If the differences between this new model and last year's C-700UZ aren't
obvious on the outside, they are significant on the inside. The C-720UZ
is equipped with a 1/2.5 inch, 3.3 megapixel CCD which yields a maximum
image size of 1984 x 1488 pixels. The CCD has a starting ISO rating of
100 ISO, but
its sensitivity can be bumped up to 400 ISO, or be left on Auto which
allows the camera to adjust it over its entire range, as the lighting
conditions require.
The 8X zoom lens is a 6.4 to 51.2mm, composed of 10 elements in 7 groups,
and is the equivalent
of a 40mm to 320mm in the 35mm film format. In addition, a 3X digital
zoom can be used which creates the effect of a 24X zoom lens; albeit
at the cost of image quality since the digital zoom enlarges the central
portion of the image.
The lens has apertures
of f2.8
to f7.1 in wide angle, and f3.4
to f7.1 at the maximum telephoto. Focus is automatic, there is no manual
focusing possible, as there was on the C-700UZ.
The C-720UZ offers both JPEG
compressed formats, and an uncompressed TIFF
format. The largest image size is reserved for TIFF and 2 JPEG formats,
one with a low compression (SHQ) the other with a greater compression
(HQ). The other image sizes are available under the SQ1 and SQ2 JPEG
formats:
1984
x 1488 (TIFF, SHQ, HQ)
1600
x 1200 (SQ1)
1280
x 960 (SQ2)
1024
x 768 (SQ2)
640
x 480 (SQ2)
In addition,
the C-720UZ provides 2 metering systems:
and the AEL (Auto
Exposure Lock) button can be used to hold exposure settings while re-framing.
The Drive button, closest to the viewfinder on the back of the
camera, provides a sequential access to the other shooting modes of the
C-720UZ. Single shot is the first option, followed by Sequential
Shooting, which has a
frame rate of 1.2 frames per second for 5 frames (HQ), with the camera
focusing at the first frame. Next comes Autofocus Sequential Shooting,
which has a slower frame rate as the camera refocuses each shot. The following
option in the cycle is Self-Timer, which has 12 second delay. Last
is Auto Bracketing, which allows automatically varying the exposure
by ±1EV in 0.3EV increments spread over 3, or 5, frames.
Auto Bracketing is available in the P/A/S mode, likewise with Autofocus
Sequential Shooting, but with the addition of the Manual Mode; while the
Self-Timer and Sequential Shooting are available to all modes. Worth noting,
Sequential Shooting, AF Sequential Shooting and Auto bracketing are not
possible if the C-720UZ is set to record TIFF files.
As
with other recent Olympus cameras, the C-720UZ is equipped with a shortcut
system to access the most common options in the menu. Three of the shortcuts,
with the exception of the one for the entire menu (Mode Menu) can be customized
to reach specific sections with a single press of the matching button
on the 4-direction control.
By default, the shortcuts are set for the ISO setting (up); the resolution
(left); and the white balance (down). The system is efficient, and completely
avoids the steps that would be required to reach a given setting through
the complete menu.
Indeed,
the complete menu of the C-720UZ, is quite long, and is divided into 4
sections: Camera, Picture, Card, and Setup. Camera contains:
ISO
Setting:
Auto, or 100, 200, 400, ISO;
P/A/S/M
dial position pre selection: can be set to any one of the 4 modes;
Flash
Exposure compensation: (±2EV);
Exposure
Bracketing: ±1EV in 0.3 EV increments over 3 or 5 frames;
Digital
Zoom: On/Off;
Full
time AF: On/Off;
Panorama:
only accessible when an Olympus Brand SmartMedia card is used;
2
in 1: Combines two pictures taken in succession and stores them
as a single picture.
The
second section of the menu, Picture, is for:
Resolution:
to select the image size and quality;
White
Balance: Auto, Presets (Sun, Cloud, Incandescent and Fluorescent);
Sharpness:
Hard, Normal, Soft;
Contrast:
High, Low, Normal.
The
Card is used for a single function: formatting
the SmartMedia card.
The last section of the menu is Setup, which is covered in the
Interface/Software section of the review (selected in the drop menu at
the top of the screen).
A 16MB
SmartMedia card is usually provided with the C-720UZ. The card is inserted
on the right side of the camera, and is simply pushed in and pulled out.
Equipped with a 16MB card, the C-720UZ is able to record:
FORMAT
RESOLUTION
# of
photos
TIFF
1984
x 1488
1
SHQ
1984
x 1488
7
HQ
1984
x 1488
21
SQ1
1600
x 1200
24
SQ2
1280
x 960
26
SQ2
1024
x 768
39
SQ2
640
x 480
99
The
left side of the C-720UZ provides another cover for the external connections
of the camera. Unlike the C-700UZ, the C-720UZ has no external flash connection.
At the top is a DC connection for an adapter that provides 6.5 Volts with
a positive centre pin; and below is the USB (1.1) port. A Video out jack
is also provided to connect the C-720UZ to a television. The signal, NTSC
or PAL, is dependent on the point of purchase of the camera, NTSC in North
America and Japan, PAL for Europe.
The C-720UZ is powered
by 4 AA-size batteries. The standard kit from Olympus includes 2 of their
Camedia CR-V3 Lithium batteries, each the equivalent of 2 AA types. The
C-720UZ can also be powered by rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, but these
must be purchased separately.
