Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom $399.97 @ CompUSA Online

[Sneezer]

I think once you start talking to C700 and C2100 users, you will find equal arguements for both cameras. Both have inspired a very passionate following, and both are extremely good cameras. I have been using my 2100 for about a week now, and have been very impressed. Personally, I feel the C700 is too small for a 10x zoom. And as far as the C2100 being huge, I suppose that is all a matter of perception. I find the C2100 much easier to hold and train on an object than the C700, especially at full zoom. As far as being heavy, I never quite understood where people got that from. The C2100 weighs less than my wifes Canon Rebel G 35mm with attached 35-80 zoom. If you can get ahold of either camera you will be very happy. You also have to take into account the accessories that come standard with the C2100 that are left out of the C700 package - remote, NiMH batteries and charger. You also have to get an optional adapter in order to add filters to the C700 lens, wheras the C2100 is pre threaded for 49mm filters. The C700 also has a slightly smaller LCD, and its shutter speed actually has a faster shutter speed selection, not a longer one. Both cameras can take a 16 sec exposure, but the C2100 is limited to a max of 1/800 sec and the C700 is 1/1000 sec. As far as the ISO settings are concerned, you will find that most, if not all pictures come out best at ISO 100. In fact, most of the newsgroups advise you to lock your camera into ISO 100, as the higher guide numbers generate too much additional noise in the prints. Hope this helps.

The C700 also does not have a low light focus assist lamp either.

 

[randomlinh]

#@$@#$%.. why didn't i go to compusa yesterday... the manager didn't really want to match the online price.. but seemed like he would.. wanted me to show him (didn't have print out).. so i logged on only to find the $100 IR was gone.... dang.

 

[Sneezer]

Man, that is a bummer. Keep a close eye on the website. It has moved back and forth between 399 and 499 in the last two weeks, usually with no fanfare. It has also shown as sold out several times on the website as well, then gotten back in stock a few days later. Hopefully the deal will happen again.

 

[randomlinh]

well, hopefully soon.. only 2 left at my compusa

 

[stonecold3169]

Originally posted by: Sneezer
I think once you start talking to C700 and C2100 users, you will find equal arguements for both cameras. Both have inspired a very passionate following, and both are extremely good cameras. I have been using my 2100 for about a week now, and have been very impressed. Personally, I feel the C700 is too small for a 10x zoom. And as far as the C2100 being huge, I suppose that is all a matter of perception. I find the C2100 much easier to hold and train on an object than the C700, especially at full zoom. As far as being heavy, I never quite understood where people got that from. The C2100 weighs less than my wifes Canon Rebel G 35mm with attached 35-80 zoom. If you can get ahold of either camera you will be very happy. You also have to take into account the accessories that come standard with the C2100 that are left out of the C700 package - remote, NiMH batteries and charger. You also have to get an optional adapter in order to add filters to the C700 lens, wheras the C2100 is pre threaded for 49mm filters. The C700 also has a slightly smaller LCD, and its shutter speed actually has a faster shutter speed selection, not a longer one. Both cameras can take a 16 sec exposure, but the C2100 is limited to a max of 1/800 sec and the C700 is 1/1000 sec. As far as the ISO settings are concerned, you will find that most, if not all pictures come out best at ISO 100. In fact, most of the newsgroups advise you to lock your camera into ISO 100, as the higher guide numbers generate too much additional noise in the prints. Hope this helps.

The C700 also does not have a low light focus assist lamp either.

Hehe, it's nice to have someone to have a friendly debate with, just like my old dpreview days Actually in the 2100's favor, in sports mode with an unbearably bright sun, you CAN get a maximum shutter speed of 1/1200, which is just insane. Unfortunetly, it's hard to do this with an reliability. I must say that although you may think it's a silly feature, the remote is an idea that you can NOT get with the c-700, and makes a nice toy if nothing else.

Anyways, before you buy a camera, try and go to the store and play with it first, a beautiful camera which doesn't feel right will not work for you.

As far as smart media goes, it's true that regardless of what comes out in the future you will be stuck using a maximum of the 128s as the media type needs to be firmware compatable. In all ways except size SM is superior to CF type I, in that it is MUCH faster to transfer files to and it uses less battery drain.

