. I wish I had better things to say but I wouldn't recommend this camera.
59 Great camera!
This is an outstanding digital camera - you will not be dissapointed!
Strengths: *Excellent picture quality *Intuitive user interface and menus *Can use as point & shoot, or can tweak options like ISO and flash speed for more advanced use *Included Smart Card holds from 32-122 images
Weaknesses: *Serial port download of images is super-slow (although getting the USB smart card reader via rebate will solve that problem) *No AC adapter or rechargable batteries included
60 Great Camera but could use some minor enhancements.
I have had my camera for about a week now and really enjoy it. The controls are pretty easy to use and once I read through the manual I had no trouble. It also included a set of NiMh rechargeable batteries and a charger in addition to the disposable batteries. That was a nice perk.
On the down side and the reason I did not give it a full five stars is: The front cover is a little awkward to use until you get used to it. Having to slide it partway closed, let the lense retract and the finish closing is a bit strange. The other thing and what I think is the most serious flaw is the serial cable connection. It is very slow. Olympus should have included either a USB connection instead or some kind of USB media reader or floppy adapter. I realize some people do not have a USB port which is probably why the serial connection is still in use.
All-in-all, the camera is a great value and high quality for the money. If you can afford the extra money, buy the D490Z instead. But again, this camera works great. The images are generally clear and in focus and the software does a great job of removing redeye and auto adjusting the brightness and contrast. Of course, like any camera, digital or film, there will be some bad shots. The plus is you can delete these and try again.
61 Wow! Love this camera!
Did some research, and finally went with this Olympus D460. It was up and running with no problem, very easy to use, great pictures. One thing: I did not find the flash very user friendly. The first few times I could not remember how to use it. You must physically pop it up, which is hard to remember after other cameras that have the flash ready to go at any time. But surprise, it took good pictures, even without the flash, and after several tries I finally remembered I had to pop it up. I love this camera, and look for any excuse to take a picture. I have e-mailed pics all over and am probably driving people crazy, but that's OK.
62 Review from an average Joe!!
I don't know much about digital cameras, but I just purchased the D460 Zoom and love it!!
First of all, since I don't know much about photography, I love how this camera does all the work for you, it tells you when you need to use flash, auto-focuses, etc. It is very easy to use. About 15 minutes after opening the box I already had a couple pictures taken and loaded onto my computer, this included software installation and everything!! I love how you can see the pictures on the screen immediately after you take them, so you can see if they turned out or not.
Just to address a few of the problems that I read in other reviews. One person commented on how you get drained on the batteries. The simple solution is to buy some rechargable NiMH batteries with a charger. The NiMH batteries last a long time to start with anyways!!
Another problem that was addressed is that it can be tedious to find your pictures on the camera if you go through them one by one. There is a setting on the camera so that you can put 9 thumbnails of the pictures on your screen at the same time, so finding your pictures really is not a problem!!
I also recommend buying a USB Smartmedia Reader. I believe I read that they are 80 times faster than using the connection provided with the camera. Also, if you use the USB Smartmedia Reader, you do not need to waste the camera batteries while you load pics onto your computer, since the camera isn't even involved in the loading process if you use the USB Reader.
Also, just as a side note, a 16 or 32 MB smartmedia card is nice if you plan on using the high quality settings.
This really doesn't have to do with the camera, but if you plan on buying these extra add-ons, I really suggest using Ebay, you can get some great deals!! I bought all the add-ons off from Ebay and spent about 100 dollars less than I would have elsewhere.
To sum it all up, I think this camera is an excellent choice whether you have no idea how to use a digital camera (such as myself) or are a pro! The controls are extremely easy to figure out with a tad of help from the instruction manual. Also, for such a simple and easy to use camera, it takes excellent, clear, crisp, pictures, which really surprised me when I first saw them! I highly recommend this camera!!
The only reason I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 is I think it should come standard with the USB reader, to save us consumers a little money. Although not at all necessary, it still would be nice!!
I hope this helps you all out on your digital camera purchase!!
63 Don't get it without USB reader
A USB smartmedia reader should be mandatory, not optional with this camera. If not, you'll waste too much time downloading images. For example, an 8MB clip full of images (about 17 at Super High Quality mode) takes about 10 minutes to download via my PowerMac's serial port. Download times thru a PC serial port are about the same. Contrast this to about 20 seconds with a ZiO USB smartmedia reader.
