How does the camera record folder & file names; what is the auto file & auto folder setting?

D C I M / * * * O L Y M P / P m dd * * * * .jpg

Auto file:    folder number remains the same while picture number sequence increases.
Auto folder:    when changing or switching cards, the folder number sequence increases while
                    the file or picture number starts at 0001.

What is the difference between Normal and Soft Mode?
Normal mode applies in-camera sharpening similar to Photoshop's Sharpen Edges while soft mode allows for sharpening in an image-editing program. If you would rather print images straight from the camera then normal mode is ideal. If a major concern is the amount of noise in an image, if you prefer smoother tonal transitions in portrait shots or if you prefer to sharpen your pictures in an image-editing program, then the soft mode should be your default mode.

Is there a significant difference between SHQ TIFF and the SHQ JPEG setting?
Both settings give you a 1712 x 1368 image; the TIFF setting gives you no compression and the JPEG setting has a compression of 2.3:1.  Many owners prefer the SHQ JPEG setting since they find very little difference between the TIFF and JPEG settings even when the image is blown-up in an image editing program.  SHQ TIFF allows for only four pictures on a 32 MB card while SHQ JPEG allows you to store sixteen pictures.

Is there a significant difference between SHQ JPEG and the HQ setting?
The SHQ setting is ideal for quality offset printing or enlargements beyond 8" x 10".  For smaller prints or for displaying photos on web pages or sending via email, HQ is ideal.  Also, depending on your printer there may be little noticeable difference in quality between SHQ JPEG prints and HQ prints, especially for the smaller size prints.  It would be wise to take test shots using both modes and print them to decide which mode would be best for you.  If there is little noticeable difference between the two modes, then HQ mode will allow for fifty-five pictures on a 32 MB card versus sixteen for SHQ JPEG.

I've tried to change the camera setting to SHQ (or SQ) but the setting was still on HQ; why?
Selecting SHQ or (SQ) mode is a two-step process.  First select the setting on the 1/4 menu screen (either SHQ or SQ), then go to the 4/4 screen to select the file format.  For SHQ you have a choice of JPEG (2.3:1 compression) or TIFF (uncompressed) settings and for SQ you need to choose either 1280 x 1024 or 640 x 512 pixels (both settings have an 8:1 compression.)

How do I review images on the LCD?
When in review mode you can:

To display a 4-picture index at one time:  press the zoom lever to the "W" position.

To display a 9-picture index at one time:  press the zoom lever again to the "W" position.

To magnify the picture on the LCD screen 2X, press the zoom lever to the "T" position.

To magnify the picture 4X, press the zoom lever again to the "T" position.

To scroll around your 2X image, hold the "+/-" button on the top of the camera while pressing the jog dial in the direction you want to go.  To view parts of your image not visible on your 4X image, go back to 2X and center the portion of the image you want to view, then return to 4X.

What aperture settings are available on the C-2500L?
While it is true that you have a choice of either an open aperture or a narrow aperture, these settings will adjust to any F-stop in between when the zoom lever is used.

What is the meaning of the sequent full-light emission note on page E-20 of the camera manual?
It is possible that with continuous use the flash may become hot (and possibly stained.)  It is recommended that no more than 30 consecutive flash pictures be taken at one time.  Let the flash cool down for about 10 minutes.

How do I change the exposure compensation setting?
Hold down the "+/-" button located on the top right side of the camera while pressing the right portion of the jog dial will increase exposure compensation in 1/3 steps.  Exposure compensation setting is displayed on the top control panel.  To decrease exposure compensation, hold down the "+/-" button while pressing the left portion of the jog dial.

How do I select a shutter speed on the C-2500L?
Set the camera to "M" mode.  To increase the shutter speed, press the top portion of the jog dial.  The shutter speed will be displayed in the top control panel.  To decrease the shutter speed, press the bottom portion of the jog dial.  If exposure is off by more than +/-2 EV, a triangle will blink on the panel; if metering is impossible, the entire line will blink.  See "Manual mode setting causes tic marks on control panel to blink" on quirks page for further information on adjusting the setting.

How are shutter speeds displayed on the C-2500L?
Shutter speeds of a fraction of a second are displayed on the control panel as whole numbers, such as 100 for 1/100. Shutter speeds of 1 to 8 seconds have quotation marks (") after the number, such as 2" for 2 seconds.

How do I select both shutter and aperture speed?
As mentioned above, shutter speed is selected with the top/bottom portions of the jog dial when in "M mode."  To select aperture, press the left/right portions of the jog dial.  As with shutter speed, adjustments may be needed to achieve a proper exposure.  If metering is impossible, the entire exposure line on the control panel will blink.

