OLYMPUS Camedia C-725 Ultra Zoom Digital Camera

kind of wish we had waited and just purchased a new one as this took so many parts that it ended up costing more than new. Lesson learned that being cheap is dumb with a camera.

I love this camera. The batteries last far longer in this. The batterie life is 100 times better than any other digital camera I have owned.

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.

Original review: March 2006: I bought this camera in the fall of 2004 and still use it for all my pictures. I'll list the pros and cons of it.PROS: nice resolution, good details, good color (got some really nice pictures and cropped close ups).pretty good in low light situations.flash works fine, most pics came out OK.AA batteries are a big plus - use rechargable ones.pre-focusing is helpful by gently pressing on shutterCamedia software is easy to use.Save battery life by turning off LCD screenPrice was good when I got it, but now there are newer cameras that are better deals.CONS: flimsy USB port door - plastic latch broke within a few months.expensive XD cards, of course.focus not always up to par, esp at max zoom.battery life is so-so - the batteries can quit without warning.Shutter delay - my main problem here - I would guess about three seconds to focus and shoot when shooting the soccer game while zooming. Missed a lot of shots. Pre-focusing helped, though.Note the recommended use temperature. You can't use it if it's below freezing? (32 degrees).After owning it for a year, this is the problem I had. It powers on, previews the scene for about 5 seconds, then everything turns black, you can't use the controls, and the red light blinks. Power off, power on again, and the same thing happens with that annoying blinking red light. What does that mean? There's nothing in the manual about it. (See below for an update on this problem).If you don't mind the size of the camera, the big plus is the high powered optical zoom.*** REVIEW UPDATE - March 2007 ***Shortly after the first review, I solved the problem. The camera actually still works fine - the problem was the batteries! Apparently rechargable batteries will fail for good after a while, and there's no way of knowing this except by replacing them with a new set. ALWAYS carry extra batteries as well as an emergency set of non-rechargables so you don't get stuck! Your rechargables also will lose their charge even if they're not in the camera so keep that emergency set on hand In summary, with the exception of close flash pictures (may be washed out) and action shots at MAX zoom (will never pre-focus properly) all other shots are great! Any of the battery problems will, I assume, be common to all cameras. So, now you know!