Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Olympus Digital Cameras > Olympus D-460 Zoom

Olympus D-460 Zoom Olympus updates a popular 1.3 megapixel model with improved features and a simpler interface. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet D-460 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 --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:Viewfinder Review First Posted: 6/14/2000

Viewfinder
The D-460 features both an optical viewfinder and an LCD color monitor for image composition. The real-image optical viewfinder is on the top left of the back panel and features a dioptric adjustment dial to accommodate eyeglass wearers. Centrally located crosshairs inside the viewfinder help you line up shots and set focus. Green and orange LEDs on the side of the viewfinder let you know the status of the camera, such as when autofocus is ready or when the flash is charging. The 1.8 inch color LCD monitor is normally inactive when the camera is switched on, but is quickly enabled by pressing the Display button beside it. We found the LCD monitor very bright and easy to see in most situations. It was still a little hard to read in very bright sunlight, a common affliction among LCD monitors. One difference between the D-460 and the D-450 is that the LCD monitor now has no constant information display. It does report the flash setting, self-timer and macro modes, but the remaining information (image quality, file number, battery power, etc.) is reported on the camera's top status display panel.

Viewfinder framing was a little tight with both the optical and LCD viewfinders. Using the optical viewfinder, we found about 88 percent frame coverage in the wide angle setting and about 87 percent at telephoto. The LCD monitor produced only slightly better results, with 89 percent accuracy at wide angle and about 90 at telephoto. (We normally like to see LCDs with as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, but there's also an argument to be made for having the optical and LCD viewfinders agree closely with each other.) We also noticed that images framed with the optical viewfinder tended to slant towards the lower left hand corner, more than likely due to a shifted CCD sensor.