I got this camera at a Great Deal (Black Friday Sale at Fry's for $127.00). Spent almost two hours in line to pay for it. However, we could not even get it to turn on. (We are NOT novices at digital cameras!!). Now, I have to take it back to Fry's. Hopefully, the line is not as bad for returns!! I wish I had gone to Target instead. They had a 6 mp, 3x, 2.5 lcd, Kodak for $100!!. I am really upset.!!!

The FE-180 seams to have a major problem with the picture quality in this camera. A review at CNET says the pictures are soften but that's a politely way to say fuzzy. I took over 100 pictures indoor, outdoor close up far off and in some shots the pictures are clear but non of them are sharp.
I got a lot of out of focus shots and tried using the digital stabilizer mode called DIS which is really effective in low light scenarios. But I could never get a sharp picture.
Another issue I have is that after you take a picture it only stays in the display for about 1 second. If I want to view the picture I have to switch to the viewing mode, making sure my subjects were looking at me. I returned it getting the Canon Powershot SD600 which works perfect; it's worth the extra cost to take pictures that last a lifetime.

I bought this Olympus FE-180 camera to take pictures of a new home. I love it. 2 Alkaline
Batteries last for 400 - 500 shots. I have 512k xd memory cards and it holds
334 pictures. Easy to scroll through pictures and delete one if you want. I have since
bought one for my sister and my mother. They loved the pictures I took with mine and sick
of theres killing the batteries after 40 shots or so. My mother dropped hers out of case five
feet to a concrete floor and it still works fine. Small dent in front metal case.
(not Recommended) This is my 4th digital camera and by far the best yet!

After viewing CNET's lack-luster review of the FE-170, supposedly being a poor quality "little brother" of the FE-180, I am very puzzled at CNET's logic. I don't see it that way at all. All three cameras seemed very good to me. These are solid devices. In an in-store display, and with a FE-170 that had been tinkered-with by hundreds of customers (at Target), I found the FE-170's operation very intuitive, and its display is very nice and clear. Also, as an aside - the LCD is quite large (as compared to similar, or even higher-priced digital cameras made by other companies). Likewise, the LCD is protected with a very slick, highly durable, and extremely clear covering - which is easier to look at than the flatter, less durable LCD screens made by other companies. See for yourself.

Perhaps the CNET video reviewer was evaluating the FE-170 and FE-180 Olympus cameras for use in a professional publication application. Who knows?

All I can say is that I was quite impressed with the shots, on-LCD instructions, and easy to understand "select ability" of various shooting modes: portrait, close-up, document photo mode (i.e., as in shooting pictures of a paper document), and various other modes. The interesting thing about these shooting modes, is that Olympus went to the trouble of embedding an actual "photograph" of the particular type target that the language represents.

Perhaps the CNET evaluator believed that the FE-170/180's photo-display-select modes were a kind of "dumbing-down" for photographers in general? Who knows? This is a very nice product. It's not pro-gear, but easy-to-use, good-quality - fun-gear (yet not a toy at all). Also, and this seemed equally important to me - the device "feels" solid in your hands, yet not "heavy" in the way that a $300+ camera does, just solid. The FE-170 is retailing for around $130 (Dec 06).

The 170, 180, and 190 Olympus cameras are quite small, making them easily portable without a hassle, and they're not very thick; yet not tiny. This small size would be an excellent choice for anyone who doesn't want to lug around a heavier, bulky, more tedious camera that would require a rugged case. I would suggest that this device, and its other "brothers", are very solid, have high-mega pixels for the money, are easy-to-use, and are good looking well-manufactured devices. I would highly recommend any of these FE-170, 180, or 190 cameras, if only from a shopper's standpoint.

Cheers.

I purchased this camera prior to a trip to the LA area. I'm still learning about it's features but found the night shot feature to be especially useful and looks like it's day time. The video was surprisingly clear as well and the sound, well you can't beat the sound of the ocean.

I am struggling with some blurry photos, primarily at night, but I'm pretty sure it's operator error. Other than that, I love the compactness of the camera, the dial, the on-camera guide and the life of the batteries. Amazing. I had upgraded from a very old HP which seemed to just love alkaline. Plus the power switch on that was easily turned on in error while in the case, adding additional drainage to the batteries.

I would recommend this camera and I'm pleased with my purchase.

This camera is not worth the price that is being asked. It is not a serious camera. It sounds good, because it has Image Stabilization but the photos tend to be blurry except for the center portion of the photo. I have now had two of these and both perform poorly although the first one which I exchanged was worse than the second camera.

The good: It has 6MPs. Can be purchased for under $200, and is easy for a novice to use. It comes with a battery recharge unit and rechargeable batteries, has a built in flash. Saving the photos to the computer is easy and fast. There is a cable provided to connect to a USB port. The camera is small and can fit in a pocket or purse. The preview window is a good size.

The bad: This camera tends to put a fringe on objects. In my opinion this is unacceptable. For example, a tree limb will have a blue fringe or outline. A flower might have a pink fringe. The center of the shot can be quite clear but once you expand outwards from the center, the objects in the scene become less clear. This is true as well with the objects close to the camera. They are quite clear and distinct, but become less clear and subject to the blue fringe problem.

Another problem, the backgrounds tend to be noisy. The camera has no manual control so if you use Auto or other modes, the camera sets the parameters and it determines what it needs.

