300 - 499 | TRENDSETTER

Olympus SP-550 UZ

349 | 349

STREET PRICE SRP
OLYMPUS ZOOMS UP THE LEADER BOARD WITH 18X MAGNIFICATION

BATTERIES

The solid battery compartment feels very secure. Youll require four AA-sized batteries, but these can either be alkalines or rechargeable Ni-MH cells

MEMORY CARD

Its not our favourite type of memory, but the xD Picture Cards do come in a variety of sizes, and this camera accepts both the normal and high-speed versions
aving witnessed Olympus launch the worlds smallest digital SLR, the E-400, to great success last year, we were left wondering how they could possibly follow it up. Now Olympus has returned with the SP-550 UZ. Its the worlds first camera with an 18x optical zoom, offering unprecedented magnification in every shooting situation. The striking thing about this model is its build quality. On the front, the expert ergonomics consist of a deep finger groove, which is luxuriously draped in a smooth rubberised layer for ultimate grip. Weight-wise, its substantial enough to let you know youve got a decent piece of kit in your hands, while remaining suitably compact to fit in a coat pocket or a bag far from the hulk of the Samsung Pro 815 body. Embedded on the flipside is a bright 2.5-inch LCD, plus that all-important viewfinder, which is regularly demanded by the consumer but so rarely provided these days. The camera ditches the rubber surfacing in favour of a hardwearing plastic, which rather than looking cheap as one might assume, adds to the robust feel. The top dial offers direct access to all shooting modes from Manual through to Automatic, plus 23 scene modes to boot. It clicks resolutely into place, adding to the quality feel of the camera. Next to this sits the shutter button, which is encircled by the zoom control. Both these controls are within easy finger-reach, leaving the need to shift your grip null and void. The back panel is kept very simple, with four function buttons (Menu, Playback, Display and Delete) neatly surrounding the d-pad. This makes operation extremely easy, even for camera novices. In practice, the SP-550 UZ is an extremely fun camera to use. Thats not to say it wont satisfy the serious photographer too though in

TEST SHOT

The way the camera reproduces colour and texture is very realistic. The motion of the flowing river is captured perfectly
fact anyone committed to their photography would be hard-pushed to fault the shooting options available on this camera. Photographers are provided with 23 scene modes to aid with capturing different shooting situations at their optimum exposure, while the serious hobbyist can experiment with aperture priority, shutter priority as well as a full manual option. One factor that all users are certain to enjoy is the magnificent zoom. The reach that an 18x optical lens can obtain is quite frankly amazing, and blew us away. Not only can you get ridiculously close to your subject, but the wide angle is highly impressive too, spanning 28mm504mm (35mm equivalent) in one sweep. The strength of the telephoto zoom means shots are inevitably going to come under scrutiny for the level of blur caused by camera shake, but Olympus has provided Dual Image Stabilization to counteract any of its effects. The most immediately obvious strength of this camera is in the clarity of its shots at maximum

MENU SCREENS

78.5MM

LCD POWER

RUBBER THUMB GRIP

CAMERA MODE

MAIN MENU

MENU BUTTON

SCENE MODE

SHOOTING GUIDE

NAVIGATING YOUR ON-SCREEN OPTIONS

LCD SCREEN D-PAD

Looking far slicker than previous Olympus models, the menu is bright, bold and very intuitive to use. There are some great extras to be found in the main menu including a calendar attachment, plus a host of in-camera editing tricks

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Camera specs
Model Price Megapixels Max resolution Lens data Zoom Focus/Macro Shutter speeds ISO sensitivity Exposure modes Metering options Flash modes Connectivity Weight Dimensions Batteries Storage LCD
Olympus SP-550 UZ 349 7.1 3,072 x 2,304 f/2.8-4.5 (28-504mm) 18x opt, 5.6x dig 10cm-Inf/1cm-Inf 1/2-1/2000sec A, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 5000 P, AP, SP, M, 23 scene modes A, CW, S, MS A, RE, Fon, Foff, FI, RE+FI, SS AV, USB 365g (excl. batteries) 116 x 78.5 x 78mm AA, Ni-MH xD 2.5

ON THE FRONT

FLASH INDICATOR

BUILD DESIGN

The SP-500s build is one of the great things about this camera. Ergonomics are near-on perfect, while its weighty to hold but also compact enough to carry around in a bag or pocket

POP-UP FLASH

WRIST STRAP HOLE

ACCESSORIES

CONNECTIONS
Both AV and USB connections are present, which enable you to quickly transfer data to a television screen or home computer
The 18x optical zoom provides mindblowing magnification with clarity. The option of using conversion lenses provides serious amateurs with great versatility

D-PAD CONTROL

The controls suit both beginners and serious photographers alike. The neatly presented button layout makes operation easier and less daunting to technophobes
Conversion lens adapter CLA-10
Telephoto converter TCON-17

WHAT WE LIKE

18x optical zoom obviously! Excellent build quality ISO 5000 for extreme low light
zoom. It really makes you think twice about the necessity of owning a digital SLR when you can achieve such high-quality results with a camera half the size and nearly half the price. Image quality is impressive across the board, from the 1cm super-macro image right through to the 18x maximum-zoom shots. Whats noticeable in all the test shots is the vibrancy of the colours leaping out. For most part this is a good thing, providing you with punchy images, although at very close inspection, it does have the drawback of enhancing reddish skin tones in some subjects. Sharpness is very good considering the vast magnification involved. Contrast is spot-on in the majority of instances with sufficient detail in the shadows, paired with controlled highlights. On the rare occasion the camera does struggle, it tends to err on the side of underexposure, but we found these instances few and far between. For tough shooting conditions such as low light or high action, theres an option
to boost ISO up to 5000. It drops the resolution down quite considerably, but its a good feature to have on board for photo emergencies. We put ISO 5000 to the test in a very dark bar to see its effects and were pretty impressed by the level of visibility achieved. Obviously theres a very noticeable amount of noise, as we expected, but for times when using flash is impossible, its great to have a back-up shooting option, even if clarity has to suffer. You cant stuff much more into one camera than Olympus has with the SP-550 UZ. With its bulging feature set, easy-to-use layout and control, plus an attractive price point, we reckon this will be one of the best sellers of the year.

WHAT WE DONT LIKE

Wed prefer to see lengthier shutter speeds AA batteries arent to everyones taste Lens cap is easy to lose

Verdict

FEATURES EASE OF USE VALUE FOR MONEY

QUALITY OF RESULTS

The SP-550 UZ offers enthusiasts a realistic alternative to the entry-level DSLR, with fantastic features, competitive price and the convenience of a fixed lens

IN THE BOX

Olympus SP-550 UZ Hand strap Lens cap Operating manual Olympus Master software CD-ROM Warranty card 4 x AA batteries

Overall score

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