The Olympus FE-3010 belongs in that ultra-compact class of point-and-shoot cameras. I’ve always been a bit wary of that specific category, largely because a good camera module rarely fits in the smallest package. Everyone who’s ever used a high-megapixel cell phone should know that.
A device like the FE-3010 makes sense if you want a low-cost, super small and very lightweight shooter. Like that description suggests, the device doesn’t offer the best performance. While it can manage decent photos in well-lit non-action situations, anything that offers more difficulty sees that quality deteriorate fast.
It measures 3.7 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches and weighs a trim 4.4 ounces. Specs include 12 megapixel optics, 3x optical zoom, a 2.7-inch LCD and VGA camcorder at 30 fps. There’s no mechanical stabilization, only digital, so the photos may not be useful for uses other than personal (e.g. social networking profiles, family photographs).
The FE-3010′s best features are all on the surface – the physical design, the controls and the UI. It’s a camera you can slip into the front pocket of old, too-tight-around-the-waist jeans, all while looking particularly good.
You get a fair amount of options during shots (various recording modes, focus modes, white balance settings and a couple more), but it skips color effects and burst mode. Anyone who gets this camera isn’t likely the type to want to fiddle with plenty of settings anyway, so it’s a good fit. Stills, like we said early, are below average for point-and-shoots, but is largely expected for this class of devices. The shutter lag is particularly troubling, though (close to one second on outdoor shots).
Considering its $130 price tag, it’s not fair to expect all that much from the Olympus FE-3010. You get what you pay for, though – a nice-looking ultra-compact with sub-standard shooting quality. Now, if only Olympus can completely ditch the xD card love affair and fix the ridiculous lag, then all the world will be right.
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