Search in

Olympus Camedia C-730 3.2 Megapixel Bridge Camera

(1.5" LCD - 10x Optical Zoom - 3200 x 2400 Image - 320 x 240 Video - MPN: 225365)
Description: The C-730 Ultra Zoom is a powerful 10x optical zoom digital camera that brings sharp, crisp images to you from small and great distances alike. You'll capture details you didn't know existed. Take pictures of subjects you might not have seen with a l.... Read More

User Reviews

4.5 Star Review(10 Reviews)

Expert Reviews

3.5 Star Review(2 Reviews)

Sort Reviews by: Most Useful | Rating | Date
Date Reviewed:  Apr 30, 2004
  • h_ammar
  • Member Since:
    Mar 2004

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    6 Months
Strengths: 10xzoom lens. XD speedy picture card, lovely resolution monitor. It is a real slr digital camera. Shooting from any distance you can get what you want.
Weaknesses: No optical vewfinder, Needs experience when shooting in low light conditions, but it will do.
Summary: I consider myself a professional photographer. This is my second digital camera. I had the feeling of slr's when I used this camera. I recommend it for those who take care of every single detail of their photos, but for non-experienced photographers they will find some difficulty to stabilize the lens. It needs some experience to get your photos as sharp as you aim to.

100% of People (2/2) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Oct 23, 2003
  • onealk
  • from MD
  • Member Since:
    Oct 2003

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    1 Years
Strengths: Dual media (xD, SmartMedia), 10x Optical Zoom, Manual & Automatic modes
Weaknesses: Night shots need a tripod, size of camera
Summary: I've owned this C-730UZ for quite awhile now and have used it extensively while on travel or just around the house. It is a little bigger then other models and doesn't fit easily into your pocket for those short weekend trips, but for real photo taking and quality, this is it. With a rotary dial to choose from a multitude of photo modes, programmable modes, 10x Optical Zoom, and an extensive onscreen menu, it seems to have it all.

I recommend this one highly for those that need to take quality digital pictures with multiple photo modes and need more then the usual 3x optical zoom.

100% of People (1/1) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Apr 3, 2003
  • jam007
  • from CA
  • Member Since:
    Mar 2003

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    4 Months
Strengths: 10x optical zoom
Weaknesses: 16mb card, would like it to be smaller but it has a 10x optical zoom!
Summary: This is my first digital camera. I bought it cause it has a 10x zoom compared to the 3x on most cameras. To me 3.2mp is more then enough. When shot correctly, the picture quality is amazing. Yes it is kinda complicated, so if you just want something quick and easy don't buy this, but for my needs, I sacraficed .8 mp's for 7x more optical zoom. I think it's WELL WORTH IT! 3.2mp's seems to way more theni ever expected!

Your going to need to buy a bigger card. 16mb is very tiny. I bought a 128mb and it's well worth it. I can't wait till they get in the GB range! Then the video option will be awsome.

100% of People (1/1) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Aug 19, 2003
  • msilivan
  • Member Since:
    Jan 2003

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    8 Months
Strengths: Optical zoom , manual functions
Weaknesses: you must have a stabiliser or a tripod if you want to take clear pictures from a far angle, and taking pictures in the dark could be a problem if you don't know how to use it
Summary: It is a great camera , I use it very often and i have no complains, it is perfect for my needs. The zoom is great, you can take pictures from anywere, and the quality of the picture is great, the colors are strong , not like other cameras

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  May 5, 2003
  • DLMKA
  • from MO
  • Member Since:
    May 2003

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    4 Days
Strengths: Awesome zoom. Fairly easy to use menus and other features. Really like the dual capability of using both the XD-picture cards and SmartMedia cards. Ability to use the cameras as a simple point.
Weaknesses: Lens feels loose, I don't think it has an effect on image quality though.
Summary: This is my first digital camera but have use several other models in the past. I got this camera on a Thursday night and went to a St. Louis Cardinals game Friday night. I had very limited expereince with the camera (2 hrs) and was able to take some really good shots from center field. The 10x zoom lens is nothing short of amazing, with the 3x digital zoom turned on you could see the batters faces from the top of the lower deck in center field. Go to web.umr.edu/~moechnig/... to see some completely amatuer photos taken at the game.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Dec 28, 2002
  • Oopstoo
  • Member Since:
    Dec 2002

