I bought this camera at a local department store because of the 8x zoom. Two of the last three digital cameras I have had were Olympus and I loved the photo quality I got from them. This Olympus does really good still life pictures in good light. I was not too impressed with the people pictures it took. However if you use the flash on the camera the pictures turn out extremely over exposed, or bleached out. The flash is too bright,a complaint I have never had with any of my other Olympus cameras. On my other Olympus' the flash did well, it lit up everything I needed but the photos never were overexposed. It probably is possible to do some manual adjustment to compansate for this, but I want it easier than that, I have a SLR camera that is full manual for that kind of photography.
I do want to clarify that if I was going to use this camera solely for landscape and macro pictures, it does a grand job. I have a photo of a flower that I thought only my SLR camera could have ever gotten. However, using the flash just plain sucks and portrait photos are mediocre.

Picked up the C-725 from Office Max and did some test picture taking indoors. I operated the camera in AUTO mode as this was to be a gift for my daughter who wanted a point and shoot camera. I picked Olympus as I have had 2 earlier models of Olympus cameras and they always took excellent pictures. Almost all of the 20 pictures I took were terrible. Most of the pictures were out of focus and also, many were over-saturated with the light from the flash. My other Olympus cameras did not have these kind of problems when shooting the same scene indoors. Did Olympus design this thing or did they buy some third party piece of garbage? Other reviewers have made similar comments but I had to try one as I could not beleive this was the norm for Olympus. It went back to the store right away.

I gave this camera as a gift to my brother, and have regretted it ever since. We can't take a decent portrait shot of anyone with the flash on-the facial features are faded and whited out, even with the exposure control and flash toned down. Shots outdoors in broad daylight are similarly washed out in auto mode. As a matter of fact, everything is washed out in auto mode unless you're outdoors on a cloudy day. We now find that on some camera review websites, there are lots of people having the same problems with the c725 or its earlier version, the c720.

We've sent the camera back to Olympus twice under warranty with samples of the pictures, only to get it back saying that everything is working fine. NOT. I have several digital cameras from a tiny 2-megapixel Olympus (which works great) to a Canon SLR Digital, so we're not rank neophytes. We take great pictures with all our other digital cameras without this much aggravation. With the Olympus c725, if you tweak everything with every shot you take, and take many shots of the same subject, adjusting the settings up and down each time, you may get a few great pix. But we don't all have that kind of time for each picture; We want the auto mode to just plain work, a lot of the time, and flash pictures to be viewable, not overexposed. This camera is dropping in price for a reason. I would bet that many customers are returning it, just like we did. What a disappointment. And a lot of missed scenery, vacation, and family shots that no one will ever see because this camera just wasn't up to the simplest point-and-shoot tasks.

Skip this camera, ignore the review hype from the shills who probably work for Olympus, and listen to the reviewers who've had problems. We're telling the truth.

I bought the C-700 4 years ago @ $499. Just bought the C-725 on sale at Office Max for $199. I traded up from 2 to 3 mp and am feel like I got a steal.

Originally was looking for a good price on the C-740. Stumbled on this deal and with the combination of 8x optical and 3x digital. Even the C-720 at $149 on sale would have met my needs. Both are identical in terms of features with one exception. C-725 uses the xD while C-720 uses SmartMedia (same as my old C-700). Would rather have stayed with the same media format but the C-720 was out of stock.

Here's why any of these are great. Better optics, manually controlled pop-up flash (avoids embarrasing situations when you might forget to turn off flash in a flash-free environment), 3 mp provides just the right level of detail that still allows me to manage my computer memory (most C-725 photos take up less than 600 kb while C-700 average about 450 kb), and the extra plus is the My Mode setting. Finally, I can turn off the camera and turn it back on and have it remember how I like my settings.

A word about pixels. The higher the megapixels the bigger the memory required. Not all 2 and 3 megapixel cameras are equal. Don't buy 4+ mp just because you think they're better. A high quality 3 mp like Olympus 700 series makes for more manageable file sizes. I have an inventory of over 4,000 photos that I can fill on a couple of DVDs. Don't know how many I would need if all of them were in memory-hogging 4+ mp size.

All of the Olympus products take great photos. I don't mind the small LCD. I do most of my editing on the computer anyway. Don't even bother using the USB cable. This causes you to use up battery life. Just invest in a modest card reader, swap and go.

