The Olympus SP-510 UZ is the revision
of the SP-500 UZ, released last year. This new version offers
a 7.1 megapixel resolution, a 10X optical zoom, and a 2.5-inch
monitor.
The top right of the camera
supports 5 controls. First is the chromed two-stage shutter
release, which sets the exposure and focus at the halfway
point. The shutter release is surrounded by the zoom control,
which as usual doubles as a way to zoom into an image under
review (up to 10X) when pulled towards the telephoto side
,
or review images as an index when pushed towards the wide
angle side
(4, 9, 16, 25 images per screen in calendar format that presents
images according to their capture date).
Two round buttons are positioned
to the left and behind the shutter release. The one furthest
on the left is the Power switch and is slightly recessed
into the body to prevent accidentally turning on or off the
camera. The other, on the right, has two functions:
By default, in a capture
mode, the button controls the Digital Image Stabilization
mode (The camera boosts sensitivity up to
1250 ISO if necessary to maintain a shutter speed that
is fast enough to avoid camera shake.). In addition,
using the Setup menu, the button can have another function
assigned to it instead:
Autofocus Lock (AF-L)
Auto Exposure Lock (AE-L)
Image Quality selection
Fine Zoom
Digital Zoom
AF Mode
Focus Mode
Fulltime AF
AF Predict
Flash Synchro
External Flash
Audio Capture
Noise Reduction
These functions are detailed in the Characteristics
section of the review.
While with the SP-510 connected
directly to a PictBridge compatible printer via
USB, the button can be used to start printing.
The Mode Dial is placed
on the top right, on the back edge of the camera. The Mode
Dial has 9 positions:
AUTO
The Auto mode makes
the SP-510 UZ extremely easy to use, the camera taking
care of all photographic settings. All the user has to
do is press the shutter.
P
The Program mode lets
the camera select the aperture and shutter speed, but
leaves all other parameters up to the user.
A/S
Set to this position, the
user can choose between Aperture Priority and
Shutter Priority simply by using the OK/FUNC
(see further):
The Aperture Priority mode allows selecting
an aperture between f2.8 and f8 when the zoom is at
the wide angle end, and f3.7 through f8 at the telephoto
end, while the camera matches the selection to an
appropriate shutter speed.
The Shutter Priority mode allows the user
to select the shutter speed, between 1/1000 second
and 2 seconds when the noise reduction system is inactive,
and up to 4 seconds when the noise reduction system
is active, while the camera matches the selection
to an aperture.
M
The Manual mode gives
control over both the aperture — the same as the
A mode — and the shutter speed, which then
has a range of 1/1000 second to 15 seconds. Moreover,
there is a B (Bulb) mode that can be as long as
8 minutes.
My Mode offers four
customized modes, each created by saving a set of preferred
settings into a memory location (see the Characteristics
section of the review for a more detailed explanation).
GUIDE
The Guide mode displays
either on the monitor or in the viewfinder a variety
of recipes that allow the user to follow instructions
on how to set the camera according to the subject to
be photographed.
SCN
Set to this position, Scene,
the camera displays a menu which offers a selection
of 21 scene modes. The menu displays a sample
image of the currently highlighted mode, replaced a
couple seconds later by a short text description. Once
a mode is selected the camera then optimizes settings
for the specific subject.
Portrait
Landscape
Landscape + Portrait
Night Scene
Sport
Night + Portrait
Indoor
Candle
Available Light
Self-portrait
Sunset
Fireworks
Museum
Behind Glass
Cuisine
Documents
Auction
Shoot & Select 1
Shoot & Select 2
Beach
Snow
Movie
mode allows recording video clips, with or without sound,
at any one of 4 frame sizes and frame/rate combinations:
SHQ: 640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second,
but limited to 15-second clips.
HQ: 640 x 480 pixels at 15 frames per second,
unlimited.
SQ1: 320 x 240 pixels at 30 frames per second,
unlimited.
SQ2: 320 x 240 pixels at 15 frames per second,
unlimited.
During recording, the focus is set at the first frame
while the white balance and exposure remain dynamic.
The optical zoom can be used as long as the sound recording
is turned off. Otherwise, the zoom is locked at the
first frame. (See the Characteristics section
of the review for more details on the options available).
All the other external controls are grouped on the back of
the SP-510 UZ, to the right of the monitor.
At the upper right corner of the monitor, the SP-510 UZ is
equipped with a button labelled
that serves to select either the viewfinder or the monitor.
The SP-510 UZ has a 2.5-inch
(6.4 cm) LCD monitor composed of 115,000 pixels that
occupies most of the camera's back. In addition, the SP-510
UZ is also equipped with an electronic viewfinder (EVF)
composed of 235,000 pixels, giving it a finer image
than the monitor. Regrettably, however, this new model lacks
a dioptre correction for the EVF.
The manual Flash Release button is positioned to the
right of the viewfinder's exit pupil, and opens the built-in
pop-up flash.
The flash opens by pivoting
up, and when opened is positioned high enough to avoid having
the lens cast a shadow when the zoom is a the widest angle.
However, at the minimum shooting distance, when the camera
is set to the Super Macro mode, the flash is automatically
forced off as the lens would cast a shadow. It is also worth
noting that the flash takes 6.5 seconds to charge.
With sensitivity set to Auto ISO, the flash has a range of
0.3 to 4.5 m (1 - 14.7 ft) when the zoom is at the wide angle
end and benefits from the brightest aperture, and 1.2 to 3.4
m (4 - 11.15 ft) at the telephoto end.
Next are three round buttons, placed
at the top right side of the monitor:
DISP.
Controls the information
superimposed on the image of the monitor, or the EVF.