 

[aceman817]

i've confirmed that the camera is on back order now and it may take some time till i see it. damn!!! i called up my local compusa store hoping that they would match the price online but they told me that their website is like a totally separate company or somethin. that sucks cause my local store has tons in stock.

for those who do own the c-2100, how does the viewfinder perform in low light? i know that an evf is not quite as good as an optical viewfinder, but is it still comparable. my friend has a c-700 and in low light conditions the viewfinder is almost totally useless.

 

[randomlinh]

if you read the reviews, they all pretty much say the c2100 EVF isn't up to snuff in the dark. It is the first camera to use it (at least the first i know of in the consumer level market).

 

[Drifter]

So..How do us Canadians get on this deal?
All the nice deals are in the US

 

[aceman817]

actually the review at dpreview.com said it to be alright. the reviewer said "I didn't have any major problems with the viewfinder, it's bright and perfectly usable." obviously it's not an optical viewfinder but it seems to be better than some other evfs in low light.

 

[randomlinh]

check out some user reviews too. i would say it's "ok" in semi-low light. My unlce's brother had one and i was playing with it a little. definately didn't refresh very well tho in those conditions.

 

[alyosha]

Mine is being shipped today from Texas to PA, ordered on last friday, stayed in processing mode on the order status until Tuesday. received 3 email, order received, order confirmed, order shipped. Pretty good service, 2-day Fedex was 8.50

 

[zsir]

I think it's a great camera.......it's true you won't be carrying it in your shirt pocket but that's ok because the shots that you get with the 10x zoom will make up for that.......I'm talking about shots that you'd throw away with 3x zoom.......

When taking pictures in the dark....this camera does well because it shoots a infrared beam at the target which alows the camera to focus and shows you what you are aiming at even if you can't see it in the viewfinder....... Where as my nikon coolpix would not be able to focus in the dark.....

The sports mode is a quick and easy way to set the camera to take clear pictures of moving objects........my nikon has big problems with that......

The 30 second quicktime movie mode is a real kick my kids really love them......

I just drop a 128meg sm card in it and go..........

The pictures are usually of my family and we view them in slide show mode with photophila on my pc.....the camera is perfect for this.....I really don't have a need for a 3 or 4 mega pixel camera......

 

[potcedotcom]

To those whow wish to see the quality of the 2100's pics and the power of the zoom, check out my 2 galleries:

Gallery 1

Gallery 2

Most of these pictures were taken with a minimum of 5x zoom. I love this camera!

 

[Sneezer]

I personally think that this camers low light capability is pretty good. It certaintly surprised me when I first started playing around with it. The EVF does have some problems in low light, and actually seems to get brightest during focusing prior to taking the picture, otherwise it can be pretty dark. At first I thought it was because of the focus assist lamp, but the 2100 uses a red colored LED, which does not light up the whole area like the regular white light on my SLR does. Actually, in some cases the low light pix came out better with no flash than with a flash. It definitely pays to experiment with this camera. I am still constantly amazed at its capabilities.

 

[Antz]

Would anyone have a copy of the webpage by any chance?

 

[aceman817]

even though this camera continues to get rave revues, i cancelled my order with compusa.com today. i did it for several reasons. first and foremost, i'll be leaving on a caribbean cruise in only 10 days so i figured that with the camera being on backorder, i wouldn't see it by then. i also decided that i'd be printing full page printouts and even poster size ones so i needed more megapixels. with this in mind i went for the c-4040 also by olympus. this camera is fantastic as well! beautiful prints at 3200x2400 (twice that of the c-2100) and an optical viewfinder that leaves all evfs in the dust for night time shooting. furthermore, the camera has a super bright lens and with my 3x telephoto and .48x wideangle lenses, capturing great shots is a breeze. i would highly recommend this camera to those who can afford it at $699 retail. the only thing it is missing that the c-2100 has is image stabilization which hasn't affected me yet. the camera fits perfectly in your hand and is a pleasure to shoot with.

--AL

 

[unclebud]

$300 better?
well, i paid $190 for olympus 3000 (yes, they are gone by now and i didn't post the deal because of potential threadcrabbing) and $119.98 for kodak 4800, so i'm REALLY jaded
but i think you would have got it... they still had 4 left @ the store here (got 15 in this week)
well, have a safe trip! good luck

 

[JimmyBoy]

Wow ......I just got one.

