Announced just before PMA in January 2007 the SP-550UZ is the first serious attempt by Olympus to take back some ground in the super zoom sector, a sector it almost single-handedly created back in 2000 with the legendary C-2100UZ, but has since struggled to make a mark in. The SP-550UZ is a significant step up from the previous models in the 'SP' range (including the current SP-510UZ), offering 7MP resolution, image stabilization (CCD-shift) and an astounding 28-500mm (equiv.) 18x optical zoom range. The 'super zoom' market is an increasingly crowded and competitive one, and the SP-550UZ goes head to head with popular and well-regarded models such as the Sony H5, Canon S3 IS and Panasonic FZ8. Rarely has a camera caused so much interest based on its specification alone... so can the SP-550UZ live up to the hype? Let's find out, starting as ever with the headline specifications:
Although not a small camera the SP-550UZ is very similar in size and weight to the Canon S3 IS and Panasonic Lumix FZ8 (also the Sony H2/H5, not shown). In fact the only cameras in this class that are significantly different in size are the considerably larger Fujifilm S6000 and the Panasonic FZ50 (not shown).
| Street Price | • US: $490 • UK: £300 |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Metal and plastic |
| Sensor | • 1/2.5" Primary color filter (RGB) Type CCD |
| Image sizes | • 3072 x 2304 • 3072 x 2048 (3:2) • 2560 x 1920 • 2304 x 1728 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 1280 x 960 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480 |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 30fps • 320 x 240 30fps • Up to capacity of card (H cards only) |
| File formats | • Still: JPEG (EXIF 2.21), RAW • Movie: Quicktime Motion JPEG (AVI) • Sound:Wave format |
| Lens | • 4.7-84.2mm (28-504 35 mm equiv) • 14 Lenses / 11 groups • Four Aspherical glass elements • 18x optical zoom • F2.8-4.5 |
| Image stabilization | Yes (CCD Shift) |
| Conversion lenses | Yes (with CLA-10 adaptor) |
| Digital zoom | Up to 5.6x |
| Focus | • TTL iESP auto focus with contrast detection • Predictive AF |
| AF area modes | • iESP multi-pattern • 143 area selectable spot • Manual focus |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | • 0.1m-∞ (wide), 1.2-∞ (tele) • 1cm closest focus (super macro) |
| Metering | • ESP multi-pattern • Center-weighted • Spot |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto ISO • ISO 50 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 (2048 x 1536 max) • ISO 5000 (2048 x 1536 max) |
| Exposure compensation | • +/- 2EV • 1/3 EV steps |
| Exposure bracketing | • +/- 5EV • 1/3 EV steps |
| Shutter speed | • 15-1/2000 sec (dependent on mode) • Bulb (max 8 minutes) |
| Aperture | F2.8 - 8 (wide) F3.1 - 8 (tele) |
| Modes | • Auto |
| Scene modes | • Portrait • Landscape • Landscape with portrait • Night scene • Night scene with portrait • Sports • Indoor • Candle • Self portrait • Available light portrait • Sunset • Fireworks • Cuisine • Behind glass • Documents • Auction • Shoot & select 1 • Shoot & select 2 • Snow • Beach • Underwater wide 1 • Underwater wide 2 • Underwater macro |
| White balance | • Auto • Sunlight • Overcast • Tungsten • Fluorescent 1 • Fluorescent 2 • Fluorescent 3 • Custom white balance |
| White balance fine tune | -7 Red - +7 Blue |
| Self timer | 2 or 12sec |
| Continuous shooting | • 1.2fps/7 frames (Full image size) • 7fps/15 frames (3MP) • 15fps /20 frames (1.2MP ) |
| Image parameters | • Black & White • Sepia • Brightness correction • Saturation correction |
| Flash | • Built in pop-up • Red-eye reduction • Fill-in • Fill-in with red-eye reduction • Slow sync • Working range 0.3-4.5m |
| Viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
| LCD monitor | • 2.5-inch Polycrystalline TFT • 207,000 pixels |
| Connectivity | • DC in • AV out • USB |
| Print compliance | • PictBridge |
| Storage | • xD-Picture Card • 20 MB built-in memory |
| Power | • 4x AA batteries (alkaline included) • Optional NiMHs and charger |
| Other features | • RAW data edit • In camera editing / effects • Panorama function (with optional Olympus xD-Picture card) • Digital image stabilizer for movie capture |
| Weight (no batt) | 365g (12.9 oz) |
| Dimensions | 116 x 78.5 x 78 mm (4.6 x 3.1 x 3.1 in) |
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
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Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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This article is Copyright 2007 Simon Joinson / dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey
Olympus SP-550UZ 7.1MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom | $250.00 |
Olympus SP-550UZ 7.1MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom | $250.00 |
Olympus SP-560UZ 8MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom | $899.00 |
Olympus SP-565UZ 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom | $147.57 |
Olympus SP-570UZ 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom | $295.00 |
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