Olympus SP-500 UZ

Reviewed November 2005

Characteristics

A 1/2.5 inch CCD composed of 6.37 million pixels of which 6 million are effective allows the Olympus SP-500 UZ to capture images that have a maximum size of 2816 x 2112 pixels.

While CCD sensitivity starts at 80 ISO it can be pushed to 100, 200 or 400 ISO. In addition, it can also be set to Auto, allowing the camera to adjust the sensitivity for the ambient lighting conditions.

The use of UZ (Ultra Zoom) as part of the name of this Olympus camera highlights its 10X optical zoom. The zoom is composed of 11 elements, 2 of which have aspherical surfaces to minimize distortion, that are arranged in 7 groups. The lens has a focal length range that starts at 6.3 and extends to 63mm, the equivalent of a 38 to 380 mm zoom in the 35mm format. The lens' apertures begin at f2.8 at the wide angle and f3.7 at the telephoto end, closing down for both at f8.

Because the metallic lens barrel trim of the SP-500 UZ is threaded to receive the optional adapter (CLA-4), either of the optional lens converters can be mounted:

• Wide angle (WCON-07F, 0.7X)
• Telephoto (TCON-17F, 1.7X).

With most shooting modes the shutter speed range of the SP-500 UZ covers from 1/1000 second down to 2 seconds, with an extension to 4 seconds when the noise reduction system — automatically applied to all images with an exposure time of 1/2 second or longer — is activated in the menu. However, when the Manual mode is used, the shutter speed range of the SP-500 UZ is extended, offering the possibility of timed exposures as long as 15 seconds, and un timed exposure for up to a maximum of 8 minutes using the user-controlled Bulb mode.

The SP-500 UZ is capable of recording up to 9 image sizes, all of these being linked to preset JPEG compression levels (see further) with the exception of the highest resolution which offers a non-lossy RAW format:

• 2816 x 2112 pixels, available with RAW, SHQ and HQ.
• 2816 x 1880 (3:2) pixels, a format that corresponds to printing paper and is available with either SHQ or HQ.
• 2592 x 1944 pixels, available in SQ1 format.
• 2288 x 1712 pixels, available in SQ1 format.
• 2048 x 1536 pixels, available in SQ1 format.
• 1600 x 1200 pixels, available in SQ1 format.
• 1280 x 960 pixels, available in SQ2 format.
• 1024 x 768 pixels, available in SQ2 format.
• 640 x 480 pixels, available in SQ2 format.

While the RAW format is available at the largest image size, it is only only accessible when the camera is set to P, S, A or M. The format records the image without any processing by Olympus' Truepic Turbo processor, and simply records camera settings for contrast, sharpness, white balance etc. These can then be applied, or altered as desired during the image conversion process when the photo is processed using the bundled software so that it can be re-saved into a more common format such as JPEG, TIFF, or BMP. Capturing a RAW image requires approximately 7 seconds for the file to be saved, and produces an image file with an *.ORF extension and a file size of 8.6 MB.

Each of the JPEG formats of the SP-500 UZ — SHQ, HQ, SQ1 and SQ2 — offer either one or two compression levels, some of which are similar:

• SHQ: has a ratio of approximately 1:5.
• HQ: has a ratio of approximately 1:12.
• SQ1 Offers 2 compression levels:
  • High: has a ratio of approximately 1:5.
  • Normal: has a ratio of approximately 1:16.
• SQ2: also offers 2 compression levels:
  • High: has a ratio of approximately 1:5.
  • Normal: has a ratio of approximately 1:16.

Moreover, while an image is being saved, it is possible to decide that a RAW version should be saved as well as a copy in SHQ, HQ, SQ1 or SQ2 format.

The image size and quality are some of the many settings that are found in the Mode Menu of the SP-500 UZ. When the camera is set to a still image capture mode, pressing the OK/MENU button presents first a Shortcut screen that offers 4 choices, each of which can be easily and quickly accessed using one of the four directional arrow buttons:

• The up arrow activates the 12-second Self-timer. It needs to be reactivated each time a photo is captured with it.
• The Left arrow serves to go directly to the image quality settings section of the menu (see above).

• The down arrow accesses the Macro mode section of the menu:
  • Macro: lets the camera focus on a subject 7cm (2.73 in.) from the front element of the lens while the zoom is at the wide angle end, or 120cm (46.8 in.) when the zoom is at the maximum telephoto setting.
  • Super Macro: locks the zoom and allows the camera to focus on a subject 3cm (1.17 in.) from the front element of the lens.
• And last, the right arrow accesses the full Mode Menu (see further).

