TWO CORPORATE CENTER DRIVE MELVILLE, NY 7- 5 7
DIGITAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP ( 8 ) 3- http://support.olympusamerica.com
Windows Compatibility for Digital Products Windows compatibility with Olympus digital products is supplied below by model. This information will be updated as additional testing is completed. Windows Compatibility For Camedia Master Software Versions Software Version Remarks Camedia Master 4.3 Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, and XP are fully supported with Camedia Master 4.3 Camedia Master 4.2 Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, and XP are fully supported with Camedia Master 4.2 Camedia Master 4.1 Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP are fully supported with Camedia Master 4.1 Camedia Master 4.0 Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP are fully supported with Camedia Master 4.0. In order to use the drag and drop functionality in Windows XP you will need to download and install the Camedia Master 2.51 patch for Windows XP compatibility located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/cm251_update.exe This patch will not work on any Camedia Master 2.5 other operating system. While you can download images using Camedia Master 2.0, you may experience incompatibilities when using the drag and drop Camedia Master 2.0 feature in Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP. Digital Vision 3.0 The Digital Vision 3.0 software is functio nal but not officially supported with Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP.

Olympus America Inc.

Page 1 of 7
Last updated on July 14, 2004
Model C-755 Zoom C-725 Zoom C-8080 Wide Zoom C-765 Ultra Zoom C-770 Ultra Zoom * C-725 Ultra Zoom Stylus 410 Digital D-540 Zoom D-575 Zoom Ferrari AZ-1 Stylus 300 Digital Stylus 400 Digital Stylus 410 Digital D-390 D-560 Zoom D-565 Zoom D-580 Zoom C-740 Ultra Zoom C-750 Ultra Zoom C-5000 Zoom C-5060 Wide Zoom
Windows Compatibility For Auto Connect USB Digital Cameras Original Software Remarks

Camedia 4.2

The C-770 Ultra Zoom is shipped with Camedia Master 4.2SE. Ferrari AZ-1 ships with Camedia master 4.2 with the Fo.rmula 1 World Champion 1999-2003 Photo Collection.

Camedia 4.1

Olympus autoconnect USB Digital cameras are designed under USB storage-class specifications. This means that the camera's driver is included and automatically installed with Windows. Autoconnect USB cameras are recognized by Windows 2000, ME, and XP as a separate drive, which is listed as a "Removable Disk Drive". It is also assigned it's own unique drive letter in addition to your C drive and any other drive you may have. Because it is a separate drive, the Camedia Software is not necessary to download images. You can easily drag and drop images directly from the camera's assigned drive to any folder on your computer. *** See the Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP Camedia version Compatibility Chart for further details regarding software compatibility.

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D-380 D-520 Zoom D-550 Zoom C-50 Zoom C-720 Ultra Zoom C-730 Ultra Zoom C-4000 Zoom C-5050 Zoom
Windows 98 users need to download and install the driver located at: http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/AutoConnDriv_Win98SE.exe. Camedia 4.0
Windows Compatibility Chart For Auto Connect USB Digital Cameras (continued) Model Brio D-100 Brio D-230 Brio D-150 Zoom D-370 D-510 Zoom D-40 Zoom C-700 Zoom C-2040 C-3020 C-3040 C-4040 Zoom E-100 RS E-10 E-20N Original Software Remarks

Camedia 2.0-2.5

Autoconnect USB cameras are recognized by Windows 2000, ME, and XP as a separate drive, which is listed as a "Removable Disk Drive". Because it is a separate drive, the Camedia Software is optional to download images. You can easily drag and drop images directly from the camera's assigned drive to any folder on your computer. *** See the Windows Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP Camedia version Compatibility Chart for further details regarding software compatibility. Windows 98 users need to download and install the Autoconnect USB driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/AutoConnDriv_Win98SE.exe.

