Overview
The Olympus FE-230 is a pocket sized digital camera that you can pick up for a little over £100. This makes it the cheapest pocket sized digital camera I am aware of. The FE-230 is a seven megapixel camera with a standard 3x zoom lens. Olympus have opted to place the emphasis on ease of use with this camera. It has a cut down feature set meaning that it is one of the most simple cameras there is to use.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
7
3x
2.5 inches
90.5 x 55 x 16.5mm
105g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
AA
xD
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
I must admit I don't really look forward to reviewing Olympus digital cameras. I have tested too many where the picture quality is really poor. It is therefore a relief that I have managed to take some decent photos with the FE-230. They are not perfect, but they are cleaner and clearer than I am used to seeing from Olympus cameras.
Starting with the outdoor scenic shots all three shots are of an acceptable standard when you consider the type of camera the FE-230 is and the price it is sold for. The centre area of each photo tends to be sharp enough, but in each case there is a noticeable drop off in sharpness as you move away from the centre towards the edges of each shot.
Colour wise the camera does well on the whole. The skies are blue and the foliage is a deep green. There are blue lines on the boats in the first picture that have picked up a purple tinge though. In the main the FE-230 also handles sun glare as well as most cameras and this is not an issue.
The skies do show an amount of noise. This means that the skies are not completely smooth. This should not really be an issue with more standard size prints, but may start to become an issue at sizes of 8 x 11 inches.
The specific colour test confirms my view of the colours the camera produces. There are no problems and the colours have a good balance to them.
My outdoor portrait test shot is taken in the shade. Without any white balance controls to add a bit of life to the photo the result is a rather dull photo. This is the worst outdoor portrait I took in the batch of five cameras I tested at the same time. All the other cameras managed a much warmer photo.
Moving indoors the FE-230 does better than other Olympus cameras I have tested. Both the portrait shot and shot of beer bottles are in focus. Noise levels are quite high compared with other cameras. As you cannot access ISO settings you have no control over this. Again this should not cause a problem with smaller prints. Red eye shows up in the portrait shot.
The FE-230 makes a fair attempt at the macro shot. This suggests you should have no problem with the occasional close up photo.
As the camera controls ISO levels automatically I cannot run my usual higher ISO tests.
Style
Plain and simple is the best way to describe the FE-230. That may not sound a very exciting description, but I actually like the clean design. At less than 20mm wide you should have no problems slipping it into a pocket. The body is made out of stainless metal.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.55 seconds
11.03 seconds
1.75 seconds
15.75 seconds
Ease of Use
This camera has less features than most of it"s rivals. The upside of this is that it is very easy to use. A guide function is also available with some basic photography tips.
Points I Like
Ease of use
Where it Could Improve
Sharper towards the edges of photos - shutter delay
Verdict
If you really want a pocket sized digital camera and saving money is important too then the Olympus FE-230 is likely to be worth a look. At the lower end of the price scale you need to be realistic about what a camera can deliver and this one certainly offers fair value for money.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Olympus FE-230 Review Olympus FE-230 Specification Olympus FE-230 Sample Images Olympus FE-230 Features
Review Date
June 2007
