First impressions
When unpacking, I got a little fright. So it is also cute (dimensions of a Zigaettenschachtel but flat), in view of the small knobs I have doubts if the 45-year-old birthday boy likes to use it properly, because it has much larger hands than I do. I own a 'Always with camera' a Canon PowerShot A710 IS, when the buttons are much larger and 'grip'. Here, this model is only slightly higher, but twice as thick. However, the display is also small.
Well, if the camera would be one centimeter wide, which in size would also, then the control buttons could have been larger ...
What I have problems, the playback button, sitting quite deep is (why?). One can actually achieve only with a sharp fingernail.
Otherwise, the format of the Olympus of course real cream for those who want to have this camera constantly, very flat and easy!
Practice
With the USB-charger, the charging process takes about 2 hours. During charging, you can not operate the camera by the way. The basic settings were quick, even without a manual to do, is to say, one has to operate very quickly under control.
Now, the camera had to prove their image quality. I donated it and the birthday child an 8GB SD card. At 14 MP has a capacitance of about 1000 frames. This should be sufficient for many purposes.
The image resolution in the main menu of course I put on 'fine', which I had to ISO Auto. All other settings read is just like that. In sunny weather and a two-hour walk, I tried out the camera in program mode. Of course, I also began to push that responds somewhat quickly. To set the correct image section, you the keys must jerkily operate what already works for some practice.
On the PC, the impressions were somewhat split. On the one hand are the photos quite well, on the other hand see a lot of landscapes in spite of sun a bit dull, so you have to adjust the gradation of image processing, which obviously annoys many images. Then the images look quite good, however.
Noticed Negative that the camera at minimum focal length (wide angle) often only the maximum aperture of 2.8 chose, yet very short shutter speeds of 1/2000 s, which is totally unnecessary. This is photographically simply wrong. Especially for landscapes one should stop down a bit, so that the focus is correct. The consequence of this is that although the Gesamtansichten act fairly sharp, but the magnification at 100% are not really crisp sharp on the screen.
In the Macro shooting (flowers) exactly the opposite. Unfortunately, the camera does not choose the maximum aperture of 2.8, meaning that the background is not isolated enough (blurred). Instead, she chooses aperture 3.4 on average. What the developers of Olympus have been thinking, I is a complete mystery!
It is encouraging that at least dims when using the zoom, which is very useful. Nevertheless, you should not use the maximum focal length to often, because as the image quality is only moderate. Because I miss the necessary sharpness.
With shots of buildings with wide-angle many strongly converging lines on. which can also offset by an image editing program, but to pay attention to this, to give more space to the object, since lost in the equalization parts of the image at the edges.
Night shots I tested also in the Scene mode 'Night' and a tripod. The camera quickly reaches its limits. The maximum shutter speed is unfortunately only a 1/2 s what 100 was often too little in default of ISO because the camera in this mode often greatly dims (Aperture 5.4 or 6.5). While you can still increase the ISO value, but since unfortunately the 200 noise increases also visible on ISO. But what is even more problematic: The camera can not find in the dark often the correct focus point. Shame...
What I personally found great, the option was shooting. It's fun to take an approaching train. That's on the screen almost cinema ... The face recognition works very well. Even if the person moves, the focus is always on.
Conclusion
The VG-160 is small and light, what they really makes it an object that one can always carry around. It is quickly ready for use, and automatic face recognition works just as well as the continuous shooting. The shots look on average fairly decent, but it would have been better if Olympus had the chip only a maximum of about 8 donated instead of 14 MP to 10 MP. That would have been enough even in A3 Vergößerungen. Some photos looked despite sunshine from too flat, which makes an image processing necessary, otherwise you can live with that. Given the price you can not complain really. For large paws the camera is used to. When shooting you should always have the hand strap around your wrist, because the device can quickly glide times out of hand by the smooth surface and the smallness. My advice is firmly set the ISO setting in fine weather on 100, when something unfavorable light at 200th
It is advisable in any case, a spare battery, but the it at Amazon are starting at 5.
The Olympus camera came very quickly into the house, thank you Amazon.
Jörg Wernicke, Berlin