Here's the secret to really good photos using Olympus. In P mode, Select Spot metering, reduce exposure to -0.7, set Contrast to high, turn on digital zoom, and always take an extra shot or two (they're digital - just delete the bad ones). Then keep this in My Mode.

I travel all over the country. I love taking photos from the plane, on the side of the road, while at a stop light, anywhere. I usually fill a card then delete about a third to half when I get home.

Using spot metering, I can almost always get the right compensation for whatever light is available. Take advantage of digital's ability to lock a setting by focusing on an object, pressing halfway down on the shutter, then reframing. That's it. Spot metering takes care of the rest.

By using high contrast, my photos are much more vivid. And despite what you hear about digital zoom being a glorified cropping tool, with optics as good as Olympus, you'll be able to freeze a fastball from the upper sections with clarity that will blow you away. Spot metering also allows you to capture more natural colors when photographing you child on stage at the school play without the need for the flash.

If this is all too difficult to remember, you can always just set the camera on Auto mode and still take fabulous photos.

Although not as compact as the cutesy cameras coming out now, it's small enough not to take too much space in my briefcase. And I can always buy an extra 4 pack of AA batteries to make sure I am ready for more photos.

Here's a tip: Don't throw out the batteries when you get a low power warning. Keep them in your junk drawer at home. They're still plenty of power left for Gameboys, kitchen clocks, toys, etc. Digital products just require max available power so buy good batteries. The store branded 10 / $1 alkalines just won't do.

Here is my comparison shopping for a digital camera for my parents at Amazon.com with some criteria for selection:

MP: 3MP are sufficient, as they presently develop 3.5" x 5" prints from a pathetic film camera
optical zoom: important for Civil War re-enactments
LCD screen size: easy on the poor old eyes?
memory: I'm buying a spare memory card for them, after all
batteries: cost consideration
video: yes? limited duration or only memory-limited? audio?
price: preferably an entry-level camera
dimensions: portable, not too small for clumsy hands

Camera/MP/optical zoom/LCD screen/Memory/Batteries/Video?/Price (Nov 2004)/Dimensions

Canon A75 3.2MP/3x/1.8"/Flash/4 x AA/3 min/$200.00/4" x 2.6" x 1.3"

Canon S1 IS 3.2MP/10x/1.5"/Flash/4 x AA/yes/$400.00/4.4" x 2.6" x 3.2"

Fuji FinePix A330 3.2MP/3x/1.5"/xD card/2 x AA/no audio/$200.00/4.1" x 2.4" x 1.2"

Fuji FinePix S3000 3.1MP/6x/1.8"/xD card/4 x AA/no audio/$???/3.9" x 3.0" x 2.7"

Fuji FinePix S3100 4MP/6x/1.5"/xD card/4 x AA/no audio/$300.00/3.9" x 3.0" x 2.7"

Fuji FinePix S5000 3.1MP/10x/1.5"/xD card/4 x AA/yes/4.4" x 3.2" x 3.1"

Fuji FinePix S5100 4MP/10x/1.5"/xD card/4 x AA/yes/$400.00/4.5" x 3.25" x 3.1"

HP M407 4.1MP/3x/1.8"/16MB + SD card/lithium/yes/$200.00/4.3" x 1.4" x 2.1"

HP 945 5.3MP/8x/2"/SD card/4 x AA/1 min/$400.00/4.8" x 3.3" x 3.3"

Kodak DX6490 4MP/10x/2.2"/16MB + SD card/lithium/yes/$400.00/ 3.9" x 3.1" x 3.2"

Minolta Dimage S414 4MP/4x/1.8"/Flash/4 x AA/1 min/$200.00/4.5" x 2.5" x 2.3"

Minolta Dimage Z3 4MP/12x/1.5"/SD card/4 x AA/yes/$500.00/4.3" x 3.1" x 3.3"

Minolta Dimage Z10 3MP/8x/1.5"/SD card/4 x AA/yes/4.3" x 3.2" x 3.7"

Nikon CoolPix 3200 3.2MP/3x/1.6"/14.5MB + SD card/2 x AA/yes/$200.00/3.5" x 2.6" x 1.5"

