Olympus X-840
The Olympus X-840 is a compact digital camera from Olympus's popular X series. It appears to be the same camera sold in some markets as the Olympus FE-310. Documentation is thin - no production years are recorded, and the historical record is essentially blank. What survives points to an affordable, no-frills snapshot camera from the late 2000s.
A Brazilian review in TechTudo (undated) called the X-840 "basic, with only 8 megapixels," but found it genuinely accessible in both price and usability - one of the most affordable digitals around with an optical zoom. That zoom is a 5x optic (37-185mm equivalent), better than the 3x that was then the category standard. The camera runs on two AA batteries, weighs just 140 grams without them, and measures 9.3 × 6.17 × 3.05 cm. The rear screen is 2.5 inches at 154,000 dots.
Image quality drew mixed but not damning comments. The same review noted that photos came out a little dark because of the f/3.2-4.8 aperture, but they were sharp and well defined, and low-light performance "did not disappoint." Flash reach was above average at 4.7 meters. The X-840 also had face detection, a digital image stabilizer, and a "Perfect Photo Preview" mode that split the screen into four frames with different settings so you could pick the best one. It shot 640×480 video, had 20.5 MB of internal memory expandable via xD card, and could connect to a TV.
There are real omissions: no optical viewfinder, no auxiliary light, and no continuous shooting mode. The design was simple, as compact cameras tend to be, though one Russian retailer called it stylish and praised its ease of operation. That same retailer - FOTOCCCP - currently lists a full-set unit for 5,460 rubles, and the Brazilian source said it could be found for less than R$ 600. One owner-reported issue surfaced on a Russian forum in 2011: the camera persistently showed a dead-battery warning even with fresh AAs installed.
Known specs, such as they are:
- 8-megapixel sensor
- 5x optical zoom (37–185mm equivalent), f/3.2–4.8
- 2.5-inch LCD, 154,000 dots
- ISO 80–640 automatic
- Runs on two AA batteries
- 140 g without batteries; 9.3 × 6.17 × 3.05 cm
- 20.5 MB internal memory, xD-card expansion
- 640×480 video; TV output cable included
Four manuals - Basic, Instruction, Advanced, and a general Manuel - are available as free PDF downloads. The rest of the X-840's market life, lineup position, and eventual fate is undocumented.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.