The C-8080 is a very versatile camera. Photos can be captured at any
of 9 resolutions, and in 3 different formats: RAW, TIFF and JPEG.
Aperture: f4, shutter speed 1/400 sec., 50 ISO.
The fact that Olympus offers such
a wide range of formats when so many other manufacturers are
cutting the image formats available on their cameras deserves
praise. And the fact that both a TIFF and a well-supported RAW
format are available represents a considerable advantage for
any user.
Aperture: f4.5, shutter speed 1/400 sec., 50 ISO.
Moreover, the C-8080 also provides 10 precise
ISO settings, starting at 50 and extending through 400 ISO. Furthermore,
an Auto setting can be reliably used as it does not increase
the CCD sensitivity past 200 ISO, avoiding the potentially noisier
upper range.
To the photographer, this broad range of ISO settings means better control
over how and when noise starts to creep into the image.
With settings up to 125 ISO, noise
is difficult to detect, even in shadow areas. From 160 ISO onwards,
noise gradually increases but even at 400 ISO the C-8080's photos
contain relatively little noise in comparison with some other
8 megapixel cameras.
The range of ISO settings is but one example of the many features and controls
available on the C-8080.
Aperture: f4.5, shutter
speed 1/200 sec., 50 ISO.
Aperture: f4.5, shutter speed 1/640
sec., 50 ISO.
The metering is just as versatile as other critical elements
of the C-8080. By default the C-8080 is set to use Olympus' Digital
ESP system which is a variation on an averaging system. The system
is effective, and even with a highly reflective subject such
as the one at left, the metering is able to balance the exposure
with enough precision that the areas that are directly lit by
the sun, and those that are in shadow are equally clear.
Indeed the C-8080 is loaded with
features, so many features in fact that this flexibility can
be a bit of a double edge sword when first using the camera.
For example, the direct buttons
provide a very practical and fast way to change some settings,
however, the fact that these settings are repeated in the submenu
that is reached while holding a direct button down and pressing
the OK button can be confusing. Moreover, changing some settings
can affect others — for example setting noise reduction to
ON prevents access to the Sequential shooting modes — which
adds to the complexity of the system, and the time required to
get accustomed to it.
Aperture: f3.5, shutter speed 1/400
sec., 50 ISO.
Aperture: f5, shutter speed 1/500 sec.,
50 ISO
In other words, the C-8080 can be both complex and simple,
much of that depending on how adventurous the user is. But, with
the Mode Dial set to Program mode, the C-8080 is also able to
capture excellent images effortlessly.
This is a camera that is very fast to start — about 1 second — and
one that responds instantly to the shutter release as long as it has auto
focused.
The C-8080 turns out sharp images
and the level of detail that the 8 megapixel CCD can capture
is very impressive. Images show that the lens has no noticeable
distortion, nor any chromatic aberration, even when photos are
captured with strong backlighting.
Without a doubt the very high image
quality the C-8080 achieves is in part due to the way the image
is processed by the TruePic image processor. Even photos captured
using the HQ mode show no compression artefacts, while images
captured with the SHQ mode — the highest image quality
available with the JPEG format — are almost indistinguishable
from those captured with the TIFF format.
Which is why, in our opinion, the C-8080 is probably the best non-professional
digital camera Olympus has produced to date.
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