Trying to determine what are the best wide angel lens adapters on the market? For many of us, nothing is more frustrating than trying to find the right lenses for our cameras. With the cost of many wide angle lenses, it is very frustrating to try figuring out how to afford these lenses, especially if you are a freelance photographer on a budget.  Luckily, there is an answer to buying expensive wide angle lens for your digital camera – a wide angel lens adapter.  While there are thousands of places that claim to have the best lens adapters on the market, it is important that you are careful with what you purchase, as well as understand the drawbacks of using a wide angle lens for your digital camera.

Best Wide Angle Lens Adapters

When many people hear that they can use a wide angle lens adapters instead of having to purchase a wide angle lens, they are ecstatic.  They don’t have to pay the high cost of buying a wide angle lens, and they can take advantage of some of the features that are known to come with using a wide angle lens adapter.  One thing that has been considered so great about using an adapter is it gives you a bit more room for a picture.  People don’t have to get as close together and you can take a bit more picture, giving you a bit more playroom.  While this can be considered a great benefit, there are also some drawbacks.

Best Wide Angle Lens Adapters: Drawbacks

While using a wide angle lens adapter is cheaper, it can also drastically alter your pictures.  Pictures can seem a bit more distorted and you have less control over some of the area within the photo.  For many photographers, this distortion is something that can easily be fixed in Photoshop, but does require more work than is usually necessary if you use a wide angle lens.  If you are going to use an adapter, trying buying one that is meant for your camera, since many off brand wide angle lens adapters have been known to ruin cameras, something that is not the case with wide angle lenses for digital cameras.

Best Lens Adapters for Digital Cameras

If you think a wide angel lens adapter is right for you, there are some high quality adapters on the market. While they are a bit on the expensive side, they are worth the money.  We know quite a few photographers who use both, depending on the situation and shot.  Here are the best wide angel lens adapters for digital cameras and other cameras.

• Nikon WC-E63
• Sony VCL DH0758 0.7X
• Olympus WCON-08B .8X
• Minolta ACQ-100 .8X
• Nikon WC-E80

Trying to find the best panoramic cameras on the market?  With Christmas being just around the corner, many of us are trying to find high quality panoramic cameras for our loved ones or ourselves.  If you know that they enjoy taking panoramic pictures, this is a good time to introduce them to taking pictures with a digital camera.  The trick is finding cheap panoramic cameras that do a great job taking digital pictures and taking panoramic style pictures.

Review of the Best Panoramic Cameras

If you have taken panoramic pictures for years, you know that digital cameras didn’t used to be the best way to take panoramic pictures.  In the past, we would take an old fashion camera that had a special lens, or use a camera specially designed for taking panoramic pictures. While these cameras did a great job, they had a problem with leaving you unclear on how the pictures would look until you finished in the dark room.  Since digital cameras with a panoramic view used to have a bad reputation, most photographers today will still avoid them like the plague.  While they did deserve this reputation in the past, they have come a long way, being the preferred way of taking panoramic pictures.  Even better, some of the best cameras with a panoramic shot can do an even better job than a traditional camera.

Review of the Best Cheap Panoramic Cameras

Just like any type of camera, it is important that you know your budget before you go looking for a cheap panoramic camera with a panoramic shot feature.  Some of these cameras can easily cost you over a $1,000, something that we believe is a bit too expensive for taking panoramic pictures.  Over the years, quite a few cheap panoramic cameras have made their way on the market, allowing the majority of the population to be able to afford these cameras.  Some of our favorite digital cameras with a panoramic view include:

• Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX1
• Kodak Easyshare Z915
• Olympus MJU Tough 8000 Compact
• Olympus SP-800 UZ
• Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX1

Best Digital Panoramic Cameras:  Brand

When it comes to looking for the best digital cameras with a panoramic view, we highly recommend checking out Sony and Olympus cameras. Both of these brands have spent a great deal of time researching panoramic functions and finding what works the best with their cameras.  Along with their other features, you can get the best panoramic cameras that are great for just about any type of pictures. While they may be a bit more expensive than the competition, they are worth every penny when you see the high quality pictures you can take with these cameras!

Best Olympus Waterproof Camera: Review of Olympus Underwater Cameras

Buying an Olympus camera for underwater fun is a great idea if you want a shooter that is not only highly functioning under water but is also a great camera in its own right.