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Windows Compatibility Chart For Standard USB Digital Cameras Model C-211 Zoom C-2100 Zoom C-3000 Zoom C-3030 Zoom Original Software Remarks Olympus standard USB digital cameras require installation of Windows 2000 USB device driver before 2000, ME, and XP can recognize the camera. The driver is located on the Camedia Master CD, or it can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/win2000.exe. Windows 98 users need to download and install the Standard USB driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/Win_98.exe Windows Compatibility Chart For Serial Port Digital Cameras Original Software Remarks

Camedia Master 2.0-2.5

Model D-320L D-340L D-360L D-340R D-500 D-600 D-620L D-400 D-450 D-460 D-490 Zoom C-2000 C-2020 Zoom C-2500L C-21

Olympus Serial Port Digital Cameras can connect using Windows 98, 2000, ME, Digital Vision 3.0 - Camedia Master and XP but require Camedia Master 2.51, or Camedia Master 4.x to download 2.0 images.

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Windows Compatibility For Digital Camera Accessories Accessory Flashpath Adapter Model MAFP-1 MAFP-2 Remarks The Windows 2000/XP Driver for the Flashpath Adapters can be installed using the download located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/FP_Win2kXP.exe. The Windows 95/98/ME Driver for the Flashpath Adapters can be installed using the download located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/FP-Win9x_ME.exe The Windows XP operating system includes and will automatically install the necessary drivers for the PC Card Adapters. The Windows XP Driver for the MAUSB-1 USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB_1_WinXP.exe. MAUSB-1 The Windows 98/2000/ME Driver for the MAUSB-1 USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB1.exe MAUSB-4W The Windows Driver for the MAUSB-4W USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB4W_XP.exe The Windows ME and XP operating systems include and will automatically install the necessary drivers for the MAUSB-5W USB Reader/Writer. MAUSB-5W The Windows 98 Driver for the MAUSB-5W USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB5W_98.exe The Windows 2000 Driver for the MAUSB-5W USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB5W_2K.exe MAUSB-10 The Windows Driver for the MAUSB-10 USB Reader/Writer can be installed using the driver located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/MAUSB10_Win.exe
MA-1E PC Card Adapter MA-2E MAPC-10 USB Reader/ Writer

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MAUSB-100
The Windows ME/2000/XP operating system includes and will automatically install the necessary drivers for the MAUSB-100 Reader/Writer. Windows 98 drivers are provided on the CD supplied with the MAUSB-100. The device is USB 2.0 Compatible.
Microtech Zio! The Windows XP driver for the Microtech Zio! Reader can be downloaded from Reader http://www.microtechint.com/downloads. xD Compact Flash Adapter MACF-10 The Windows XP operating system includes and will automatically install the necessary drivers for the xD Compact Flash Adapter.
Windows Compatibility For Photo Printers Model P-440 P-400 P-10 P-300 P-330N P-330 P-200 The Windows 98/ME/NT compatible driver can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/p400_Win98MENT.exe. The Windows 98/ME/2000/XP; Mac OS 10.2 to 10.3.x. Windows drivers are included on the CD supplied with the printer, Mac drivers were developed July, 2004 and are available on the web. The Windows 95/98/ME compatible driver can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/p300_win_95.exe The Windows 95/98/ME compatible driver can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/P330N_98.exe. Please contact Olympus Digital Technical Support for more information. Remarks The Windows 98/ME/2000/XP compatible driver can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/P440-Windows-98Me-2000-XP.exe The Windows 2000/ XP compatible driver can be downloaded at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/p400_win2000XP.exe

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DIGITAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP ( ) 3- 8 Windows Compatibility For 8Digital 4Voice Recorders
Model DS-660 W-10 DM-10 DM-20 DW-90 DS-2000 DS-2200 DS-3000 DS-4000 VN-240PC DS-330

Remarks

http://support.olympusamerica.com
These digital voice recorders are compatible with all Windows based operating systems.
These digital voice recorders are compatible with Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP.
These digital voice recorders are compatible with Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and NT with Service Pack 4. To download files from the D-1000 to a computer with Windows NT, the optional Miniature Card Reader is required. The driver for the Miniature Card Reader is located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/minicardnt.zip.
D-1000 To download files from the D-1000 to a laptop with Windows 95 or 98, the optional PC Card Adapter is required. The driver for the PC Card Adapter is located at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/pccard98.zip These digital voice recorders are compatible with Windows 95, 98 and NT with Service Pack 4. The DM-1 cannot connect to the Windows 95, 98, or NT operating system. The latest version of Musicmatch and the Olympus DM-1 plug in can be downloaded at http://www.musicmatch.com. We recommend downloading and installing the "DM-1 SmartMedia Update for Windows 2000/XP at http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/DM1SmartMediaupdate_2000XP.exe. V-90 VN-90 VN-900 VN-180 VN-1800 VN-3600

DS-150

These stand-alone Digital Voice recorders cannot connect to a computer.