What is the Quick Focus feature?
Quick Focus allows you to quickly access a preset distance setting.  Q.F. offers the advantage of a quicker response time for focusing since the camera will immediately focus at the preset distance.  This feature is useful in situations where prefocus is necessary, such as focusing on the finish line of a race.

How do I set & use the Quick Focus feature?
You first need to preset the distance.  Go to the second menu screen and scroll down to the Q.F. setup.  Scroll across to the distance area and use the top and bottom parts of the jog dial to select the distance.  Be sure to press the "O.K." button twice to accept the new setting and exit the menu.  The Q.F. distance will remain the same unless you go into the menus and reset the distance.  When ready to use the Q.F. feature, press and hold the "O.K." button and then press the shutter button half-way down.  When the green focus light glows, you are ready to take your picture.  Make sure that you press the o.k. button first and then the shutter release button to use the Q.F. feature.  If you press the shutter release button first and then the o.k. button, you lock focus (you can now release the shutter button and the focus is still locked.)

How can I lock focus on one subject and meter off another subject?
To lock focus, half press the shutter release button and then press the o.k. button; you are now in focus lock mode.  Continue to hold the o.k. button but release the shutter button, reframe your photo and again half press the shutter release button to remeter another subject.

When would it be best to use the manual focus?
Manual focus is useful in instances where the autofocus system does not work correctly and the subject cannot be brought into focus, such as Xmas trees, when photographing high speed moving subjects, and when two subjects are at different distances in the viewfinder's autofocus mark.  Since manual focus can be tedious to set, it's best to use this setting when you are taking a group of pictures at the same focal distance.

Once you select the distance and press the shutter half-way, you will be able to view the focal point (where the lens is focused on; it's not just a guesstimate only) through the viewfinder.  If you are not happy with the focus, there is no need to cycle through the entire menu of choices on the top control panel.  Just press the "focus" button once to bring up the distance on the control panel, and then use the jog dial to select another distance setting.

How can I stop the red Autofocus Illuminator beam from activating in low light situations?
Set camera to a manual focus distance setting or the infinity setting on the top control panel.  Since you are specifying the distance, the camera will not send out the red beam in order to measure distance.

What is Stand-By (Sleep) Mode?
In order to reduce battery consumption, the camera will go into stand-by mode according to your preset time choice.  You can choose to turn the "sleep" function on after 1, 2, 5, or 10 minutes of inactivity or turn the option off.  The camera will remain in stand-by mode for up to one hour.  Pushing the shutter release button, zoom lever or power button will "wake" up the camera.

When taking pictures, does the C-2500L automatically switch between sm & cf cards?
No, you must manually select the card you want to write to or review by pressing the "Sm/Cf" button on the rear of the camera.

When should the manual white balance mode be used?
Manual white balance mode can be used when exposure occurs under a special light source or when a special color effect is desired.  Setting the white balance higher than 4500K produces a reddish image while a lower temperature will make the image look bluer.

Light Source & Color Temperatures:

Color Temperature (from "Kodak Professional Photo Guide")

What is white balance with reference?
This mode can be used when the colors are off using auto white balance.  The camera memorizes a white light as a reference for balancing white against the overall color of the image.
To set the white balance, select this option on the 1/4 menu page.  Hold a white sheet of paper (notebook paper is o.k.) by the light source, then focus on the paper making sure that it fills the viewfinder completely and press the o.k. button.  If "no good x" is displayed on the monitor, the lighting was not correctly memorized.

Can I adjust the intensity of the in-camera flash?
Go to menu screen 2/4.  The first item is for adjusting flash intensity in 1/3 steps.  The intensity of the flash is controlled for both the built-in camera flash and the FL-40 (when you select "TTL-Auto")  when you use them simultaneously.  When taking pictures in "manual mode", the amount of flash control is for the built-in flash only.

In the camera menu under flash synchronization effect, what is 1st & 2nd curtain effect?
On screen menu 2/4 you have a choice of flash synchronization effects.  When you choose 1st curtain effect, the flash is fired at the beginning of a slow shutter speed.  The flash will fire at the end of a slow shutter speed when 2nd curtain effect is chosen.

Why would I choose to increase the ISO setting to 200 or 400?
Raising the ISO setting increases the sensitivity of the sensor.  This means that less light is needed for your photograph.  The trade-off is an increase in graininess and noise.  Increasing the ISO is useful in low-light places where flash photography is not permitted.  Best results are obtained in good light when attempting to freeze fast action; increasing the ISO setting will result in an faster shutter speed.

How can I display the last menu setting on the LCD without scrolling through the other settings?
When you choose a menu setting such as white balance color temperature, do not press the o.k. button twice to choose the setting and close the menu.  Instead, highlight the setting and shoot your picture.  After your image has processed and your picture is no longer displayed on the LCD, press the menu button.  Your last setting will be highlighted.  This can be useful, as in the above white balance example, in taking the same picture but with different white balance color temperatures.