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    21 Days
Strengths: zoom, features
Weaknesses: small xd card
Summary: This is a great little camera. In the matter of a few hours I was able to figure out all the features. Originally had the Olympus 460 and wanted something with more pixels and zoom. The C 730 fits the bill and so far, it is a great camera. Also bought the Microsoft reader for Smartmedia and Xd technology which works great and is much faster than the supplied USB cable. Battery life is good and I can easily fill a 128MB card several times without battery depletion. Love having the option to take pictures in black and white and the video clip is cool. The zoom is fantastic, especially from nose-bleed seats at a concert or sports game. Great little camera!

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Dec 18, 2002
  • mrelect
  • from FL
  • Member Since:
    Dec 2002

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    6 Weeks
Strengths: Zoom! This camera can get you as close as you want. 10x is unmatched at this price point. Lots of manual control over settings-am still finding new things to tweak and set, even after 6 weeks.
Weaknesses: If you're really going to use the full zoom, need to brace the camera or use a tripod. Not really a weakness, just a function of the powerful zoom.
Summary: The c-730 is another example of a terrific, well-thought-out product from Olympus. I have gravitated toward their products in the past and enjoy the little things they do right. The pictures are extremely clear and the color is dead-on. I cannot say enough good things about having 10x OPTICAL zoom--even compared to 8x, you have the ability to get in a lot closer. I find the USB connect to be very easy to use.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Nov 24, 2002
  • lest00
  • from FL
  • Member Since:
    Nov 2002

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    7 Days
2 Star ReviewThis is a special-use camera. It is great if you n ...
Strengths: 10x optical zoom, AA batteries, external flash sync. I used my Vivitar 283 successfully.
Weaknesses: The electronic view finder is grainy and useless in a darkened room such as a night club where you try to take pictures of your companions. Better when pointed at the performers.
Summary: This is a special-use camera. It is great if you need a 10x zoom for outdoor use. Impractical for low-light use because the viewfinder goes black. I returned mine. I bought the Olympus C-4000 and it suits my purposes better.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Nov 18, 2002
  • hrposse
  • from MI
  • Member Since:
    Nov 2002

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    1 Days
Strengths: 10X Optical Zoom, and not massive
Weaknesses: standard 16mg memory way too small
Summary: Excellent buy if you purchase larger memory card the 16 mg card gives you only 20 pictures. Works with Mac or windows. Usb download a breeze.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.

Date Reviewed:  Nov 16, 2002
  • robfieser
  • from WA
  • Member Since:
    Jul 2001

  • View Member's:
    Reviews
    Product Experience:
    5 Days
Strengths: 10X Optical zoom. Lots of features. Compact size. Auto connect to most PC's. Good picture quality.
Weaknesses: No lens stabilizer. Hence, it's hard to take sharp pictures in low light with high zoom.
Summary: I had the Olympus 2100UZ (also 10X optical zoom) with 2.1 megapixel resolution. I wanted a slightly higher resolution camera that was smaller. Some sports arena security checkers don't like the 2100UZ; They think it's a camcorder or professional SLR and tell me to take it away. I like the picture quality of the 730 so far. It will take time to master all features. The menu system is complicated and takes practice and a perusal of the manual.

I like the big zoom because I watch lots of pro sporting events from the cheap seats. I think this camera will have no problems even from top levels of Safeco Field for day games because the shutter speed is usually 1/250 second or faster. Night games with full zoom might be more iffy.

I would buy this camera again, but if I were starting out and just wanted to take family shots, I might pick a camera with a 3X optical zoom and a less complicated menu.

Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?

  Report this as inappropriate.

 There are no comments for this review. Post a comment.