FE-180 Digital Camera review

Performance is far better than that of previous FE-series cameras. With only a 1.7-second wait between power-on and first shot and a 1.6-second wait between shots thereafter, you can snap photos at a relatively rapid clip. With the onboard flash enabled, the wait increases to a modest 3.8 seconds. The camera's shutter is nice and responsive, with just a 0.6-second lag between button press and shot.

Olympus has several 6-megapixel FE-series cameras, and they're all nearly identical. The FE-170 is almost the same as the FE-180, only it doesn't come with rechargeable batteries, and it doesn't have an autofocus lamp. The FE-190 is smaller and slightly more stylish than the FE-170 and FE-180 but includes the same lens, sensor, and basic features as the other two. All three cameras are available for $200 or less.

The Olympus FE-180 is a fine, inexpensive snapshot camera. It doesn't have any manual settings to play with, but it quickly and easily produces attractive images for a low price. With an included set of rechargeable batteries and a charger, this sub-$200 shooter is a great deal for anyone who wants pretty pictures without a lot of trouble or cost.

Shooting speed
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Typical shot-to-shot time

Time to first shot

Shutter lag (typical)

Sony Cyber Shot DSC-S600

1.3 

1.8 

0.4 

Olympus FE-180

1.6 

1.7 

0.6 

Samsung L60

2 

2.1 

0.7 

Olympus FE-140

2.4 

3 

0.7