A lot of waterproof cameras on the market tend to focus so much energy on making them usable beneath the waves that they lack any real value as a camera. The special features we all know and love form our regular above sea level products get thrown by the wayside.

Manufacturers seem to think that we don’t care about resolution, ease of use, or zooming abilities, as long as it can be used while snorkeling.

And boy, are they wrong!

In this day and age, when technological advancements have gone beyond the borders of expectation and into the mystical lands of near-miracle status, we consumers don’t want to settle for anything less than the best.

And to buy an Olympus waterproof camera is to buy the best.

In the following sections we’ll take a closer look at one of the best (and bestselling) Olympus waterproof camera models.

If you like what you see, then great! If not, don’t be discouraged. There are a vast number of brands and models of underwater cameras out there, and one of them is bound to be perfect for you and your needs!

Olympus Waterproof Camera Review: Tough-6000

One of the absolute best Olympus underwater camera products is the Tough-6000. Let’s take a look at what people from the online consumer review community have said about it:

The Pros:

• Super Durable – Not only is the Tough-6000 waterproof, but it is also shockproof, dust proof, freeze proof, crush proof, and shake proof.
• The Greatest Generation – While a lot of camera companies won’t change much from one camera model generation to the next, the Tough-6000 has made vast improvements over its predecessors, including great strides in making the user interface easy as pie.

The Cons:

• Price vs. Performance – For how much the Tough-6000 costs (just over $250), the image quality doesn’t seem to be up to snuff.
• Image Storage- The Tough-6000 does come with a card adapter, but many consumers have found it a major annoyance that the camera can only use xD or microSD cards.

Olympus Underwater Camera: The Tough-6000 Details

Here’s a rundown of the Tough-6000 Olympus waterproof camera’s specifications and features:

• 10.0 megapixel resolution
• Waterproof
• Shock proof
• Freeze proof
• Crush proof
• Shake Proof
• 3.6x wide angle optical zoom (with dual image stabilization)
• 2.7 inch LCD display screen (Advanced Hyper Crystal III)
• Measures 7.4″ x 5.6″ x 2.6″
• Weighs 5.3 ounces
• Box includes: Camera, wrist strap, USB cable for both Mac and Windows, AV cable, Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery, battery charger, microSD card adapter, manual, and Olympus software in the form of a CD-ROM

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Best Olympus Digital Camera Accessories: Cases, Memory Cards & Lenses

Finding accessories for Olympic digital cameras is incredibly easy, especially if you have a working Internet connection. Finding the right ones for you, however, bears some serious consideration.

One of the most common mistakes beginner or amateur photographers make is picking up the most popular products on the shelves without weighing their options first.

You need a case so you grab one, you need a memory card so you grab one, you need a lens or cleaning kit or adapter cord so you just grab one.

If you are looking to accessorize your new digital camera with some add-on goodies, you would do well to take a bit more time to figure out what exactly it is you need (or want) and what will work best for your camera and your photography lifestyle.

In the following sections, we’ll take a closer look at some Olympus digital camera accessories, including memory cards and cases, so that you might have a better idea of what it is you really need or want.

Once you’ve made the decision of what to get, don’t be too hasty in making the purchase. Shop around online to find the best deals and sales available at such great sites as:

• Amazon.com
• BHPhotoVideo.com
• SierraTradingPost.com
• Buy.com
• NextTag.com
• eBay.com

Olympus Digital Camera Memory Cards

• Olympus M+ 2GB xD-Picture Card (retails for under $11) – This reusable digital memory device can hold 2 gigabytes of photos and works up to 1.5 times faster than other M class memory cards. It’s also a design made from durable materials for long-lasting life.
• Olympus M+ 1GB xD-Picture Card (retails for under $13) – This is a smaller version of the above product, able to store up to 1 gigabyte of photo data. It also works up to 1.5 times faster than regular M series cards and is able to capture photos at much higher resolution.
• Genuine Patriot Memory Card 8GB for Olympus (retails for under $35) – Fully compatible with the Olympus Stylus Tough 6020, a fantastic digital camera, this memory card can store a whopping 8 gigabytes of photos and data. It’s a little more costly than some other brands, but the high quality is worth the price.

