Here we can see an example of the default live display view in
Program Auto Exposure mode, the center brackets indicate the auto
focus target area. Information overlaid in this case:
Metered exposure: F4.8, 1/25 sec, +0.5 EV compensation. Flash cancel.
Single shot drive mode. Macro focus. Cloudy white balance. Empty
buffer (grey bar). 113 frames remaining. 2272 x 1704 HQ image size
/ quality.
Here we're already half-pressed the shutter release
and are ready to shoot. It's a bit deceiving because nothing changes
on screen other than the removal of some of the camera settings icons.
What you can't see is that there is a steady green light next to the
viewfinder to indicate a good AF lock. It would have been nice to
repeat this colour on screen (either a green dot or turn the AF brackets
green).
After shooting a preview is displayed briefly. The green
dot in the grey bar at the side of the screen indicates the amount
of information in the cameras internal buffer. This provides you with
an immediate visual impression of how much shooting 'space' is available
and how many more shots you would be able to take before waiting for
images to be fully flushed to the SmartMedia card.
An example of one of the manual modes (A/S/M), in this
case aperture priority with an aperture of F5.6 selected. The camera
automatically updates the shutter speed to match its metered exposure
value.
An example of the new 'My Mode', it allows you to predefine
a set of camera setting defaults (including zoom position, even focus
point) which are engaged as soon as you switch to the My Mode position
on the mode dial.
Manual Focus
Press and hold the OK button
and the camera will allow you to switch from AF focus to MF (manual)
focus. A self-scaling ruler is displayed on the right edge of the
screen.
Pressing the up or down
arrows on the 4-way controller allows you to set the manual focus
distance, while you do so the ruler updates and the center of the
frame is magnified 200% to assist in selecting the correct focus point.
Play display
The C-40Z has a 'shooting priority' play mode, this means
that you enter play mode directly from record mode by double-pressing
the display button (it isn't a position on the mode dial). Once in play
mode a half-press of the shutter release will always return you to shooting
mode. I'm a big fan of this type of play mode (it's just like a D-SLR)
and so hats off to Olympus for including it here.
Switching to play mode
displays the last image taken. Unlike some other digital cameras (but
like all other Olympus digital cameras) the C-40Z doesn't use a 'rough
thumbnail' to display the image, instead you must wait for the image
to be loaded from the SmartMedia card. Luckily this only takes a second
or two.
Enter the Play menu and
select INFO and displayed images are now overlaid with a variety of
camera setting and exposure information. This information overlay
disappears after 5 seconds. Note that the C-40Z does not have a histogram
display mode.
Press the erase (flash)
button and you are required to confirm the removal of the image with
this overlaid prompt.
Turn the zoom controller
towards telephoto to magnify the displayed image, there are six magnification
levels: 1.5x, 2.0x, 2.5x, 3.0x, 3.5x, 4.0x. At any magnification level
you can scroll around the image using the 4-way controller.
Turn the zoom controller
toward wide angle to switch to thumbnail index view. Via the record
menu you can choose a 2 x 2, 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 index. Us
By pressing the macro button
you can also rotate images through 90 degrees. This doesn't actually
rotate the JPEG file, but simply places an orientation flag in the
file header.
