I learned earlier today that Amazon.com is running a sale on Olympus digital cameras. I looked through the less expensive cameras for a deal that I thought was particularly good and I found the Olympus D-540. This is a 3.2-megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and a 3.3x digital zoom which can be combined to get you to 10x effective zoom with some degradation of sharpness. The D-540 has a 1.8-inch LCD display and a pretty good flash. It stores its images in JPEG format on xD cards.
The reviews I’ve read of this camera elsewhere are very good. For example:
- Digital Camera HQ:
The compact, 3-megapixel Olympus D-540 is a good choice for beginner photographers looking for simplicity and style. With a very similar design to the 4-megapixel Olympus D-580, the D-540 offers fully automated controls, a 3x optical zoom, and seven preset scene modes. Thanks to its “Auto Connect USB” capability, the D-540 can be connected to almost any computer for instant image downloads — no software required.
- Steve’s Digicams:
…the Olympus D-540 zoom offers a good value to families desiring a digicam combining good image quality with ease of use. Its uncomplicated automatic features produce properly exposed images, its sharp 3x optical zoom lens offers a versatile range, and its 3-megapixel imager has enough resolution for 8×10-inch prints or cropped prints of smaller size.
I liked the D-540 more than the Olympus D-395, which is $40 or 50 less expensive, but gives up truly useful features like the optical zoom.
There’s a $25 usage credit at Ofoto available if you buy the D-540 by June 30, 2004. That’s a pretty substantial bonus considering the low price of this camera.
If you are looking for an inexpensive digital camera with good resolution and logical controls, the Olympus D-540 is worth checking out. I like this model, and I think I could produce good 8×10 prints of family photos shot with it.