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I just received this camera last week and I am so impressed with the quality of the pictures- they are incredibly vibrant and clear. The zoom lens is wonderful for taking close up portraits and for using at my son's soccor games. Best of all, there is relatively no delay in picture taking, you can set it for consecutive pics and it has a great movie feature with sound!! A great price for all the features and easy to use. I am very pleased with this purchase!

I spent weeks researching digital cameras before choosing the C-770. It is my first time owning a digital camera and I couldn't be happier. The pictures have excellent color and grain (even using ISO400) and the function for night shooting is amazing! I eliminated issues with shake/blur when fully zoomed or long exposures by using my tripod and the timer/remote functions. The super zoom (which often results in poor quality) has excellent quality - I was pleasantly surprised. There are some focusing issues with low light or blank spaces, but the manual focus feature is great. It took a little practice but I have no problems with it. I can't really complain about focus or shake issues because they are common to many cameras (even my 35mm SLR, which is a nightmare to focus with in low light) and the problem is easily remedied.
The video feature is fun, but I'm still figuring out how to get it from the card to my computer, which I don't think supports MPEG very well. I used the video function 3 times. Twice without incident. Once the image became horribly fragmented but I switched cards and got crystal clear results. I'm thinking it's a fluke (I seem to have a negative effect on ALL electronics, so it could be me). As long as it doesn't happen again, it's a fun little feature.
Battery life is great and it charges up in 2 hours. I have a 256mb card and using the SHQ & HQ modes I fit over 80 pictures on there with plenty of room left over.
This has been a great buy for the money (I paid $358 with shipping). I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 (really should be 4.5) because of the incident with the video, but as long as it doesn't happen again, it's a definite 5 star purchase. A great choice for high-end snapshots.

The C-770 has lived beyond my expectations. I have used this camera with multiple pre-set modes; portrait, night, sports as well as the default mode and true to the claims the outcome was fantastic. However, on the maximum 10X Zoom you definitely need a Tripod because I haven't been able to reduce blur when shooting without one.It captures movies with amazing clarity and the recording time is limited only by the memory. A must buy for photograpgy enthusiasts.

The Olympus C-770 ultra zoom is everything it is cracked up to be. It is however a complicated camera with a lot of sophisticated features. If you want to just take snapshots this camera will do just fine but you will get better value out of a lower priced less full featured camera. If you are a serious photographer but do not want to buy a digital SLR this is a great camera.

What I like: This may sound silly but it sure is nice to have a camera that you don't have to remember to turn off the flash all the time. It is a joy to not have to worry about this ever time you power up the camera. Because I do nature and landscape photography the 10x optical zoom and super macro mode have finally freed me from my film SLR. In TIFF or SHQ resolution at 10X one can image a small bird at 8 to 10m with sufficient resolution to see a high level of detail in the processed image. This is comparable to a 500mm lens shooting iso 400 film. The lens is fast enough that one can hand hold the camera in this situation as well. It takes practice but it can be done. For macro images, being able to focus at less than 5 cm is a great feature, allowing ultra close ups. Being able to set just about anything manually is a real plus too, but you need to be very proficient and familiar with the menus to do this with any speed. I also like the video feature, that with a 512MB card allows 30 minutes of recording time. For me this eliminated my need for a digital video camera as I seldom shoot a scene that lasts more than a few minutes.

What I don't like: The default settings are not to my liking. You can set up to 4 personal modes, but it would be nice if simple things like camera resolution did not have to be reset every time you power up the camera. The minimum aperture on the lens is f8. This does not give enough depth of field when you want it, such as in long exposure nature close ups. While the camera is nice and compact I would prefer slightly bigger with a faster lens. Also it would be nice to have 5 megapixles in this package. Oh well maybe the C-780 will have that. Last I don't like the looseness of the zoom. This seems to be a common feature of the Olympus zoom mechanism. Perhaps it is a response to people leaving the lens cap on, but having a fine camera like this with a lens barrel that rattles is a little disturbing.

As has been mentioned in previous reviews you really need to read the full manual included on the CD to get the most out of this camera. It is nice to think I'll finaly be able to leave film cameras at home when I head out into the field.

I purchased this camera approximately a month ago, and I couldn't be more thrilled with its performance. I had used two older Olympus cameras that could be considered the precursor to this C770. They both had similar features and zoom capabilities, although they didn't quite have all the bells and whistles this C770 has. Both of those older versions I used at work for my job as a wildlife biologist and they did an excellent job taking "nature" pictures. I therefore knew what kind of quality I would be getting when I purchased this C770 for my personal use. It may be cliche, but the C770 has gone beyond my expectations. Although I'm still learning how to use all the extra features, it has done everything I've needed it to do thus far. It has taken crystal-clear indoor pictures of people using the flash. I've been thoroughly impressed with the outdoors pictures I've taken, particularly the ones of people and my dog. When I bought this camera I also purchased a Cannon Pixma ip5000 printer, and together they have produced clear, colorful, incredible pictures (after a search for the proper combination of paper and settings on the printer). I'd say that the pictures are better than those I was getting developed from my old SLR camera using standard 35mm film. I also purchased an Olympus 256mb XD card, and I'm able to get approximately 260 pictures on the highest quality settings. It also takes approximately 15 minutes of video with that 256mb card, and that's just an added bonus to the picture taking capabilities of this camera. I would make a recommendation, however: purchase an extra Li-ion battery to have as a spare in addition to the one battery the camera comes with, as this camera doesn't use typical AA batteries (like it's predecessors did). The charger that comes with the camera works in about 2 hours, so recharging batteries is fairly quick. I had grown accustomed to using an SLR camera and having the ability to adjusting shutter speed and aperature. This C770 allows you to use manual settings and adjust speed, aperature, and ISO for more versatility. However, even the auto settings (essentially "point and shoot") abilities of this camera are great. Although I haven't tried them out yet, I'm looking forward to trying the black-and-white and sepia settings for taking more artistic pictures. I was also impressed that the camera is smaller than it's predecessors. I'd highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants not only a simple camera to use that has automatic settings, but who also wants the flexibility to adjust aperature, speed, and has a 10x zoom (combined with 4x digital zoom for 40x total) for taking pictures of distant features. The 10x optical zoom was essential for someone like myself who loves taking pictures of the great outdoors and animals. One last recommendation: if you want to buy a digital camera, I'd recommend buying at least a 4 megapixel camera such as this C770. I've been very pleased with the picture clarity of this 4 megapixel camera.

Not exactly what I had hoped for (3 or 4 stars actually), yet:

- picture quality is excellent straight out of the box
- video is at top of its class, although one should not view this as a full time alternative to a camcorder
- nice feel, lens of mostly top notch quality (see below why it's not a clear top)
- menu system is easy and intuitive

However:

- no optical viewfinder is one of the two major negatives, the EVF (electronic viewfinder) freezes up especially in darker situations and that's really distracting, on a moving subject you just don't know what shot you got until you see it on the screen
- lens barrel is not snugly mounted in the camera recess, it rattles (I've touch several examples of this model and they all had the same design/manufacturing issue) and it is NOT reassuring, the rattle stays even after the lens is extended to shooting position, although it's somewhat less pronounced
- in darker situations it is indeed slow to AutoFocus, I do mean SLOOOW
- 10X zoom is nice to have, but the long end gets shaky quick (no IS here) and I would suggest going no higher than about 75% of the long range for hand-held shots

In the end I'm not sure if I could recommend this camera. It's loaded and seems to meet most expectations. I know I'll wait for some new (and effective) EVF technology before embarking on a non-optical viewfinder unit. It's by far the worst part of this otherwise promissing design. Troubling AF performance in darker scenes should also be an important factor if your intended use isn't in daylight and outside.

If you are looking for a camera that won't empty your wallet but will provide you with an opportunity to grow as an amateur photgrapher, look no more. As a "rookie" photographer (meaning I had never used anything other than just a point and shoot for pictures - and they were never very good), I was looking for a camera that would have more advanced features - including a powerful zoom - and that would allow me to add on external devices like filters, wide angle lens, etc....

This camera does all of this and more - the picture quality is incredible. I recently went to Rocky Mountain National Park for the real test - it was nice to be able to finally zoom in on wildlife and get very good quality shots that you are excited about when you pull up on your computer.

Some recommended accessories that are a must have with this camera if you are planning on taking full advantage of it's features:

Tripod - I bought the Sunpak 6601 UT off of amazon for about $20 (love it so far, great quality and easy to use). You absolutely need a tripod in order to use the full zoom otherwise the pics will have a tendency to be blurry.

Extra Battery and Storage - The battery is okay, but it is proprietary, so you can't just pick one up at the supermarket like you could with most point and shoot cameras. It is well worth the extra $15-20 to buy another so you don't lose any chances at a great picture. As for storage, I bought a 256 card, but probably will get another 512 or 256. Although I did read a review on this camera on a reputable site and the reviewer mentioned that he didn't see any real quality differences between the TIFF, SHQ, and HQ modes of the camera. I have to agree - I took the same photo on all three quality levels and can't see a difference. With this being the case, on HQ mode with a 256 card, you can take roughly 260 pictures. So the point of all of this is: if you aren't taking a very long vacation where you can't download your pics the 256 will probably do the job. If, however, you are planning a long vacation and want to shoot away, I would probably get a 512 or even a 512 and 256.

