The new 5.1-megapixel Olympus Camedia C-5060 camera ($700 street) gives wide-angle shooters something to cheer about. In spite of the huge variety of digital cameras on the market, relatively few offer true wide-angle coverage without the use of bulky add-on lenses.

The C-5060 body design is almost identical to that of its predecessor, the C-5050, which will remain in production. The C-5060's 4X zoom lens covers an effective 27 to 110 mm (35-mm camera equivalent) versus the C-5050's more modest 35- to 105-mm film-equivalent lens. The wide-angle capabilities make the C-5060 ideal for taking building interiors, scenic shots, and panoramas, but low-light shooters may prefer the C-5050 or Canon PowerShot G5. Both offer better low-light capabilities than the C-5060. Also, the C-5050's 3X zoom lens is a very fast f/1.8 at the wide setting and f/2.6 at the telephoto end. The C-5060, on the other hand, has a 4X lens that is f/2.8 at the widest setting but slows to a pokey f/4.8 when fully zoomed in.

The excellent 1.8-inch LCD, with 130,000 pixels, is one of the sharpest we've tested. The screen tilts, swivels, and rotates for easy viewing of over-the-head or low-angle shots. The live-image preview has a clever real-time exposure histogram guide, where a grid overlay appears red in highlighted areas and blue in underexposed areas, enabling you to obtain near-perfect exposures in difficult lighting situations.

Olympus was one of the first camera makers to adopt the new xD-Picture Card standard, and the C-5060 ships with a 32MB xD card. But the C-5060 also offers a Type II CompactFlash memory slot, so buyers can still get a return on their investments in CF cards. A button on the back of the camera allows for instant switching between the two storage formats.

The C-5060's controls are complete but complex, with a total of 11 buttons, 2 dials, 1 lever, and a 4-way keypad scattered around the back of the camera. Fortunately, each of the buttons, for the most part, serves only one purpose and all are well marked. Although advanced users will appreciate having complete control over the camera, neophytes may find the sheer number of controls intimidating.

Our test camera produced excellent pictures with nearly perfect color and very little image noise. The 4X lens is extremely sharp with minimal optical distortion even at the widest setting. Wide-angle shooting isn't the C-5060's only strong suit, though. A super macro mode offers excellent close-up capabilities with the ability to focus as close as 1 inch from the front of the lens. And the included lithium ion battery lasted for the duration of our testing (over 400 photos) without recharging.

The C-5060's closest competitor is the new Canon PowerShot G5, which offers similar performance at a slightly higher price. But the C-5060's wider lens and lower price make it stand out, especially if you need that extra few millimeters of wide-angle coverage.