Every digital photo needs a little sharpening. By cropping I can use some of the photos that I shoot with this camera but I am bitterly disappointed in it. I have owned six digital cameras; this is probably the worst one I've ever owned other than one of the first digital cameras to be released. My old Sony 3 MP camera takes better photos than this one. I needed a camera in a hurry, paid full price and now have a camera I'd be ashamed to even give away.

I don't know what the other negative reviewers were talking about, and I almost did not buy the camera because of their comments! This camera is fantastic!

It is lightweight, small, and easy to hold thanks to the little bulge to accommodate two rechargeable AA batteries. Comes with a battery charger as well. Can use alkaline or NiMH batteries. Absolutely everything is automated--plus a built in guide to talk you through many common picture problems. Really great if you don't want to miss pictures because of fiddling around with manual settings.

So far I have tried all the picture settings plus the picture stabilization mode (which is itself worth a fortune). The picture quality depends on which setting you choose (from super high down to low) for this feature, and also if you use the digital zoom instead of the optical zoom. Obviously, the optical zoom gets the better picture.

This camera is also good for someone who has trouble holding a camera steady (like me!). It has many (most) of the features of a high powered model without the bulk or need to carry around a product manual to interpret symbols used to access different features. I have a big clunky $500 digital that you need an interpreter to operate which I put in storage because it was so difficult to use--it took great pictures with a lot of effort to get to that point! By that time, the subject had aged 10 years!

If you just want a great point-and-shoot camera, this is it! The built-in guide is (I say it again) very handy, especially if you are unsure of settings--follow the guide and the camera does the rest--including changing picture modes, flash modes, and other settings to accommodate what you want to do. ADDITIONALLY it has a 22MB internal memory to use when you forget the memory card or encounter the dreaded "card full" error message.

Pictures are NOT fuzzy, as some have said, and the color is good. The power button is recessed somewhat--but turning the power on and off is easy. Again, reset the picture quality and you may be pleasantly surprised at the difference in your pictures. Pictues come out crisp and clear, not with "soft" details (fuzzy).

The lack of a viewfinder takes a little getting used to, but since I haven't used a viewfinder with other digital cameras very much (the LCD screen is nice and big and very visible in bright light if you change the screen to bright from the default of normal) it doesn't seem to matter.

Unless you are an advanced photographer who wants SLR camera features in a digital one, GET THIS CAMERA. Advanced photographers will curse the lack of manual settings. The rest of us who want to take good pictures with a minimum of effort will be pleasantly pleased!

I have always used an olympus camera and have been extremely pleased with them. I love my FE180 and use it quite often. It is very easy to use and has a great amount of megapixels for the price. I also enjoy the 16 different settings and the battery that lasts. I have yet to had to charge or replace my battery and I bought this camera prior to Thanksgiving. This camera will become very useful for you!

Great pictures from such a small camera. The only thing I miss is a viewfinder, old school I guess.

I bought this camera for my College freshman daughter, and she loves it. Fits anywhere - simple to use, and takes great pix.

The camera might be worth the price and has lot of features. But I was not happy with the shots taken in the night with flash. Its fuzzy. The daylight photos are fine. But the night shots taken with light and flash, doesnt have clear pixel. It should have given better picture for the 6 MP. I earlier had a 4 MP Canon which used to give better pictures. I returned this product back.

I researched digital cameras online for days before I decided on the OLympus Fe 180. It has all the features that I was looking for and simple to operate for a beginner. I have had no trouble understanding the manual and operating the camera. It is easy to print photos on the computer. In just a few words, love this camera and recommend it to anyone who is just a beginner as I am

I found this camera had no date stamp feature only after I had bought and used it. I cannot send dated photos to my friends or an outside printing service labo online. I cannot produce dated prints myself using Olympus Master software because I have no photo printer. My older Nikon Coolpix 410 has date stamp feature, which I have been using conveniently.

i think this camera is excellent, especially for the amateur photographer. the quality is amazing, the super macro setting brings out the finest details in an object, and the zoom is wonderful! the battery life is a major plus. for such a low priced camera, the batteries stay fully charged for a long, long time. there's no viewfinder, but i dont mind, since the LCD screen is huge. also, the digital stabilization function is great, especially in low lighting where the focus tends to get out of hand. overall, this is a great buy! i recommend it to anyone.

I've had this camera for about 7 months. It has worked flawlessly. Had to get used to the view screen 'no view finder', but other than that it's been great. It also has a 'higher-quality' video setting than most still cameras, with sound, but it eats up the memory quick so buy two cards (1 or 2GB each) in case you run short while on vacation. I like the camera very much (for the price). ps: If the review looks familiar, I mistakenly attached it to the Olympus FE-190 last week. TC

I bought 2 Olympus cameras for Christmas, the FE-180 for my in-laws, and the red Stylus 750 (Oh so stylish). I paid twice as much for the 750, but on Christmas morning when we were trying out our new cameras, they took to a novice point and shoot user the same photos. If anything the FE-180 was easier to start using had the same shooting guides as the more expensive model, and the convience of AA batteries that are easier to find if you forget to charge the Lithium one on the 750. It doesn't have as many manual settings, but for my in-laws first digital camera, it has worked out perfect.

This is my second Olympus camera. I like this one because it is nice and small with a large screen on back. It is very easy to operate and takes beautiful pictures.