Olympus SP-550 Ultra Zoom

I've had my Olympus SP550UZ camera for around a month now and I just LOVE IT ! ! !. The camera is packed full of features which you expect to find on a full blown D-SLR never mind a compact. The best thing about the camera is the optical zoom, 18x magnification, so you can get a crisp close up shot without the need to get close to your subject. I recently took to photos of the solar eclipse with fantastic results!!.

Some of the main ...
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The SP550UZ from Olympus is an upgrade from the 500 and 510 models, I previously owned the 500 model and I found a couple of problems with it:
1: The camera did not include an image stabilizer.
2: Everything was made from cheap plastic.

However the 550 includes a mechanical image stabilizer, so any camera shake from a pair of unsteady hands wont be a problem. This is a massive necessity especially when using the ... more

I've had my Olympus SP550UZ camera for around a month now and I just LOVE IT ! ! !. The camera is packed full of features which you expect to find on a full blown D-SLR never mind a compact. The best thing about the camera is the optical zoom, 18x magnification, so you can get a crisp close up shot without the need to get close to your subject. I recently took to photos of the solar eclipse with fantastic results!!.

Some of the main camera features include:
7.1M pixel sensor
18x optical zoom
5.6x digital zoom
2.5" LCD screen
Electronic view finder
Image stabiliser
23 scene modes

The SP550 uses xd memory cards, which have recently been upgraded to a capacity of 2GB, allowing hundreds of high quality photos to be stored. The camera also uses 4 x AA batteries, which I find to be an advantage, as you don't need a special battery and charger. I use 2700mAH rechargeable batteries, and can fill a full memory card without the need to change them.

The SP550UZ from Olympus is an upgrade from the 500 and 510 models, I previously owned the 500 model and I found a couple of problems with it:
1: The camera did not include an image stabilizer.
2: Everything was made from cheap plastic.

However the 550 includes a mechanical image stabilizer, so any camera shake from a pair of unsteady hands wont be a problem. This is a massive necessity especially when using the full 18x zoom. In addition the camera can be set to a high ISO setting to help aid sharp images. Also the build quality has been improved massively since the earlier models.

There is also a number of additional accessories which can be purchased for the 550UZ, I don't have much information to share on all these products, however I do own the TCON-17 lens, which increases the magnification power of the camera by 1.7x, giving a massive 30.6x optical zoom, HUGE ! ! ! (Hence the title of the review). I would advise though that you use a tripod when using the lens with the camera, as camera shake does become a problem at such high magnification. Also an adapter ring is required to mount the lens, as the thread of the lens is larger than that of the camera, this is achieved using a CLA-10.

The only snag with the camera is its size, although some may find a small compact camera an advantage, I find my hands are a little too big and holding the camera can be a little awkward. And one other small thing, if you have read the camera can take 15fps (frames per second) in sequential mode, don't be fooled, this is only when the camera is set to 1,2MP not 7.1MP.

Before I finish I would like to point out that Olympus offer a two year warranty, which is pretty standard on most cameras, however they also offer a repair service which, even if your camera is out of warranty, they can fix or replace any broken parts. I have used this service twice with previous products with high satisfaction.

Overall this camera is very rewarding, it offers great features and is reasonably priced at around £300. If I had to recommend a compact camera for an enthusiast who needed high performance and versatility, this would be the one, NO DOUBT !
 

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