I bought this camera about 6 months ago for ... from another vendor. And that was WITHOUT a card reader. ... current deal offers much better value.
Another flaw in this model is its "guillotine" sliding cover feature. While the design looks elegant, it's also quite easy to bash the lens with the sliding cover (you need to push the cover halfway to trigger the lens retraction into the body).
Also note that this camera doesn't come with an AC adapter (that's "optional"), so you'd also drain your batteries if you download pix via serial port. Did I mention that a USB smartmedia reader should be mandatory with this camera?
On the plus side, this camera does takes great pictures, has a wider aperture (f2.8) than most cameras in this range, and also a great panorama feature with stitching software. There's also exposure compensation and ISO selection (125, 250, 500).
I rate it a bit under 4 stars.
64 Follows me everywhere I go.
I received my Olympus as a gift almost a year ago and I must say that I use it EVERYDAY! I'm not lying. I love this camera. It's extremely easy to use and takes great pictures. I love that it has a quiet mode for when you don't want to have the beeps heard and that you can view the pictures after you taken them and delete them afterwards. It have 3 different quality settings as well as film speed options. The 8mb card is good if you're not taking over 200 photos a day. Another plus is that there is a little notch underneath in order for it to sit on a tripod. The software it comes with perfect for me to view my photos before I save them to my computer as well as for me to view any photos [digital or scanned in] before opening Photoshop.
There are only a few downsides that I've found. One is that it eats batteries up like candy [I go through a 4 pack every 2 weeks] and that the serial download takes forever!!!
This camera is definately worth the money! I love it!
65 Fun & easy to use
I just purchased this camera , my first digital. It is very easy to use and a lot of fun. A USB reader makes it all come together, which you get for free from Olympus via a mail in rebate.The 1.8" color LCD viewfinder is nice for taking a quick peek at the pics you just shot.So far I have only been using it as a point and shoot camera, but you can adjust the exposure to suit your needs as well as numerous other settings.The camera comes with the Olympus utility software,and photo manipulation software and it works Ok, but I can't wait to try Photoshop or paintshop pro with the Olympus.that will be awesome!Like I said, this is my first digital and I was a little nervous about spending $ on it, but I am very happy with the olympusD-460 zoom.
66 What a Camera!
I spent several weeks searching for the perfect digital camera in my price range, and this camera came out best. Not only does Amazon have it at an amazing price, but it takes wonderful photos that compare to those of other cameras that are twice as expensive. I take photos for a website, and I have been recieving international recognition for them. I credit a lot of my most recent success in photography to this camera, and I plan on sticking with Olympus for a long time.
If you're interested in getting your cameras onto your computer faster, I suggest purchasing a "Smartmedia USB reader". The camera only comes with a serial hookup, which is quite slow. A USB connection is about two hundred times faster.
67 big interface problems
I love the camera and if I ever get it to interface to my PC I will be thrilled. I have tried everything, ( including reading the instructions)I am fairly technology literate. I own two laptops (an IBM running NT and Dell running Win98) neither of them interface so if you have any tips please email me I have tried calling Olympus but lack the time or patience to sit on hold...so I am not happy....be warned
68 Great camera with lots of features for a very good price!
Just picked this little baby up today and I am very happy with the purchase. I've read quite a bit of reviews, both here and elsewhere and I pretty much had it narrowed down to a few models but I'm glad I went with this one. I've had good experiences with Olympus film cameras before and it seems their high quality transferred over to the digital scene as well. Sure, it's only 1.3 Megapixels and it might be a bit pricy for one considering you can get a 2.0 Megapixel camera cheaper but, the user friendliness and the sheer number of features make this camera far superior to the higher megapixel cheaper models.
First off the pictures are crisp and clear and with the optical veiw finder available, you don't need to mess with the LCD screen and waste batteries. The menu screen is easy to navigate (though a bit difficult to figure out the icons...) and this is truly where this camera shines.
Not only are you able to change the picture quality from standard 640 X 480 to uncompressed TIFFs, but you have to ability to adjust white balance, and more importantly, the ISO value! You can also adjust the exposure compensations and, if you are using an Olympus memory card, you can do panorama shots as well. Flipping through the pictures already in the card is a breeze, especially since you can use an idex view to see up to 16 shots at one time and deleting pictures is a snap.
Unfortunately this camera doesn't come with USB support (...wonder why???) but pick up a USB card reader along with the camera and the problem is solved. I picked up a PNY USB Flash Card Reader for ... and it installed in a second and transfering 6 shots at one time to the HD was almost instantaneous.
