Olympus C-4000 Zoom Review

Record mode screen showing onscreen data overlay. Starting in the upper left corner the "P" for Program. It can also be "A" for Aperture Priority mode, "S" for Shutter Priority or "M" for Manual record modes. The current aperture (F2.8) and shutter speed (1/60 sec). The upper right corner is the EV exposure compensation factor (0.0). The green "32" indicates the number of pictures remaining at the current quality(SHQ) and size(2278 x 1712) setting. The Zoom position indicator is on the left and the white focus position indicating brackets are in the center. A green dot appears to the left when focus is confirmed along with a red 'lightening bolt' to indicate the flash will fire.

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, focus is in the center, ISO is set to 100 and the default setting is for HQ quality- 320 x 240. The green 258" indicates that there is enough memory on the card to record 258 seconds of video. There is no microphone so the movies are silent. Like most digicams without a microphone, the optical zoom can be used during movie recording.

The Super Macro record screen is denoted with the "S"+ Flower icon in the left which allows a focus range of 0.8" to 8.0". Also displayed here is the canceled flash icon as the flash is too close to properly cover the frame so it is locked off. Above the ISO 100 indication is the drive mode single frame icon and above it is the exposure compensation setting at "-1.3" EV or stops.

Only when using an Olympus brand Smart Media Card, the Panorama mode screen above allows you to set up your sequence of shots to create a seamless wide view. In combination with their software, packaged with the camera, you can stitch together up to 10 images.

The Virtual Mode Dial is accessed by the Menu button while in "A/S/M/MY" mode. Once Selected as above, your choices are "A"perture Priority, "S"hutter priority, "M"anual or one of four programmable "MY" modes. The 4 programmable modes are very handy to set up as Super Macro, custom White Balance, continious drive, Aperture priority and etc.

Main Record Screen showing options available during "P"rogram record mode. This menu is displayed by pressing the menu button next to the color LCD. Use the 4-way Navigation button to make your selections.

"DRIVE"(down), "Quality"(left) or "Self Timer"(up) are short cuts to items that could be set in the "MODE MENU" choice.  Olympus gives you an option to change those icons to take you directly to any function so you don't have to go through the laborious MODE MENU sequence. This feature is accessed via the SHORTCUT option. The MODE MENU choice can't be changed in SHORTCUT.

The screen below appears when the right arrow option is selected on the 4-way navigation switch.

The Record Options under the Camera sub-menu are:

• SELF TIMER - ON / OFF
• DRIVE - Single, Sequential with AF and Exposure lock on 1st frame, Sequential mode with autofocus and exposure set inbetween every frame, Selftimer, Bracketed auto exposure mode.
• ISO - Auto, 100, 200, 400
• FLASH EXPOSURE COMPENSATION - +2 stops to -2 stops
• EXTERNAL FLASH - Internal plus External / External only

2nd page of camera functions

• FLASH SLOW SYNC - Slow1(Front curtain flash), Red-eye reduction slow1, Slow2(rear curtain flash)
• NOISE REDUCTION - OFF(Default position) ON(Reduces the noise on images during long exposure)
• MULTI METERING - OFF / ON (decides best metering by rtaking up to 8 readings)
• DIGITAL ZOOM - OFF(Default position) ON(crops into the image and uses a decreasingly smaller part of the chip to record a full image (significant loss of quality), up to 3.5X
• FULLTIME AF - OFF or ON (keeps subject in focus all the time w/o having to 1/2 depress shutter release)

3rd page of camera functions

• AF MODE - iESP or SPOT
• SUPER MACRO - OFF / ON (allows macro down to 0.8 inch)
• PANORAMA MODE - allows you to make panoramic images if using an Olympus brand SM card
• 2 IN 1 - OFF / ON (combines 2 pictures taken in succession and stores as 1 image)
• FUNCTION MODE - OFF,Black & White, Sepia, White Board, Black Board

4th page of camera functions

• AF AREA - Allows setting position of focus target by using 4- way Navigation control.
• INFO - ON / OFF (Changes the amount of shooting info on the display)
• HISTOGRAM - OFF / ON (Displays a histogram showing the brightness and contrast of the subject)

The Options under the Picture sub-menu (not available in Movie Mode) are:

• RECORD QUALITY MODE - TIFF, SHQ, HQ, SQ1 or SQ2
• WHITE BALANCE - Automatic, Preset (Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent-1, Fluorescent-2, and Fluorescent-3) and One Touch Manual Measure
• WHITE BALANCE ADJUST - slider scale that makes the overall picture bluer or redder
• SHARPNESS - adjusts the level of picture sharpness
• CONTRAST - adjusts the level of picture contrast

2nd page of PICTURE functions

• SATURATION - adjusts the level of color depth w/o changing tint

The Record Options under the SetUp sub-menu are:

• ALL RESET - Off, On (off keeps current camera settings during memory card or battery change
• LANGUAGE - Sets one of 4 languages on displays
• PW ON SETUP - OFF / 1 / 2 (selects photo displayed at power up)
• PW OFF SETUP - OFF / 1 / 2 (selects photo displayed at power down)
• REC VIEW - OFF / ON (if enabled brings up the confirmation screen before saving the picture)

2nd PAGE OF SET-UP FUNCTIONS

• BEEP SOUND - OFF / LOW /HIGH
• MY MODE SETUP - Current, Reset, Custom (adjust the function settings and saves it as MY MODE1, 2, 3, or 4)
• FILE NAME - RESET / AUTO (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)
• PIXEL MAPPING - Checks the CCD and processing circuit for errors.
• MONITOR BRIGHTNESS - Adjust the brightness of the LCD's backlight

3rd PAGE OF SET-UP FUNCTIONS

• DATE & TIME - adjust date and time
• M / Ft. - Set the distance indication displayed in manual focus mode to feet or meters
• VIDEO OUT - Set the Video Out signal to NTSC or PAL
• SHORT CUT - replace any of the 3 functions except MODE menu on the top menu with other functions
• CUSTOM BUTTON - assigns Vitual DIAL, AE lock, or any function in the CAMERA menu