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Tips for using the Olympus D-510 Zoom Digital Camera

One of an eclectic series of notes on how to do things on the EPS network, by Jim Connolly (connolly@unm.edu)

(Revised February 21, 2002)

Rules for Use of the Camera

The Olympus D-510 Zoom digital camera is a 2.1 Megapixel digital camera with a 64 MB memory card (holds 128 HQ images at 1600 x 1200 resolution; more at lower resolutions). The camera may also be used to create short quick time movies (up to 3 minutes at 320 x 240 resolution) instead of digital still pictures. All users must observe the following to use the camera:

  1. Anyone in Earth & Planetary Sciences (Faculty, Staff, Students) may sign out the Olympus D-510 Digital Camera for use. Sign the camera from Jim Connolly (Northrop Hall Rm 209A). Call 277-9447, send Email to connolly@unm.edu or stop by to make arrangements. Please make the time that the camera is signed out as small as possible so that it is available for others to use.
  2. The Camera will go out with the following items: Camera, black nylon carrying case, video cable, USB linking cable and a sealed 4-pack of unused AA alkaline batteries. The camera must be returned with all of these items (including an unopened pack of alkaline batteries).
  3. When using the camera, take care to keep dust and dirt out of the mechanism. It will be inspected when it is signed out and will be inspected when it returns, and users are responsible for any damage which occurs while it is in their possession.

Failure to comply with the above rules will be cause for terminiation of camera-use priviledges.

Summary of Camera Features

For users who want more information about how to used the more advanced features of the camera, there is a large (162 p.) Camera User Manual available in Adobe Acrobat format. Since this is copyrighted material, it is only available to users who have EPS network accounts. If you have an account click on this link, then enter your username and password to access an index page from which you can download the manual or view it in your web browser. You will need approximately 3 MB of disk space on your computer to download the Adobe Acrobat PDF file. Also located here are the short quick-start guide and a short document explaining how the automatic USB connection works. All are linked on the index page.

The camera comes with Olympus Camedia Software, but this software is totally unnecessary (and doesn't really do anything useful) with this camera hence is not installed anywhere.

Please note that the camera makes very standard JPEG images which can be downloaded directly to any system with a USB connection and that special software is not necessary. Any image manipulation program (Adobe PhotoDeluxe, Adobe Photoshop or anything else available to users) can be used to work with images produced by this camera.

Basic Picture Taking

Taking Pictures
  1. To delete existing pictures on the memory card before starting, follow the procedure below for reviewing and erasing images before proceeding.
  2. Slide the camera window open. While observing the view screen on the back of the camera, click the window fully open. The view screen will briefly display the condition of the batteries and the number of photos available.
  3. If necessary, adjust the "diopter" control (black wheel next to viewfinder) so that the lines of the autofocus target mark (in center of viewfinder) are sharp. This will not generally necessary for users with normal (or corrected) vision.
  4. Point the camera at your subject with the center of the frame on the point of focus. If your focal point is not in the center of the frame, move the center to your focal point and gently depress the shutter button until the green light lights. Keeping the shutter "half" depressed, compose your picture and press the shutter to take the picture.

The default settings for pictures are 1600 x 1200 HQ mode (24-bit color depth with moderate compression). At this setting the 64 MB memory card will hold approximately 128 pictures (about 450 MB each), and the image format is JPEG. The SHQ mode the images are saved uncompressed, and the card will hold approximately 45 JPEG images (about 1.2 MB each). For almost all field and laboratory use, the default settings will produce excellent images. For information on how to change settings, consult the D-510 Camera Users Manual.

Reviewing and Erasing Images
  1. Without opening the lens cover, press the view image button (lowest button on back of camera). The viewfinder will briefly display the condition of the battery, the number of pictures remaining to be taken at the current resolution, and the last picture taken and its number.
  2. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the images on the memory card and view them on the screen.
  3. To delete individual images, while observing the photo to be deleted, press and hold the down arrow for at least one second. The screen will present the option to delete the current image; use the up arrow to select yes and press the OK button to delete it.
  4. To delete all images on the memory card, press the OK (=Menu) button, then select "CARD". With the right arrow, activate "CARD SETUP" then continue with the right arrow. Select the "Trash" (top) icon and "OK" to delete all images. You must confirm the deletion by selecting "Yes" (up arrow) and pressing OK again. The screen will now display a message that there are no images.

For lots of information about use of the camera, tips for taking better pictures and how to access more camera options, there is a very large (162 page; 2.9 MB) Adobe Acrobat version of the Camera User Manual. Click on this link to access the index for downloading this document. The document is only available to E&PS network users with valid network accounts (username and password need to be entered to access). See Jim Connolly (Northrop 209A) if you need help in accessing it.