Nikon CoolPix 4800 4MP/8.3x/1.8"/13.5MB + SD card/lithium/yes/$400.00/4.2" x 2.2" x 2.6"

Nikon CoolPix 5400 5.1MP/4x/1.5"/Flash//70 sec//

Nikon CoolPix 5700 5MP/8x/1.5"/Flash/lithium/60 sec/$???/4.3" x 3.0" x 4.0"

Olympus C725 3MP/8x/1.5"/xD card/lithium/30 sec/$180.00/4.2" x 3" x 3"

Olympus C765 4MP/10x/1.8"/xD card/lithium/yes/$400.00/4.1" x 2.3" x 2.7"

Olympus D540 3.2MP/3x/1.8"/xD card/2 x AA/no audio/$180.00/4" x 2.2" x 1.5"

Sony DSC-V1 5MP/4x/1.5"/Mem Stick/lithium/yes/$330.00/4" x 2.5" x 2.2"


I got a little lazy in tracking down all the details of the various Nikon's, but looking at my list, I think I would personally like to get a Dimage Z3. If I wanted to spend $400 on a camera for my parents, I think the Kodak DX6490 would win (big LCD, some internal memory for when they forget to bring a card, etc.). But, I'm being cheap (it's their first digital camera, after all), so I narrowed the choices to the HP M407 and the Olympus C-725. Playing with the cameras at a store revealed: 1) The HP M407 is really easy to use. I believe the C-725 menus are more complicated. Fortunately, since I'll be present when my parents open the gift, I can program the settings for them. 2) You quickly realize how 3x zoom stinks compared to 8x zoom. And a very cost-conscious 8x zoom at that.

Easy to use and reliable. The quality of picture is great.

This camera is of good quality, and user friendly with a little instruction as to which button does what. However, the size is really inconvenient. Especially to a woman who needs to carry it around in her purse. While there are special cases to carry it in, for a person who can't lug a bunch of camera equipment all day...I can tell you that I can't take it many places. Forget formal functions...you can't carry it in an evening bag or clutch, and a big black shoulder pack looks rather silly with a dress. Or for a younger person, say a teenager, there's no way they can juggle it at school. And many of the digital cameras are being sold to teens who want to take them everywhere. If you can carry a larger camera then the quality is just fine...good zoom capability, simple buttons, and a variety of options...but if you can't tote it...don't buy it.

For the price, this camera gives an incredible zoom and an array of options far beyond the simple point-and-shoot. In fact, that's what had damaged its reputation a little -- it's competitively-priced with actual point-and-shoot cameras, and the average camera user suddenly has a camera they don't know how to use. That's not to say the full-auto mode can't give good pictures, but using this camera to its full potential requires a little setup.

I bought this camera in the fall of 2004 and it seems to have met its maker now in March of 2006. I'll list the pros and cons of it.
PROS: nice resolution, good details, good color (got some really nice pictures and cropped close ups).
pretty good in low light situations.
flash works fine, most pics came out OK.
AA batteries are a big plus - use rechargable ones.
pre-focusing is helpful by gently pressing on shutter
Camedia software is easy to use.
Save battery life by turning off LCD screen
Price was good when I got it, but now there are newer cameras that are better deals.
CONS: flimsy USB port door - plastic latch broke within a few months.
expensive XD cards, of course.
focus not always up to par, esp at max zoom.
battery life is so-so - the batteries can quit without warning.
Shutter delay - my main problem here - I would guess about three seconds to focus and shoot when shooting the soccer game while zooming. Missed a lot of shots.
Note the recommended use temperature. You can't use it if it's below freezing? (32 degrees).
This may have been what finished the camera off - using in low temps. I think it's a problem with the zoom. It powers on, previews the scene for about 5 seconds, then everything turns black, you can't use the controls, and the red light blinks. What does that mean? There's nothing in the manual about it. And it's not worth the cost of trying to repair it...
In conclusion, if you get this camera, you should buy it at a really cheap price for it to be worth it.

I love this Camera! I've owned it for over a year now and have not had ONE problem. It takes clear, sharp, quality photos that are never washed out or unbalanced. I love having the ability to turn the flash down a bit- as the flash IS bright, however I think this is a definite positive quality. Auto mode works great, but if I get daring, the manual controls are fun to play with too! Takes beautiful portraits. I love the "Sports" setting! It freezes the action and works great! I would definitely buy this camera again. It might be overwhelming for a beginner, but for a slightly more advanced, amatuer photographer, this camera is great!