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First Posted 4/14/2000 Updated 4/21/2000
Click to take a 360-degree QTVR tour of the C-3030 Zoom
The new Olympus C-3030 ZOOM is a 3.34 megapixel digital camera with 15 different still image capture modes in five different image sizes (2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480.) It also offers QuickTime Movie capture at 15fps with sound. Sound can be recorded during video filming or a 4 second sound byte can be recorded for play with a single image. If you look at the photo above you will see five small holes just above the lens on the right, this is the microphone.
A 32MB SDRAM buffer allows for rapid shooting at 3.5 frames per second. The builtin 6-mode flash has a new slow syncro mode plus red-eye reduction plus a connector that provides true TTL control of the Olympus FL-40 external speedlight. Shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/10,000 second plus longer shutter speeds of up to 16 seconds in Manual mode. The Manual exposure mode allows both the shutter speed and apertures to be selected independently. Jump to the C-3030 Zoom specifications
On the back is a 1.8-inch "Wide-View" active-matrix color LCD first implemented on the C-2020. It is much easier to view in all but the extremes of direct sunlight. The LCD is used to access the menus (see next page) and as a real-time viewfinder. It can be switched off to conserve battery power when using the conventional eyelevel viewfinder.
The C-3030 sports a large and bright optical finder complete with a diopter control adjustment knob on the side. The green LED indicates a focus lock and the amber LED tells you the status of the flash.
I'm happy to report that Olympus has finally done away with that battery door that required two hands and twelve fingers to close. The new door easily closes and latches securely shut with little to no effort. The bottom of the C-3030 is nice and flat and lends itself well to being mounted on a tripod.
The 3X zoom (32-96mm equivalent) is an 8-element, all-glass aspherical lens with continuous 2.5X digital telephoto. It's not as fast as the F2 lens on the C-2020 but it's still performs well in low light. Aperture settings of F2.8 - F11 are selectable in 1/3 step increments. Autofocus or manual focus range is from 8" to infinity.
The lens base is threaded and accepts the optional Olympus CLA-1 lens adapter to attach filters or add-on lenses.
The mode dial is also the main power switch. Recording modes include "P"rogram automatic, a choice of "A"perture priority, "S"hutter priority or full "M"anual operation (depends on how you set it up in the menu). And the QuickTime movie mode that also captures sound. The shutter button has the zoom lens control built around it. It also functions as the zoomed playback and thumbnail control when in play mode.
Access to the SmartMedia memory card slot is via a door on the side. The tiny cards are easily removed by means of a "push in and pop out" type of ejector mechanism. The red LED illuminates when the card is being accessed and lets you know when it is unsafe to remove the card.
The C-3030Z accomodates any capacity 3.3v SmartMedia card and comes with an 16MB card.
The C-3030's I/O ports are neatly hidden behind an easy to access door on the side. On the top is the DC input jack for the optional AC power adapter. Next is the combination Video Out and Audio Out port for playback on a TV set. New on the C-3030 is a high speed USB port for speedy download of those large, three megapixel images. And last but not least, the RS-232 serial port for PC and Mac.
The C-3030 is equipped with a 5-pin sync port that allows connection to the high power Olympus FL-40 speedlight. The benefits are longer range, bounce/tilt flash head and true TTL-controlled flash illumination.
A newly designed door makes changing the batteries a snap now compared to the tug of war we had with the C-2020 and C-2000 models. Flexible power options include four 1.5v alkaline or lithium AA cells, four 1.2v NiMH and NiCD rechargeable AA cells or two of the new CR-V3, long-life lithium cells.

