|
OLYMPUS SP-500 UZ REVIEW
Before I start this review, I must admit
that I am a procrastinator when it comes to purchasing new technology
and before buying my last camera, it look me almost 6-months of
thoroughly researching the internet and various photography magazines
before I bought my Olympus C770 digital camera. I've owned the camera
for almost 2 years and I must admit that it was probably the best damn
camera on the market when I purchased it.
To my joy, Olympus sent impulsegamer the
SP-500UZ which is considered the successor to my camera and not only
does it feature the same highlights of the previous model (10-optical,
easy-to-use and 21 scene selections) but now the camera supports a
whopping 6.0 megapixels (effective) at an affordable price of $599AUD.
Specifications
|
Model |
SP-500 ULTRA ZOOM |
|
Type |
Digital camera with 6.4cm/2.5” colour TFT LCD monitor.
|
|
Image sensor |
|
Image sensor |
1/2.5’’ CCD with 6.37 million pixels. |
|
Effective pixel number |
6.0
million pixels (the actual number of pixels used in image
processing). |
|
Filter array |
Primary colour filter (RGB). |
|
Media |
|
Storage media type |
10
MB internal memory for image data. Removable xD-Picture Card
(16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512MB and 1GB). |
|
Lens |
| |
Optical zoom
|
10x.
|
| Structure
|
11
lenses in 7 groups, including 2 double-sided aspherical lens
elements. |
| Filter diameter
|
45.6mm ( Use CLA-4 to attach conversion lenses). |
| Focal length
|
6.3
– 63mm (equivalent to 38 – 380mm lens in 35mm format).
|
| Maximum aperture
|
1:2.8 (wide) – 3.7 (tele). |
|
Digital zoom |
1x –
5x. |
|
Viewfinder |
Electronic Viewfinder with 201,600 pixels. |
|
LCD monitor |
6.4cm/2.5’’ colour TFT LCD monitor with 115,000 pixels.
|
|
Focusing |
|
System |
TTL
autofocus with contrast detection. |
|
Function |
AF
illuminato. |
| Mode
|
Auto
|
Spot, iESP autofocus, Predictive AF, AF area is selectable from
143 points. |
| Manual
|
Yes,
with enlarged focusing area. |
|
Working range |
Standard mode
|
0,6m
(wide) / 2m (tele)-infinity. |
| Macro mode
|
Up
to 7 cm (wide) / 120cm (tele). |
| Super Macro mode
|
From
as close as 3cm (wide). |
|
Light metering |
| Mode
|
Digital ESP metering, spot metering, centre weighted metering.
|
|
Function |
Histogram in shooting and playback mode, AE lock. |
|
Exposure |
|
Exposure control |
Programme AE.
|
| Auto, Programme,
Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual Exposure.
|
| 21 Scene modes
(Portrait, Landscape, Landscape and Portrait, Night Scene, Night
& Portrait, Sports, Indoor, Candle, Self Portrait, Available
Light Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, Museum, Cuisine, Behind
Glass, Documents, Auction, Beach, Snow, Shot & Select 1, Shot &
Select 2). |
| 4 settings
storable (“My Mode”). |
|
Shutter speed |
15 –
1/1000 sec. (with Bulb mode up to 8 min.) |
|
Compensation |
±2
EV in 1/3 EV steps. |
| Auto
bracketing |
Up
to 5 frames in 1/3 EV steps. |
|
Sensitivity |
| |
Auto
|
ISO
automatically adjusted. |
| Manual
|
ISO
80 / 100 / 200 / 400. |
|
White balance |
| Mode
|
Auto
|
Full-auto TTL ESP. |
| WB adjustment
|
(red
) -7 – (blue ) +7. |
| Pre-set
|
Overcast, Sunlight, Evening Sun, Tungsten, Fluorescent1,
Fluorescent2, Fluorescent3. |
| Full manual
|
One-touch. |
|
Flash |
|
Pop-up flash |
Modes
|
Auto
(automatic activation in low and backlight), red-eye reduction,
fill-in (forced activation), fill-in & red-eye reduction, off
(no flash). |
| Working range
|
0.3m
– 4.5m (wide) or 1.2m- 3.4m (tele). |
| Guide number
|
Approx. 9. |
|
Function |
Flash compensation (±2 EV). |
|
Salve function for studio flash available. |
|
Sequence shooting |
2.5
shots per second up to 3 images ( High speed mode). |
|
Interval shooting |
2-99
frames with interval between the shots from 1 to 60 min.
|
|
Processing |
|
Image processing |
TruePic TURBO, Pixel mapping, Noise reduction. |
|
Image quality Adjustment
|
Brightness ± 5. |
| Saturation ± 5.
|
| Contrast ± 5.
|
|
Function shooting |
Panorama function ( only with optional
Olympus xD-picture Card). |
|
Movie processing |
Digital image stabilizer. |
|
Viewing |
|
Still image |
Slide-show with several effects, Calendar, Album, Demo Mode.
|
|
Motion picture |
Fast
forward, Frame by Frame. |
|
Editing |
|
Still image edit |
RAW
Data Edit, Red-eye fix, Re-size, Rotation, Trimming, Sepia mode,
Black & White mode, Frame insert, Title insert, Calendar insert,
Layout composition. |
|
Motion picture edit |
Index, Edit. |
|
Recording system |
|
Still image |
JPEG
(DCF: “Design rule for Camera File system”),RAW, Exif 2.2
support, DPS and Print Image Matching III support, DPOF support.
