Olympus FE-210 Digital Camera

CRACK! CHA-CHING!

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Feb 26, 2008 | 7 out of 7 found this Olympus FE-210 review helpful

Pros: Easy to use and if you play your cards right you can get a good price on this one.

Cons: LCD appears to have problems with cracking easily.

Nice camera (at first). I paid just a little more than I wanted to for it, but that happened because it was too close to Christmas and all of the better priced retailers had sold out (Had to go to a certain small box store, which I will leave unnamed..., to get this one). I've owned several digital cameras, and this one was for my wife who's been hesitant to make the switch to digital photography. I felt this camera, with it's price point and features would be a good starter for her. In the two months we have had this camera, I stress that it was GENTLY used. Stayed in the case, was never dropped, hit, kicked, thrown or anything like that. Yet mysteriously, the LCD cracked. No earthly idea how it could have happened. Since that time I've done a little online research about this camera and have found that this appears to be a common complaint about the FE 210. Apparently, and I'm just speculating, the LCD is made of a very temperature sensitive material that cracks easily when the camera gets cold (mind you Texas doesn't get too terribly cold in the winter time). Like a fool I had bought the extended warranty from the retailer and when I took it in they immediately started declaring "impact damage." (which isn't covered, BTW) But that's another review in itself. Short version is, if I authorize a repair on this camera, it's going to come out of my pocket. I have this sneaking suspicion that it's going to cost me just as much to get it fixed as it would to just buy a new camera. So, either way you look at it, I own a $130 paperweight made by Olympus (which I always perceived as a trusted brand in cameras) So, I say "Buyer Beware" on the Olympus FE 210. It worked beautifully before the LCD cracked mysteriously. Bottom line is: I feel that I wasted my money with this purchase and now my wife has declared that she is going back to 'film photography' until they just flat won't make it anymore. Read more Less