How about the 560

piggyinsect · Aug 22, 2007

Now shown of the site news along with the nikon d300 and d3.

New oly bigger sensor, 27 to 470, looks interesting.

Sowbugger

Marty Too · Aug 22, 2007

This looks exciting. The sensor is a bit bigger. Maybe they "got it right"!

ChLMe · Aug 22, 2007

That's 6 months or so after the sp550?

For me sounds like Olympus couldn't fix the sp550 problems, specially on focus, then had to release a new model in a hurry, with this new processor.

And also small improvements over the defective 550... 1mm on lens range, a little better 8MP CCD, new awesome black color, better exposure control (face detection, probably more exposure improvements with the new processor, since sp550 was no good here either)

--
Fuji F31fd, Oly SP-550UZ
http://chavals.blogspot.com/

Henry Falkner · Aug 22, 2007

ChLMe said:
That's 6 months or so after the sp550?

For me sounds like Olympus couldn't fix the sp550 problems, specially
on focus, then had to release a new model in a hurry, with this new
processor.

Last weekend I spent on an island nature reserve with the SP-550 and the latest firmware loaded. It focussed on the birds most of the time, inspite of branches in front and behind. I provided samples to the ranger and the caretaker, and they are asking for a disk to sell in their shop.

Henry

--
Henry Falkner - C-750UZ, Stylus 800, SP-550UZ http://www.pbase.com/hfalkner

George Hsia · Aug 22, 2007

ChLMe said:
That's 6 months or so after the sp550?

For me sounds like Olympus couldn't fix the sp550 problems, specially
on focus, then had to release a new model in a hurry, with this new
processor.

I think 500mm+ is just more than what people can reasonably handle w/o a tripod. Improved AF is always welcome.

ChLMe said:
And also small improvements over the defective 550... 1mm on lens
range, a little better 8MP CCD, new awesome black color, better
exposure control (face detection, probably more exposure improvements
with the new processor, since sp550 was no good here either)

The release talks about the bigger sensor, but they bumped up the MP too. If this was a 5 or 6 MP sensor I think this would be interesting IQ wise, but I would not be surprised that IQ does not improve as the the pixel pitch is about the same and the processor has to work harder for more bits. Plus writing more bits to the XD card cant' be good. I thought the 550 was a good camera. I hope they improved on the 560, but honestly I'm doubtful, though if they have a new lens mechanism, there is a chance it is sharper, which would be nice.

George

--
http://geohsia.smugmug.com

ChLMe · Aug 22, 2007

One comment about face detection... people think it's just a gimmick... it's NOT.

The square moving around peoples faces, this is a gimmick, very cool, but there's a lot of stuff more...

It does a lot of adjustments when the light conditions allow...

For a night portrait / indoors:

auto-flash becomes red-eye auto
reduce shutter speed for exposing the background, instead of a total black
flash power adjusted to don't over-expose faces
uses a higher ISO
uses widest aperture for background defocus

For a portrait with background (sun)light:

auto-flash becomes single flash (pupil is closed in sunlight, no redeye)
shutter speed increases for not overexposing background
flash power is higher for fill-flash the sun highlights on faces
smaller ISO
widest aperture

This is a lot of control if you're point and shooting... something someone experienced would do with the camera on manual mode...

Great photos with no brain, the face detection makes the auto mode a lot better, and it's much faster than adjusting all the settings manually.

This is based on my experience with the Fuji F31fd with face detection.

--
Fuji F31fd, Oly SP-550UZ
http://chavals.blogspot.com/

ChLMe · Aug 22, 2007

Henry Falkner said:
Last weekend I spent on an island nature reserve with the SP-550 and
the latest firmware loaded. It focussed on the birds most of the
time, inspite of branches in front and behind. I provided samples to
the ranger and the caretaker, and they are asking for a disk to sell
in their shop.

You might get some good shots, I did too...
If the bird is still frozen in sunlight, ok...
Try a running dog... he will be tired before you can focus, then it's easier.
Or in low light, when focus fails so many times after hunting for senconds...
I have the latest firmware.

--
Fuji F31fd, Oly SP-550UZ
http://chavals.blogspot.com/

sherwoodpete · Aug 22, 2007

ChLMe said:
That's 6 months or so after the sp550?

For me sounds like Olympus couldn't fix the sp550 problems, specially
on focus, then had to release a new model in a hurry, with this new
processor.

Six months is quite a short time. I suspect that even before the SP550 was released, this one was already under development. But even with a new sensor, if the lens is identical there could still be some issues with CA. Time will tell.

I like the slight shift towards wideangle, as this emphasises where the advantage of the 18x really lies. Previously some newcomers were concerned only with how much longer the telephoto was than the competition, which as far as I'm concerned was a red herring that distracted the attention from the true benefit of 18x.

Regards,
Peter

Humboldt Jim · Aug 22, 2007

Shocking! Appears to make sense to overcome shortcomings of the 550. Well see if it works.
Jim

albatross · Aug 22, 2007

all changes are internal, what about those of us who have been their test rats? no firmware update?

PapaRotzzi · Aug 23, 2007

the new lens will have ED glass for improved image quality.

--
;

PapaRotzzi · Aug 23, 2007

Sorry, the functions are not so much firmware as they are functions of the TruePic3 image processor. So, the lab rats will have to keep spinning!

--
;

sherwoodpete · Aug 23, 2007

PapaRotzzi said:
the new lens will have ED glass for improved image quality.

That's good to hear. I must be not paying attention as I can't seem to find that in the news item. Do you have a reference for that information?
Apologies if I missed something really obvious, I'd just like to be sure.
Regards,
Peter

René Schuster · Aug 23, 2007

albatross said:
all changes are internal, what about those of us who have been their
test rats? no firmware update?

I´m afraid but i think selling new cameras is Oly´s business, not upgrading old ones so there is no need to buy the new ones.

Can imagine there will be a lot of cheap 550s on Ebay pretty soon, unless the improvements show to be minor and more a kind of facelift.

René

paolo travi · Aug 23, 2007

Strange kind of improvement , a 2,3" sensor whit 0.9 mpix more, really make a concrete difference ? The zoom excursion 27-486 vs 28-504 ? Face detection ? will works ? Seems to me ( i'm not a photographer ) a commercial , probably only to contrast new Panasonic and Fuji. paolo

Steve Fink · Aug 23, 2007

Not to mention Canon's new 40D and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. This manufacturer "war" only benefits the consumer. Unfortunately the small players (HP, Casio, etc.) have little chance and may go by the waste side.

Steve

piggyinsect said:
Now shown of the site news along with the nikon d300 and d3.

New oly bigger sensor, 27 to 470, looks interesting.

Sowbugger

iso rivolta · Aug 23, 2007

PapaRotzzi said:
the new lens will have ED glass for improved image quality.

There is no new lens. It is the same lens, SP550 has it too, quote from SP550's press elease, "two extra-dispersion (ED) lens elements for edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity". It's even on both camera's lens barrels, "Olympus ED lens".

PapaRotzzi · Aug 23, 2007

It is in the press release on the Oly website.

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;

PapaRotzzi · Aug 23, 2007

ohh... did not realize.

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;

CoralRed · Aug 24, 2007

Any idea on the flash syn speed?

How about the 560

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