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Olympus C-5050 Digital Camera
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More…| Overall rating | 83 |
| Image quality: To gauge picture quality, we take a series of shots, with and without flash, at 640 by 480 resolution and at the camera's highest resolution. We photograph a complex still life and a mannequin to see how well each camera captures details and subtle colorings such as skin tones. A panel of judges reviews the on-screen and printed photos and assigns image-quality scores; we then average those scores. | Outstanding |
| Ease of use | Very good |
| Features | Very good |
| Maximum effective pixels/resolution | 5 megapixels at 3200 by 2400 |
| Bundled media | 32MB XD-Picture Card; also accepts SmartMedia card and CompactFlash media |
| Focal range (35mm equivalent) | 35mm to 105mm |
| Aperture range | f1.8 to f8 |
| Shutter speed range (seconds) | 16 seconds to 1/2000 second |
| Viewfinders | Optical viewfinder, 1.8-inch LCD display |
| Video / audio recording | Yes/Yes |
| Semi-automatic/manual modes | Four scene modes; aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual modes; manual focus |
| Optional lenses | Wide-angle and telephoto |
| Software | Olympus Camedia Master 4.0 |
| Battery score | Good |
| Battery life | 372 shots, 130 minutes |
| Battery type | Four rechargeable NiMH |
| Dimensions and weight | 4.5 by 2.7 by 3.1 inches; 17.3 ounces |
| Support policy score | Good |
| Support policies | One-year parts and labor warranty; toll-free support for 13 hours on weekdays |
Bottom Line
A powerful challenger to Nikon's Coolpix 5000, the Olympus C-5050 should be a top choice for advanced photographers. It takes great photos, is easier to use than its rival, and earned a Best Buy when it debuted on our Top 10 chart.
Olympus C-5050 Zoom
C-5050 Digital Camera Review, by Tracey Capen January 27, 2003
WHAT'S HOT: There's a lot to like about the C-5050 Zoom, starting with the quality of its photos. In our lab tests, this 5-megapixel model earned some of the highest image-quality scores we've recorded to date. The camera produced exceptionally fine detail, accurate exposures, and bright colors, with solid whites. The only exception was an underexposed flash shot of our model. We were equally pleased with most pictures taken outside the lab. Close-up photos of a butterfly had very fine details and excellent color. Indoor shots with flash were a bit less impressive. All preserved fine details and had sharp focus, but the color seemed a bit cold in some.
Each generation of Olympus cameras we review seems to have a better interface. With the C-5050, Olympus took a new approach to combining control buttons and menus. Press a button (for the focus modes, for example), and a menu with large, easy-to-decipher icons pops up. Spin a dial on the back of the C-5050 with your thumb, and the menu options rotate into a selection box. This routine works for many of the camera's most commonly used image settings, including flash modes, exposure value (EV) settings, metering controls, bracketing, and the self-timer. This arrangement is much easier to cycle through and interpret than the obtuse buttons and layered menus used on the Nikon Coolpix 5000--a camera whose design closely resembles the C-5050's.
You can use a wide array of memory media with the C-5050. It comes with a 32MB XD-Picture Card--the tiny memory media that's currently used primarily in cameras from Olympus and Fujifilm--but alternatively you can install a SmartMedia or CompactFlash card, or an IBM Microdrive.
WHAT'S NOT: As usual, we were unimpressed by Olympus's documentation. The included four-language printed manual supplies only the basic information needed to take photos with the C-5050. More advanced instructions are inconveniently sequestered in Acrobat files on an accompanying CD. Consequently, we had to fire up our PC just to figure out how the manual focus works. Another annoyance: If we turned the camera on without first removing the C5050's lens cap, the camera emitted a distressing grinding noise and beeps of protest.
WHAT ELSE: The C-5050's boxy shape is too big to fit in anything smaller than an overcoat pocket or small bag. Still, it is well designed, with a solid grip and several controls--such as zoom shooting mode (manual, movie, programmed, and so on)--that can be operated with the right hand alone. Most of the button/menu combinations are easier to control two-handed. In particular, the "one-touch" white balance calibration is anything but; in addition, it's buried well down in the menus. We would have preferred a dedicated button, like the one Olympus used on its E-series cameras
The C-5050 has a fold-out LCD panel that can rotate 90 degrees. It's suitable when you need to hold the camera overhead or down low, but it's less adjustable than the panels found on the competing Canon PowerShot G3 and Nikon Coolpix 5000. Olympus bundles rechargeable nickel-metal hydride AA batteries and an external charger with the C-5050; it can also take standard AAs or high-capacity (but nonrechargeable) lithium ion CR-V3 batteries. We took 372 shots on a single charge of the included batteries--a little better than the average of the cameras we've tested.
