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Olympus C-4000 Zoom Olympus introduces a top-of-the-line four-megapixel model with superb *configurability* great image quality, and an impressively low price. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet C-4000 Photo Gallery! C-4000 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on C-4000 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Viewfinder :(Previous) | (Next): Exposure & Flash>> Page 5:Optics Review First Posted: 8/27/2002

Optics

The Olympus C-4000 Zoom is equipped with 3x, 6.5-19.5mm lens, providing a range of angular coverage equivalent to that of a 32-96mm zoom on a 35mm film camera. (This is slightly biased toward wider angle focal lengths, as compared to the 35-105mm equivalent range offered by most 3x zoom digicams.) The glass lens has eight elements in six groups, and a maximum aperture of f/2.8 (depending on the zoom position).

Focus ranges from 0.7 inches (2.0 centimeters) to infinity, including the Macro and Super Macro modes. Normal Macro mode focuses on subjects from 0.6 to 2.6 feet from the camera (20 to 80 centimeters), while Super Macro mode lets you get as close as 0.7 inches (2.0 centimeters). You enter either macro mode by pressing the macro/spot metering button on the C-4000's back panel, but super macro mode must first be enabled through the LCD menu system. In normal Macro mode, you can zoom the lens back and forth across its range of available focal lengths, but Super Macro mode restricts the lens to a single, slightly wide-angle setting. The camera's TTL (through the lens) autofocus system uses a contrast-detect method to gauge focus, which means that it should work properly with auxiliary lenses. The green LED next to the optical viewfinder glows solid as soon as the subject is in focus. (A flashing green LED generally means there's a problem focusing, so you may need to switch to Macro mode, back away from the subject, or get more light on it for the AF system to "see" by.) Though the C-4000 doesn't feature an automatic focus lock, you can manually lock it by centering the desired portion of the subject in the frame, half-pressing the Shutter button, and then recomposing the image while continuing to half-press the Shutter button.

For slightly faster shutter response (it doesn't seem to make a huge difference in shutter lag) or as an assist with subjects in constant motion, you can force the camera to autofocus continuously by activating the Full-Time AF option in the Shooting menu. Full-Time AF means that the autofocus is constantly engaged as you move the camera from subject to subject, instead of waiting for the Shutter button to be depressed halfway. This is useful for action photography like fast-paced sports or children playing, but it will also slightly shorten battery life because the focusing mechanism is constantly at work. You can also designate whether the camera determines focus from the center of the image (Spot) or the entire image area (iESP), by choosing the appropriate AF Mode option in the Shooting menu. In Spot AF mode, the C-4000 Zoom lets you select autofocus areas offset from center. A total of nine AF area options are provided, two each above, below, left, and right of center, plus the default center position.

Low light focusing is often a bugaboo for digital cameras. I was thus very pleased to see that the C-4000 focused well (if a bit slowly) in light levels as low as 1/4 foot-candle at ISO 100, and could generally at least get in the ballpark as low as 1/8 foot-candle. Performance at ISO 400 was somewhat better yet. This a pretty good performance for a digicam AF system, since one foot-candle corresponds to typical city street lighting at night.

A manual focus option is available by pressing and holding the OK / Menu button on the back panel, which displays the manual focus distance scale on the LCD monitor. The up and down arrow keys adjust the focus distance, and the right and left keys select between MF and AF focus modes. When you adjust the focus manually, the LCD viewfinder display changes to show a 2x magnified view of the central portion of the image while you're actually adjusting the focus, to make it easier to see whether or not your subject is in focus. The display returns to normal size once you release the up or down arrow button. I found the enlarged view pretty helpful in setting focus when the lens was at or near its telephoto position, but less so with the lens at wide angle focal lengths. (This is almost certainly due to the much greater depth of field obtained with the lens set to wide angle.) I really like the C-4000's use of a bargraph focusing distance display, combined with numbers indicating specific distances. Some cameras offer only a bargraph display, with no numeric information, a much less useful arrangement, IMHO. Having specific numbers to refer to can be invaluable in low-light situations, where there's not enough light to see whether the subject is in focus on the LCD screen, and your only option is to estimate the distance to your subject.

The C-4000 Zoom's exterior lens barrel incorporates 41mm filter accessory threads that couple to Olympus' lens adapter tube, the CLA-1. This optional adapter extends the threads outward (and increases their diameter to 43mm), so they are flush with the front of the lens when it's fully extended. It's important to note though, that this adapter is made to work with Olympus' own accessory lenses, all of which use an additional adapter ring to step up the threads to the diameter needed by the auxiliary lens itself. The consequence of this is that the CLA-1 design requires another threaded adapter ring, because it doesn't extend far enough for standard 43mm filters to clear the lens barrel. Normal 43mm filters will interfere with proper lens operation, and could damage the lens mechanism itself! Therefore, if you buy a CLA-1 adapter unit, be sure to also buy a step-up ring to whatever filter size you plan on using, just to give you the extra millimeter or two necessary for the filters to clear the front of the lens barrel. (If you carry your camera hanging from your neck with the lens extended very much, a CLA-1 also provides excellent protection against accidental damage to the delicate telescoping mechanism, should the front of the camera bump against anything. - I'd recommend it to any C-4000 owner as "standard equipment.")

As much as 3.5x of digital zoom is available in addition to the 3x optical zoom, increasing the C-4000's total zoom range to 10x. Digital zoom is only accessible when the LCD monitor is engaged; when the LCD is turned off, the digital zoom returns to the 1x setting. It also cannot be used with the uncompressed TIFF mode. As always, remember that digital zoom just "stretches" the image from the central portion of the CCD, which directly trades off resolution for magnification. Digital zoom images will always be softer and less sharp than those with equivalent magnification delivered entirely by an optical zoom lens.

Confused by Apertures and Depth of Field? - Do you know how to use "Front Focus" or "Back Focus" to get *all* your subject in focus? Visit our free Photo Lessons area and click on the lessons "Focusing Up Close" and "Selective Focusing Outside!"