A tidy, tough little camera. Great for families.
Written: Nov 13 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Small, convenient, and takes good snaps
Cons: Uses an expensive battery.
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| Peter-A's Full Review: Olympus Stylus Epic DLX 35mm Film Camera |
Our old Nikon point-and-click suddenly died on us after 5 years of regular use, so we went shopping for a new camera at London Drugs.
We wanted a small camera, for the economical 35mm standard format, without fancy zoom lenses to go wrong, without attached knobs and brackets to catch on pockets, and simple to operate. We liked our old Nikon, so we were prepared to buy another. However, I didn't like the feel and look of the current cheap Nikons, and so I checked out the other cameras in the display case.
The Olympus Stylus Epic DLX jumped out because it has a 2.8 lens, which is good for this cost of camera. It is indeed a small camera, fitting easily into my pocket. It is available in either black or a brushed-metal finish. We chose the latter, which seems to be a plastic of some sort, resembling brushed aluminum.
It is a breeze to insert film. Click open the back, pop in the film cannister, pull the film to a mark, and close the back of the camera. The autowinder does everything else.
To turn on this camera, slide open the protective front. The lens does a little dance, and then it is ready.
The flash is tiny, but effective. It has a red-eye preventer, by flashing many times in a blurr for a second ahead of the real flash.
We bought this in October 2000, and have shot 5 rolls of film so far. The results are good. Crisp and clear photos with good colour and contrast.
The camera seems quite well made and durable. The sliding cover protects the lens and flash well. It also comes with a small pouch, but we feel comfortable that the camera is tough enough not to need it.
This is a great camera for family snapshots and for travel. It is convenient, unobtrusive and easy to use, slips easily into a pocket or bag or glove box, and takes reasonable photos. This is not the camera for a photo-enthusiast who likes to fiddle with camera settings.
Disadvantages:
1. It uses a Panasonic CR123A 3 volt battery, which is an expensive one. The cheapest replacement battery that I've found costs Canadian $10 (US$6.50). It disappoints me that they could not use something like a AA battery. I don't know how long the battery will last, but I was told by the store that it would likely last for 10 to 20 rolls of film.
2. The viewfinder is a tiny window, and I find it tricky to get my eye comfortably lined up. This almost put me off buying this camera.
In conclusion, we are pleased with this camera. It is doing the job for us nicely. I'd give it a 5 if not for the two disadvantages listed above, but since it could be improved, it slips to a 4 in my opinion.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Peter-A
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Location: Alberta, Canada
Reviews written: 58
Trusted by: 14 members
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