Olympus C-900 Zoom Camera

This article isn’t a full review of the Olympus C­900Zoom digital camera, more a response to Ed’s plea for a “living with ...” supplement to previous related offerings in Archive. The latter are: Jim Lesurf’s very helpful overview of the camera in Archive 12.5 p25 and the coverage of two drivers − Irlam’s Snapshot+ (10.12 p58) and Spacetech’s Photolink (10.12 p71).

Like Jim L, my business colleagues and I weren’t overly impressed with ‘first-generation’ digital cameras such as the Epson 500 or the Olympus C-400L. Although a big improvement on their analogue predecessors, their inherent limitations (the fixed-focus lenses, lack of zoom, lack of exposure control and relatively modest resolution − 640×480 pixels in ‘high-quality’ mode) led to a decision not to buy.

Fast forward 18 months, and ‘second-generation’ cameras deserve a much closer look. For various reasons, we became interested in the Olympus C­900Zoom, and Jim L’s timely and positive comments confirmed the decision to purchase on the basis that, if we didn’t like it, we knew who to blame...

The main factors swaying our final choice were the introduction of the ×3 optical zoom lens (equivalent to 35-105mm focal length on a conventional 35mm camera) and, especially, the much-enhanced resolution of 1280×960 pixels. However, although exposure could now be controlled, we remained dubious about the lack of aperture control.

Ergonomics

Well, that’s just a posh term for controls, displays and indicators. As operational systems testers (but past our sell-by dates), we have tried to make our observations as objective as possible, and unity between us is as near 100% as makes no difference.

The C-900Zoom camera controls are generally very much improved, and the display icons and labels are far more intuitive than on the C-400L we had previously looked at. Typically, pressing any button takes you into a sub-menu, +/− buttons take you through the menu and an ‘OK’ button sets the option.

Most of the buttons are still dual function, but their action now depends on whether the camera is switched on (image capture) or off (image viewing and control), so there is less room for confusion.

The LCD monitor on the camera’s rear face is a full-colour display and a great improvement on its predecessors, retaining a bright and very crisp image even in conditions of high ambient light. At 4.5cm (diagonal), it makes a good alternative to using the optical viewfinder and is very well suited for macro work. If desired, the monitor can be set to display images on the flash card either singly, or as 4, 9 or 16 thumbnail images at once − but this is a quick way of discharging the batteries!

Jim L described the operation of the invaluable tele-wide zoom switch, although we are rather critical of its positioning and operation. There is a small but noticeable delay between pushing the 2-way button and the lens motor responding, although this has little adverse effect on composition. However, all four of us consider it operates in the wrong logical sense. In other words, you would expect to push the button towards the subject to reduce angle of view (i.e. ‘move closer’) and away from the subject to go into wide angle (i.e. ‘move further away’). In the event, the button operates in the opposite sense which we all found took some getting used to (a bit like riding a bike with the handlebars turning in the wrong direction...).

However, it is the positioning of the wide/tele zoom control, immediately to the right of the shutter release button, which causes us grief. When pressing the shutter release, it is very easy to inadvertently nudge the zoom control and upset the composition. The small delay in zoom lens operation, the wrong sense of the zoom control action and the likelihood of accidentally nudging the button, particularly if the camera is used upright (portrait format), makes capturing moving images a handful. And all because of questionable ergonomics − a great shame.

Another dodgy design feature is that, when closing the lens cover part-way, to allow the lens to retract and the camera to switch off, if the cover is moved very slightly too far (and we are talking only a fraction of a millimetre here), the cover fouls the lens barrel during retraction, with a clear risk of stressing the lens motor. Although there is a warning buried in the bowels of the user-guide, this is a glaring and highly unsatisfactory ‘Murphy’.

Downloading images

There are general descriptions of Irlam’s Snapshot+ and Spacetech’s Photolink in Archive 10.12 pp58 and 71. In both cases, the manufacturers have had to tweak their existing very capable drivers to cater for the unusual JFIF format of the camera images and make them readable. Briefly, in both cases, clicking on the Snapshot+ or Photolink icon downloads a series of thumbnail images into a desktop viewer. The wanted image(s) can then be selected and dragged, either singly or as a selection, to the required destination, and the full-resolution image(s) are then downloaded from the camera to the receiving folder.

Arguably Snapshot+ is slightly more flexible in that the detailed images can be downloaded in a variety of alternative formats, either singly or as a batch. Downloading as sprites is quite crisp (roughly 20 secs for each 1280×960 pixel SHQ image on a StrongARMed RiscPC) but ‘foreign-format’ downloads such as JPEGs take much longer at 95 secs per image, so there’s bags of time to make a pot of tea.

Photolink downloads a full image in around 45 secs, regardless of format, although batches can be downloaded only as JPEGs (the other formats can be pre-selected but may be downloaded only as single images).

In practical terms this is perhaps not a significant limitation, as downloading a batch of images in JPEG format, using either Snapshot+ or Photolink, results in files which most modern Acorn applications can handle directly while, at the same time, the JPEG format gives a very useful compression for storage purposes (roughly 6:1 compared with sprites). Where necessary, individual images can then be converted to sprite format using ChangeFSI (or as a batch using Jochen Lueg’s splendid FSI_Batch shareware utility).

Both Snapshot+ and Photolink have the capability of controlling the camera functions from the desktop. While this is handy for studio work, we also find this a more convenient way of handling images in the camera (locking, unlocking and deleting) than using the camera’s own controls.

If you have no need to control the camera from the desktop, an economical ‘read-only’ option is to use Irlam’s Album (Archive 11.6 p25 and 11.9 p2). Operation is simplicity itself; call up Save photos from the Choices menu, drag the AlbumPhoto folder to a suitable destination − and go and make another pot of tea... Some time later, you will find all the images in the camera have been downloaded, as JPEGs, with thumbnail icons courtesy of Album. If desired, the flash card can be ‘flushed’ at the same time.