Available accessories include a 55mm circular polarizer filter, a macro extension lens, and a teleconverter lens. Step-up rings enable you to attach lenses designed for 46mm and 55mm camera lens barrels.
UPSHOT: A powerful challenger to Nikon's Coolpix 5000, the Olympus C-5050 should be a top choice for advanced photographers. It takes great photos, is easier to use than its rival, and earned a Best Buy when it debuted on our Top 10 chart.
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: honeill
Strengths: Spectacular photos, even for a novice. Built-in flash pics are unusually good and crisp.
Weaknesses: Batteries must be removed to recharge. Instruction manual is very weak.
Overall: Battery door broke early in the camera's life. Had to travel around Italy with the battery door held closed by everybody's favorite, duct tape. Olympus has had the camera for more that 8 weeks and is charging more than $250 to repair.
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Reviewed by: negene
Strengths: Outstanding picture quality. Perfect Windows XP compatibility. Takes AA batteries. Takes most popular media cards.
Weaknesses: Battery life could be longer.
Overall: This is my first digital camera. I am totaly pleased with the performance of this camera. Software included is OK but I prefer the XP program. Great for panorama shots right on down to portraits and close ups.
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Reviewed by: wahlibey
Strengths: The lens quality and sharpness are the best strenghts,sharper than any of the cameras on the market today!!
Weaknesses: Could use a longer life battery,so I purchased several rechargable AA's and keep them handy.
Overall: I waited a long time to purchase a digital camera,because I was not satisfied with the comparisions done with film cameras.The 5050 is my first dig camera. I have used my brothers Sonys and Richoh cameras and they do not campare in lens quality or sharpness with the 5050. I have enlarged photos of flowers and you can see individual pollen grains or you can count the eyelashes on portraits taken. The ease of handling is good. I am used to carrying a 35mm,so the 5050 is a feather to carry around. I forget I have it around my neck! I highly recommend getting a 512 memorycard ,because you are going to want to put the 5050 to the test like I am doing!!
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Reviewed by: Lem Metro
Strengths: f1.8 lens, movable LCD, CF & xD-pic/smartmedia memory slots, dynamic WB control, A- super macro, my mode memory, photo size & compression choices, A+ photo quality, focus assist.
Weaknesses: shutter lag, slow playback, cheesy printed manual, smallish buffer, unimpressive high speed mode, mediocre movie mode, a bit pricey.
Overall: A wonderfully designed & extremely versatile camera with a few minor annoying characteristics. Once I finally gain total control of all functions, the C-5050 has the capability to deliver professional quality photos like the pro SLRs. Works great as a 5MP point & shoot. Gives total control to the more advanced photographer. Has more bells & whistles than almost any compact zoom available. Hard to find under a 600 price point. Outperforms my last 5MP platform (Nikon CP-5000) in every area except wide angle focal length & lacks swivel LCD of the Nikon. Delivers crisp, clean 8 X 10 prints, even in Jpeg format. RAW & TIFF formats are also available. The super bright f1.8 lens allows higher shutter speeds in low light situations & includes a focus assist beam. Nice hotshoe setup. All in all, a control freaks dream machine! I highly recommend this platform to anyone desiring professional quality results & a camera that they can grow with. Maybe Olympus will finally release a firmware upgrade to address some of the shortcomings in speed & buffer memory. I use 12X CP memory to help overcome the overall lack of speed. One word of warning. Don't drop it! I did & although the camera works in every respect, the AA battery compartment door broke, requiring me to attach a tripod quick release to the camera's tripod socket, in order to keep it powered up. Since this mishap is not covered by the 1 year US warranty, I shutter to think of the expensive & time consuming ordeal I will have to endure when I ship it off to Olympus for repair.
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Reviewed by: w5kec
Strengths: Very easy to use, excellent quality pictures, Very bright lowlight pictures,Relatively quick shutter, AA batteries is a major PLUS, Excellent weight and feel, 2 cards at same time.
Weaknesses: Would be nice to have a more comprehensive printed manual and a 4X tele lens without loss of lens speed.
Overall: I've owned SLR?s for over 35 years, Olympus for last 23 years. Started digital with Olympus D-450 4 years ago, and now C-5050, which is by far the best of the lot.Bottom line I could have chosen the C-5060 for about the same price but after much research chose the C-5050. It is an excellent camera for the money and I highly recommend it.Ken
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