Olympus Digital Camera Cases

• USA Gear Protective Digital Camera Case (retails for under $6) – This slim and stylish leatherette digital camera case is incredibly protective and fantastically priced. It features a thin, sleek design for easy carrying and a magnetic closure for easy use.
• rooCASE EVA Hardshell Digital Camera Case for Olympus (retails for under $10) – This hardshell version of Olympus digital camera cases is one of the most popular on the market. It may not be as slim as the USA Gear product, but it will keep your camera incredibly well protected.
• rooCASE Nylon Hardshell with Memory Foam (retails for under $11) – Another product from rooCASE, this accessory is made with memory foam, leaving your camera in a snug embrace every time you zip it inside. It also features a mesh pocket for your other Olympus digital camera accessories.

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Olympus Stylus 780 Review

To read an Olympus Stylus 780 review, is to read about the virtues of being patient.

Good things come to those who wait, and the Olympus Stylus 780 is proof positive.

Originally retailed at almost $450, this great little digital camera can now be picked up for less than $150 at most retail websites.

Now, is this because the product isn’t as great as it once was? No. Is it because people don’t like the Olympus Stylus 780? No. It is merely because it is no longer a state of the art electronic device.

But that doesn’t mean it’s no good.

On the contrary, this Olympus Stylus 780 review should make it obvious that this is a great product for a great price.

Naturally, there are some negative aspects to the 780 (that’s true of just about every product of any kind), but the good seems to outweigh the bad in this case.

Any recent review of the Olympus Stylus 780 digital camera will tell you that the value of this camera is extraordinary.

If you are a professional photographer, then you know better than to waste your money on a camera like this. But if you are a first-time or casual picture taker, then you could do lot worse than the Olympus Stylus 780.

Below, we’ll take a peek at some of the pros and cons this Olympus Stylus 780 review has to offer, and then answer the most important question: is this camera a worthwhile investment?

Before we get to that, however, let’s take a glance at a list of some of the 780′s specifications:

• 7.1 megapixel resolution
• 5x image-stabilized optical zoom
• 28x total seamless zoom
• 2.5-inch LCD screen with 140 degree viewing angle
• Bright Capture technology
• 26 different shooting modes
• Powered by a lithium-ion battery

Olympus Stylus 780 Digital Camera Review: The PROS and CONS

Now here’s a good, old-fashioned pros-and-cons list to help you decide whether or not this digital camera is the right one for you.

PROS

• The Olympus Stylus 780 is weather-proof
• It’s small enough to fit in your pocket
• It has a decent zoom
• The Image-stabilization works great
• The LCD screen is crystal clear
• The price is definitely right

CONS

• Like a lot of low-range digital cameras, there is no optical viewfinder
• The flash is a bit anemic and ineffectual
• You can’t take pictures in very quick succession
• There has also been mention of soft spots in the lens

Olympus Stylus 780 Review: Is This The Camera For You?

Here’s the deal: we can’t tell you exactly which camera is right for you. There are too many factors to guess about: your photography experience, your needs in a camera, and especially your budget.

If you are just looking for a camera to take with you on vacation or to family outings, then this is a great product for you. The price is low for the quality of specifications included.

But if you need a camera for more advanced work, then you should certainly bypass this Olympus Stylus 780 review and find something a bit more suited to your needs.

The only way you can know for sure if this is the camera for you, is if you go to the store and test it out.

So, in the end, this is a question you will have to answer for yourself.

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Olympus Pen Camera Review

The Olympus Pen truly is a groundbreaking camera from one of the worldwide leaders of photography equipment.

While it may not suit everyone’s budget (the body alone retails for somewhere around $500), it certainly suits everyone’s needs.

The Olympus Pen is the world’s smallest 12.3 megapixel digital SLR camera capable of using interchangeable lenses.

What does this mean in layman’s terms?

It means that you can take any kind of picture (or video) in almost any situation and do almost anything with it, whenever you want.

Most digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are bulky, heavy, and not too easily transportable. The Olympus E-P1, however, weighs just 11.8 ounces and can fit right in your pocket. This is an incredible achievement from the Olympus team.

Olympus has suggested that with the introduction of the Olympus E-P1, a new era of digital imaging has arrived.

After researching the Olympus E-P1′s statistics, specifications, features, and functionality, it’s certainly difficult to disagree with them.

The Olympus Pen camera is a high-end, high-technology digital camera that takes photography to a whole new, creative level.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at the Olympus E-P1 and just what exactly makes it so fantastic.

Olympus E-P1: An In Depth Look

Our lives don’t sit around and wait for still imagery to capture the moment. We are movers and shakers, always up to something, always looking for the next exciting adventure.

