Olympus Accura Zoom XB700 QD Date 35mm Camera

This camera is really a mixed bag. I hate absolutely everything about it: too noisy, zoom too slow, unimpressive viewfinder, etc. But even as bad as this camera is, I took some really amazing pictures with it. You know the saying: It is a poor workman who blames his tools...

I'm not saying that those who got bad pictures with it don't know how to take photos but I have to admit that out of the several hundreds of photos I took with it, only a few were really bad, and it's mostly because the setting was too dark (I mostly take outdoor photography and sunsets).

I'm definitely looking for a new camera because this one is just too clunky, noisy, slow and [...] ugly. But it has served me well for a couple of years now and I'm happy with my photos, so in the end, that's what counts.

3 stars.

I enjoy taking lots of pictures, but I have had nothing but frustration after buying this camera. I kept thinking the batteries were dead, and the camera would freeze up and not perform any longer. I cannot tell you how many missed birthday, anniversary, and Christmas pictures since this camera came into my life. What a dog!

This camera is loud and slow. The zoom is slow and jerky. Flash recycle is slow. Bulky
To utilize flash off and landscape mode, you have to use your left hand to hold the button in place while taking the actual picture.
No LCD, no other flash options, red-eye is always on, delay between hitting shutter button and snapping of the picture.
The lens cover, which slides over to the right when camera is on, is in just a spot that if you hold the cam a certain way, your fingers can scoot it over, thereby shutting the cam off in the middle of trying to take a picture.
The tele and wideangle buttons arent easy to feel...you have to look at the camera to be sure you arent hitting the shutter button.
Film rewind is auto, but only after you push the button to set it rewinding. It doesnt automatically pre-wind film to picture 1.
I have a Minolta Freedom Action Zoom 60 (for the past 7 yrs, its kinda outta commission right now, but after having this Olympus, thinking Im going to spend the money to get the Minolta fixed).....WAAAAAAAAAAY better camera. Offers more options, the camera does all the work for you by the touch of buttons. Flash is quick to recharge, zoom is fast, fluid, and quiet....what novel ideas!

This was my first camera (actually, I had an underwater camera and it ruined my film,the shutter release didn't work and hardly any of the pictures came out) and I personally have no problem with it. I just have to push the zoom button way to many times to get maxium-zoomage (and, believe me, maxium-zoomage is not that long), and the shutter release is way too close to the zoom buttons (I'm having night mares of trying to zoom, but then hitting the shutter release and wasting a picture). My pictures don't come out to dark or too light, like most of the other reviewers said. Hmmmm, oh, yea, it makes too much noise when you open the lense and push the shutter release (kind of annoying if I'm trying to take a candid photo). Overall, the miner flaws are not really that bad, and I reccomend this camera for any photographer. PEACE OUT!

This camera is a pain in the butt to use. Like the other reviewers, I also have problems with the lens. With brand new batteries the thing will behave strangely to the point of wanting to throw it away. Then right when I am ready to do just that, it will work again. There is a sliding cover over the lens to protect it, which is great, except when you go to close it again because you have to push it into the lens barrel. Overall this camera feels very cheaply constructed. The image quality is average for a point and shoot, ranging from decent color and sharpness in perfect lighting, to washed out and blurring in every other situation. I recommend looking elsewhere. Even the Nikon FM10 which is an SLR with interchangable Nikkor lenses can be found used for $150.