What are the camera's default settings & how can I reset the camera to these settings?
The camera's default settings are:

If you have forgotten what camera settings you have changed and would like to return to the original (default) settings, press the menu button at the rear of the camera and go to menu 4/4, select Reset--Yes and press the o.k. button twice.

What does the green light in the viewfinder indicate?
When the camera locks focus and is ready to take a picture, the green light will glow, and you will also hear two short beeps (if you've turned the beep option on [menu 3/4].)  The green light will blink when the camera is having problems focusing.

What does the glowing orange light in the viewfinder mean?
If a flash is needed the orange light will glow. The glowing orange light also warns you that the camera will use a slow shutter speed so take extra care to prevent blurry pictures from camera shake. If the flash is popped up, the blinking orange light indicates the flash is being charged.

Why does the camera appear not to select the best focus in the viewfinder?
You may need to optically correct the lens to suit your vision.  Look through the viewfinder and turn the diopter adjustment dial until the mark in the center of your viewfinder comes sharply into focus.

Why can't the camera focus in Super Macro Mode?
When using the super macro mode the camera will not be able to focus when in full zoom position. Use the edge of the wide mode to focus.

Can I use the LCD to preview my image prior to taking a picture?
No, the LCD can be used only to review your images after they are taken. The SLR-like viewfinder shows 95% of actual picture frame; the photographed image will be slightly wider than the image seen in the viewfinder. Likewise, the LCD image will not show the entire photographed image leading you to believe that the image was not framed properly. Also, the LCD image will not accurately show the exposure of the image leading you to believe that adjustments are necessary. It is best to download your pictures to your computer to accurately check for framing and exposure rather than make assumptions from what the LCD is showing you. The LCD can be used to check picture sharpness; the camera will enlarge your image 2x and 4x by pressing the zoom lever.

Can I preview my image on a TV screen prior to taking a picture?
There is no preview available prior to taking a picture.  But if you are taking portraits and would like a better view immediately after taking the picture than the LCD provides, you can hook the camera up to a TV monitor.  This will make it easier to check for picture quality.  Plug the video cable into the camera's video-out connector and plug the other end of the cable into the TV's video input jack.  The camera needs to be set on "Review" mode and your TV on "Video" mode.

How can I view photo information when reviewing pictures on the LCD?
When in review mode you can press the "information" (middle button on control panel) button to bring up picture info.  Additional presses will bring up additional information and turn the info display off.

How can I tell if the camera is set to Auto Flash rather than Fill Flash?
When the flash is in the up position and the camera is set to auto flash, there will be no symbol in the control panel. If you see a flash symbol in the control panel, then the camera is set to fill flash.

What is the illumination range of the built-in flash?

What flash settings are offered on the C-2500L?

Why are my indoor pictures using the in-camera flash often overexposed?
If you find that your in-camera flash is putting out too much light, check your focal point.  The camera will set it's flash exposure based on the distance from the subject.  Use spot meter and lock focus on your subject, then compose your picture and shoot.

What is the default shutter speed when using the auto flash setting?
The shutter speed defaults to 1/40 when using auto flash at the wide angle setting. This allows ambient light to register on the CCD giving your pictures a more natural look. At full zoom the shutter speed defaults to 1/100.

How many pictures can be taken in Sequence Mode? (& other important info)
A sequence of five pictures can be taken in SHQ, HQ, or SQ setting by selecting sequence mode in the menu and then holding down the shutter button until all five pictures are taken. While in sequence mode you cannot use the self-timer or red-eye reduction flash. If you are using the in-camera flash in sequence mode, keep the shutter button pressed as the camera waits for the flash to charge for each picture, which can take about eight seconds (with fresh batteries.)

Can I view the camera settings when looking through the viewfinder?
The viewfinder on the C-2500L does not display the camera settings. You can view the camera settings on the control panel on top of the camera or on the LCD when depressing the shutter halfway. To display the info on the LCD press the menu button and scroll down to the third window to "Disp Setup" and select "Rec Info: On."

What is the working range of the remote control?
When positioned directly in front of the camera (sensor in handle grip), the remote control has an effective range of 16.5 feet.  The remote control can also be used at an angle of 15% to the side of the sensor but the effective distance will decrease to 10 feet.

Under what conditions will the remote control not work properly?
The remote control may not function under strong fluorescent lights or bright sunlight.  You cannot use the remote control when using sequence mode.

What should I keep in mind when using the self-timer setting?

