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 Guide position
of the Mode Dial displays a 15 item menu consisting of
recipes to capture various subjects or various desired
effects. Once a specific selection is made in the Guide,
the camera then adjusts settings according to the selection.
Worth noting, the camera returns to its default settings
once the Menu button is pressed, or another mode is selected.
SCN
The Scene
position presents an illustrated menu which serves to
choose amongst the 23 Scene modes available
on the SP-550 UZ. These programs automatically set the
camera according to the subject selected.
The menu presents a typical image for each of the scene
modes, which is replaced after a couple seconds by a
text description of the best use of the particular mode:
Portrait
Landscape
Landscape + Portrait
Sport
Night Scene
Night + Portrait
Indoor
Candle
Self-portrait
Available Light
Sunset
Fireworks
Cuisine
Behind Glass
Documents
Auction
Shoot and Select 1
Shoot and Select 2
Beach
Snow
Underwater Wide 1
Underwater Wide 2
Underwater Macro
Movie
mode serves to capture videos at any one of 4 frame
size/quality levels:
SHQ: 640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second
HQ: 640 x 480 pixels at 15 frames per second
SQ1: 320 x 240 pixels at 30 frames per second
SQ2: 320 x 240 pixels at 15 frames per second
In each case, the recording can last as long
as there is space on the memory card. During the recording,
the focus is fixed at the first frame, while the metering
and white balance are adjusted automatically as necessary.
The optical zoom remains useable if sound is not recorded,
otherwise it too is locked at its position at the first
frame. A 5X digital zoom is available and can be enabled
in the menu (see the Characteristics section
of the review for more details on the options contained
in the menu).
Places the SP-550
UZ in the playback mode.
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.
At the top left, the MENU
button displays the SP-550 UZ's menu, the content of which varies
according to the mode the camera is set to (see the Characteristics
and Interface and Software sections of the
review for more details about the SP-550 UZ's menus).
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 up direction controls
Exposure Compensation providing a compensation
range of ±2 EV in 1/3 EV increments, or access
to aperture and shutter speed settings, depending on the
SP-550 UZ's mode.
The right direction
serves to select the Flash mode, but only when
the flash has been manually opened first: Auto, Auto with
Red-eye Reduction, Fill-in, Fill-in with Red-Eye Reduction,
or Forced off.
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:
DISP.
Controls the level of information
superimposed on the image in both the capture and playback
modes.
With the camera set to a capture mode the default
display superimposes the battery charge, the capture
mode, the shutter speed and aperture, exposure compensation,
the stabilizer icon showing if the stabilizer is On
or Off, the AF area, the memory in use, the image size
and quality, and the remaining number of shots that
can be captured.
Pressing the button once clears all information
off the screen, leaving only the AF brackets.
Pressing the button a second time returns all the
previous information, and adds a composition grid.
The type of grid shown can be selected in the Setup
menu.
Pressing the button a third time removes the grid,
and replaces it by a histogram showing the distribution
of brightness in the frame.
Set to the Playback
mode, the default display shows the memory source of
the image, the image's file name, its format, the date
and time of capture and the number of images in memory.
Pressing the button once adds more information about
the image: the file size, the shutter speed and aperture,
the exposure compensation, the white balance and the
ISO setting.
A second push of the button clears all information
off the frame, leaving only the image.
Pressing the button a third time presents the image
as a thumbnail on the upper left side of the monitor,
with its histogram below and all the shooting parameters
on the right.
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.
Introduction
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.
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.)
,
that is placed at the top right corner of the monitor.
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.
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.
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.
serves to delete an image shown on the screen,
or images that have been selected using the index view.