If you're going on a long trip, you might want to either buy a bigger memory card and/or bring a pocket full of AA batteries but, for all intents and purposes, this is a great camera for us "point and shoot" types. If you're looking for a good camera with excellent features for a great price, this is the one you want.
69 You get 'hosed' on the batteries
Nice, easy to use. BUT you will never be able to find replacement batteries (lithium). I had to call Olympus direct. They want $13.95 each BUT almost $8 for S&H!! If I knew this, I never would have bought the camera. Don't make the same mistake!
70 Great Camera, Great Price
I did a lot of shopping around before buying this camera. The ONLY flaw with it is that there is no USB connection, other than that I can't complain. Visual quality is outstanding, and its the only camera in the price range that has the optical zoom.
71 Simply the best, at a GREAT PRICE!
Without a doubt, the D-460 Zoom is the finest 'Point & Shoot' camera I've ever owned, print or digital. It's everything other reviewers (whom I read carefully before buying...) say and more. Yea, compact size. Yea, feature packed. Yea, yea. But those PICTURES!!! I've never seen such clarity! Even in max zoom mode this camera continues to astonish me. I've printed out pictures of my grandson on photo inkjet paper to pass out to friends and relatives, and they think I'm lying when I tell them it's an inkjet print from a digital camera. I like that.
A lot.
True, you're going to NEED the optional AC adapter, but only for uploading to your computer.. standard alkaline batteries work just fine and last a long time for picture taking. And I've seen the difference between the 460 and ANY of the Sony junk.. no comparison. Olympus wins on picture quality hands-down. No contest. That Macro feature for close-ups... what a hoot! It's great! Professional quality! You gotta get this camera if you're thinking digital. Really.
72 A non-techie's review.
This camera's so easy to learn and use and the pictures are the best! I got it the day before the Inauguaration and had a ball with it. It was cold and rainy and the thing didn't miss a beat with only a coupla hours of learning. You can have it when you pry it from my cold dead hands.
73 Poor design - and costly to you
Many reviewers have commented on the inconvenience of the flash unit on the Olympus D460, requiring that you manually open it for flash pictures. It is also prone to breaking.
On the second day I had this camera, the flash unit broke. A small ball bearing that holds the flash upright popped out of the unit. And when this cheap, poorly designed unit becomes inoperable, Olympus does not cover it under warranty. It claims you have mishandled the camera and charges you over $100 to repair it.
74 One of the best for the price...
This was my first digital camera and I'm very happy with it. It has all the features and functions necessary to take quality pictures and enjoy them in digital fashion. The camera is sturdy, lightweight, and easy to use.
I'm still working with the supplied software. All in all it was easy to install and use, although I am puzzled by its inability to allow you to edit out things like red-eye. I'm using another piece of software for that.
A couple of peeves: Although its nice not to worry about a lense cap, the motorized sliding cover seems to inviting trouble in the long term. Also, the LCD screen is excruciatingly slow when scrolling through previous pictures. I haven't found a way to randomly access them on the camera, so you have to go through them one by one, which, when you have 30 or 40 stored up, is very tedious.
Overall, you could spend more and get some 'extra' features, but I doubt its worth it. This is one of the best cameras for the price, which means you won't feel so bad when the next generation of cameras come out and you want one.
75 So far, So good.
I've had my Olympus 460 Zoom since June, 2000. It's the only digital camera I've owned and I really enjoy it. It's been on several vacations and numerous holidays with us and I seem to learn something new about it each time I use it. Once you read the manual several times and figure out the menus, you get the hang of what settings will provide the best shot. The Auto setting will cover most normal conditions, but special settings are required to get shots of things that are moving or have unusual lighting. It's easy to experiment and just dispose of the bad shots. Battery life is good, but I strongly advise two sets of rechargables to always be prepared. The download of pictures through the provided serial cable can be slow, but just relax and have a cup of coffee. I've used numerous Internet services to develop my digital pictures and the quality is as good as any 35mm. The advantage here is that you get to always pick out a perfect picture. I love it!
