Olympus C-2100 ZoomWow! A superb 10X, optically stabilized zoom lens on a high-quality 2 megapixel camera!<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 10/18/2000 |
Video Out
The
C-2100 has a video-out port which supports the NTSC timing format on US and
Japanese models (we assume that the PAL standard is supported on European models).
The video output can be used for reviewing previously recorded images or running
slide shows from the camera, but it also shows all the LCD menu screens as well
as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder. Combined with the very flexible
infrared remote control we mentioned earlier, the availability of a live viewfinder
display via the video signal opens interesting possibilities for portrait photography,
using a video monitor as a remote viewfinder.
The output cable is a true A/V cable, fanning out into two RCA jacks, one for
video, and one for audio. As noted above, this is the only way to hear the sounds
you've recorded directly from the camera, since there's no internal speaker.
Power
The
C-2100 is powered by four internal AA NiMH, NiCd, alkaline, or lithium batteries,
or two CR-V3 (Olympus LB-01) batteries. The camera ships with four NiMH batteries,
and a battery charger. Because the C-2100 is very reliant on LCD displays, and
slightly power hungry, the camera offers several methods to conserve battery
power. You can control the amount of information displayed on the LCD monitor,
control how often the autofocus mechanism works, and set a sleep time for the
camera to power down after a certain period of inactivity. Using the eyelevel
viewfinder also reduces power consumption somewhat, although not as much as
we'd expected.
| Operating Mode | Power Drain |
| Capture Mode, w/LCD | 740 mA |
| Capture Mode, eyelevel LCD | 610 mA |
| Half-pressed shutter w/LCD | 770 mA |
| Half-pressed eyelevel LCD | 640 mA |
| Memory Write (transient) | 780 mA |
| Flash Recharge (transient) | 1200 mA |
| Image Playback | 450 mA |
In its various capture modes, the C-2100 Ultra Zoom is a bit more power hungry
than the average digicam we've tested. We'd estimate battery life with a high-capacity
set of NiMH cells as about 90 minutes of continuous use in capture mode, or
2-3 hours in playback mode. (The moderately high power consumption, even when
using the eyelevel viewfinder, is another strike against such devices.) We always
strongly recommend buying and packing along at least two sets of high-capacity
NiMH cells with any digicam, but the extra battery capacity would be particularly
important with the C-2100.
Included Software
|
The C-2100 comes with a very nice complement of software on two CD-ROMs. Direct
camera control and image download are provided by an updated version of Olympus'
own Camedia software package (Version 2.0) which allows you to download and
save images to your hard drive, and provides rudimentary organization and correction
capabilities. We confess to slightly mixed feelings on the other half of the
package though: On the downside, we were chagrined to see that the excellent
panorama-making program QuickStitch (from Enroute Software) is no longer included
in Olympus' software bundles. On the upside, the even more useful (at least
to the majority of users) Adobe PhotoDeluxe is included. All software packages
provided are fully functional on both Mac and Windows operating systems. PhotoDeluxe
provides fairly extensive correction and manipulation tools, allowing a little
more creativity with digital enhancement.
NOTE: We've reported on the software bundle shipped with the unit in the US.
Included software varies with country of sale.
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