The information displayed on the
SP-700’s monitor is clear, and the various current settings
are aligned on the edges of the screen which avoids any interference
with the image coming from the lens. The large 3-inch monitor
helps make the information legible and remains visible even
under direct lightning.
Similarly, users are likely to appreciate the fact that explanations
are available at the touch of the GUIDE button, be it to obtain
an explanation of a particular shooting mode, or of a menu
option.
But, while the display and menus are clear and readily understandable,
the placement of buttons, and the lack of precision of the
4-direction Arrow Pad make operating the camera hit and miss.
Recessed too deeply into a small and narrow space, the right
and left arrows of the Arrow pad are imprecise and often result
in the MENU/OK button being pressed accidentally. All the
more frustrating since the primary screen is the Top Menu
with its 8 options, all of which require the use of the Arrow
Pad.
Whatever the camera’s mode, the Top Menu provides an
access to the Mode Menu, and its last two sections are common
to all menus. The first of these, Card, provides options that
concern either the internal memory, or an optional memory
card:
All Erase (only shown in the Playback mode):
to delete all images in the memory or on a card with the
exception of those that have been protected.
Format: to format the internal memory or a memory
card. Note that formatting deletes all images including
those that have been protected.
Backup: to copy images that are in the internal
memory to a memory card.
The next section, Set, contains
basic camera settings:
Reset: On or Off, makes it possible to have the
camera recall current settings after it has been turned
off.
Language to select the interface language. On this
North American mode, the options offered are English, French,
Spanish or Portuguese. Other languages can be added to the
camera using Olympus Master once the camera is connected
to the computer via USB.
PW On Setup: serves to choose if the Olympus logo,
or an image, or nothing is displayed on the monitor when
the camera is powered up.
PW Off Setup: offers the same function as the previous
option, but as it relates to powering down the camera.
Screen Setup (Playback mode only): serves to select
an image that can then be used either when the camera is
turned on or off.
Rec View: On or Off. Decides whether or not an
image is shown on the monitor immediately after it is captured.
:
allows setting the volume for the sounds produced by the
camera in the capture modes as it is operated (Off, Low,
High).
Volume: allows controlling the Playback sound volume
in 5 increments.
Beep: offers a choice of 2 sounds to be used when
the camera is being operated, or none.
Shutter Sound: offers a choice of 2 sounds to be
used when the shutter release is pressed, or none.
File Name: decides whether images are numbered
sequentially at all times, or whether they should re-start
at 1 when the memory or card is formatted, or a new card
is used.
Pixel Mapping: automatically verifies the CCD and
the image processing functions. Recommended to be used once
a year.
Monitor Brightness: serves to adjust the brightness
of the LCD monitor over ± 6 brightness levels.
Date and Time: to set the internal date and time
of the camera.
Dual Time Setup: makes it possible to set an additional
date and time, useful while traveling.
Video Out serves to select the video signal output
of the SP-700: NTSC or PAL.
Histogram offers three options to graphically represent
the distribution of brightness in the image:
Off, no histogram.
On, displays a real-time histogram, superimposed
on the lower part of the image.
Direct: highlights potentially overexposed
areas of the image by making them flash in red, while
potentially underexposed areas flash in blue.
Frame Assist: selects the type of framing assistance
that is available when the DISP button is pressed:
a grid or horizontal and vertical lines that divide the
image into 9 sections, or a pair of diagonal lines that
divide the monitor's image into 4 sections, or nothing.
Custom Button: makes it possible to customize the
function assigned to the
button:
Compare and Shoot, Drive, Digital Zoom, Metering,
AF Mode, Exposure Compensation, ISO, Sound, Image Quality,
White Balance.
And in the Movie mode:
Continuous AF, or Image Stabilization.
Sleep: serves to set the time delay after which
the camera automatically shuts down if it is inactive (30
seconds, 1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes).
As is often the case nowadays, the SP-700 is accompanied
by a thin abridged manual (in English, French and Spanish)
offering only the most succinct information. Detailed explanations
are available, but in a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) document that
is provided on a CD-ROM. The latter is relatively well organized,
and is partially interactive as the page references indicated
in the text are links to those pages.
Software
In North America the SP-700 is bundled with two CD-ROMs.
The first is called Olympus Master (version 1.31),
the other contains the complete “advanced” camera
manual in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) in a variety of languages.
Olympus Master offers multiple functions, ranging from the
transfer of images from the camera to the computer, to organizing
images using a calendar, key-words, or albums. Moreover, the
program can also be used to edit movies captured with the
camera, or assemble panoramic images.
Olympus Master’s image
browser window presents the images organized by date or the
folders on the computer in the left pane, while displaying
the images — as thumbnails with a variable size and
with or without the shooting data — in a large pane
at the centre of the window.
A third pane, on the right of the program window, provides
shortcuts to various services such as online printing, and
accessory purchase.
A few tools are provided on the
program’s toolbar, making it possible to view the properties
of a selected image, change its orientation, print it, or
send a copy by e-mail.
In addition, an editing window can be opened.
The Editing window provides
tools to adjust the brightness, contrast, colour balance,
colour tone, gamma, and saturation of an image. Other tools
offer the possibility of converting the image to black and
white, or sepia, automatically eliminate the red-eye effect,
or increase or decrease its sharpness.
Moreover, the entire image can be worked on at once, or sections
of it selected using either a lasso tool or a magic wand.
This version of Olympus Master
can be upgraded online to the Olympus Master Plus version,
which adds additional and more extensive tools than are offered
in the bundled version: the creation of Video CDs or of DVDs
(functions performed by Pixela’s ImageMixer VCD DVD
2); the printing of Albums and Index prints; and the creation
of slide shows with sound.
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Interface & Software
:
allows setting the volume for the sounds produced by the
camera in the capture modes as it is operated (Off, Low,
High).
button:
