Olympus SP-550UZ

Reviewed March 2007

Introduction

Olympus was one of the first companies to devise bridge cameras with long zooms, such as the C-series cameras, and now the SP series. The new SP-550 UZ is probably the most ambitious bridge-type camera on the market currently, offering an 18X optical zoom and equipped with an image stabilization system.

Beyond these features, the SP-550 UZ also provides a 7.1 megapixel CCD, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, and an electronic viewfinder.

All the top-mounted controls of the camera are grouped on the right side of the viewfinder. At the front is a two-stage shutter release with the zoom control around it.

The zoom control, in addition to controlling the optical zoom when the camera is set to a capture mode, also serves in playback mode. When pulled to the side, it can be used to review images in index format allowing index views with 4, 9, 16, or 25 images per screen, or a calendar view that presents images according to their capture date. Likewise, when pushed to the side, the control allows zooming into an image under review up to 10X.

A little back from the shutter release and to the right, a button labeled with controls the image stabilizer, which operates by moving the CCD so as to counteract the involuntary movements of the photographer. The button serves to activate or deactivate the stabilization system when the camera is set to P, S, A, M, My or SCN, but not when the camera is set to Auto mode, when the stabilization system is constantly active. Moreover, the button can be Customized so that instead of controlling the stabilization system it provides a shortcut to any one of the options contained in the Shooting menu. (See the Characteristics section of the review for a list of the options contained in the Shooting menu.)

To the left of the shutter release is the Mode Dial, which offers nine positions:

	Auto mode makes the SP-550 UZ very simple to use, the camera taking charge of all settings to capture photos.
	Program allows the camera to select the aperture and shutter speed, but leaves all other settings up to the user.
	Aperture Priority allows selecting the aperture — from f2.8 to f8 when the zoom is set to the wide angle end and from f4.5 to f8 at the telephoto end — while the camera matches the selection to a shutter speed.
	Shutter Priority mode allows selecting the exposure time — from 1/1000 second to 4 seconds — while the camera matches the selection to an aperture.
	Manual allows selecting the aperture — with the same range as the A mode — and the shutter speed from a range that covers from 1/1000 to 15 seconds. A B (Bulb) mode is also available, allowing exposures as long as 8 minutes.
	Serves to select one of the four My Mode modes created by recording preferred cameras settings into any of four My Mode memories. (See the Characteristics section of the review for more information about My Mode's operations).

The SP-550 UZ is equipped with two displays: a 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) 230,000 pixel monitor and an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a 235,000 pixel resolution. To make it possible to adjust the EVF's image to one's sight, the exit pupil of the EVF supports a dioptre correction dial on the left side of the hard plastic eyepiece.

Selection of either the EVF or the monitor is done using a button labeled with , that is placed at the top right corner of the monitor.

Other controls are grouped on the right side of the monitor, starting with 4 buttons that frame the Arrow Pad.

On the right, the button labeled with starts the Playback mode, avoiding having to turn the Mode Dial to the Playback position, and allows returning to the capture mode simply by pressing the button a second time, or touching the shutter release.

The Arrow Pad is next, composed of a chrome ring with a centre gray disk with four icons that correspond to its directions and the functions these directions support in the capture modes:

	The down direction serves to start the Self-Timer, which can be either 12 or 2 seconds.
	The left direction activates either one of two Macro modes: Standard Macro mode, which lets the camera focus at a minimum distance of 10 cm (3.9 inches) when the lens is at the wide angle end, and 1.2 m (4 ft) at the maximum telephoto setting. Super Macro, which locks the zoom at the wide angle end and allows focus on a subject that is 1 cm (0.39 inch) from the front of the lens.

At the centre of the of the Arrow Pad is the OK/FUNC button that serves to confirm menu selections. Furthermore, when the camera is set to a capture mode, the button displays the Function menu, offering the following options:

• My: serves to select one of the four Custom My Modes when the Mode Dial is set to the My position. The precise settings for the My Modes must have been previously set in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review).
• WB serves to set the white balance: Auto, Sun, Cloudy, Tungsten (incandescent), Fluorescent 1 (daylight), 2 (neutral), 3 (cool white) or One-Touch White Balance (set under ambient lighting conditions using a white surface as reference).
• ISO serves to set the CCD sensitivity: Auto, High ISO, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 or 5000 ISO.

• Drive controls the sequential shooting modes:
  • Shoots 1 frame at a time.
  • captures up to 7 images at a rate of 1.2 frames per second at the largest image size and least JPEG compression.
  • Hi1 captures up to 15 images at 7 frames per second at a maximum image size of 2048 x 1536 pixels.
  • Hi2 captures up to 20 images at 15 frames per second at a maximum image size of 1280 x 960 pixels.
  • PRE Hi2 captures up to 25 images at 15 frames per second at a maximum image size of 1280 x 960 pixels, with the 5 first frames captured while the shutter release is pressed at the halfway point.
  • AF adjusts the focus at each frame, causing a slower shooting rate than the mode.
  • BKT serves to do exposure bracketing. The camera can capture either 3 or 5 frames, bracketing the exposure by one or two images that are over or underexposed. Bracketing is possible over a range of ±1 EV in increments of 0.3 EV.
• ESP serves to select the metering mode:
  • ESP: equivalent to a multi-segment pattern.
  • Spot, takes into account the centre of the frame and is ideal for backlit subjects.
  • Centre-Weighted, meters the entire frame but gives greater importance to the reading obtained at the centre of the frame that the surrounding area.

Two more buttons are located below the Arrow Pad. The button on the left supports a dual function:

An extra function of this button is to display helpful descriptions of menu options when an option is highlighted in the menu.

Still in the Playback mode, the button labeled with serves to delete an image shown on the screen, or images that have been selected using the index view.

A button located below the pop-up flash serves to release the flash. The flash is only opened manually, even when the camera is set to the Auto mode or one of the Scene modes.

The flash is indicated in the manual to have a reach of 4.5 m (14.8 ft) when the zoom is at the wide angle end, and 2.8 m (9.2 ft) at the telephoto end when sensitivity is set to 200 ISO.

Even with an 18X optical zoom, the SP-550 UZ is the most compact camera of Olympus' UZ line. Its ergonomic design is excellent. The monitor is sharp and clear, the viewfinder is equipped with a dioptre correction, the grip appears to be comfortable for all hand sizes and finally, the layout of the controls is well thought out, making it practical and easily memorized.