What's in the box?

The C-3030 ZOOM camera, a 16MB Olympus brand panorama SmartMedia card, remote control, 2 CR-3V Lithium batteries, lens cap, strap, USB and serial cable for PC and Mac, video connection cable for TV or VCR, Adobe PhotoShop LE image manipulation and creation software, Enroute Imaging QuickStitch panorama stitching software, Olympus Camedia Master Utility Software, and instruction manuals.
Still my favorite "included" accessory, the infrared remote control. It not only controls the camera during playback, you can also use it to trip the shutter and work the zoom lens in record mode too.

Casio QV-3000, Nikon Coolpix 990 and the Olympus C-3030 Zoom

Go to Page Two

Click here to

Olympus C-3030 Zoom

C-3030 Zoom Specifications
CCD Imager Still Recording Modes 1/1.8 inch CCD with 3.34 million pixels TIFF 2048x1536 TIFF 1600x1200 TIFF 1280x960 TIFF 1024x768 TIFF 640x480 SHQ 2048x1536 HQ 2048x1536 SQ1 high 1600x1200 SQ1 normal 1600x1200 SQ1 high 1280x960 SQ1 normal 1280x960 SQ2 high 1024x768 SQ2 normal 1024x768 SQ2 high 640x480 SQ2 normal 640x480 3.3V SmartMedia (SSFDC) Card (2M,4M,8M,16M 32M and 64MB) Still image: JPEG, TIFF (non-compressed), DPOF support Quick Time Movie (Motion JPEG) with sound. 4 sec. sound on still images; (wave format) iESP full-auto TTL, Manual (daylight, overcast, tungsten, fluorescent) Olympus lens 6.5 - 19.5mm f 2.8 (Equivalent to 32 - 96mm lens on 35mm camera) Continuous 1-2.5x Digital "ESP" Matrix metering system and spot metering
Recording Media Recording system
White balance Lens Digital zoom Photometric system

Exposure control

Programmed auto exposure Aperture priority: Wide ; F2.8 - 11.0, Tele ; F2.8 11.0, 1/3EV steps Shutter priority: 1 - 1/800 sec. (used with mechanical shutter), 1/3EV steps Manual exposure: shutter speed up to 16 sec. +/- 2EV by 1/3EV steps exposure compensation Auto Bracketing: selectable from 1/3EV, 2/3 EV and 1EV; 3 or 5 images Motion JPEG Image mode: 1/30 - 1/10,000 sec
ISO Focusing Working Range Viewfinder
Auto or fixed at 100, 200, 400 "iESP" TTL autofocus (contrast detection system) Manual focus range: 8" - infinity in 130 steps Standard mode: 30" - infinity Macro mode: 8" - 30" Optical real-image viewfinder (Close-up correction marks, Autofocus mark/Backlighting correction mark). LCD monitor. 1.8-inch wide angle, low temp poly-silicon, color TFT LCD monitor with 114,000 pixels, brightness adjustment is possible Auto-Flash (low- & back-light) Red-Eye Reduction Off Fill-in External TTL: Off, Auto, Forced Slow Synch (First-Curtain, Second-Curtain) Wide: approx. 30"/0.8 - 18.6'/5.6m Tele: approx. 8"/0.2 -12.5/3.8m ISO 100 Less than 6 sec. (at normal temperature with new battery)

