Olympus D-400 1.2MP Digital Camera

This big brother of the Olympus D-340L might, at first glance, appear quite similar, but its extra features will impress any photographer looking for a serious point-and-shoot digital camera. The D-400 Zoom has a 3x optical zoom and a 2x digital telephoto mode that together produce a 6x enlargement capability. It has two quick-focus settings at 8 feet and infinity. The burst mode allows up to 10 images at half- second intervals, and the panorama-stitching mode locks the exposure and allows panorama shots either horizontally or vertically. Like the D-340L, the D-400 stores 60 images at standard resolution, and its super-high-quality resolution is 1280 x 960, but it's also capable of storing two images as uncompressed TIFF files--a feature that will win the hearts of digital graphics geeks. Image inspection and editing via the LCD monitor is enhanced by the 3x image inspection mode--great for checking out detail--and by the ability to review images in groups of 1, 4, 9, or 16. The sharp autofocus, excellent automatic white balancing, and four-mode, pop-up flash mean you won't have many "mistake" shots--the clarity and editing features ensure that you save only the best. So whether you're already a great photographer, or just want to become one, the Olympus D- 400 Zoom is a camera you'll love. --Barrie Trinkle