Editorial Review:Product Description:A great filmless digital camera is made up of a lot more than 'just pixels.' The quality of the pixels themselves counts as much as the quantity - and that's what makes Olympus C-2500L the ultimate in filmless digital photography. It doesn't take good-looking digital images, it takes great photos. Designed with the professional and advanced amateur in mind, the fully-featured and versatile C-2500L uses an exclusive CCD and new TruePic Technology process to capture pixel information with improved accuracy. With an impressive 2.5 million pixel CCD (1712 x 1368 resolution), C-2500L produces perhaps the sharpest digital images ever-delivering the more accurate color, gradation and contrast of a true photograph.The advanced C-2500L also packs a number of impressive features, like a choice of fully automatic or fully manual exposure, white balance and focus, a versatile pop-up 5-mode flash, a powerful 3x Olympus optical zoom (the equivalent of a 36-110mm zoom on a 35mm film camera), and an SLR viewfinder that offers a 95%-centered view. Built for speed, the C-2500L can also shoot as fast as composition and focusing are done; there are no waiting in-between shots. After shooting, the C-2500L's high-resolution 122,000 pixel TFT LCD displays a clear, detailed image with a 2x or 4x magnification in inspection mode.This C-2500L outfit ships with a 1.45x telephoto lens adapter, a 32 MB Olympus SmartMedia memory card, 4 Olympus NiMH batteries and charger, Camedia Master image editing and download software, Enroute QuickStitch panorama software, lens cap, strap and user manual.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Still a great camera
Oh yes, a review even as late as 2006 for a 2.5mp camera that first came out in 1999, and why not, just got one used on ebay that was basically barely used, had remote control, and strangely had some camedia software dated 2004(must have been a software update maybe)and I am a long time Olympus D 500L user even after I bought modern point and shoot digital cameras, I find the 2500L is still valid today for taking pictures for presentation on the web especially, my main use for digital cameras, and one of my favorite cameras I still use is my old trusty Olympus D 500L that still takes great pics for internet presentation, so I am a Olympus fan going back 7 years.
The camera takes two types of memory cards, old style smartmedia to 128 mb only(showing 65 shq shots on a 128 mb sm card), and still very relevant compact flash 1 cards(not compact flash 2 cards), and most compact flash cards are compact flash 1 thinner cards as I found out, bought a 256mb card(showing 128 pics available) brand new the other day to install in the camera and unsure if it would take a higher mb card like a 512 mb cf card(not worth trying), but don't care due to the lower resolution it don't matter, if I use it for taking pics for development, I wouldn't want too many pics all on one card anyway for this lower 2.5 mp. I guess it really don't matter much when one has to reduce the size of the pic in order to display on some web sites.
My favorite feature that I bought the camera for was the super macro feature for extreme close up shots, I thread on three macro lenses together(+1, +2, +4) for extra magnification, of which I used to use these on my D 500L, a 43mm-52mm step up ring to use 52 mm filters, etc, mainly cause I still used sometimes a old pentax k1000 35mm film camera that uses 52mm threaded filters.
Hopefully this helps someone else out considering purchasing one of these fine cameras used, cause I had to do alot of research on what compact flash types 1 and 2 cards were noting that the camera only takes type 1, reading somewhere that the camera is capable to take up to only 256mb compact flash and only up to 128mb smartmedia cards(nothing higher than 128 mb sm anyway)and one interesting thing I would note is that I found out on a website that one should not attempt to use an old style film camera flash on a digital camera "hot shoe" external flash connection point, it could damage the camera and the flash unit due to older flash units for film cameras have high voltages, best supposedly to use an fl-40 external flash made for the camera or better/newer olympus digitial rated, or just use the onboard flash, but personally, I have barely used a flash on olympus products, this 2500l olympus camera seems to do really well under weaker flourescent bulbs. One day I may purchase a used fl-40 dedicated 2500l flash unit for taking pictures requiring further than 12 feet flash range, but I probably don't need it, like most people don't.
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Wow What a Camera
If you can get past the price for this baby online, than I would recommend you buy. This is a real nice 35mm type digital camera.
Plenty of settings from f-stop to zoom to format to size. Remote is real handy if you feel like being in the picture for a change, instead of someone saying where are you in this photo.
Zoom lens, Macro lens and plenty of filters. Shop around though you can get it cheaper.
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Impress yourself with your photo talent
I bought mine almost two years ago, so I paid more for it, but it was still a deal. It takes great photos, as you might expect, but is actually easy to use, if left in the "P" or programmed mode. Those with SLR film cameras may be confused by the M A and P designators for modes, because the A does not mean auto. The other shortcoming is the Manual, which I hope has been updated by now. Mine came with an errata sheet of a dozen pages and would have been more manageable in just one language. The camera accepts a 1.45x lens and I was able to find (at Amazon) an external power pack that I recommend highly.
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A real viewfinder is a good thing!
I hesitated about buying this camera because many people expressed disappointment about not having an LCD viewfinder (it is an SLR, so you look through a normal optical viewfinder - but you are also seeing directly through the lens). Now that I have had it for almost a year, I would say not having the LCD viewfinder is a great advantage! There are two reasons for this: 1-battery life. The backlighting for those LCD screens really suck out the batteries quickly. When you have the camera on and waiting for just the right moment, that battery is continually draining. I've never counted, but I think I average over 100 daylight pictures between battery recharges (the flash reduces that). 2-you can't see the LCD screens in most lighting conditions anyway. The C2500 gives you an immediate 1 or 2 second preview of the picture after you take it. If I am shooting outside in daylight that LCD preview image is very hard to see. I would hate to actually try to compose a photo in that mode. I've briefly used a couple of other digi-cams, and there is no way I'd go back now. The LCD screens (even when you can see them) have poor resolution, so it is really hard to tell things like how good the focus is - with the viewfinder I can easily tell how well the autofocus did, and whether I should try again.
Rating: -
Easy and flexible! Good camera!
I am new to the world of digital cameras. After spending a month of reading online reviews, and review sites, I decided on the C2500L. It was very easy to start using right away. The defaults for point and click use produced very nice images. I've been playing with the customizable settings (manual white balance, aperature, and shutter speed) for the last few weeks. The pictures I'm taking now are even better. I'm still learning, but am quite satisfied.
I tend to take a lot of pictures under flourecent type lighting, as I take pictures of my reptiles. The camera has the ability to adjust the auto-white balance, by calibrating it on a white surface under the light you will be taking the picture. That does a great job. And if it isn't precise enough, I can manually select the color temperature.
It does a great job at focusing. I still need to work on having a steadier hand, especially for those close-up shots. Now, speaking of close-ups. This camera does a GREAT job at macro shots. To test it out, I put the lens cap on the table. I was about an inch away from it, and it came out crystal clear... lettering and all.
The camera also does a good job at adjusting brightness levels, without messing up the color. It gets a little grainy under the lower light conditions, but it hasn't been too much of a problem for me. I am impressed with its ability to get a solid focus in very low light conditions.
Some of the drawbacks are: You can't use the LCD as a view finder. It will display the image on the LCD right after you snap it, but you must use the optical view finder for aiming. I don't mind this too much, as I like to look through the lens! Yes, through the lens. This being an SLR gives me a comfortable feeling that what I see it what the camera sees. Actually, that's really my main gripe. I'm pretty much satisfied with everything else, so far.
In summary, if you are willing to spend the money, it's a great camera. I've been reading up on photography now, and believe that this camera should be good enough for my abilities for a good long time.
-Alex
