Olympus's entry 14MP FE compact of 2010 — 4x 26-105mm wide zoom, Magic Filters, SD/SDHC storage
The Olympus FE-4030 was a budget compact announced in January 2010 alongside the FE-5030 and FE-47, from the last generation of Olympus's entry-level FE series. It arrived as Olympus finally moved its cheap compacts from the proprietary xD format to standard SD cards, making it one of the more practical FE models to run today.
It combines a 14-megapixel CCD with a 4x wide-angle zoom covering 26-105mm equivalent and a 2.7-inch LCD. AF tracking keeps moving subjects in focus, i-Auto picks scene settings automatically, and four Magic Filters (including Pop Art and Pin Hole) add in-camera effects. Digital image stabilisation, advanced face detection and an in-camera guide are included; storage is 46MB internal plus SD/SDHC cards, with a small rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
The useful 26mm wide end makes it more flexible indoors and for landscapes than earlier 36mm-start FE models, and at under 150g it disappears in a pocket. Stabilisation is digital only and control is fully automatic, so it suits snapshot shooters and CCD-look experimenters rather than anyone wanting involvement.
SD/SDHC storage means no card hunting, unlike xD-based Olympus compacts. Confirm a charged battery and charger come with it, as the small FE-series lithium-ion packs age out. Check the lens barrel extends straight, the screen is clean, and sample shots show no CCD smear or dead-pixel lines.