Olympus SP-350

Reviewed October 2005

Image Quality

A relatively compact camera offering a good ergonomic design, the Olympus SF-350 incorporates a wide array of functions and a large, 8-megapixel image size at a comparatively reasonable price.

While its 3X optical zoom is a standard expectation with current compact cameras, the inclusion of complete advanced shooting modes, a plethora of scene modes — 24 to be exact — a RAW image format, and a hot shoe are unusual for a camera in this range, and impart it with great flexibility.

As noted above, optically the SP-350 zoom is the de facto standard for most compact cameras, offering a focal length range that covers from 38 to 114mm, a range that is well-adapted to most photo subjects. In addition, the camera can be equipped with either one of two converter lenses once an adapter is screwed on, extending the SP-350's imaging capabilities to the equivalent of a 27mm wide angle or of a 194mm at the telephoto end.

With this zoom, however, we note that wide angle images are not as sharp as telephoto images, but that sharpness returns to normal as soon as the zoom is past the widest angle.

Interestingly, the images reveal very little distortion at the wide end, and none at the telephoto end. Moreover, although a very slight chromatic aberration can occasionally be seen, it is quite light and does not impact the image quality.

Left to its default settings for white balance (Auto), contrast and saturation, the SP-350 produces bright and lively colours when used under bright to average lighting conditions. And, as is usually the case with cameras, the best results are obtained when the ambient light is bright and bathing the subject evenly. Still, the SP-350 also manages well with cloudy and even with lightly overcast conditions.

Under poor light, however, such as on a dark Fall day, the resulting colours are much less accurate. Indeed, the auto white balance appears to be sensitive to the amount of ambient light, and is progressively less accurate as the light decreases.

Indoors the colours can be occasionally inaccurate, particularly when there is a mix of lighting sources. Under mixed lighting such as incandescent and fluorescent, or a mix of natural and artificial light, the colours produced by the Auto white balance can be a bit unpredictable, even when the presets are used, and sometimes better results are obtained when the white balance is custom-set.

This highlights the value of a RAW mode, as even with a simple RAW editor as is included in Olympus Master, corrections can be made to the white balance much more easily.

When images are looked at in detail on a monitor and at their full size, noise is detectable to some extent at all sensitivities. Nonetheless, up to the 100 ISO level, noise is not overt if the camera had the benefit of plenty of light when the image was captured.

Above 100 ISO, a range that is used by the Auto ISO setting, noise increases and while its impact is to make the image appear grainy, it is only at the 400 ISO level that it impacts the quantity of details that can be seen in the image. At the 400 ISO level, parts of images can take on the appearance of a water colour, or look as though they have been heavily processed through noise reduction, as would would happen with a long exposure.

With flash photos, the camera's built-in flash is reliable as long as the subject is less than 2 meters (6 ft) away and there is some ambient light. But, if the camera is going to be used indoors regularly and flash light will be commonly required, then the purchase of one of Olympus' dedicated flash units (FL-20 or FL-36) should be seriously contemplated as the camera will produce much better results with a more powerful flash.

Without a doubt the SP-350 yields excellent images when there is plenty of light. Then, noise is minimal and colours are precise. It is also a excellent camera for macro photography as it combines a focus distance of 2 cm and a choice of either aperture priority or manual mode to maximize the depth of field.

The versatility and price-point of the Olympus SP-350 should make it attractive to a wide variety of users. Its numerous scene modes, and fully automatic mode make it well-suited to occasional users, and its priority and full-feature manual mode will appeal to more demanding users.