Whether this is because of the television we were raised on, the music we listen to, or the effects of the boundless expansion of technological advances over the past decades, we know one thing for certain: being alive means being active.

More today than at any other time, we want not only to experience the highs and lows of a fast-paced life, but also to share every moment with our families and friends.

This is reflected in the popularity of such social networking sites as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and YouTube.

With the Olympus Pen, we don’t have to slow down to document our lives.

With its compact body and ultra light weight, the Olympus E-P1 can follow you wherever you go. And with the fantastic features included in the device, you can edit and manufacture creative photos and videos right inside your camera.

From there, it’s a simple task to upload your captured moments to any number of various websites.

Finally, there’s a camera that can keep up with you: the Olympus Pen.

Olympus Pen: The Specifications

Here’s an overview of some of the exciting features and hallmark innovations contained within the Olympus Pen camera:

• 12 megapixel resolution
• Next-generation TruePic technology
• Exclusive Olympus Dust Reduction System
• Oversized 3-inch LCD screen
• HD video capture
• High quality audio recording
• Internal image stabilization
• Top-of-the-line DSLR image quality
• In-camera creative editing features (for both still and video images)
• Multiple exposures
• Slideshow multimedia
• Magnified Focus Assist

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Olympus EVOLT 500 Camera Review

For versatility of function, the Olympus E-500 camera is at the top of its game.

Olympus’ intention in creating this camera was to manufacture a product that could be of use to photographers of any skill level. And they succeeded.

In developing a camera that can be picked up and used by any type of photographer in the world, Olympus had to make sure that it was easy to operate.

The Olympus E-500 is ergonomically crafted to fit well in your hand. It is also a very lightweight product, so that, from a purely physical standpoint, the Olympus E 500 dslr can be used by absolutely anyone.

Beyond the physical design, the Olympus E-500 is incredibly easy to use. No matter what kind of pictures you want to take, the Olympus Evolt 500 will accommodate your needs.

The user-friendly interface practically takes your hand and guides you through the steps you need to take the exact shots you wish to take.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the Olympus E-500′s fantastic innovations and then sum it all up in a brief, bullet-pointed list of details and specifications.

After you’ve reviewed the benefits of owning an Olympus E 500 dslr, then you may have a clearer idea of whether or not this great camera is the right one for you.

Olympus Evolt 500: Innovations

One of the greatest innovations featured in the Olmypus E-500 is the exclusive dust free technology it implements.

Dust is absolutely everywhere. There’s just no avoiding it. Especially when exchanging camera lenses, changing out the battery, or working with memory cards, there’s a great possibility that dust can get inside your camera.

And dust particles ruin pictures.

But, using an exclusive Super Sonic Wave Filter, the Olympus E-500 is able to keep dust out of your camera, allowing you to always take beautiful, spot-free photos.

Also most welcome in the Olmypus E 500 dslr’s design is the TruePic Turbo image processor which makes the camera work just as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

Olympus has gone to great lengths to create a camera that works extraordinarily well with photographers of every skill set. And with the Olympus E-500, they’ve certainly succeeded.

Olmpus E-500: Features and Specifications

Here’s a list of some of the Olympus E 500 dslr’s details. Use this list as beginning guide to deciding if this camera includes that kinds of features you need.

• 8 megapixel resolution
• 2.5 inch HyperCrystal LCD screen
• 5 metering modes
• Built-in filters (including 9 filter for black and white photography)
• Exclusive dust-free technology
• TruePic Turbo for high performance speed
• Fits the world’s widest selection of camera lenses
• Dual memory card slots
• Powered by a lithium-ion battery

Olympus E 500 price: $450-$700

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The C-8080 is intended to fill the void needed for professionals who can’t carry their dSLR with them, or for those who need something that can produce high-quality shots with a smaller price tag. If you’re in the market for a prosumer digital camera that does everything you could hope it would, there’s a good chance you’ll find the Olympus C-8080.

Below is a review of the C-8080, and information about relevant features, image quality, and any issues and problems you should be aware of.

Body

The body of this camera is as small as possible for the features and lens, and is small enough to carry around the neck or clipped to a belt. At the same time, it is hefty and solid feeling, and fits comfortably in the hand for whenever you need it.

The camera is black, and has a right-side rubber hand grip. The lens takes up the majority of the front of the camera, and a pop-up flash is located above the lens. The back is equipped with a digital viewfinder and LCD display, and the navigation and other control buttons are located on the right side of the LCD.