The camera comes with software for PC-compatibles and Macs, and we were hoping to try downloading images via the PC card and floppy disc drive, using a flash card adaptor. However, when we saw the cost of the adaptor (£70!), we went off that nice idea and are very happy with the slightly less convenient Acorn solutions, plugging the camera into the serial port. (Health warning: both the camera and the computer must be switched off when connecting or disconnecting the data cable.)

As mentioned in the earlier reviews, ImageFS interferes with image downloading, affecting Album and Photolink. So, if necessary, ImageFS should first be quit using the Quit ... Whole filing system option.

Image quality

Under this heading, I could just say “simply superb”. The high-quality mode of first-generation cameras (640×480 pixels) is now demoted to “standard quality” (SQ) but, additionally, there are three mega-pixel modes (1280×960), giving four times as much detail. Although not specified as such in the user-guide or marketing bumf, these 1280×960 pixel modes would appear to be equivalent to JPEG with the quality set to 100 (“Non-Compression SHQ”) and two unspecified lower quality settings (SHQ and HQ).

Try as we might, it isn’t possible to identify any difference between the three mega-pixel modes on a monitor display and it takes some convincing to identify dissimilarities in hard copy when laser printed at 600dpi and 120lpi; perhaps the Non-Compression SHQ images are just a tad sharper. However, the difference between 640×480 and 1280×960 pixels is immediately apparent, even when comparing printout quality at the same pixel scaling, suggesting the improvement in practice is greater than the simple 4:1 ratio suggested by the increased number of pixels.

I would expect the improved resolution to be even more evident when reproduced on a photo-real colour printer but, unfortunately, that is well outside the capabilities of our resident Canon BJC800.

All this blether is to suggest that, unless you have a specific need, it probably isn’t necessary to employ the Non-Compression SHQ mode − that’s a relief as only one image will fit on a 4Mb flash card. For practical purposes, you can expect to fit the following number of images on, say, an optional 8Mb card:

Images from the C­900Zoom tend to be slightly under-exposed for my personal preference, something I also noted when reviewing the C420L. In this case, however, configuring the camera’s exposure compensation control to increase the exposure a notch proves to be just the job and saves having to tweak the images after downloading.

The one remaining limitation to image quality is the lack of aperture control on the camera. Even in macro mode, the depth of field remains very wide so, for example, it still proves impossible to add impact to the subject by intentionally putting the background out of focus.

Presentation

A convenient alternative to viewing images on the LCD monitor is to plug the camera directly into a VCR/TV via the composite video output and cable supplied, and use the camera +/- controls to step through the images. This is great for a family slide show, although of course composite video doesn’t begin to do justice to the underlying image quality.

By far the best results are obtained when images are displayed on a decent computer monitor, using either 32K or even 16M colours. For simple image display, or running business presentations, we use and continue to be impressed by Portfolio (Archives 9.5 p78 and 9.9 p43), using ‘raw’ JPEGs downloaded from the camera.

We haven’t used Spacetech’s similar OHP for the purpose but the recent review in Acorn User (issue 206) was very positive, and Spacetech confirm that OHP also accepts JPEG-format images.

Documentation

The Irlam and Spacetech software user guides are well written and informative, but I think it’s fair to say that the camera user guide leaves a lot to be desired. The English translation is good but, reduced to an A6 booklet (presumably to fit in the box), it takes 199 mini-pages to cover everything and, with three languages on each page, and on the diagrams, overall readability is generally poor.

Matters are made worse by having to hunt for the index (it’s to be found on pp24-29!), and related topics occasionally being split throughout the booklet rather than being on consecutive pages. Still, it’s tons better than HTML...

Prices

Here comes the eye-watering bit. For such a splendid camera, I guess around £550 with a 4Mb flash card and Acorn-compatible software thrown in is very realistic, but when you add the cost of near-essentials (e.g. the AC adaptor), that’s when the total really mounts up.

Here are the current prices from Spacetech (all inc. VAT, with carriage typically £8), although the trend is downwards and you need to check with Irlam and/or Spacetech for current prices, offers, etc:

A ramble through Computer Shopper and camera mags shows that the savings by getting the camera from a box-shifter aren’t significant but, if that’s your bag, here are the prices (inc. carriage and VAT) for the Acorn software drivers:

The end bits

Despite the couple of ergonomic deficiencies, and the poor Olympus user guide, we are all generally very happy indeed with the camera, controls, displays and the three Irlam/Spacetech driver solutions. The introduction of the ×3 optical zoom lens is of particular value for composition and creativity, but the lack of aperture control remains a significant limitation.

Provided the internal batteries are used only for taking images, with limited use of the zoom control, flash and LCD monitor (which comes on automatically when macro mode is selected), battery life is quite reasonable. Although expensive, we consider the AC adaptor a near-essential ‘option’ for all other activities.

The image quality in all three mega-pixel modes is quite outstanding and certainly supports monochrome laser printing up to, say, A4. The SHQ mode appears to be the best compromise of quality versus number of images per flash card. On a computer monitor, image quality is equally splendid, with vibrant colours and negligible colour bleed, while the composite video output is adequate for image display on a TV.

We haven’t used the panoramic image mode, the digital zoom, timelapse photography or the PC/Mac software, nor have we printed in colour other than on a ‘cooking’ BJC800.

Prices are generally on the way down, so do refer to Irlam and Spacetech sales and websites for the current figures. Reportedly, Epson’s PhotoPC 750Z is of similar specification, and camera support for Acorn machines is due shortly.