The Camedia C-5060 is the newest 5 megapixel
camera from Olympus which, while it borrows much from the C-5050
in terms of it capabilities, extends them considerably. The C-5060
provides a new 4X zoom lens with a very wide angle, more advanced
image processing, and a wide variety of accessories.
The C-5060 is equipped with numerous
external controls which allow fast access to most of the camera's
functions, thereby often avoiding having to go through the extensive Mode
menu.
The shutter release and zoom control are positioned towards the front of
the camera, and angled towards its right side. The shutter release is 2-stage,
and the AE/AF middle stage is very noticeable as the release goes through
1 well-defined stage before the final point at which the shutter is released.
Formerly called the Jog Dial on
the C-5050, the same control is now the Control Dial on
the C-5060. It serves to change numerous camera settings, often
while holding down one of the buttons on the body. While the
top LCD panel will show most changes, if the monitor is on, a
short menu of the options available in conjunction with the button
in use is shown as an elongated dial, which rotates as the Control
Dial is turned to make a selection.
Two small buttons are fitted between
the shutter release and the Mode Dial and their operation, in
combination with the Control Dial, is typical of the way many
camera settings are selected. Starting on the left, the button
closest to the LCD status display — which echoes most camera
settings — controls:
controls
the Self Timer (12 seconds), and the Remote Control.
The infrared remote control, shown at right, is included with
the camera.
A green icon indicates
that in Playback the same button can be used to rotate an image
by 90° increments.
The other button is
the Custom Button, and while it can be configured as a
direct access to just about any other function of which the C-5060
is capable, it is set by default to access the Drive modes:
Single shot mode.
High Speed Sequential shooting.
Sequential Shooting.
AF sequential shooting.
Auto Bracketing.
(For details on each of these modes see the Characteristics section
of the review.)
While in Playback, the green icon
identifies the button as the way to decide which photos will
be tagged for printing. All Frames Reservation is used
to print all the photos on a memory card, or select specific
photos to be printed. The number of prints to make of each, and
whether or not the time and date will be imprinted on the image
can be selected individually, or globally; and photos can be
cropped. The C-5060 is PictBridge compatible, and can be used
to print directly to a PictBridge enabled printer, via USB, in
addition to supporting DPOF and Print Image Matching II.
Behind these buttons is the Mode Dial which has 12 positions:
Program Mode: the camera sets
the aperture and shutter speed. Other functions such as flash and
drive modes can be adjusted.
Program Shift is also available allowing the
selection of alternate combinations of aperture and
shutter speeds.
Aperture Priority: lets
the user set the aperture while the camera handles the
shutter speed.
Shutter Priority: lets
the user set the shutter speed while the camera selects
the aperture.
Manual Mode: provides
complete control over all camera settings.
My Mode: provides 8
memory locations in which complete sets of shooting
mode and setting preferences can be stored, and accessed
simply by turning the dial to the My Mode position.
In addition to these shooting modes,
the Mode Dial also has 5 Scene modes:
Portrait Shooting: uses
a wide aperture to achieve a sharp subject and a blurred
background.
Sports Shooting: automatically
selects a high shutter speed to capture fast moving action.
Landscape + Portrait Shooting:
similar to the Landscape mode, both foreground and background
are maintained in focus through the use of a smaller aperture,
but without the extra emphasis of blues and greens.
Landscape Shooting: is
to record both foreground and a distant background in focus.
Blues and greens are slightly emphasized.
Night Scene Shooting:
allows fuss-free night shots. The C-5060 selects an appropriate
shutter speed for the scene, noise reduction, and sets the
white balance appropriately.
The Movie mode is next:
Video clips can be recorded at any 1
of 3 frame sizes: SHQ 640 x 480, HQ 320 x 240, or SQ 160 x 120. Videos
can be captured with or without sound. If sound is recorded the optical
zoom and continuous focusing are disabled, but the digital zoom can
be used. If sound is not recorded, then the optical zoom can be used,
and the autofocus can be set to be continuous. All video clips are
captured at 15 frames per second, and, unless the shutter release
is pressed a second time, the camera will record as long as there
is space on the memory card.
And last is the Playback mode, marked with the usual symbol .
Like the buttons near the Mode
Dial, the two buttons on the top left side of the C-5060 call
up short menus, and selections are also made with the Control
Dial:
is
used to select the focus mode:
Autofocus: can be set to single or continuous autofocus
in the C-5060's menu.
Macro mode: provides a shooting distance of 20 to
80 cm (7.8 to 31.2 in.).