Does the camera write the exposure data along with the picture?
The EXIF data (F-stop, shutter speed, EV bias, ISO setting, etc.) is written by the camera in the header of the picture file.  Once the original picture has been altered in any way and resaved, the data is erased.  There are several software programs available that can read the EXIF data, such as PIE and Thumber.

Why are there brightly colored dots on my long exposure picture?
The bright red and blue dots are hot pixels.  They occur when using the long exposure mode in all digital cameras and demonstrate some of the noise from CCD sensors not being cooled for long exposures.  They may be barely noticeable at a 2-second exposure but become brighter and quite noticeable at 8 seconds.  They completely disappear when returning to program mode.  The dots can easily be cleaned-up in an image editing program using a clone tool or using the dark current filter in Qimage Pro.

How can I locate the position of hot pixels so that I may have an idea of where they will appear?
Set the camera to "M" mode and take an 8-second picture with the lens cap on.  Load your picture into an image editing program, enlarge to 100% or higher to view the location of hot pixels.

What size sm/cf cards can I use in the Camedia C-2500L?
The Camedia C-2500L is compatible with 3.3v SmartMedia cards up to 128 MB and Type I CompactFlash cards which meet the CFA standard, including 128 MB (since the controller resides in the card, the maximum size memory will vary.) When using a sm/cf card other than Olympus brand be sure to format the card with the Camedia C-2500L before using it.

Approximately how many pictures can I store on the 8 MB & 32 MB SmartMedia Card?

What's the recording time of data to sm cards; how long to display images in review mode?

What should I do if a card error occurs?
If a card error occurs when using the SmartMedia card, remove the card and reinsert it. If it occurs when using a CompactFlash card, the card may not have been inserted properly; reinsert the card. If the error reoccurs, take the proper action as listed below.

Why do I get a card full error when transferring pictures from a 16 MB SmartMedia card to a 16 MB CompactFlash Card?
Due to the difference in cluster size between SmartMedia and CompactFlash cards, the number of pictures that can be stored on newly formatted cards may vary. Also, the size indication on a CompactFlash card may differ from the actual capacity so that the number of storable pictures can vary.

Can the C-2500L copy image files from one memory card to another?
You can copy an individual image or all images from either sm card to cf card and visa versa.  Keep in mind that due to difference in cluster size between SmartMedia and CompactFlash, the number of pictures that can be stored on each card will vary (make sure you have sufficient space for transfer.)  Also, when transferring files between cards, the file name will be changed.

Can I write protect a single image on my SmartMedia card?
To write protect a single image, go to review mode and display the image you wish to protect on the camera's LCD.  Pressing the "Write-Protect" button (last button on top control panel) will place a lock icon over the image.  The image will be protected against accidental erasure and will become a read-only file.  To cancel write-protection, display the image on the LCD and press the "Write-Protect" button again (removing the icon.)  If you decide to format the card, even the write protected images will be erased.

Can I write protect an entire SmartMedia card?
To write-protect an entire card to insure against accidental erasure, apply a write-protect adhesive seal to the card.  When a seal is applied, the card can not be formatted.

I accidentally erased the pictures on the memory card; can I recover them?
It's worth a try.  Do not reformat or do anything further with the card.  You can try recovering the photo files using Norton's Utilities, Nuts & Bolts, or Directory Snoop (shareware.)

If I keep a UV filter on the lens, can I stack other filters on top of this?
It is not advisable to stack filters since the C-2500L is quite susceptible to vignetting along the outer edges of the photo.  Also, because of the short focal length lens, the further your filter is from the lens, the more dust (and fingerprints) will show up on your image.

What are the specifications of the Olympus 1.45 Teleconverter lens?

What is the recommended distance for using the Olympus 1.45 Teleconverter lens?
The recommended distance for taking pictures with the Olympus 1.45 teleconverter is 2-feet in Macro mode and to infinity in Program mode.  Pictures taken closer than 2-feet may result in out of focus pictures.

What precautions should I keep in mind when using the Olympus 1.45 teleconverter?

What are the specifications of the Olympus B-28 Wide Angle Converter?

What precautions should I keep in mind when using the Olympus B-28 Wide Angle Converter?

How do I crop an image in Camedia Master?
Use the "select rectangle" button.  The crop option will be active and the area outside your selection will be discarded.  "Save as" so as to keep the original image unaltered.

I've heard that Olympus provides a software correction for distortion. Where can I find this?
Camedia Master version 1.11 has a Distortion Filter that is quite useful for correcting barrel and pincushion distortion.  Click on the Image menu--Filter--Distortion to correct your image.

How can I access a photos exif data in Camedia?
Right click on a thumbnail and select properties, then click on details.  There is more exif data that Camedia doesn't show so you might want to consider using another program to view all the exif data.

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