The Olympus FE-110 is an entry-level digital
camera for snapshooters. Startup is about 3.5
sec. and shot to shot time is about 8 sec. Autofocus
works well when there's enough light but very
challenging in low-light situations. There is
just a slight shutter lag if you pre-focus, otherwise
it's about 1 sec.
STYLE
-
Colours: overall silver
-
Looks: rounded corners
FEEL
-
Comfortable
-
Straightforward controls
DIMENSIONS &
WEIGHT
-
Medium Compact: fits in a large pants
pocket, coat pocket or small handbag
-
Dimensions: 87.5W x 62.5H x 38.5D
mm /
3.5W x 2.5H x 1.5D in.
-
Weight: light at 140 g / 4.9 oz (without
battery and media card)
-
Takes 2 AA Alkaline batteries
SPEED
OF OPERATION
-
Slow startup with lens extending about
18 mm (0.75 in.) and LCD turning on
in about 3-4 sec.
-
Shot to shot time about 8-9 sec.
-
Slight to 1 sec. shutter lag.
Included in the box are 2 AA batteries. We recommend
that you purchase 2 rechargeable AA NiMH batteries
and a battery charger.
Controls
The top of the camera has only the Power Button
and the Shutter Release Button. All the other
controls are found on the back.
The back is taken over by a rather small (by
today's standard) 1.5 in. LCD monitor, but with
130,000 pixels resolution (which is more than
many 2.5 in. LCD monitors have). A Mode Dial (placed
vertically so you can conveniently and easily
rotate it with your thumb) provides access to
all the six (6) Shooting Modes available on this
camera. Besides Program Auto, there are 4 Scene
Modes, plus Movie.
You can record movies (no audio) at HQ (320x240)
or SQ (160x120) all at 15fps, limited only by
the amount of your memory card.
At HQ (320x240), you'll be able to store approx.
85 sec. of movie in the 28MB Internal Memory,
approx. 48 sec. on a 16MB xD-Picture Card, or
26 min. 30 sec. on a 512MB xD-Picture Card.
For posting on the Web, you might prefer to shoot
at SQ (160x120), and you'll be able to store approx.
340 sec. in the 28MB Internal Memory, approx.
194 sec. on a 16MB xD-Picture Card, or approx.
1 hr. 46 min. on a 512MB xD-Picture Card.
FUNCTIONS ACCESSIBLE
BY CONTROL BUTTONS (clockwise starting from
the Zoom lever)
-
Zoom lever (@ 1.5 sec. from W to T,
7 steps)
-
Mode Dial (Program Auto, 4 Scene Modes,
plus Movie)
-
Shooting (Red) Button with Orange
Lamp
-
Playback (Green) Button with Greem
Lamp
-
Arrow Pad (Exposure Compensation,
Macro/Super Macro, Reset, Self-timer)
/ OK Button
-
Flash Mode Button
-
Menu Button
-
Erase Button
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
-
Exposure compensation is directly
accessible by using the UP ARROW key.
Once it displays, use RIGHT and LEFT
ARROW keys to dial in a value.
-
Once set, the Exposure Compensation
Indicator conveniently stays displayed
on screen until it is reset to "0"
-
Range: -2 EV to +2 EV (13 steps in
1/3 EV increments)
-
The screen brightness will increase
or decrease to reflect the value you
use
-
Note: the exposure compensation value
selected is retained even when the camera
is turned off (so remember to reset
to "0" after using it or the
next time you turn the camera on, your
shots may be over- or under-exposed.)
LCD & Menus
There is no viewfinder but a 1.5 in. LCD monitor
with 130,000 pixels resolution. The refresh rate
is quite good, except in low-light when the image
skips. You cannot manually adjust the LCD monitor's
brightness and the LCD monitor does not gain up
in low-light.
There is no AF-assist and the camera has difficulty
focusing accurately in low-light. Improvement
suggestion to Olympus: this camera would gain
tremendously with the addition of an AF-assist
Illuminator.
The Menu structure is very simple, more like
SETUP, and you would access it probably only to
select the Panorama feature or to change image
quality.
Playback is quite slow, about 4-5 sec. to move
from image to image.
MENU 1 of 3
- Image Quality
- Backup (for copying images from internal
memory to your xD-Picture Card)
- Date/Time
- Language (English, Français, Español,
Portugues)
MENU 2 of 3
- Sleep (30 sec., 1 min., 3 min., 10 min.)
- Video Out (NTSC, PAL)
- Card Format
- Pixel Mapping
- P = Program Auto
- Super Macro
- Flash Off
- Exposure Compensation +0.3EV
- Image Quality = SHQ
- xD-Picture Card used
- Space left for approx. 133 images
SCENE MODE: PORTRAIT
SCENE MODE: LANDSCAPE
SCENE MODE: NIGHT SCENE
SCENE MODE: SELF-PORTRAIT
MOVIE
The Olympus FE-110 handles comfortably.
The camera is light, compact, and the controls
are spaced out enough to hold the camera safely.
Operations are basic, simple-to-understand and
easy-to-use for a beginner.
