OLYMPUS Camedia C-725 Ultra Zoom Digital Camera Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the C-700 4 years ago @ $499. Just bought the C-725 on sale at Office Max for $199. I traded up from 2 to 3 mp and am feel like I got a steal.
Originally was looking for a good price on the C-740. Stumbled on this deal and with the combination of 8x optical and 3x digital. Even the C-720 at $149 on sale would have met my needs. Both are identical in terms of features with one exception. C-725 uses the xD while C-720 uses SmartMedia (same as my old C-700). Would rather have stayed with the same media format but the C-720 was out of stock.
Here's why any of these are great. Better optics, manually controlled pop-up flash (avoids embarrasing situations when you might forget to turn off flash in a flash-free environment), 3 mp provides just the right level of detail that still allows me to manage my computer memory (most C-725 photos take up less than 600 kb while C-700 average about 450 kb), and the extra plus is the My Mode setting. Finally, I can turn off the camera and turn it back on and have it remember how I like my settings.
A word about pixels. The higher the megapixels the bigger the memory required. Not all 2 and 3 megapixel cameras are equal. Don't buy 4+ mp just because you think they're better. A high quality 3 mp like Olympus 700 series makes for more manageable file sizes. I have an inventory of over 4,000 photos that I can fill on a couple of DVDs. Don't know how many I would need if all of them were in memory-hogging 4+ mp size.
All of the Olympus products take great photos. I don't mind the small LCD. I do most of my editing on the computer anyway. Don't even bother using the USB cable. This causes you to use up battery life. Just invest in a modest card reader, swap and go.
Here's the secret to really good photos using Olympus. In P mode, Select Spot metering, reduce exposure to -0.7, set Contrast to high, turn on digital zoom, and always take an extra shot or two (they're digital - just delete the bad ones). Then keep this in My Mode.
I travel all over the country. I love taking photos from the plane, on the side of the road, while at a stop light, anywhere. I usually fill a card then delete about a third to half when I get home.
Using spot metering, I can almost always get the right compensation for whatever light is available. Take advantage of digital's ability to lock a setting by focusing on an object, pressing halfway down on the shutter, then reframing. That's it. Spot metering takes care of the rest.
By using high contrast, my photos are much more vivid. And despite what you hear about digital zoom being a glorified cropping tool, with optics as good as Olympus, you'll be able to freeze a fastball from the upper sections with clarity that will blow you away. Spot metering also allows you to capture more natural colors when photographing you child on stage at the school play without the need for the flash.
If this is all too difficult to remember, you can always just set the camera on Auto mode and still take fabulous photos.
Although not as compact as the cutesy cameras coming out now, it's small enough not to take too much space in my briefcase. And I can always buy an extra 4 pack of AA batteries to make sure I am ready for more photos.
Here's a tip: Don't throw out the batteries when you get a low power warning. Keep them in your junk drawer at home. They're still plenty of power left for Gameboys, kitchen clocks, toys, etc. Digital products just require max available power so buy good batteries. The store branded 10 / $1 alkalines just won't do.

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Olympus Camedia C-725 Ultra Zoom Battery. This is a 3 Volt,Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.10 x 2.00 x 0.50.100% OEM compatible.

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