Lens Adapter and Filters, Wide angle Lens - The lens adapter will enable you to add on any of the extra goodies as you grow as a photographer. I purchased a UV and Polarizing filter (again from amazon) and really like the outcome of the pics - definitely softens the light of the pictures. Unfortunately I did not purchase the wide angle lens for this camera, but am on amazon right now to do so. The wide angle allows you a better opportunity to capture landscape as you see it. If you like landscape photography, don't make the same mistake I did, get the wide angle up front (save on shipping!).

Lastly, you need a good camera bag (and it needs to be big!). I bought a nice lowepro bag at best buy for about $20. It has several nice pockets to store all the accessories and cords, etc... for the camera.

To recap - if you were thinking DSLR (like me) but your wallet (and/or wife) said no chance, this is a great camera for you. In fact this is a great camera period! You can definitely just use the basics and take great pictures (by the way it takes great video too), or you can choose to grow as a photographer by using the more advanced features of the camera. Plain and simple: You cannot go wrong with this camera!

I've had this camera for over a year now and I STILL cannot get this thing to take a consistently clear picture. This is my 4th digital camera (2nd Olympus) and I have been using them for many years so this is by no means a rookie mistake. I have read the manual and tried every conceivable setting on this camera. I have had many unforgettable "picture" moments ruined by this camera, resulting in blurry pictures. I finally packed away the camera last month after 70% of my vacation pictures were blurry. I am now using my old 1.6 megapixel camera that uses floppy disks - at least that takes consistently clear pictures.

Don't buy this camera, you will regret it many times over.

Going from a 1.3 to a 4 with a great teliscopic has opened a whole new world of picture to me.

The size of this camera is very good. It fits comfortably in the hand and is not too bulky to carry around sightseeing. The clarity of the pictures is very good and even when I think I may be shaking the pictures come out sharp and clear. The only complaint I have found so far is that the dial for setting the shooting mode switches too easily so the next time you get your camera out it may not be in the same mode you left it in. It would be better if the dial clicked and stayed in a little more snugly. Mostly I like the camera alot and the price is better than the competitors.

I am very pleased with the Olympus C-770. It is easy to use & to carry (purchased an after market case) This is my first digital camera and it has been a good choice. I specifically wanted more than the common 3 optical zoom and this is a 10x optical. I would have like a larger view screen but this is certainly adequate.

Super, Only drawback , as I read in prior reveiws, is battery life. Super easy to use and great pictures. the movie mode is wonderful with the use of an upgraded memory card.

I have been using this camera over the course of about a year and have produced amazing clear shots, even in the dead of night. I belong to a local paranormal research group and I can highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a good camera for that type of research. The only slightly negative aspect to this camera that I can think of is the flash recharge rate between shots. You have to wait a little more between shots when using the flash. Don't let this issue put you off of owning this camera. You won't be sorry.

Have seen camera's priced at the same level that of the Olympus C770 UZ, & yet they have a poor Optical/Digital Zoom. This model being one of the earliest amongst all having a Zoom as high as 10x & yet being priced under $500US.That itself was a steal price,considering the next best were the D-SLRs which were soon released in the same time when this model was released.
Have used this camera for a year almost.What it lacks is a Stabilized Zoom. For the body of the camera being heavy (thats the price u pay for a lens that has a 10x power),yet u can ignore the weight of the camera if u see the picture output that it can deliver. Have shot pictures in San Francisco,Monterey,Las Vegas & Seattle.And the images yet do blow me away.
For someone who is not sure which camera to buy - If u are a beginner,go for the usual 3x/4x Optical Zooms & feather weight camera's from Canon,Olympus or Sony.
For the serious photographers who would enjoy outdoor shoots & harness the power of the zoom - Go for the 10x & up series of camera's from Olympus or Canon. The image clarity is awesome - of course u have to know how to capture the subject on camera.
For the not cost conscious & serious photographers - go for a Digital SLR or the normal Nikon's,Canon EOS Rebels - nothing beats normal photography compared to digital. Of course, u need to find time off to send your films for a laundry wash at the Kodak's or Ritz camera's - else settle for a digital world that has made photography easy to store & print off a small memory card - be it the xD's for a Fuji,Olympus, SD's CF for Canon's Nikons or the Memory sticks for a Sony.
Make your choice - but take my word.For the price, this camera is a beauty.