As with many other Olympus cameras, three of the shortcuts of the Recording mode can be reconfigured to access other sections of the menu. The fourth, the one that accesses the entire Mode Menu, is fixed.

The complete capture menu consists of 4 sections, each identified by a tab on the left side of the display: Camera, Picture, Card, and Set. The last two sections, Card and Set, are common to all camera modes (still image, movie and playback modes) and the content of these sections is detailed in the Interface and Software section of the review. Worth noting, these two sections are the only sections of the menu when the SP-500 UZ is set to the Auto shooting mode. With other modes however, the Mode menu is considerably more elaborate:

• ESP/ serves to select the metering pattern:
  • ESP: meters the brightness at the centre of the frame and the surrounding area separately to set the exposure parameters.
  • only meters the centre of the frame.
  • meters the brightness over a wide area with emphasis on the centre of the frame.
• Macro: serves to select either Macro or Super Macro modes (as explained above).
• Drive is the access to the sequential shooting modes:
  • Single shot, captures 1 frame at a time every time the shutter release is pressed.
  • Sequential Shooting locks the focus, exposure and white balance at the first frame, and the frame rate is dependent on the shutter speed, as well as the image size and quality settings.
  • High Speed Sequential Shooting is the same as Sequential Shooting, but limits the image quality to HQ, SQ1 or SQ2 so as to obtain a faster shooting rate.
  • AF Sequential Shooting auto focuses for each shot and thereby has a slower frame rate.
  • Bracketing captures either 3 or 5 images bracketing the normal exposure with 1 or 2 images that are underexposed and 1 or 2 images that are overexposed. A Bracketing range of ±1 EV in increments of 0.3 EV is available.

• ISO selects the sensitivity: Auto (between 80 and 400 ISO) or 80, 100, 200, 400 ISO.
• When the Mode Dial is set to the My Mode position, this option makes it possible to choose one of the four My Mode sets of customized settings.
• Self Timer: serves to activate the 12-second self-timer.
• Flash Intensity Control: serves to adjust the amount of light emitted by the flash over a range of ±2 EV in 0.3 EV increments.

• Synchro controls flash synchronization: SYNC1 is front curtain, firing the flash at the beginning of the exposure, SYNC2 is rear curtain, firing the flash just before the end of the exposure.
• Slave Flash Shooting controls the function of the flash:
  • IN: is the default and uses only the built-in flash.
  • Slave Flash: allows controlling the light produced by the flash over a range of 10 increments.
• Digital Zoom: to turn On or Off the 5X digital zoom. The digital zoom crops the central part of the image and interpolates it to the selected image size.
• Noise Reduction: On or Off, controls the use of the noise reduction system.
• Mode AF offers three options:
  • iESP: lets the camera automatically find the focus point wherever it is in the frame.
  • Spot: focuses on whatever is at the centre of the frame.
  • Area: allows the focus point to be moved to any of 143 points in the frame using the 4-direction control.
• Focus Mode: selects between Autofocus or Manual Focus. When Manual focusing is used the centre portion of the image is magnified to assist in focusing.
• Fulltime AF: On or Off. Decides whether focusing is continuous or single.
• Panorama Shooting: allows capturing a series of images — vertically or from right to left or left to right — which will be assembled later using software included with the SP-500 UZ. Worth noting, this mode is only accessible if an Olympus brand xD memory card is used.
• Sound: On or Off. Allows recording a 4-second audio clip, the recording starting half a second after the capture of image.
• Time Lapse Shooting: makes it possible to capture a series of images (from 2 to 99 images) and set the interval between shots (from 1 to 99 minutes).
• AF Predict: On or Off. This function calculates the distance the subject travels toward or away from the camera, and sets the focus accordingly.

The second section, Picture, contains options that relate to the image quality:

• Image Size and Compression: as outlined above.
• White Balance: Auto, Presets (Sun, Cloud, Sunset, Incandescent, Fluorescent 1 (daylight type), Fluorescent 2 (neutral), Fluorescent 3 (white type) or Custom (established using a white surface under ambient light conditions).
• WB±: white balance compensation, allows adjusting the white balance over ±7 steps towards red or blue when the white balance is set to any setting other than Auto.
• Sharpness: allows adjusting the in-camera sharpening over ±5 steps.

• Contrast: allows adjusting the image contrast over ±5 steps.
• Saturation: allows adjusting the colour saturation over ±5 steps.