76 Good camera, the software could use some help
I do love this digital camera--it is easy to use and the size is unbeatable. I bought my camera a few days ago and have already taken over one hundred photos. Yes, it does take some time for the images to download, but it is teaching me patience. My only complaint is the software, Camedia 1.2, that was sent with it. Something happened with how it recorded the last file viewed and it kept crashing. I had to wait all weekend to talk to the help desk and while they were able to easily help me fix the problem, it can and does reoccur. There is a later version of Camedia, but they are only packaging it with their new model cameras and it is unavailable for purchase. All in all, though, this camera is an excellent choice and I highly recommend it.
77 Great Camera
I've been a photographer for some time now and I have mainly used manual cameras, but I think now the time has come to add a digital camera to my array of photo equipment. I was pleased when I recieved my Olympus D460 camera it was everything I expected out of a digital camera. It has great zoom features, an easy to see lcd screen(indoors), easy to follow instruction manual and the 1.31 megapix is good enough quality to make my family ooh and ahh at the photos. However, there are a few drawbacks 1.31 megapix is only good up to 8x10 enlargements before it gets very grainy, you can't see the lcd screen in bright daylight ( this would hold true for any other camrea with an lcd as well ) While it comes with 8 megs of memory I bought a 32 mb upgrade so I could hold more than 32 photos. The serial interface for downloads is agonizingly slow, so you'll need a card reader as an accessory. Overall, its the best in its class if you have a budget under 400 dollars, if you're in to spending a bit more check out the D490 ( it boasts 2 megapix and better zoom features).
78 Olympus
My Olympus 460 Zoom is a great little camera that features both ease of use for occasional snapshots and advanced capabilities for the more serious photographer. It is my second digital camera, my first was a Fuji MX-1200, a really great little camera also. The Olympus is not quite as easy to use as the Fuji but after my recent trip to China, I wanted something a little more capable than the Fuji. Since I consider myself an "advanced amateur", I have been giving all the "bells and whistles" a workout since I got it.
I am particularly pleased with ability to spot meter for back lit situations, shoot "burst mode", the zoom, and the ability to select the "ISO" (film speed). The exposures I get with the Olympus are also more accurate than the Fuji. The Fuji tended to underexpose in all but bright sunlight, forcing me to do a lot of image adjusting in Photoshop. The Olympus is generally "right on". I also really like the software bundled with the Olympus. I purchased a USB Smartmedia reader for the Fuji because I couldn't get the Fuji software to install under Windows 2000. The Olympus software installed fine under Win2K and works really well. It may even cut down the time I spend with Photoshop.
I really, really like the quality of the resulting images. Olympus makes fine lenses and It's SHQ (Super High Quality) mode lets you take either uncompressed TIFF images as well as "low compression" JPEG's. I have printed images suitable for framing on an HP2000 Cse and a Tektronix Phaser 850 up to 8 x 10. They compare very favorably with images taken with my 35MM SLR and scanned on my Epson Perfection.
Finally, the highest praise I can give this camera is that I am giving serious consideration to leaving my assortment of cameras, lenses, motor drives, filters etc. home on my next trip. Hope this helps.
79 Wow, better then my cheapo Polaroid digital cam!
This has all of the bells and wistles that I think that even an intermediate digital camera enthusiast would want.
The only thing that I found slightly annoying was shutting the camera down by closing the camera cover. You have to close it slightly and pause while the lens retracts and everything powers down, then close it the rest of the way.
Otherwise I don't think I have found one thing that I don't like about it.
It took awhile to familiarize myself with all of the features but most everything works fine on automatic. And you always have the ability to manually set everything about the camera - ISO, brightness, resolution, etc.
I've done some panoramas with this, as well as dark and inside photos (the latter two things my previous digital camera had no luck with).
I've also amazingly been able to take pictures of magazines articles and been able to easily read the text in the resulting pictures. Don't ned my scanner anymore! ;)
The burst mode is a nice feature, though not strictly neccessary. Macro works great and the digital zoom combined with the optical zoom is a great feature. Can't live without it.
There are more features then I can list here, and will probably keep me experimenting with them for quite some time.
80 My first digital camera
Read all the reviews about the D-460 when I received it as a present just recently. I was very happy with the camera overall except a few vital areas such as one reviewer had mentioned - battery load instructions in the manuel did not match up with the batteries that were included (cv-3), which only went in one way opposite of the manuel and was hoping for a USB port for easier download. It took excellent photos and was fairly easy to download with a little maneuvering into a port. I had taken alot of pictures over the weekend and laid the camera on my desk and now all of a sudden, NO POWER!?????? Got advice?
