A first journey through the camera and its sub-menus Menus let me ominous: While there is a Program AE, where you can at least influence the outcome of the exposure itself, a Depp automatic (I think she is in reality Auto Picture or so), in of a camera decreases almost any setting (zoom and trigger must be even), but the menu also show defects that stand out to the interested amateur photographers immediately:
First, the left side of the control wheel is not used on the back of the camera with a symbol. At the point you actually expect the switch for the different macro mode, which is usually marked with a stylized plant. Does the camera have no macro mode? But she has one, but you have to find him. He hides namely among the scene modes, marked on the upper setting wheel with a "SCN" on "Scene". One of perhaps 15 or 20 possibilities motive is then the macro mode.
Macro mode to affiliate to other shooting modes, is initially logically comprehensible. However, I find the decision to hide a so often used and this mode and for such to be a control button unassigned, very unhappy. Surely this is due to the fact that any other model offers a different setting here. But since I do not consider this other model in hand, I also expect that the operator does not follow any set plan, but is perfectly possible tailored to my current unit. So There can be no question here.
Thus equal to the next fundamental weakness: The dial on the top of the camera has now even with the cheapest cost clippers, among other settings, "M", "A", "S" and "P". Here are vendor-independent "P" for scene, "S" and "A" for aperture and aperture priority and "M" for the mode in which everything has to be adjusted itself. Everything except for the Focus. This is now influenced manually only in very, very expensive models (The Focus of this camera can be the way to adjust insofar manually when you can tap on the touch screen to be focused pixel This works impressively well. Even distant flower heads or blades of grass are properly focused).
Now the presented camera has to offer from the said letters only "P" and "M". That is, it has a Program AE, are automatically controlled in the focus and exposure, and sharpness and maximum you can still determine the ISO value itself. The so important for many photographers time and shutter automatics, where either the size of the aperture or the shutter speed can even define each, are entirely absent.
Well, you think, I put up both manually, shutter speed and aperture. Under the setting "M". But in attempting to do that, you first really scares: Only the largest and the smallest aperture can be selected; the shutter speed at least follow the usual pattern. With such a "manual" mode can now be understandably not do much, and at the latest after this discovery, let the more ambitious among amateur photographers stay away from this camera.
Who still does not give up, adjusting the "iAuto" mode and further tried the camera, is now experiencing a pleasant surprise after another: First, the Auto Picture mode works fabulously. This is something I've never experienced. This automatic "recognizes" actually what you just want to take pictures in any situation, and sets the appropriate scene mode to. Jumping Dog and ant on thistle heads can be just captured effortlessly as simple things such as a landscape or a sunset view. This automatic Depp has really deserves its name! She takes the user from all the work and then working even good! In this way, in fact within seconds images of floating ducks children prepare before the duck family has passed.
Here again another strong point of this camera is significantly significant: The stabilization program, Entzitterer as you want, at Olympus he is image stabilization and still has some name, let him look important. But he does not need, because you notice immediately: Just about entzittert and entwackelt an image with such a small camera has never been! I'm really impressed with how clean and undistorted look with this camera even images that have been recorded in any case remarkable 24x zoom and from a single source.
In broad daylight something, anything is possible, because there is enough light there. The weaker the light of day or depending funzeliger the lighting, the faster the camera comes to their limits. Of course you can also in the twilight and lit little room, after all, still shoot sharp and undistorted images (can not even every camera). But on the color fastness should then place no increased value.
One can of course also make do with the built-in flash. The presence of such a surprise when thinning the menus, and one first believes in a programming error: The camera but has no flash? However, it has one, and this has the very likeable characteristic, so long hidden in the camera to stay until one uses a sliding knobs and let him come in so literally to light. This is advantageous in that it can not happen with this camera, that whatsoever automatic in the most inappropriate situations triggers the flash and thus spoils the most beautiful picture.
Who looks at family pictures from the 70s and 80s and for that matter, from the 90s, white: If you shoot with flash, should have a lot of experience with light and with its effect on photos. Most people see on lightning exposed photos even in the most romantic situations like burglars who are caught in the dark and which one is lit with a halogen flashlight in the face.
Every photographer knows that pictures in which the light from the same direction comes from which one also photographed, mostly look bad. In photo studios therefore huge luminous bodies are somehow a few feet next to or above or sometimes below the camera. "Look," one with the light source, there are no shadows on the photo, and everything looks flat out, even the most beautiful bride and groom.
Before so doing to be something, one looks forward to be able to do without the flash. I therefore appreciate the opportunity very much to let him remain hidden in the camera and never actually put it to use.
How now see from the images that you shoot with this camera? After all the restrictions in the menus that can use this camera rank far behind technically seen priced equivalent models from other manufacturers, it is hoped a more than mediocre image quality.
Here now expects the next surprise: Of course there are pictures that "come to nothing" are. But a surprisingly large number of images is well exposed, perfectly sharp, rich in contrast and color fidelity that it is a pleasure. If you look at them enlarged on the computer that falls only on the right: It has far fewer artifacts, noise, blurring, fringing etc. to complain as for example in my Panasonic DMC-TZ41, which otherwise makes a very good figure and their photos manually are much better influenced.
Should I have to decide between the two cameras, I would definitely take the Olympus, because the shot with her pictures look much better.
Responsible for this are, among other things, to again summarize, the superior image stabilizer and the really "intelligent" and perfectly working Scene Auto Selector. I have wonderful pictures of flying dogs and huge hepatica flowers, all shot on the camera and from a single source with the same setting.
Incidentally, I have the same apart from the fact exhaust the stated on the packaging 16MP, which is a camera with such a small image sensor anyway nonsense. Instead, I memory cards friendly 8MP set, allowing still quite large "deductions" and is perfectly adequate in most cases.
The video function of a camera is usually not so often used, but is still a worth mentioning, because it works very well: The image stabilizer is also used here. How fabulous it works, you realize right when sitting on the bike rides through the woods and is filming the passing around with one hand. It shakes and trembles simply not! You can tell on the video only a gentle swing. The sound of the recording, which is held over two small microphones on the top of the camera is in stereo, very appealing. Although the camera does pretty prominent self-noise, this can be heard on the recording hard so that you can actually look forward to a forest video with loud singing birds of all kinds located. Also music is beautifully realistic recorded and played back. Big plus for this built-in camcorder!
A few more words about the WiFi connection and use with the app: The production of the connection between the camera and smartphone comes thanks QR Code children very painless. Then you can individually photos or transferred in groups from the camera on your mobile phone or remotely control the photo function inclusive zoom and focus via smartphone. This is very useful, and after work, the app at every turn off the camera remotely.
A major shortcoming of this software is that you can record videos with the app nor transferred. Just is not in it. Given the excellent camcorder features this camera, this is more than a shame and desperately in need of improvement.
Five stars I give this camera because of the outstanding properties of the stabilizer and the Scene Auto Selector and the very compelling video function. This corresponds to a warm recommendation to all people who want to make wonderful pictures and moving videos without much effort.
People who like to decide for yourself how your photo comes about, this camera is not recommended due to the very limited possibilities to influence the image.
I myself have this camera with me every day, not in your pocket, but it's a bit too good and with her something outstanding even when retracted lens a little too edgy, and can thus always be glorious in seconds photos emerge.
