Overview
The Olympus FE-5000 is a point and compact camera. It has 10 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom lens. It also has a 2.7 inch LCD screen.
Why Buy The Olympus FE-5000
This is one of the cheaper digital cameras from a known brand. It scores well for ease of use and both the length of zoom and size of screen are a step up on the most basic models. The FE-5000 also offers image stabilisation.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
2.7 inches
97.4 x 56.6 x 25.5mm
137g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
3cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
xD Micro SD
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Even taking into account the lower price tag I am a little disappointed by the sharpness of the shot. Most cameras are able to create a sharper photo than the FE-5000 manages here.
This is a better attempt. Sharpness is better and it is only when you reach the most distant parts of the shot where the FE-5000 finds it difficult.
As with the first outdoor test I would like to have seen a sharper image. The softness of the images is not likely to be a serious issue with small prints I would not like to go too far above snapshot size.
Maybe it is due to there being less contrast in the shot, but this photo is the best in terms of sharpness so far. Overall I would award around 6.5 out of 10 for sharpness.
Portraits
Cheaper digital cameras can have a problem getting perfect results when using flash. The good news here is that there is plenty of light right across the picture. The downside here is that the lighting is so bright it reflects back off the face. Although this is not ideal I would much prefer this to a dark photo where the flash has struggled to light the scene.
This is a fair effort. Again with less expensive cameras you are likely to require more light for the camera to be able to focus properly and to reduce any noise in the photo.
Macro, Colours and Noise
My macro shot may not be quite top quality, but I am still happy with it. The FE-5000 should be able to produce decent close in snapshots, as long as you are not expecting true masterpieces every time.
Colours are inline with those from other Olympus digital cameras. They are true to the way the scenes looked when the test photos were taken.
Even with more expensive compact cameras noise will show in photos at ISO 400 and above. There is not too much to report here. Noise levels are inline with my expectations.
Summary
My outdoor scenic shots could be sharper. I was happy with all the other photos I took. If you are planning to use this camera more for general photography where the subject is quite near to the camera you are likely to see better results.
Style
Olympus has made the FE-5000 smaller and more compact than most entry level digital cameras. It is a typical rectangular shape. It comes in two colours, black and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.32 seconds
15.08 seconds
0.55 seconds
16.09 seconds
3.98 seconds
Ease of Use
Part of the reason why the FE-5000 is so easy to use is that it offers less features than many digital cameras do. This makes it easier to find the setting you are looking for.
Points I Like
Ease of use - price for a small, compact camera
Where it Could Improve
Photos could be sharper - slow turn on time
Verdict
It is a shame some of my photos are not sharper. If they were I would say the Olympus FE-5000 offers very good value for money. I like the fact it has a bit more zoom and a larger LCD screen than is standard. Ease of use is also a big plus point.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Olympus FE-5000 Review Olympus FE-5000 Specification Olympus FE-5000 Sample Images Olympus FE-5000 Features Panasonic Lumix DMC FS6 vs Olympus FE-5000
Review Date
March 2009