Features

This camera has all the features a professional, hobbyist, or those with high demands could want, and it lives up to it’s claims in all features.

The C-8080 features an eight megapixels sensor, built in flash, 5x optical zoom and 3x digital zoom, which gives you a total of 15x zoom. While it can’t shoot RAW, it can shoot TIFF, which is lossless while preserving storage space. It has auto focus and can shoot videos in Quicktime format at VGA resolution.

The maximum photo resolution is 3264 x 2448, which is more than high enough to make a good 8″ x 10″ high quality print.

Image Quality

The images are good, with sharp lines and low noise at lower ISO ranges (64 – 200). They can get deep blacks and accurate colors.

Cons

There is noticeable noise at higher ISOs, especially once you enter the 400 range. This could be eased by keeping the ISO lower and increasing the exposure, but it is still not ideal. If you primarily do day time shots, then you won’t notice the problem. If, on the other hand, you enjoy nightshots, sunsets, and indoor shots, then you might want to look elsewhere.

Conclusion

This camera has a nice set of features and a good, high quality lens. The flash is big enough to light up a room nicely, and will be needed to help counter act the noise at higher ISOs. If you primarily shoot in the lower ISO range, then this camera is definitely a good possibility for you.

By: Blair Mathis

Four years ago, Olympus had some of the best consumer digital cameras on the market. Dominating other manufacturers, they enjoyed their position at the top for a short amount of time before slipping in the ratings.

Now, nearly half a decade later, they are making their name again in the high-end and professional market, only to begin dipping into the point and shoot market once again. One of the newer point and shoot digital camera’s is the Stylus 820, a compact shooter for low-needs consumers.

If you’re looking into getting an Olympus digital camera, then you can be sure the 820 is a good option. Read on to find out if this camera is worth it’s $175 price tag, as well as any issues you need to be aware of.

Body

The body of this device is relatively small and available in several different colors. It has a retracting zoom lens and an integrated flash. The back of the camera features the LCD display and navigation buttons, which are laid out similar to nearly every other digital camera on the market.

Features

The Olympus Stylus 820 features an eight megapixel sensor for high resolution shots. It offer 5x optical zoom for those far away shots.

The LCD is 2.7″ and has a 176 degree viewing angle, and is visible even in bright outdoor light. For steady and crisp shots, the 820 has fast shutter speed and image stabilization to keep your photos as sharp as possible, even if you are the subject is moving.

Other nice features include Face Detection, which keeps the faces in your photo in focus even if they are in the background. There’s also shadow adjustment for those times when your photo gets exposure issues.

Image Quality

The image quality is average. It is good enough for any average use, and doesn’t require you to do any post processing or image manipulation. The photos experience noise at higher ISOs and in low light situations, as is the case with most digital cameras.

Cons

The photos suffer from low-light noise and noise at high ISOs (400+). In addition, there is a long delay between each shot, as it takes a fair amount of time to write the image to the flash card. This delay can cause you to lose otherwise good shots.

Conclusion

If you want a camera that is cheap, small, and easy to use, then this camera will certainly suffice. With that said, the amount of time it takes to write the images to flash is longer than it needs to be, and you can find similar cameras in this price range that don’t suffer this problem.

By: Blair Mathis

Olympus unwrapped its Stylus Tough-3000 camera at the Consumer Electronics Show last week.

The Tough-3000 is the first of the company’s rugged line to offer HD video capture (720p) and is also the most affordable Tough model at $230.

The Stylus Tough-3000 can withstand a five-foot drop, is submersible to 10 feet and works in temperatures as low as 14 degrees. These are basically the same specs as the existing $280 Stylus Tough-6000.

The Stylus Tough-3000 and all cameras announced at C.E.S. include Olympus’s familiar Art Filter in-camera effects, now renamed Magic Filter. The effects included in these cameras include Pop Art, Pin Hole, Fish-Eye and Drawing, which turns images into sketches.

The new cameras also offer AF auto-tracking for locking in on fast-moving subjects, as well as a new Pet Mode for tracking your greyhounds and other speedy animals. Olympus says it has improved the user interface for more intuitive operation and added software for faster downloading and support for features like geotagging.

The Stylus Tough-3000 will be available in February in red, pink, blue and green (so you can’t lose it in the snow).