Spotlight Customer Reviews
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Olympus FE280 - Not recommended
Comment: I got this camera as a gift. My 1st digital camera, I was still attached to film! I was reluctant to make the switch because I though I'll loose that "photographer eye" by clicking in every direction I wanted and not have the danger to run out of film. But I kinda of changed my mind after using a digital camera and seeing the fairly good printed copies. After using my Olympus FE 280 for a couple of month I do recognize the value of point and shoot digitals when it comes to: you simply put it in your pocket, you can see the frame right after and check if you got it right, and after all some pics do come out ok. But when I want more elaborated photos I still carry my Canon EOS 500 and set of lenses (which now I'm considering substituting for digital).
But still the Olympus FE 280 is not the best option out there and for 320 bucks (what?) you can get better camera.
Cons: eternal lag time, very bad in low light conditions (focus take forever and even so many pics came out blurry), not the best lens , in less than 1 year the focus in macro/super macro function stopped working
Pros: great pocket size, fairly good pics during the day, easy to use menu and buttons, ok software, great battery life
Customer Rating: Summary: Good Camera, here's why
Comment: For reasons that would be useless and boring to this post, I've had five digital cameras in the last five years (Panasonic, Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus, Panasonic). I've also tinkered with family versions of Sony, Kodak, and Fuji cameras.
Panasonic cameras are the best. Period. There is no point in me posting about them, because everyone else has. And I have one with a large Leica lense, and I use it regularly for low-light situations.
But if you want a really great, tiny camera, think Olympus.
For a small, super-portable camera, the FE-280 has met all my expectations. Yes, it has a tiny, very tiny, lense. That means indoor shots will not be that great. But otherwise, the pics outdoors are fantastic. Even indoor shots have some depth. If you want crazy-good photos, get a Panasonic with a large Leica lense.
Best Advice if you have an FE-280:
* Use the Sports Mode for everything.
* Use the Indoor Mode for everything else in low light.
* Video is very good in the second setting. The low setting is horrible.
Forget the other fancy settings, except maybe the "behind the glass." That one was pretty cool for our daughters, especially with the monkeys at the zoo.
For those thinking the camera hasn't worked for you, here may be a few reasons that possible buyers might consider:
* Are you using the camera wrong?
* Have you tested it with the different settings?
* Did you expected to get a tiny pocket camera with big-lense capabilities?
For the meager price, you get much more than anyone can ask. My pics are almost always flawless, and you can't beat the portability.
It is darned tiny.
Try it.
Customer Rating: Summary: Liked it when it worked
Comment: I got this camera right before Christmas and it worked for about a week or two and then it broke. The shutter/zoom button broke and then you either couldn't take a picture or couldn't zoom in or out. I tried returning or exchanging it and was unable to. Now I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to deal with the Olympus warranty.
Customer Rating: Summary: Great Gift
Comment: I purchased two of these for Christmas Gifts. They loved them and the camara is so compact they carry it every where. Great Photos and a great price.
Customer Rating: Summary: Great Camera
Comment: This Camera is great for everyday use. It has great stability so that pictures do not blur easily and takes sharp crisp pictures. I would def. recommend this camera for any first time user. Its a great product.