Set to the Movie mode, the shortcuts — none of which can be modified — presented when the menu button is pressed allow direct access to the Frame Rate setting, the Digital Zoom, and the electronic Camera Movement Compensation system. The fourth shortcut is to the Mode Menu, which in the movie mode consists of fewer options: the Camera section offers ISO, AF and Sound options, while the Picture section is limited to the selection of the Frame Rate.

The access to the Playback Mode's Mode Menu also starts with a shortcut screen which as with the Movie mode, cannot be modified:

• The up arrow serves as a direct access to the Editing tools (see further).
• The left arrow serves to select an Album from which to see images (see further for more detail on Albums).
• The down arrow serves to select images or movies for review by date, using a calendar presentation.
• The right arrow opens up the complete menu.

The full menu for the Playback mode looks much like the capture menu, but the first two options of the capture menu, Camera and Picture, are replaced by Play and Edit, while as explained earlier, the other two sections, Card and Set remain the same (see the Interface and Software section of the review for more information about these sections).

The first section, Play, contains these options:

• Protect: On or Off, prevents images or movies from being accidentally deleted (this option is the only option contained in this section when a movie is on-screen and the menu button is pressed).

• Rotate: allows changing the orientation of an image by +90° or -90°.
• Slide Show: makes it possible to see the images captured with any one of 9 possible transition effects, in a looping slide show or not.
• Print: serves to select images that will be printed using a DPOF service or printer, and the number of prints to make of each image. In addition the SP-500 UZ is PictBridge compatible and can be connected directly to a similarly compatible printer to make prints of the photos in memory, by-passing any need for a computer.

• Sound: makes it possible to add a 4-second sound clip to an already captured image.
• Album: allows creating up to 12 albums into which captured images can be moved so as to organize them.

The next section, Edit, provides tools to process or edit images stored in memory:

• RAW Data Edit: serves to create a copy of any image captured with the RAW format and save it as an SHQ, HQ, SQ1 or SQ2 file. In addition, the white balance, sharpness, contrast and saturation can be modified prior to saving the JPEG version.
• Resize: serves to create a copy of an image with either a 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixel image size.
• Trimming: allows cropping a part of an image and re saving it as a new image.
• Redeye Fix: allows correcting the redeye effect in a photo, and re-saving it as new image.

• Black and White: makes it possible to save a copy of an image under review as a black and white image.
• Sepia: makes it possible to save a copy of an image under review as a sepia tone image.
• Frame: makes it possible to add a frame to an image and save it as a new image.
• Title: makes it possible to add a title to an image and save it as new image.
• Calendar: serves to add a calendar to a photo and save it as a new image.
• Layout: creates an index layout of selected images in normal playback, album playback or calendar display, and saves it as a new image.
• Brightness: serves to adjust the brightness of an image, and then save it as a new image.
• Saturation: allows changing the saturation of an image, and then saving it as a new image.

The Olympus SP-500 UZ is equipped with an internal memory of 10MB and as sold in North America does not include a memory card. Nevertheless, the SP-500 UZ is compatible with xD memory cards and has a card slot located behind a solid door on the right side of the body.

As a guide the chart below shows the image capacity for the internal memory and an optional 512MB xD card:

The SP-500 UZ can also be powered using rechargeable Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries which can be purchased separately and which give the camera a much greater autonomy. In addition, the camera can also be powered directly from household current when used for an extended period.

The optional power adapter, (C-8AC), is plugged into an DC jack located on the upper right side of the body, directly above the card compartment, and which is covered by a flexible plastic door.

The second external connection of the SP-500 UZ is located on the left flank of the camera, and is covered by a flexible plastic cover as well. The jack serves both for USB (2.0) and to connect the camera to a television (either NTSC or PAL) depending on the cable used, both of which are included with the camera.

As soon as the SP-500 UZ is connected to a computer, or to a PictBridge compatible printer, a special screen is displayed from which the communication protocol must be selected:

• PC (Mass Storage) to connect the camera to a computer so that its memory will be recognized by the operating system as a removable storage device.
• Easy Print (PictBridge) serves to start printing an image displayed on the monitor by pressing the button for each print.
• Custom Print makes it possible to assign printing parameters so that images will be printed automatically: All images or only those located in a specific album; as an index print or as a single image; with or without the date superimposed on the image; with or without a border; or even using settings established using DPOF while the camera was in Playback mode. Finally, the system even allows the image to be cropped, and the cropped section printed.