Olympus C-5050 Zoom Review

Click to take a QTVR tour of the C-5050 Zoom

The C-5050 Zoom is the next generation of Olympus' popular C series family of digital cameras. It's a "state-of-the-art" digital camera for today's photographers that need a full range of real camera controls. Equipped with a fast f1.8 lens and a high resolution 5.0 megapixel imager and housed in a black, all-magnesium body, the C-5050 Zoom is a serious camera that's reasonably priced.

The C-5050 Zoom is versatile. Its built-in hot shoe allows an external flash to be connected without the need for cables. The Olympus FL-40 flash provides full TTL metering for the best possible lighting conditions. The camera has two media slots, one for xD-Picture Card or SmartMedia and one for CompactFlash Type II. You can have an xD-Picture Card or SmartMedia card plus any type of CompactFlash device including a Microdrive in the camera at the same time. A button on the back lets you quickly switch between the different media. And the multi-position LCD allows photographers to shoot from the hip or to grab an over-the-head shot.

The C-5050 Zoom is extremely easy to use with controls ergonomically located on the camera body that can be easily manipulated by thumb. Whether navigating with dials, the arrow controls on the back, or the virtual dial in the LCD, the controls are intuitive and not overly complicated. On top is the mode dial that enables quick settings for an assortment of shooting situations. The Programmed Auto mode offers basic point-n-shoot simplicity for flawless picture taking. The Scene Programs provide automatic exposure adjustments for Night Scenes, Portrait and Landscape photography. The special "My Mode" feature is a time saver as it enables users to assign frequently used functions for quick and easy access.

Advanced settings include controls for aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual operation. Other controls include Digital ESP multi-pattern and spot metering; adjustable white balance; multiple flash settings including slow sync flash; and auto bracketing and exposure compensation, Noise Reduction, and Optimum Image Enlargement modes. Transferring images to the computer has never been easier with the Auto-Connect USB that does not require software drivers for hassle-free image downloads. Images may also be viewed on a television using the video cable.

Olympus C-5050 Zoom features: 7d3a4e333cdbba02c998b244e8af1e9f

The C-5050 Zoom with an estimated street price of $799 is available now. It includes an Auto-Connect USB cable, Audio/Video Out cable, carrying strap, lens cap with retainer cord, 4 AA NiMH batteries and charger, a 32MB xD-Picture Card, Olympus CAMEDIA Master Software 4.0, RM-1 Remote Controller, user manual and Quick Start guide.

Physical Views

The 5-Megapixel duo, the C-5050 Zoom and the palm-size C-50 Zoom

The C-5050 Zoom compared to the C-4040 Zoom

Manual: 1/1000 sec. - 16 sec.

Night Scene: 1/1000 sec. - 8 sec.

Macro Mode 8" to 31" [20cm to 80cm]

Super Macro 1" to 8" (.02m - 0.2m)

Manual (f1.8 - f10, 1/1000 sec. - 16 sec.)

Exposure compensation: +/- 2 steps EV by 1/3-stop settings

Auto bracketing: 3 or 5 images +/- 2 steps EV by 1/3 stop settings

AE lock (exposure lock)

3V (3.3V) SmartMedia card (8, 16, 32, 64, 128 MB)

CompactFlash Type I or Type II
IBM Microdrive 512MB/1GB