Olympus D-540 and Other Olympus Digital Cameras are on Sale at Amazon.com

Olympus D540 3.2 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Price: Too Low To Display

I learned earlier today that Amazon.com is running a sale on Olympus digital cameras. I looked through the less expensive cameras for a deal that I thought was particularly good and I found the Olympus D-540. This is a 3.2-megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and a 3.3x digital zoom which can be combined to get you to 10x effective zoom with some degradation of sharpness. The D-540 has a 1.8-inch LCD display and a pretty good flash. It stores its images in JPEG format on xD cards.

The reviews I've read of this camera elsewhere are very good. For example:

• Digital Camera HQ:

  The compact, 3-megapixel Olympus D-540 is a good choice for beginner photographers looking for simplicity and style. With a very similar design to the 4-megapixel Olympus D-580, the D-540 offers fully automated controls, a 3x optical zoom, and seven preset scene modes. Thanks to its "Auto Connect USB" capability, the D-540 can be connected to almost any computer for instant image downloads -- no software required.

• Steve's Digicams:

  ...the Olympus D-540 zoom offers a good value to families desiring a digicam combining good image quality with ease of use. Its uncomplicated automatic features produce properly exposed images, its sharp 3x optical zoom lens offers a versatile range, and its 3-megapixel imager has enough resolution for 8x10-inch prints or cropped prints of smaller size.

I liked the D-540 more than the Olympus D-395, which is $40 or 50 less expensive, but gives up truly useful features like the optical zoom.

There's a $25 usage credit at Ofoto available if you buy the D-540 by June 30, 2004. That's a pretty substantial bonus considering the low price of this camera.

If you are looking for an inexpensive digital camera with good resolution and logical controls, the Olympus D-540 is worth checking out. I like this model, and I think I could produce good 8x10 prints of family photos shot with it.