The through-the-lens viewfinder design means you can't use the LCD screen as a viewfinder--you can only use it for image playback. This is a fairly significant drawback if you like to see your picture on the LCD screen before you take it; otherwise it's not an issue.

The Olympus D-620L uses removable SmartMedia cards for memory; it comes with an 8 MB card, which holds about 100 images in the lowest resolution. It also includes a battery charger for the four AA Ni-MH batteries--a nice touch, especially since it drains batteries quickly (like all digital cameras).

The included pop-up flash has a good range of options, including red-eye reduction, fill-flash, and off. The Olympus D-620L also lets you use an optional extension flash--a great feature if you want more professional-looking photos. The Olympus D-620L lets you adjust exposure manually by three stops in either direction; in addition, it has spot metering and macro functions. The digital camera's three preset focus settings (1.3 feet, 8 feet, and infinity) can be useful in situations where the autofocus has trouble. Unfortunately, the autofocus's contrast detection system has difficulty in dim conditions, and the camera won't let you take a picture if the autofocus isn't set. We found this to be major inconvenience indoors, where even standard indoor lighting was often too dark to take a picture. The Olympus D-620L doesn't let you manually adjust focus either (other than providing focus-lock capability).

Pros:

• Through-the-lens viewfinder
• Superior optics
• Preset focus settings

Cons:

• Somewhat bulky
• Has trouble focusing in dim light