LCD monitor

Flash modes
Flash working range Battery charging time for flash
Sequence mode Motion picture mode
3.3 frames per sec., up to 5 frames in JPEG Modes Format: QuickTime Movie (Motion JPEG) HQ: 320x240 pixels, 15frame/sec. up to approx. 46 sec. with 16MB SQ: 160x120 pixels, 15frame/sec. up to approx. 191 sec. with 16MB Sepia mode, Black & White mode, Black board mode, White board mode 12 second delay/2 sec. after optional remote controller operation Possible to set camera to remember setting when turned off DC input terminal Data input/output terminal (RS232C), USB interface, Video Output terminal (NTSC with Audio), External terminal for FL-40 with TTL cable Operation: 0 - 40 C, 30 - 90 F Storage: -20 - 60 C, 10 - 90 F Main power source: 2 Lithium batteries CR-V3 or 4 "AA" NiMH batteries or 4 "AA" Lithium batteries or 4 "AA" alkaline batteries or 4 "AA" NiCd batteries or Optional C-7AU AC adapter Simultaneous recording onto image data Up to Year 2030 109.5 mm x 76.4 mm x 66.4 mm 4.2" wide x 2.9" high x 2.6" deep 300g / 10.7 ounces (without battery and SmartMedia Card)
Image effect Selftimer/remote controller Setting memorization I/O connectors
Operating environment Power supply
Date/Time/Calendar Automatic calendar system Dimensions Weight
Return To Steve's Reviews Index
Note: All photographs and page content Copyright 2000 Steve's Digicam Online, Inc. Nothing on this page may be used, distributed or copied without the author's prior permission.

Screens & Menus

Record mode screen showing onscreen data overlay. Starting in the upper left corner the "A" means Aperture Priority mode. It can also be "P" for Program, "S" for Shutter Priority or "M" for Manual record modes. The current aperture (F2.8) and shutter speed (1/30 sec). The upper right corner is the EV exposure compensation factor (0.0). Below that is the current drive mode (Single), ISO sensitivity (100), image quality (SHQ) and image size (2048x1536). The green "2" indicates the number of pictures remaining at the current size and quality setting. The black rectangle in the lower left shows the status of the 32MB DRAM buffer.
This is the record screen when you press the MF (manual focus) button on the back. The slider scale can be set for feet or meters in the setup menu. When you switch back to autofocus the scale disappears.
This is the recording screen when you are in the Movie mode - note the little icon of the
movie camera in the upper left. The flash is disabled, the sound is enabled and the default setting is for HQ quality. The green 15" indicates that there is enough memory on the card to record 15 seconds of video.
Screen 1 of the options available during record mode. This menu is displayed by pressing the menu button next to the color LCD.

Drive options available are: q Single frame mode q Sequential mode, autofocus and exposure is set on first frame, up to 3.3 frames per second, TIFF mode not available q Sequential mode with autofocus and exposure set inbetween every frame q Selftimer/Remote Control mode q Bracketed auto exposure mode
White balance options for Automatic, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent and Flourescent.
ISO sensitivity is Automatic by default or user selectable for 100, 200 or 400.
Page Two of the recording options menu. Enable or disable the internal flash, default is both internal and external enabled. Enable or disable the digital zoom. Enable or disable the 4 second sound recording after each picture is taken. The last option is only available when using an Olympus brand SmartMedia card, this is the Panorama function.
This is the Function submenu. Here you can enable any one of the special recording functions; Black&White, Sepia, Whiteboard or Blackboard.
Page three of the recording options menu lets you format the memory card, enter the Mode Setup (see below) submenu, set the image quality (TIFF, SHQ, HQ, SQ1 or SQ2) and the mode used when you set the dial to the "ASM" position.
Page one of the Mode Setup submenu. Reset All parameters to default. Image sharpness (see next frame), image size for TIFF mode, image size for SQ1 mode and image size for the SQ2 mode.
This is the image sharpness options; Hard, Normal or Soft.
Page two of the Mode Setup submenu. Set the loudness of the beep tones. Enable or disable continuous autofocus. The Rec View option if enabled brings up the confirmation screen before saving the picture. The File Name option lets the camera sequentially number pictures no matter how many times the card is swapped or it can reset the numbering when a new card is inserted.
Page three of the Mode Setup submenu. Adjust the brightness of the LCD's backlight. Set the time and date. Set the distance indication displayed in manuak focus mode to

feet or meters.

Go to Page Three
Note: All photographs and page content Copyright 2000 Steve's Digicam Online, Inc.
Nothing on this page may be used, distributed or copied without the author's prior permission.
Playback Features & Menus
Typical playback screen with the normal overlay data displayed. Battery condition, image quality (SHQ), date, time and frame number.
This is the exposure information that is displayed when the "info" option is enabled. Besides the exposure data, the current folder and picture number is also displayed.

