Supplied software

The C-5050 Zoom is supplied with Olympus Camedia Master 4.0, a RAW import plug-in for Adobe Photoshop as well as a 'Bonus Disc' which contains Ulead PhotoImpact 5.0. Camedia Master is an application for the transfer, browsing, editing and printing of images. In addition there is also an upgrade to Camedia Master Pro ($19.95 for Olympus Camedia Master 4.0 owners). Camedia Master Pro additionally allows you to create HTML albums, edit QuickTime movies, stitch images not shot in Panorama mode, print contact sheets, Email images and backup albums and images.

Overall I was very impressed with Camedia Master Pro 4.0, there's lots in there for beginners and everyday use alike, especially impressive output functionality. It's a shame however that Olympus's RAW conversion provision is still quite weak, neither the RAW converter plug-in or Camedia Master offer any adjustment (the entire point of shooting RAW). We need a proper, sophisticated standalone RAW converter for ORF files provided with Olympus digital cameras.

Camedia Master Pro 4.0 vs. Camedia Master 4.0

In this section of the review we will be briefly examining Camedia Master Pro 4.0, features which are only available in the Pro version will be indicated with the suffix [PRO].

Feature Camedia
Master Pro 4.0		 Camedia
Master 4.0
Image Transfer from digital camera or card reader.
Browse images as thumbnails or single file.
Create albums of images for specific occasions.
Create HTML albums which can be created in a web browser  
Playback QuickTime movies
Edit QuickTime movies, add effects  
Edit (red-eye removal, brightness, contrast, instant fix)
Automatic Panoramas (panorama shots only)
Free-Stitch Panoramas (any shooting mode)  
360 degree Panoramas  
Print postcards, index, calendar
Print contact sheets  
Email images  
Back-up albums, folders and files  

Camedia Master Pro 4.03

Below you can see the Camedia Master Pro main menu, this is the default screen when entering the application although you can choose to skip this menu and go directly to the Browse Images tool. Application tools are split into five categories: Get Images, Browse Images, Backup Images [PRO], Print Images and Create and Share.

Get Images

You can 'Get Images' from either an attached camera (slow USB 1.1 in the case of the C-5050 Zoom) or from media (any drive or folder - a card reader for example). In the example below we're simulating a card reader. You can get all images or just selected images to either a local folder or an Album. There is no option to rename images as they are transferred, although mass renaming can be carried out later.

Browse Images

The image browser is at the heart of Camedia Master, it provides a thumbnail or single image view of images, these can be simply in a folder on a local drive or in an 'Album'. There are five different thumbnail sizes available (click here to view a different size) and you can choose to sort the index of images by either filename or date. Image formats supported are JPEG, TIFF, RAW (ORF) and Movie clips (QuickTime).

Double-click on an image (or select single image view by moving the slider at the top left of the window) to see that image in more detail. In this view mode you can magnify and pan around the image as well as using the previous / next arrows to browse through other images. Note that the thumbnail index moves to the left of the window and so can still be used to select an image. Move the view mode slider (top left of window) to the left to switch back to thumbnail index view. My gripe in this view mode is that there was no indication of current zoom level.

From browse mode you can access various tools as well as transferring the selected image / images to any of the Print or Create functions (as seen on the main menu). These options are available from drop down menus and are shown in the composite image below. A summary of the function of each option can be found below the image.


Menu option Function
Properties Display properties for current image (includes certain EXIF information). Allows you to add comments, modify shooting date and also play / record linked audio clip. Click here for clip of this window.
Rotate
   Clockwise 90° Rotate current image through 90 degrees clockwise *
   Counterclockwise 90° Rotate current image through 90 degrees counterclockwise *
   180° Rotate current image through 180 degrees *
Edit Jump to the edit image tool (see below)
File
   Copy Copy image filename to clipboard, can then be pasted into another folder / album (same as Windows Explorer)
   Copy Image Copies the entire image to the clipboard
   Paste Only available with a filename in the clipboard
   Rename Rename the current image
   Rename All With multiple images selected this option allows you to rename those images with a running number or the shooting date. Click here for a clip of this window.
   Convert Format Converts selected image(s) to JPEG and outputs them into a DSC compatible format (can be viewed again on a digital camera). You can only output up to 1600 x 1200 image size.
   Find Provides the ability to search for images based on their filename, shooting date or comments
   Delete Deletes image based on your Windows Explorer settings (either to the Trashcan or permanently)
Print: * Transfer image(s) to one of the six print options (detailed below)
Create: * Transfer image(s) to one of the six create options (detailed below)
Help: * Get help or jump to the Olympus website

* Note that the data in the image file is not rotated but the orientation flag in the file header is modified. It's a shame you can't rotate multiple images, this in my opinion is one of the functions most often required by users.