Taking Close-Up Pictures

Don't use flash: When taking close-ups of objects like maps and rock samples, avoid using the flash and use natural but indirect sunlight or artificial lighting instead. The flash will usually produce harsh shadows and poor quality images at close distances. To turn the flash off, with the camera on, press the "right" arrow button until the "no flash" symbol appears in the viewfinder.

For taking moderate close up pictures of objects at distances between 1.5m (59") and 80cm (31"), use the monitor to compose your pictures. Use the center spot in the monitor to select the point of best focus. To focus on a part of your subject which is not in the center of the frame, move the center spot to show that point, and partially depress the shutter button to "hold" the focus, then recompose your frame, and depress the shutter button completely.

For subjects closer than 80cm (31"): Use the macro function to shoot subjects at very close distances. When using the macro function, maintain a distance of about 20 and 80cm (8" and 31"). Pictures taken outside this range are likely to be out of focus and/or poorly exposed. Within this range, you may use the zoom function to enlarge or reduce the image. At maximum wide-angle an object 17cm (6") ×22cm (8") will fill the frame; at maximum telephoto an object 8cm (3") ×6cm (2") will fill the frame.

  1. Open the lens cover to the second click. The camera turns on in shooting mode.
  2. Press the monitor button (bottom button on the camera back). The monitor will illuminate.
  3. Press the "up" arrow on the arrow pad repeatedly until the macro mark (a kind of an open flower symbol) is displayed on the monitor.
  4. Confirm the position of the subject with the monitor and shoot.
  5. When done, cancel macro mode by pressing the "up" arrow until the normal mode (infinity symbol) is displayed.

A final tip: Focus and lighting can make or break close-up pictures. Download and view your pictures on a computer with an image editor like Photoshop and make sure your pictures are acceptable before returning the camera.

Getting Pictures from the Camera to the Computer

Using the USB Cable
  1. With the camera power off, plug the USB cable (small end) into the connector under the door on the lower left (rear-view) side of the camera.
  2. Plug the other (larger) end of the USB cable into the connector on the front of any of the Gateway workstations in the computer lab (or the USB port on any other Win2000, WinME, Mac OS 9+ or Win98 system). Note that for Win98 systems, you might need to install a USB port driver if one has not already been installed; if you have problems, see Jim Connolly with help installing the driver.
  3. Wait a few seconds, and the computer system will add a new "Removable Disk" to your system.This disk will be the D-510 camera. It will contain a folder named DCIM and in that folder will be another named 100OLYMP. The second folder will contain all of the images on the camera.
  4. Copy files from the camera to the destination of your choice: network drive, zip disk, etc.

A Battery tip: Even though the camera is technically "off" while the camera is connected using the USB cable, batteries are being consumed to maintain the connection. To save battery life, maintain the connection for the minimum amount of time possible.

Note about Filenames: Still images will all have a JPG extension and movie files will have a MOV extension. Filenames start with the letter P followed by a number or letter (1 through 9 for January through September, and A,B,C for Oct., Nov. Dec). Following will be a number automatically selected by the camera between 0001 and 9999. Remember that for this coding to work, you must have the date set properly on the camera.

A Hint: To copy all images, just copy the folder containing them. This will generally be fastest, and be easier on battery life. To copy selected images, go into the folder and select and copy images. Files may deleted from the camera from this window also. Once files are deleted, they may not be recovered or "undeleted".

Caution: Deleting folders on the camera (i.e., the camera's memory card) may cause the card to not work properly in the camera. If this occurs, you will need to follow the steps listed to Review and Erase Images (listed above) and re-initialize the memory card with the camera.

Working with Downloaded Images

Still Images: Downloaded camera still images are standard JPEG (JPG extension) files, and may be manipulated with any program which can work with JPEG files. On our lab workstations this includes Adobe PhotoDeluxe, Adobe Photoshop LE, or Micrografix Photomagic. The files may be imported directly into (but not edited in) many other programs including Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Acrobat.

Quicktime Movies: Downloaded camera movies are standard Quicktime 4.0 Movie (MOV extension) files and may be played using the Quicktime movie player on the workstations, Real Player (as long as Quicktime extensions are installed) or Microsoft Media Player (a fairly recent version with Quicktime extensions). (A note about Movies: If you plan to make Quicktime movies with the camera, make sure you have LOTS of batteries or use the AC adapter. This function consumes batteries at a very fast clip.)

Questions or Problems?

If you have problems in using the camera, copying images or please see or send an Email to Jim Connolly (connolly@unm.edu). If something is not working properly, we can't fix it unless we know about it.

Please send feedback and/or corrections for this page to connolly@unm.edu.

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