Olympus C-730 Ultra Zoom3.2 megapixels, a sharp 10x zoom lens, tons of features, and an affordable price!<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 11/25/2002 |
Video Out
The
C-730 has a Video Out port for reviewing previously captured images and movies,
or running slide shows from the camera. It also shows all of the LCD menu screens,
as well as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder. (This last means that
you could use a TV monitor as a "remote viewfinder" if you wanted
to.) Through the Setup menu, you can set the Video Out signal to NTSC or PAL.
Power
The
C-730 is powered by two CR-V3 lithium battery packs, four AA batteries (alkaline,
lithium, NiMH, or NiCd), or by an optional AC adapter that can significantly
extend battery life if you're doing a lot of downloads on the computer or working
in a studio environment. As usual, I measured the C-730's power consumption
in various operating modes, and translated the results into estimated minutes
of runtime for each. (Based on a set of true 1600 mAh capacity NiMH batteries.)
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(@6.5 volts on the external power terminal) |
(Four 1600 mAh NiMH cells) |
| Capture Mode, w/LCD |
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| Capture Mode, no LCD |
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| Half-pressed shutter w/LCD |
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| Half-pressed w/o LCD |
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| Memory Write (transient) |
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| Flash Recharge (transient) |
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| Image Playback |
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The C-730's battery life is surprisingly good for a compact camera, particularly one with an EVF. Ultimate battery life is limited somewhat by the need to keep the EVF display running in order to aim the camera and compose your shots, but I was surprised by how good runtime was in capture mode with only the EVF active: Over 3 1/2 hours of continuous operation, much better than average among EVF-equipped cameras I've tested. While battery life is pretty good, I still strongly recommend that you purchase a couple of sets of high-capacity NiMH rechargeable AA cells, and a good charger. Read my NiMH Battery Shootout page for the latest on actual battery performance, or my review of the Maha C204F to see why it's my favorite charger.
Included Software
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The C-730 comes with a nice complement of software on the supplied CD. Direct camera control and image downloading are provided by Olympus' Camedia Master software package (Version 4.0) for both Mac and Windows platforms (Macintosh OS 8.6-9.2/OS X, Windows 98/98SE/Me/2000 Pro/XP). USB drivers for both platforms and an Apple QuickTime reader are also included.
Camedia Master lets you download and organize images, as well as perform minor image correction and enhancement functions (such as adjusting contrast, sharpness, and color balance). For panoramic images, Camedia Master supplies a "stitching" utility to piece together shots vertically or horizontally. A complete printing utility works with the DPOF settings and allows you to print images directly to Olympus or other DPOF-compliant photo printers.
In the Box
The following items are included in the box:
- C-730 Ultra Zoom digital camera.
- 16MB xD-Picture Card.
- Four AA-type alkaline batteries.
- USB cable.
- Video cable.
- Camedia Master 4.0 software CD-ROM.
- Neck strap.
- Lens cap with strap.
- User manuals and registration card.
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