81 Fantastic Buy
This camera is fantastic! The images come out sharp and clear, it's packed with features such as 3 modes of picture sorting where you see 9 images 6 or 3, 3 zoom levels, very easy to use, auto lense cover. I can't say enough good things about it.
82 What a great little camera
This is my first digital camera, and I was truly astounded the first time I downloaded a picture and made it my Windows background on a 17" monitor. The detail and color is tremendous! The camera is so easy to use; the only wish I have is that it wasn't so easy to forget the flash. I frequently waste a picture because I forget to flip up the flash. The macro feature is great, too.
I feel that the D460Z is a GREAT value!
83 Olympus 460 is a good digital camera
This is my first digital camera. I am quite happy with it. I did get good technical support from Olympus. It would be perfect if the camera has USB port connection for its images download.
84 Great camera
I received this little camera for Christmas. It's my first digital camera. I was impressed by it's size and features. It takes great pictures.
The only down side is the serial connection to the PC. I spent 3 days trying to connect this to my PC unsuccessfully. The Olympus support wasn't very helpful. They blamed the problem on my serial port. I fooled with that for 3 days then finally I gave up and went out and bought the San Disk Image Mate smart media reader with USB. It worked right out of the box and is very fast.
The camera is great, now that I got the pictures into my PC. I took some night pictures outside without playing with any of the advanced settings and they came out pretty good. Nice camera for the price.
85 Great Camera
If you are looking for a digital camera to begin with, this is it! If you want a good camera t start with go out and buy this, NOW. I received this as a Christmas present and I haven't put it down today yet. I love it!
86 Great camera for the price!
After spending several days researching digital cameras in this price range, I settled upon the Olympus D-460Z. I am thrilled with my decision! This camera is simple to use, right out of the box, and takes wonderful pictures! I use the pictures primarily in an online magazine, but they also print out nicely! It has sufficient features for our business and personal needs and I highly recommend it to anyone considering a moderatly priced digital camera.
87 Great Camera!
After several months of debating whether or not to buy a digital camera, I researched various models and bought the Olympus D460. The zoom capability is great and the pictures are really sharp.
I was really concerned about battery life because I had heard that batteries get drained really quickly with digital cameras. I've taken over 100 pictures using Rayovac rechargeable batteries and the battery meter is still on full. I only use the LCD screen to display pictures I've taken. I use the viewfinder when taking pictures.
The only negatives are that you have to manually lift the flash when taking flash pictures and that the camera does not use USB. I was debating whether to buy an external USB reader when buying the camera, but the serial interface is sufficient for me for the time being.
Overall, I've been thrilled with the camera.
88 No more film!
I just got my Olymbpus D460 from Amazon two days ago and I started playing with it last night. I struggled a little with loading the batteries and all of the menu options, but once I got everything set up and working, everything was great. If you haven't yet used a digital camera, you're going to love it. It is great seeing the pictures right away and being able to delete the bad shots. As far as this specific camera goes, you can't beat the price for the features. I did a lot of comparison shopping - reading reviews, etc & I am convinced this is a great deal. I especially like the option where it will take 4 pictures in a row very fast. I got great action shots of my cats fighting that I would have never been able to take with a regular camera. A word of advice that I heard from a techie friend: Go out and buy the NiMH rechargeable batteries and recharge those before you get your camera. Apparently the rechargeable batteries lose their power even when they are not being used (i.e. in your camera bag), but the lithium batteries don't. You should save the lithium batteries as backups in case you are stuck with dead rechargeables.
89 a chain is only as strong as its weakest link
After reading many customer reviews (mostly 4 stars and better) and researching dozens of other cameras, I ordered the D460, convinced I had made the best decision for the dollars spent. I've had it for about an hour and it is back in the box ready to send back. The second time I lifted the flash attachment, a small steel ball bearing fell out and the attachment would not lock into place, nor would the flash function when I attempted to test it. The flash is like something you find on a toy camera! As to the camera's other features, I can offer no opinion. I didn't get that far!
90 Olympus D460 Runs Circles Around my HP Photosmart C20
The 1.3M pixel Olympus D460 is my second digital camera. I also have a 1 M pixel HP Photosmart C20. The Olympus is by far the better camera.
The D460 is far easier to use (no need to read the manual), and the Olympus image transfer and editing software is much better than the HP software.
The D460 will take well over 100 photos on 4 AA batteries. The C20 will only take about 10. And the C20 will not run on NiCd batteries. I always use NiCd batteries in my D460. I have taken over 170 photos on a single charge.