Typical of all digicams, the C-3030 can display small thumbnails of the images stored on the SmartMedia card. You can select to display 9 small thumbnails or 4 larger thumbnails in the setup options. You can also see that picture number 6 has been protected against deletion, note the little green key icon.
To check critical focus, exposure or subject matter you can use the zoomed playback mode. By toggling the zoom lever you can enlarge the picture from 1x to 3x and then scroll around inside using the 4-way jog switch.
Pressing the menu button during playback mode brings up the following two menu screens. The first option starts the slideshow playback mode. The "Info" option enables
or disables the display of the extended exposure data. The microphone icon enables the playback of the 4 second sound clips.
Card setup is for deleting images or formatting the memory card. Choosing the Mode setup option brings up the following menu screen.
Here you can select the number of thumbnail images to display and change the brightness of the LCD's backlight.

Steve's Conclusion

The C-3030 Zoom represents a significant upgrade to Olympus' popular C-2020 Zoom. The first difference you'll notice is the new, all-black body and larger finger grip but other than that it looks a lot like the C-2020 Zoom. Inside is an updated 3.34 megapixel imager and robust processing firmware. The C-2020 Zoom was one of the cameras that we recommended without hesitation last year, the C-3030 Zoom will be in that elite group this year. No matter what you want in the way of features this camera has got you covered -- from point and shoot simplicity to full metered manual. It's small enough to take with you wherever you go and light enough to hang around your neck all day. A common statement made by folks seeing it for the first time was, "It doesn't look like a digital camera." Hearing that I would turn it around and show them the picture I just took on the color LCD. Even my semi-pro photography buddies were impressed with the C-3030's features and image quality. Cameras like this when used with the new Epson 870 and 1270 photo printers will definitely put digital on the same level as film for consumers who want to do it all at home. The C-3030's larger finger grip gives it a more secure and stable feel in your hand. The major controls like the mode/power dial, zoom lever and shutter button are ergonomically placed and easy to operate. Particularly useful is the new Custom Mode option where you can "dial in" your favorite combination of image size, quality, operational mode, lens startup position, EV compensation, flash mode, and most every other camera option available. This can be your startup default when you turn the camera on which is very handy from power on to power off or during battery or memory card changes. Recording options are plentiful with a myriad of different combinations of still image capture sizes (2048x1536, 1600x1200, 1280x960, 1024x768, 640x480) and quality/compression settings (uncompressed TIFF, SHQ, HQ, SQ1 high, SQ1 normal, SQ2 high, SQ2 normal). There's also the 320x240 and 160x120 QuickTime movie modes at 15fps with sound. Movie recording time is limited only by the capacity of the SmartMedia card you're using. The movies are sharp and clear but unfortunately you can't use the optical zoom. Digital zoom is available but using it results in a not so nice, pixelly looking picture. Drive modes include: Single, Burst, AF Burst, AE Bracketing (3-5 frames with +/- 0.3, 0.6 or 1.0 stop increments), Selftimer and Remote. Burst mode is good for around 3fps up to five JPEG-compressed pictures, it is not useable in TIFF mode. When using an Olympus brand SmartMedia card there is also a special Panorama mode available. As