In the capture mode the default presentation
superimposes the battery charge, the capture mode, the
shutter speed and aperture, the exposure compensation,
the AF area, the memory type in use, the image size
and quality, as well as the remaining number of photos
that can be captured.
Pressing the button once clears all information
off the screen with the exception of the battery charge
and the AF area.
A second press of the button adds a composition
grid on top of the image.
A third press of the button replaces the grid by
a real-time histogram that represents the distribution
of brightness in the frame.
Set to the playback mode
the image is, by default, shown with an indication of
the memory type in use, the image's file name, its format,
the date and time at which it was captured, and the
number of images contained in the memory.
Pressing the button once adds the image size, the
shutter speed and aperture used to record it, along
with exposure compensation if any, and white balance
and sensitivity settings.
A second press of the button clears all superimposed
information off the screen, leaving only the image.
Pressing the button a third time presents the image
along with its histogram and all capture parameters.
As a secondary function, the
button also serves to display short description of a highlighted
option while a menu is on screen.
Below is the MENU button, which displays the menu
that corresponds to the current camera mode. And to its right
is dual function button:
In a capture mode the
button starts the Self-Timer providing a delay
of either 12 or 2 seconds when the shutter release is
pressed.
While in the playback
mode, the button serves to delete the image on
screen or those that have been selected using an index
view.
The 4-direction control is last. Composed of 4 curved
buttons and of a round button at the centre, the 4-direction
control's primary function is to navigate the menus. In addition,
in the capture modes, the control can be used to change aperture
or shutter speed depending on the mode in use. While in the
playback mode the control serves to move from one image to
another, or one index screen to another, or when the camera
is in the calendar mode, one month to another.
In addition, each of the four direction button has a secondary
function:
The up arrow serves
to set the Exposure compensation a range of ±2
EV in 1/3 EV increments.
The right arrow serves
to select the Flash Mode but only when the flash
has been first opened manually: Auto, Auto with Red-Eye
Reduction, Fill-in, Fill-in with Red-eye Reduction, or
Forced Off.
QUICK
VIEW
The down arrow allows
switching to the Playback mode without having to
change the position of the Mode Dial.
The left arrow controls
the Macro modes:
The Standard Macro mode allows the camera
to focus at a minimum distance of 7 cm (2.88 inches)
at the wide angle end, and 1.2 m (4 ft) at the telephoto
end.
Or Super Macro mode, which locks the lens
at the wide angle and allows the camera to focus on
a subject 3 cm (1.2 inch) from the front element of
the lens.
At the centre of the 4-direction control the OK/FUNC
serves to confirm menu selections. Moreover, in the A/S
modes it serves to select between the Aperture Priority mode
and the Shutter Priority mode, or one of the four custom My
Mode settings when the dial is set to .
Still in the capture mode,
this button calls up a Function menu, which contains
four critical options:
OK/
FUNC
WB allows setting the white balance: Auto,
Sun, Cloud, Tungsten (Incandescent), Fluorescent 1
(daylight), 2 (neutral) or 3 (cool).
ISO serves to set the CCD sensitivity: Auto,
50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 2500 or 4000 ISO.
Drive serves to select the continuous shooting
modes:
Single: shoots one frame at a time.
Normal Sequential Shooting: Focus and exposure
are locked at the first frame, the frame rate
depends on the images quality and size settings.
High Speed Sequential Shooting functions
like the Normal Sequential Shooting mode, but
at a faster frame rate and only with the camera
set to HQ or SQ1 and SQ2 (see the Characteristics
section of the review for a description of these
image formats).
AF Sequential Shooting adjusts the focus
for each frame, resulting in a slower shooting
speed.
Exposure Bracketing: takes pictures sequentially
while changing the exposure for each frame. 3
or 5 frames can be captured over a range of ±1
EV in 0.3 EV increments.
ESP serves to choose the metering mode:
ESP: is an averaging pattern that
divides the image into segments and calculates
exposure parameters that take all segments into
account.
is a spot metering pattern that evaluates
only a small area at the centre of the image,
ideal for backlit subjects.
corresponds to a centre-weighted pattern
that evaluates the entire frame, but gives more
importance to what is at the centre than the rest
of the image.
Overall the ergonomic design of the Olympus SP-510 UZ is
very similar to that of the SP-500 UZ: the camera has a good
in-hand feel, and the controls are positioned practically
and naturally, an important thing on such a small camera.
Moreover, the SP-510 UZ, in addition to its increased resolution,
benefits from a number of improvements, both internally and
externally. Some of these, such as the addition of a Function
menu, and the the use of the 4-direction control to provide
a means for extra settings, are particularly welcome.
Compare Prices for Olympus SP-510 UZ Digital Camera Battery Charger (B-9700)
Ergonomics
,
or review images as an index when pushed towards the wide
angle side 
(4, 9, 16, 25 images per screen in calendar format that presents
images according to their capture date).
that serves to select either the viewfinder or the monitor.
Single: shoots one frame at a time.
Normal Sequential Shooting: Focus and exposure
are locked at the first frame, the frame rate
depends on the images quality and size settings.
High Speed Sequential Shooting functions
like the Normal Sequential Shooting mode, but
at a faster frame rate and only with the camera
set to HQ or SQ1 and SQ2 (see the Characteristics
section of the review for a description of these
image formats).
AF Sequential Shooting adjusts the focus
for each frame, resulting in a slower shooting
speed.
Exposure Bracketing: takes pictures sequentially
while changing the exposure for each frame. 3
or 5 frames can be captured over a range of ±1
EV in 0.3 EV increments.
is a spot metering pattern that evaluates
only a small area at the centre of the image,
ideal for backlit subjects.
corresponds to a centre-weighted pattern
that evaluates the entire frame, but gives more
importance to what is at the centre than the rest
of the image.