In all modes of operation, I have found that the D460 produces much better results than the C20. I regularly print great looking 8x10s from my Olympus.
I have used both cameras for shooting close ups. The Olympus works much better in macro mode. I have even had very good luck using the flash in macro mode. Using the macro mode in combination with the 3:1 optical zoom, I can take a full frame photo of a silver dollar.
I had great fun using the D460's panorama mode on a trip to the Grand Canyon. The Olympus software automatically stiches multiple images into a single, very high resolution, panorama.
One word of caution: Certain features, such a the panorama mode, are only supported when you use genuine Olympus smart media cards. Don't buy "compatible" smart media cards even if they are gauranteed to be 100% compatible.
Like most digital cameras, the flash on the D460 is very close to the lense. Consequently, red eye can be a problem. The D460 is equipped with a red eye flash function which usually helps to prevent red eye. Often, I still find that it necessary to remove red eye with the Olympus software that came with the camera.
If you plan to spend less than $400, I highly recommend the D460.
91 Seems to be a good camera - Still learning -Read the manual
I just got this camera yesterday. It is my first digital camera. So far Its seems to be a good unit. I have found only two things to complain about; 1> - the included batteries can cause some confusion, if you follow the instruction manual, to load them. The battery polarity indicator diagram ,on the bottom of the camera, just doesn't match the polarity label on the included Olympus batteries (i.e. it looks like they load with polarity reversed..not a good thing). The manual has diagrams for loading individual AA batteries with polarity clearly indicated (which matches the diagram on the camera) but the diagram that illustrates loading the included battery packs has no polarity indicated!?!? The battery packs are 'Keyed' so you can only insert them one way. After arguing with myself over the conflicting info , I inserted the batteries, and the camera came up and works fine. Now I have to resolve this problem again when I use rechargeable individual NiMh batteries. Olympus really needs to rethink the instructions. I bet more than a few people have tried to use individual AA batteries , loaded them backwards and fried the camera. Tsk. Tsk. Major Oversight Olympus. I understand that the Olympus batteries are very expensive, perhaps Olympus concluded that a little dis-information could equal increased profits?? The Technically impaired may well resort to using only the Olympus brand in order to avoid problems??. Compliaint #2 >It sure could use a USB port,but hey .... I guess you can't have everything. After a few minutes reading the instruction manual I was taking pictures and so far am very happy with the results.
92 Olympus 460 - Great !
This little camera is my first experience with digital photography and it is great. It fitted in with my requirements, it was under $500, it has an optical zoom and a standard "compact" camera format. I originally intended to use this as our "quick shot" camera, but is soon displaced my 35mm SLR.
Things I like. The battery life is really good if you don't use the electronic view finder (I don't). It can quickly take a shot and get it right, and the fill in flash works well. The optical zoom and macro facilities are very useful. The photo quality is very good. I cannot pick the difference between my 35 mm. and the Olympus 460 on a standard 6 by 4 photograph
Things I don't like. The serial down load to my PC is very slow; the standard 4 mb card is too small, the software for editing the photo's is pretty rudimentary and the lens retract can get tangled up in the front cover it your not careful.
You will need to buy a camera case for it and a larger memory card is pretty useful. I do all my editing with a different software package. Would I buy it again?. You bet!!
93 Excellent camera with an amazing precision design!
This is the first digital camera that I owned. I have read all the reviews on this web page before I decided to purchase one. And was I glad that I did choose this one. Quite a few people warned about the lid that cover the lense, they said that if you are not carefull, you could damage the lense. But I found out that it was design so that the lid stop before the lense retract without touching the lense. I tried about a hundred times to see if it rubbed against the lense, but fail to make the lid rub against or scratch it. So my conclusion is that it was design with an amazing precision; to the naked eyes, it looks like the lid rub against the lense but there is always a small space between the lid and the lense to guarantee that the lid will never damage the lense. Beside the precision design of the lid, this camera takes great pictures every time. I tried it in a totally dark room with the flash of course, and it turned out to be like a picture was taken out doors.