|
|
Motion picture |
QuickTime Motion JPEG®* with Sound. |
|
Movie sound / voice recording |
WAVE
format. |
|
Number of storable frames (approx., with internal memory)
|
| |
2,816 x 2,112
|
RAW: 1
|
| |
SHQ: 2
|
| |
HQ: 7
|
| 2,816 x 1,877 (
3:2 ) |
SHQ: 2
|
| |
HQ: 8
|
| 2,592 x 1,944
|
SQ1 high: 2 |
| |
normal: 8
|
| 2,288 x 1,712
|
SQ1 high: 3 |
| |
normal: 10
|
| 2,048 x 1,536
|
SQ1 high: 4 |
| |
normal: 13
|
| 1,600 x 1,200
|
SQ1 high: 7 |
| |
normal: 21
|
| 1,280 x 960
|
SQ2 high: 11 |
| |
normal: 32 |
| 1,024 x 768
|
SQ2 high: 17 |
| |
normal: 50
|
| 640 x 480
|
SQ2 high: 43 |
| |
normal: 103
|
|
Motion picture mode |
Up
to the capacity of the xD-Picture Card. With internal memory:
QVGA (320 x 240 pixels), at 30 frames/sec.: 15 sec. QVGA (320 x
240 pixels), at 15 frames/sec.: 31 sec. |
|
Power supply |
| |
Rechargeable
batteries |
4 x
AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries, |
| One time use
batteries |
4 x
AA alkaline batteries. |
| AC adapter
|
Optional AC adapter C-8AC;
AC 100V-240V, 50-60Hz; DC 6.5V and 2A. |
|
Interface |
DC
input terminal,
USB Auto Connect interface combined with audio/video output
terminal (PAL). |
|
Other features |
| DPOF
setting |
Single-frame print reservation, all print reservation, number of
prints, date display. |
|
Direct printing (DPS) |
PictBridge and PictBridge EasyPrint support allows direct
printing with compatible printers. |
|
Multilingual menu |
English / French / German / Spanish / Italian / Russian.
Additional languages can be downloaded through OLYMPUS Master
software. |
|
Guide function |
Displays help text for several functions. |
|
Setting memorisation |
Yes.
|
|
Date/time/calendar system |
Up
to year 2099. |
|
Size |
|
Dimensions |
105.5 x 74.5 x 71.0 mm (W x H x D). |
|
Weight |
285
g (without batteries and memory card). |
|
Box contents |
Strap, USB cable, audio/video cable, 4x AA batteries, OLYMPUS
Master 1.31. |
Box Contents &
Warranty The
Olympus SP-500 UltraZoom comes with everything you need to start taking
photos that includes the camera, neck strap, 4 alkaline batteries, USB
cable, audio/video cable, instruction manual, warranty card and a
software CD-ROM. Probably the three main differences between the
SP-500UZ and the C770UZ is that the SP-500 now comes with 6 megapixels,
alkaline batteries and 10meg internal memory as compared to 4 megapixels,
Lithium Ion Battery and a 128MB external XD memory card.
I must admit that I was
a little bemused to the change from lithium ion batteries to AA
batteries but I'm guessing that this is a move to suit the current
climate of digital cameras (pushed by Kodak and Fuji) to use standard AA
batteries which makes it easy to replace in those times of need. Installation
The installation of the SP-500 was
simplicity at its best and all we had to do was install the batteries
into the camera itself and turn it on. Although it comes with an
internal 10MB of memory, we installed a 512MB XD memory card to take
this camera through its steps. With that said, the 10MB of internal
memory allows you to take around 10 photos on high quality (6 megapixel)
and also one RAW format picture that could be used for high quality
print media.
Design
The design and feel of the SP-500 is a huge
improvement over its predecessors as the camera now comfortably fits in
the users hand. The C770 was a little difficult to hold (although tiny)
because it had no grip for the fingers, however this has all changed with
the current model of the Ultra Zoom series as the SP-500 feels like a
mini digital SLR. With that said, all the buttons and dials are located
in ideal places and Olympus seem to have done their homework where
everything should be located. The scene dial is located at the top of
the camera with the zoom button also located at the top that allows for
flawless zooming in and out.
Zoom zoom zoom!
The zoom mode of the SP-500UZ is phenomenal
that boasts a full 10 optical that is equivalent to a 38-380mm non
digital camera. Not only is the zoom flawless but the auto-focus of the
camera is rather adept when it is fully zoomed. The only downside to
this the SP-500UZ is that it does not contain any image stabilization
(like the Panasonic or Minolta) but Olympus have addressed this issue by
allowing the camera synchronises to 1/250th of a second which is rather
fast.
As shooting in direct sunlight can be
difficult, the SP500-UZ features an electronic viewfinder that is
basically a mini LCD screen that is ideal for using outside and actually
saves the battery life of the camera.
New Features
Olympus have also introduced a new feature
to this series with a light portrait scene function that basically
adjusts the lighting of the photo without the use of a flash. The
SP500-UZ also supports a huge 2.5" LCD screen that is a nice change from
the C770 1.8" LCD screen which means a bigger display on the back, so
more detail and a lot more easier on the eyes.
Conclusion In conclusion,
SP500-UZ is the perfect camera for a whole variety of camera enthusiasts
who wish high quality photos, extraordinary zoom and great value for
money. Great stuff from Olympus! |
