Olympus STYLE-us
Written: Mar 27 '02
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Pros: Great zoom, great features, pano mode available, compact, high quality
Cons: Explaining how to focus to dummies used to a cheap camera
The Bottom Line: I gave 4's because you can spend a lot more money and get a better camera... but for the price, this is all you could need or want and more.
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| dameblanche's Full Review: Olympus Stylus Zoom 140 Deluxe 35mm Film Camera |
Both words "Olympus" and "stylus" have an ancient ring to them. But this camera is modern and sleek - nothing like the ancient dusty camera you've been carting around to waterparks with the kids.
I was in the market for a new camera when my old zoom camera got sand in it in the Sahara desert. Well, at least it was a romantic way to perish... for a camera. (Anne of Green Gables, anyone?) My friend had taken some dazzling close-ups with her Olympus stylus zoom 80. I decided to test the waters in that category.
Olympus is a reputable camera to begin with. I knew I would trust the quality, and I was right. The camera is obviously well-built. The sliding door helps assure me that the lens and the insides of my camera are safe and protected when it is being stored.
Yes, yes, I have dropped my camera... I do that... sorry. Well, my old cameras used to pop open immediately when dropped, exposing the film and ruining several shots on that roll. Annoying as anything. Now, I'm not proud of the fact that I've dropped my Olympus, but when I did, it didn't pop open. It seems a lot sturdier than my other cameras have been. I'm not saying it never would... but that's my experience.
Now to the pictures. We know that there is a lot involved in taking great snapshots. First of all you need good film. You need good developing. You need to have a good eye for photos. Still, having all of these, you still need a good camera. The Olympus Stylus, in my experience, takes wonderful pictures. The details come out crisp and clear.
The flash features help take great photos in all kinds of settings. They are easy to use and easy to understand. You can use the different flashes for backlit settings, for nighttime, for bright light, and you can turn the flash off on purpose.
For night-time shots, you can set the camera up on a tripod, and it is possible to get panoramic shots while still using regular 35 mm film, which I think is really cool. The way to make them panoramic is in the developing, so you have to specify when you drop off your film. Still, sometimes they don't get it and you get regular prints out of them, but it's not bad! You can always get them redone if it's that important to you.
The camera turns off automatically and shuts everything inside so if you accidentally leave it somewhere it's somewhat protected.
The quartz date is nice - I never use it because I think putting dates is rather tacky, but it's easy to use and it's nice to have if I want to use it.
Mine came with a nice carrying case and a battery, too!
The only thing I dislike is that this camera has the "hold-down-half-way-to-focus,then-press-all-the-way" feature. It doesn't bother me at all, because it's VERY easy to get used to... but when you want to be IN the pictures and you ask some random guy on the streets to take your picture, sometimes they just don't get it. That's not necessarily a problem with the camera, it's a problem with people who have no imagination.
If you want to take fast action shots, it's also a potential problem. The red-eye reduction takes a long time, and sometimes holding the focus halfway takes a little while...... but I think this goes for all cameras.
The price was right - I actually got mine off Ebay, it was a demo, and it was in perfect condition. I paid 185. This was a year ago. I've had absolutely no problems with it. It's been with me to France and all over New York State so far...
Happy picture taking with your new camera!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 185
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Epinions.com ID:
dameblanche
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Location: Houghton, NY, USA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Young Middle School Teacher, loves teenagers and life experiences.
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