I have owned this digital camera for over 3 years. Since I have not owned any other camera besides this one, you could say that I am a bit jaded. The picture quality is just fantastic. I recently took a trip to Mexico, and every photo was perfect. It is easy to use and even easier to download onto your computer. Overall, I would recommend this product for anyone.

This camera has worked better than I ever expected.

Originally, I purchased it (2 and a half years ago) because my wife and I were going to Hawaii and I wanted something that was not too expensive so that it would not break the bank if, by chance, it got wet, lost, or stolen. The C-725 fit the bill.

To my surprise, the pictures it took, although only 3 megapixels, looked great! Whether in auto mode in bright light, in auto or manual mode in the subdued lighting of a shaded waterfall, or in manual mode with an 8-second exposure of the full moon at night, the pictures looked great! And the manual control to capture the nuances of dawn and sunrise as well as sunsets were amazing for the price paid.

One feature that has really impressed me is the panorama function. It works best from a tripod. You can take up to five photos in sequence, either in landscape or portrait, and then stitch them together with the included software. However, I have since discovered that other aftermarket software does work better for this procedure. Anyway, they look great!

Be sure to turn off the digital zoom and just use the 8x optical. Pictures look much better since you will not be over-rezzing.

Note regarding lens adapters:

You can find after-market lens adapters for this model. Get the tube adapter and a circular polarizer and UV filters for even better outdoor shots! Auto-focus cameras MUST use a circular polarizer! The wide angle and focal multipliers that you will also find are worthless. Do NOT bother with them.

I really like the fact that it uses AA batteries. If you buy the rechargable kind (2650mAh Duracells work best), you can take up to 300 photos using the zoom and all on one charge. The rechargable batteries will pay for themselves after about the forth or fifth charge.

If you want to see samples of this camera's handywork, just google "BlueCollar Traveler" and go to the first listing. There you will find some prime examples along with a link to more than a 100+ photos (and some video clips, too) from our last two trips to Hawaii. All were taken with this little C-725 (the daytime outdoor shots had a circular polarizer filter attached).

This camera is now beyond it's sunset. Newer cameras have more and better features. But, for an amateur photo snapper like me, I feel that the current price for what features are offered is unbeatable!

Original review: March 2006: I bought this camera in the fall of 2004 and still use it for all my pictures. I'll list the pros and cons of it.
PROS: nice resolution, good details, good color (got some really nice pictures and cropped close ups).
pretty good in low light situations.
flash works fine, most pics came out OK.
AA batteries are a big plus - use rechargable ones.
pre-focusing is helpful by gently pressing on shutter
Camedia software is easy to use.
Save battery life by turning off LCD screen
Price was good when I got it, but now there are newer cameras that are better deals.
CONS: flimsy USB port door - plastic latch broke within a few months.
expensive XD cards, of course.
focus not always up to par, esp at max zoom.
battery life is so-so - the batteries can quit without warning.
Shutter delay - my main problem here - I would guess about three seconds to focus and shoot when shooting the soccer game while zooming. Missed a lot of shots. Pre-focusing helped, though.
Note the recommended use temperature. You can't use it if it's below freezing? (32 degrees).
After owning it for a year, this is the problem I had. It powers on, previews the scene for about 5 seconds, then everything turns black, you can't use the controls, and the red light blinks. Power off, power on again, and the same thing happens with that annoying blinking red light. What does that mean? There's nothing in the manual about it. (See below for an update on this problem).
If you don't mind the size of the camera, the big plus is the high powered optical zoom.
*** REVIEW UPDATE - March 2007 ***
Shortly after the first review, I solved the problem. The camera actually still works fine - the problem was the batteries! Apparently rechargable batteries will fail for good after a while, and there's no way of knowing this except by replacing them with a new set. ALWAYS carry extra batteries as well as an emergency set of non-rechargables so you don't get stuck! Your rechargables also will lose their charge even if they're not in the camera so keep that emergency set on hand In summary, with the exception of close flash pictures (may be washed out) and action shots at MAX zoom (will never pre-focus properly) all other shots are great! Any of the battery problems will, I assume, be common to all cameras. So, now you know!