Why You Can Trust CNET Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom review: Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom
Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom
Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography | PCs and laptops | Gaming and gaming accessories
2 min read
Though it lacks the black accents of its sibling, the Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom passes as a nearly identical twin to the C-740 Ultra Zoom. At a slightly heftier 15 ounces, equipped with its four AA nickel-metal-hydride batteries and media card, the Olympus C-750 delivers the same solid performance, broad feature set, and respectable image quality. Four key features differentiate the two: The C-750 supplies a slightly higher 4-megapixel resolution, includes a hotshoe for a TTL external flash, supports audio recording for movies, and ships with a remote control and a set of batteries with a charger. It bears the same 10X, 38mm-to-380mm zoom lens (in 35mm-equivalent terms) and offers all the same shooting, exposure, and metering options that make up the satisfyingly full feature set.
The Olympus C-750 also performs like its sibling, with a perceptible shutter lag that can approach as much as 4 seconds and typically takes 3 seconds from shot to shot. The flash requires slightly less time to recharge than the C-740's does, at least with rechargeable cells, and the batteries last as long, but the Olympus C-750 produces larger file sizes that bog down the burst speeds to a maximum of about 1.6 frames per second. It also suffers from the same, somewhat erratic zoom response.
Though the C-750 has a slightly higher resolution than the C-740, it doesn't deliver better photos, but the extra pixels let you crop in closer on some details. Test images from the two cameras look extremely similar on all counts, right down to the tendency toward in-camera oversharpening that exacerbates the otherwise mild noise. And the Olympus C-750's overall image quality, like the C-740's, is about average compared with that of other 4-megapixel models.
We think the Olympus C-750 is a solid choice if you want the long zoom. And it's probably a better deal than its twin--you don't pay a significant price premium, and you get the bundled batteries and remote. Think of the extra resolution as a windfall.
The Olympus C-750 also performs like its sibling, with a perceptible shutter lag that can approach as much as 4 seconds and typically takes 3 seconds from shot to shot. The flash requires slightly less time to recharge than the C-740's does, at least with rechargeable cells, and the batteries last as long, but the Olympus C-750 produces larger file sizes that bog down the burst speeds to a maximum of about 1.6 frames per second. It also suffers from the same, somewhat erratic zoom response.
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"="" --="">/sc/20852064-2-200-SIC2.jpg" width="200" height="150" alt="" />Like its 3.2-megapixel twin, the Olympus C-750 produces sharp photos with good shadow and highlight detail, as well as decent color balance.
Though the C-750 has a slightly higher resolution than the C-740, it doesn't deliver better photos, but the extra pixels let you crop in closer on some details. Test images from the two cameras look extremely similar on all counts, right down to the tendency toward in-camera oversharpening that exacerbates the otherwise mild noise. And the Olympus C-750's overall image quality, like the C-740's, is about average compared with that of other 4-megapixel models.
We think the Olympus C-750 is a solid choice if you want the long zoom. And it's probably a better deal than its twin--you don't pay a significant price premium, and you get the bundled batteries and remote. Think of the extra resolution as a windfall.