Olympus D620L Digital Camera

The Olympus D620L digital camera gives you high 1,280 x 1,024 resolution, a range of flash and exposure options, and a 3x zoom lens--plus professional-level, single-lens-reflex construction. Just as traditional 35mm SLRs are significantly larger than point-and-shoots, the Olympus D620L is much bulkier than other non-SLR digital cameras, including Olympus's own point-and-shoot digitals. However, the added bulk is the price paid for improved optics, picture quality, and the advantage of being able to frame your image with precision before you snap the picture.

The through-the-lens viewfinder design means you can't use the LCD screen as a viewfinder--you can only use it for image playback. This is a fairly significant drawback if you like to see your picture on the LCD screen before you take it; otherwise it's not an issue.

The Olympus D620L digital camera uses removable SmartMedia cards for memory; it comes with an 8 MB card, which holds about 100 images in the lowest resolution. It also includes a battery charger for the four AA Ni-MH batteries--a nice touch, especially since it drains batteries quickly (like all digital cameras).

The included pop-up flash has a good range of options, including red-eye reduction, fill-flash, and off. The Olympus D620L also lets you use an optional extension flash--a great feature if you want more professional-looking photos. The Olympus D620L lets you adjust exposure manually by three stops in either direction; in addition, it has spot metering and macro functions. The digital camera's three preset focus settings (1.3 feet, 8 feet, and infinity) can be useful in situations where the autofocus has trouble. Unfortunately, the autofocus's contrast detection system has difficulty in dim conditions, and the camera won't let you take a picture if the autofocus isn't set. We found this to be major inconvenience indoors, where even standard indoor lighting was often too dark to take a picture. The Olympus D620L doesn't let you manually adjust focus either (other than providing focus-lock capability).