Manual focus: allows adjusting the focus from 20
cm (7.8 in.) to infinity. A distance scale is shown on the
monitor, and focus is adjusted using the up/down arrows of
the arrow pad while the focus point is magnified on the monitor.
Super Macro mode : sets
the zoom to a precise position and locks it. The Super Macro
mode provides a focusing distance of 3cm (1.17 in.) to infinity.
Super Macro mode with Manual focus: offers the Super
Macro range, but with manual focusing.
While the button
is to choose the metering mode:
ESP is an averaging pattern that meters the centre
of the subject and the surrounding area separately.
Spot metering meters the AF target area.
Multi-metering allows memorizing the readings
for up to 8 different points from which an average is then
determined.
Centre-weighted metering meters the entire frame
with emphasis on the centre.
In playback the metering button
can be used to protect images so
they cannot be accidentally erased.
Exposure compensation is set with the upper
button:
provides for ± 2EV in
1/3 EV or 1/2EV increments, the increment to use being selected
in the Setup menu. In addition, in the Manual shooting
mode, the button serves to set the aperture when used in
combination with the Control Dial, while the shutter speed
is set using the Control Dial exclusively.
Flash Modes are set
with the lower button: Auto; Red-eye Reduction; Forced
On; Forced Off; Slow Synch. Furthermore, when Slow Synchronization
is selected, pressing the Flash mode button and the OK button
immediately shows the 3 possible slow synch modes offered
in the menu: Slow 1 which has a front curtain synch, Slow
1 with red-eye reduction, and Slow 2 which is a rear curtain
synch.
Flash Compensation,
adjustable over ± 2EV in 1/3 EV increments, is selected
when both the exposure compensation and flash modes buttons are
pressed simultaneously. Here again, the Control Dial is used
to select the level of compensation from the on-screen display.
The C-5060 features a 1.8 inch hinged monitor that can be rotated
90° to the left, and 180° to the right.
The monitor can be flipped up, facing the back, and rotated
so that it faces the front. From there, the monitor can
returned to the back of the camera, facing out.
The remaining external controls
of the C-5060 are arranged to the right of the LCD monitor:
Auto Exposure
Lock: locks the exposure temporarily, avoiding the need
to hold and maintain the shutter release halfway down.
The AEL button also serves when using Multi-metering, memorizing
each of the 8 readings that can be done.
In Playback, the indicates
that the AEL button can be used to erase one or all images.
Below, the Quick View button acts as an instant access to the Playback
mode without having to change the Mode Dial position.
The Monitor button controls
the information overlaid on the screen. In addition, if
enabled in the menu, the monitor button can be used to
display a screen that shows all current camera settings.
OK, the button at the
centre of the arrow pad used for navigation and to select
some settings, calls up a shortcut menu screen. (See
the Characteristics section)
And the button below the arrow pad, CF/xD,
allows switching between one memory card and another when two
are present in the camera.
Evolved from the C5050,
the C5060 is a major redesign that offers capabilities that go
beyond those of the C-5050. The C-5060 supports a number of valuable
accessories ranging from a vertical grip with a vertical shutter
release, to a very impressive super wide angle converter (see
the Characteristics and Image Quality sections) and an add-on
telephoto lens.
The C-5060 is designed to sit at the top of the Olympus compact camera
pyramid, and fits the role very well.
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Introduction
controls
the Self Timer (12 seconds), and the Remote Control.
The infrared remote control, shown at right, is included with
the camera.
indicates
that in Playback the same button can be used to rotate an image
by 90° increments. 
is
the Custom Button, and while it can be configured as a
direct access to just about any other function of which the C-5060
is capable, it is set by default to access the Drive modes:
icon
identifies the button as the way to decide which photos will
be tagged for printing. All Frames Reservation is used
to print all the photos on a memory card, or select specific
photos to be printed. The number of prints to make of each, and
whether or not the time and date will be imprinted on the image
can be selected individually, or globally; and photos can be
cropped. The C-5060 is PictBridge compatible, and can be used
to print directly to a PictBridge enabled printer, via USB, in
addition to supporting DPOF and Print Image Matching II.
. 
is
used to select the focus mode:
: sets
the zoom to a precise position and locks it. The Super Macro
mode provides a focusing distance of 3cm (1.17 in.) to infinity. 
button
is to choose the metering mode:
so
they cannot be accidentally erased.
,
adjustable over ± 2EV in 1/3 EV increments, is selected
when both the exposure compensation and flash modes buttons are
pressed simultaneously. Here again, the Control Dial is used
to select the level of compensation from the on-screen display.
indicates
that the AEL button can be used to erase one or all images.