Buyer be ware! Olympus cameras have a tendency to break after the warranty expires. This is the second camera I have purchased from Olympus that has broken down soon after the warranty expired. The camera itself is great with it's 10x zoom and 4 megapixels. Yet, it saddens me to see the quality of this once great company deteriorate to the point that their products seize to work a few weeks/months after their warranty expires... Yes, there are lemons out there, but two cameras? What are the chanses of that? The first Olympus camera that failed on me was the C4000, when a week after the warranty expired the flash died on me. At least I got a good year more with that model (even if I was confined to day shots)... now, the 770 has totally died on me... it seems like the microchip/bar controlling the off-playback-auto-movie modes has malfunctioned on me as it is only turning off and into playback mode (even on camera/video mode)... no use sending it back to the factory as I don't have any warranty and y'all know how much they charge for repairs on digital cameras.

Nothing left to use but upgrate... this time i'm getting the darn extended warranty... oh, and yes, I went for the Sony Alpha 100.... first dive into dSLR... can't wait to get the lenses this week to test it all out... more on that later.

I bought this camera in November 2005 and have taken some of the most incredible shots of my life with it. However, it died 6 months after purchase, so I sent it in for repair thinking the warranty would cover it-not so much. I spent the dough to get it fixed and now (6 months later) it has died again. I am so disappointed I could scream.

I purchased this camera after much research in 2005, it was my first digital camera purchase. Many of the features were way beyond my expertise, so I just used the pre-set auto or sports mode most of the time. The delay between pressing the button and the actual photo was a bit too long and a real pain when you have active children that you are trying to capture on film. I ended up with lots of "back of the head" shots or blurs. The batteries did run down way too quickly, especially when flash was used. I discovered that you have to use the flash for nearly all indoor photos or you'd end up with a blurry mess. I realized this after nearly all of my daughter's birthday photos were ruined, I wasn't too happy with the camera at that point. The hotshoe cover did not lock into place like it should, very flimsy. The extensive 10x zoom sounded great but once I tried using it at a zoo I found that it could usually only be extended about half-way in order to get a clear shot, so what's the point? I must admit that I did manage to get quite a few amazingly clear photos with this camera over the past two years, they were usually outdoor shots. After finally making peace with all my camera's quirks, I now find myself in the market to upgrade since this camera was recently stolen by some idiot who probably thought they could make some money off of it. I hope it breaks for them.

I bought this camera around three years ago and later on moved to a digital SLR. This is what my experience has been with this camera.

First of all, this camera was one of the first of the long range zoom and semi professional series of camera in market. The strength of Olympus always has been in innovation. They were the first to launch 10x Zoom, the first to launch sensor cleaner, the first to have live preview in a SLR, first to launch 18-20x zoom camera, first to launch lenses specifically for DSLRs and so on. Their only weakness is probably in marketing and bulk sales once other manufacturers catch up.

Now for this camera, this is a truly professional camera allowing users to set up shutter speed and aperture manually, this camera can beat any other camera in its +20% price range hands on. A super macro mode allows you to take pictures as close as a couple of centimetres and a 10x optical zoom makes sure that your target is never too far from you.

It also features a sports mode that allows you to take pictures without motion blur and three algorithms of light adjustments makes sure that you can adjust the lighting depending on the surroundings. Also it allows taking pictures in TIFF format and even the default format of JPEG also creates very small photographs (Less than half in size to same sized pictures from a sony cam).
In addition to these, some features also exist that usually arent mentioned on the reviews. A remote control that allows you to take self photographs at ease and not run to your position to beat the timer (although it features a timer too). It also features an external 5 pin flash connectivity that can be programmed to fire depending on the shooting conditions. It also allows lenses to be added to the existing ones so in case you need a wide view lens, that can be mounted on top of the existing lens. The flip side is that these lenses will be available only from olympus.
More important, this comes with two flashes, one for bright close-up shots and other, focussed for telephoto shots. The range of camera always pose a challange for flash makers as they need to make flashes that light up sorroundings properly for close shots and still is focussed enough for telephoto shots. Olympus has solved this long known problem with a very simple mechanism of two flash lights that automatically fire depending on the focus distance. I regret to see that other manufacturers haven't followed suit with this approach.

The only drawbacks that this camera suffers from are its weight and construction. Although you cannot complain about weight as I have seen many others that are far worst than this, the construction does leave scope of improvement.

Overall, this is a kill at its price. Over three years of usage, the only problem I ever saw in this camera was the high noise on high ISO values. Apart from the image noise on high ISO, this is the best product you could get your hands on.