Olympus's 2003 5MP compact — 1/1.8-inch CCD, 38-114mm zoom, xD storage, LI-10B lithium-ion power
The Olympus C-5000 Zoom was a 5-megapixel Camedia compact announced in August 2003, positioned as an affordable step into five-megapixel photography below the enthusiast C-5050 and C-5060 models. It offered more resolution and a larger sensor than the mainstream 3MP Camedias of the day at a mid-range price.
It pairs a 5-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD — larger than the 1/2.7-inch chips in cheaper Camedias — with a 3x zoom equivalent to 38-114mm. Composition is via a 1.8-inch 134,000-pixel TFT LCD or optical finder, sensitivity runs ISO 50-320, and the fastest shutter speed is 1/1000 second. Storage is xD-Picture Card (a 32MB card was boxed new), connectivity is USB, and power comes from a rechargeable LI-10B lithium-ion battery. There is no image stabilisation. The body measures 105x74x46mm and weighs about 280g.
The bigger 1/1.8-inch CCD is the reason to pick this over run-of-the-mill 2000s compacts: cleaner files at base ISO and the dense colour that draws CCD enthusiasts. It rewards deliberate daylight shooting; the modest ISO range and unstabilised lens rule out much low-light work.
Battery and card are the usual pain points: confirm the LI-10B holds charge and a charger comes with it (third-party spares exist), and that the discontinued xD-Picture Card slot works — bundled cards add value. Check lens extension, LCD condition and flash charge, and ask whether images write without card errors.