with previous models, Olympus has again included that handy infrared remote control. You can operate the zoom and snap a picture in record mode or control the camera during playback on the TV from the other side of the room. Exposure options include Programmed Automatic, a point and shoot mode where the camera chooses the best combination of shutter speed and aperture. If you want more control, you can pick from Aperture-priority (F2.8-F11), Shutter-priority (1-1/800 sec) or full Manual. These modes must be chosen from the setup menu and take effect when you switch the mode dial to the "A/S/M" position. When in Manual mode there is a digital light meter displayed on the LCD screen to let you know if your combination of shutter speed and aperture will yield a properly exposed picture. The C-3030's sensitivity by default will change automatically to suit the conditions or you can manually lock it in at ISO 100, 200 or 400. Using ISO 200 or 400 with shutter speeds longer than 1/8 of a second will result in varying amounts of CCD noise that will appear as speckles and Christmas lights (red, green and blue hot pixels.) Metering can be center-weighted averaging or spot. White balance options are: Automatic, daylight, cloudy, incandescent and flourescent but no manual preset. The builtin speedlight's output can be controlled (+/- 2.0 in 0.3 increments) and offers Auto-Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-in or Off modes. Its working range is excellent from macro out to about ten feet and with little to no redeye problems. There is a 5-pin connector for full TTL control of the optional Olympus FL-40 speedlight. Using this external speedlight gives you much greater working range as well as off-camera bounce for more natural looking flash pictures. The all glass, 3X optical zoom lens covers a focal range of 32-96mm (35mm equivalent) and is not only fast but very sharp. It exhibits the usual amount of barrel distortion in full wideangle and a moderate amount of pincushioning at full telephoto. The motorized zoom mechanism is smooth and positive although it often seemed a little too fast. The focus range is from 30 inches to infinity in normal mode and 8 inches to 30 inches in macro mode. Autofocus is TTL using a contrast detection system or you can switch to manual focus with 130 steps from 8 inches to infinity. When manual focusing, a slider scale is overlayed on the color LCD and the display is zoomed as you adjust the distance. The autofocus is accurate and usually performs its job in a second or less even in macro mode and works well down into dim lighting conditions. Filters or add-on lenses can be attached to the C-3030 using the Olympus CLA-1 adapter. Tiffen also makes an adapter that can be used on the C-3030, C-2020 and C-2000 cameras. I did use the EagleEye OpticZoom on the C-3030 but it vignettes at anything other than wide open aperture (F2.8), you can see some sample images by following the link above. The 1.8-inch color LCD is one of the new "Wideview" displays and is much easier to see from the side than earlier LCDs. It has excellent resolution and the backlight can be adjusted to suit a wide range of viewing conditions. The refresh rate is realtime so there is no herky-jerky display even when fast panning. It does tend to streak a bit when used

outdoors and the sun gets in the frame but this is something we see with most digicams. Screen visibility is good in all but direct sunlight where you should be using the optical viewfinder unless you need to access the menus. I found it quite easy to shield the screen by cupping my hand around it when I had to change settings in the great outdoors. Speaking of optical vewfinders. the C-3030 uses the same eyelevel, coupled optical viewfinder as the C-2020. There is a diopter adjustment knob on the side and it is a large and bright viewfinder so even those wearing glasses will have no problems using it. It shows slightly less than 90% of the final image. The LCD if used as a viewfinder shows about 98% of the capture area. I did notice that the optical viewfinder is offset from the actual captured image. I received an email from Alan Chaffee asking me if the C-3030 had the same optical viewfinder problem as the C-2020. So I performed the following (non-scientific) experiment. I shot a picture with the viewfinder crosshairs on an easily identifiable portion of the picture (indicated by the red vertical and horizontal lines) and then checked the captured image's center. I sent the picture to Alan who brought it into Corel PhotoPaint, made this screen capture and determined that the camera shifted the photo to the left (by 28 pixels) and up (by 22 pixels). This amounts to a 9% (8.75) shift to the left and a 9% (9.17) shift upwards. One of the first exterior improvements I noticed was the new battery door (thank you, thank you, thank you!) With the C-2000 and the C-2020, the user had to be ambidextrous to the max to say the least. The new battery door closes easily and logically and then stays closed with a sliding security latch. Be forewarned -- there is no electronic interlock so if you forget to flip the security latch the camera still works and all it takes is a good bump and that door pops open. Unfortunately Olympus decided not to package a set of NiMH batteries and charger this time. They did include two of their new lithium 3v battery packs that take the place of the four AA type batteries. They work fine but they are not rechargeable so you'll end up buying a set or two of NiMH batteries and a charger to complete this otherwise excellent camera system. My only other complaint is the lack of any kind of lens cap keeper. Even Nikon finally gave us a lens cap string with the new Coolpix 990. Bottom Line is that this is an excellent camera. As I said at the beginning, it will be one of the cameras that I'll recommend without hesitation to those seeking the "best" of the Y2K consumer digicams.