94 A sophisticated little point 'n shoot with many features
I have had my Olympus D460 for about two weeks now and it is a dream come true. Simple. Easy to use. Treat it like a straight point and shoot and just click away. The zoom feature lets you frame what you're looking at IN THE VIEWFINDER(almost like an SLR). The standard PnS green light-red light also tells you when everything's ready and then --bingo-- you've got another good picture. The D460 also has some bells and whistles that advanced amateurs or even pros will like. My favorite: a white balance adjustment that lets you use the available light from fluorescents or incandescants. That's an important feature, because this camera is very sensitive in even low light, and it permits good, color balanced photos in marginal light. My earlier digital camera experience was with a Sony Mavica MD90, a much more expensive camera. Frankly that Sony can't hold a candle to the D460. Accessories: I bought the SanDisk FlashPath (Floppy Disk Adapter) with the D460 to eliminate PC cable hookups. This took some looking because many retailers are out of them. But it was worth the search, because this particular FDA comes with batteries installed and a simple no-fuss installation disk. All in all, the Olympus D460 camera is an excellent value and I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to make a quality yet low cost entry into digital photography
95 Great pictures
Received the camera from Amazon in 8 days. New to digital cameras. Read the instruction book and was taking and printing pictures in acouple hours. The color looks so real and the detail is extremely clear. If you take a bad picture the camera has alot of features to improve the lighting or color. Happy with purchase....
96 Purchased it recentand have been thrilled with it ever since
I went shopping all around the internet trying to find a good digital camera for a medium price. I figured if I am going to spend this much money, I might as well buy a nice camera. After 2 monthes of researching and comparing, I finally made up my mind on this camera. It had been my number one choice all along, but after reading it's specs, it was like icing on the cake. Now that I have it, I can take perfect pictures that look incredible and print witht the same quality as regular film. I strongly recomend this camera to anyone. Not only should you purchase this camera, but I also suggest an AC Adapter and rechargeable batteries. Both are well worth the extra money. I also purchased a carrying case, a 16 mb memory card, and a panorama lens, but you can get along without some of these. -brett
97 Better than I thought it would be
I was hesitant to make the jump to a digital camera. I bought this baby, and boy am I glad I did. The pictures are remarkable, even when printed 8x10 on my printer (nothing fancy, just an HP 712C.) I get better detail on closeups than I do using my SLR camera. Pictures turn out great even in very low light. Plus, if you pick up a set of rechargable batteries, this guy is practially free to use. No more spending dough on film or developing. I highly recomend this camera for anyone looking to jump into digital pictures. It's well worth the money and will save you a bundle.
98 Olympus D460 is the camera with the whole package!
I was in the market for the Sony Cybershot DSC 30. I really liked the way that the camera looked and was anxious to have one. Then I did a little research. I found out that Sony has there cameras made by an outside manufacturer. sony also does not share their technology with other manufacturers so if you want to accesorize, then you have to pay the inflated prices for "genuine Sony parts". Olympus has been in the camera biz for years. So I asked myself why am I going to buy a product from a company that doesn't really specialize in cameras? It is also good to know that there is only one kind of storage media that you can use with the Sony Cybershots. Conviently, Sony has also jacked the price on there "Memory Sticks" because it's the only thing that you can buy for it. The Olympus D460 does every thing that the Cybershot does, save for the swivel LCD display. The Olympus also uses smart card media, so you can be a little more selective in what can fit your budget. Speaking of budgets, I saved about $120.00, and still feel that I got a better camera that what Sony could ever offer. If you like affordability, convenience, and a simple camera, the Olympus D460 is the camera for you. If you like to pay for a name, then buy a SONY!
99 Good Quality Pics but Not as cool as it should be
Great quality images. An automatic flash (you have to manually flip the flash up) would have been nice. Once I figured out how to use the flash I parked the SLR.
Camera has a great "slide show" capability with simple to use the video output to VCR or TV but... you can't upload images to the camera from the computer. If you could you'd be able to create a slide show from several different sessions with the included 8MB card. Maybe I have to get that floppy adaper for my Smart Media after all??
100 Good product, but could be better
After doing some research out there, my girlfriend bought this digital camera. The performance is very good, but there are still somethings I feel quite annoying. First, we just could not ignore the noise when the len zoom in/out. Second, after taking a picture, you can just review if for about a second or two, if you want to review it again, you have to turn off the camera, and turn on the LCD display again.. very unconvenient. Third, we have to lift the flash light to make it work. well, it is not totally automatic. And last, there's no USB interface to connect to PC, and the com port interface is too slow.. nobody can tolerate this I believe. You have to buy an extra reader.
In summery, it's a good product with excellent performance, on the other hand, based on my personal experience, my advice is, go to the market, try and feel it yourself, and think twice.