I was at the CompUSA in Brandon FL. I was in Brandon to meet a friend and lend her my Fuji2600 to take to Captiva for her vacation. I'm trying to hook her on digital photgraphy. While there I noticed the sign for the new CompUSA so I stopped in. Well I put my name in for a drawing for an HP612 and won. Holy Cow, I couldn't believe it. Then I started thinking and looking into the HP612 and realized it was not such a great camera so I called Comp and asked if I could return it and get credit towards a better camera and they agreed. I went back and was about to buy the Fuji2800 ( which I have been eyeing for a while ). Then I looked a little further and saw the C2100 and went for it. I just couldn't get past that 10x zoom, so many features and on sale for $399.00. After exchanging the camera I won, I paid $160.00 which included tax. I know it was smart to trade up, but I hope I made the right choice taking the Olympus C2100 over the Fuji 2800.

Time will tell.

 

[alyosha]

Got mine yesterday - and just cant believe hwo good it is. E*g*a*y - say hello to all my other cameras, I now have what I need.

 

[alyosha]

Found this info - on how to convert non-Olympus smartmedia cards, so that the camera thinks that the panorama mode is enables- here

 

[chibimike]

Ace,

A 4MP camera is not 3200x2400.
That is an 8MP camera.

My Canon G2 is 4MP, res is 2272x1704.
There is a difference between 4MP and 2MP at 8x10, but it is not as obvious at it would seem.


mike

 

[EXman]

even though this camera continues to get rave revues, i cancelled my order with compusa.com today. i did it for several reasons. first and foremost, i'll be leaving on a caribbean cruise in only 10 days so i figured that with the camera being on backorder, i wouldn't see it by then. i also decided that i'd be printing full page printouts and even poster size ones so i needed more megapixels. with this in mind i went for the c-4040 also by olympus. this camera is fantastic as well! beautiful prints at 3200x2400 (twice that of the c-2100) and an optical viewfinder that leaves all evfs in the dust for night time shooting. furthermore, the camera has a super bright lens and with my 3x telephoto and .48x wideangle lenses, capturing great shots is a breeze. i would highly recommend this camera to those who can afford it at $699 retail. the only thing it is missing that the c-2100 has is image stabilization which hasn't affected me yet. the camera fits perfectly in your hand and is a pleasure to shoot with.

I'm selling my Oly 4040 in FS/FT so you do not need to pay $699!! and a 3x telephoto either cost you an arm and a leg or doesn't work except for fully zoomed shots. I am curious who makes it as Oly makes a 1.45 and Tiffen and kenko make 2X's that suck totally unuseable except for fully zoomed in shots. Personally for me a 2100 is just plain too big... I had a Fuji4900 and that was to big cannot imagine lugging the 2100 around :Q unless I want to bring my SLR along. ack! 10X is nice but that is one biggggg camera!

 

[Antz]

Is there now an official sale in CompUSA? how are u guys getting it for 399?

 

[aceman817]

chibimike,

i realize that 3200x2400 is not native of a 4mp camera. the 4040 ENLARGES the picture within the camera if you choose this option which is great if you plan on blowing pics up later anyways.

the size of the c-2100 was also a reason for me not getting it as some of you guys posted too. i have several lenses and filters that would make the camera too large to fit in even a camcorder bag! now that is just plain rediculous! i am yet to have a problem keeping the 4040 steady in many conditions after about 300 pictures so far. furthermore, i usually try to stay up-to-date as much as possible when it comes to technology and the c-2100 is a true dinosaur in this area. it has been around for quite some time and has a serial connection if i'm not mistaking. i'm quite suprised that compusa.com would even have the camera. olympus could (and probably should) take all of the features of the c-2100 and make a 3mp of 4mp model that is smaller with an TTL OPTICAL viewfinder. their first attempts of the c-700 and c-720 where not too successful if you ask me.

 

[jasonja]

aceman, you don't have your PM's on and I wanted to ask you what 3X lens you are using for your 4040. I have a 3040z (that Exman should trade me for his 4040 ) and i've been looking for a nice telephoto lens. Is your lens usuable throughout the entire zoom of the camera or does it vignette at all but full zoom?