Comments on: Olympus SP-550 Review – Part 3 (Image Quality) http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html Photos, Reviews, Instruction Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:11:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: r4i http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-2164 r4i Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:28:11 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-2164 Images from this camera are very high quality. The 18X optical zoom is very usable with only minimal distortion noticeable at the extremes. The optical image stabilization system (based on stabilizing the CCD image sensor instead of lens elements) is quite good and performed well under several different circumstances (moving car, boat, shaky hands). Images from this camera are very high quality. The 18X optical zoom is very usable with only minimal distortion noticeable at the extremes. The optical image stabilization system (based on stabilizing the CCD image sensor instead of lens elements) is quite good and performed well under several different circumstances (moving car, boat, shaky hands).

]]> By: Greg http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-136 Greg Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:00:54 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-136 <p>Someone previously asked about the filter diameter. Would you please answer that publicly? I'm looking to replace my consistantly faulty Sony DSC H-2, which at least had a standard filter diameter. </p> Someone previously asked about the filter diameter. Would you please answer that publicly? I'm looking to replace my consistantly faulty Sony DSC H-2, which at least had a standard filter diameter.

]]> By: L'aura http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-135 L'aura Sat, 09 Jun 2007 11:41:58 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-135 <p>Thanks for the great review! Incredibly thorough and convincing! I'll probably wait a couple more months before I buy but will be moving up from a Fuji S5000 10x optical zoom and REALLY appreciate all the wonderful info! Since optical zoom is my primary concern followed by the use of AA batteries your review convinced me this is the right camera for me!! (Unless, of course, a 20x optical pops out in the next few months!! ;-))</p> <p>Thanks, again!</p> <p>~L'aura</p> Thanks for the great review! Incredibly thorough and convincing! I'll probably wait a couple more months before I buy but will be moving up from a Fuji S5000 10x optical zoom and REALLY appreciate all the wonderful info! Since optical zoom is my primary concern followed by the use of AA batteries your review convinced me this is the right camera for me!! (Unless, of course, a 20x optical pops out in the next few months!! ;-))

Thanks, again!

~L'aura

]]> By: Eric Harris http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-134 Eric Harris Sun, 27 May 2007 03:43:56 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-134 <p>Great job,<br /> I have been debating the point and shoot vs. DSLR for some time. I currently have the Olympus 765C which was my entry into the digital market. For years I owned a Pentax K1000 which is a very user friendly film camera for the amateur. When digital photography came out I wanted to switch but the quality for lack of a better word sucked. Then Olympus came out with the 765 with the 10x optical and 4 megapixel and I was hooked. It gives great photos but I take a lot of wildlife pictures and anything at 150 yards or over is to much for the cameras abilities in respect to good quality. I was just thinking about the move to DSLR when I saw the Sp550 and you are the first to give actual photos of it's abilities. The extra 8x optical may be just what I need without the hassle of the size and lenses of the SLR. In your opinion if stabilized will the quality at those distances be decent without a lot of noise. Thanks again.<br /> Eric</p> Great job,
I have been debating the point and shoot vs. DSLR for some time. I currently have the Olympus 765C which was my entry into the digital market. For years I owned a Pentax K1000 which is a very user friendly film camera for the amateur. When digital photography came out I wanted to switch but the quality for lack of a better word sucked. Then Olympus came out with the 765 with the 10x optical and 4 megapixel and I was hooked. It gives great photos but I take a lot of wildlife pictures and anything at 150 yards or over is to much for the cameras abilities in respect to good quality. I was just thinking about the move to DSLR when I saw the Sp550 and you are the first to give actual photos of it's abilities. The extra 8x optical may be just what I need without the hassle of the size and lenses of the SLR. In your opinion if stabilized will the quality at those distances be decent without a lot of noise. Thanks again.
Eric

]]> By: Diego http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-133 Diego Sun, 13 May 2007 20:56:11 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-133 <p>Hi, about the RAW / JPEG comparison... I would like to see if it's any difference in chroma, color bleed and noise.<br /> Do you have any?</p> Hi, about the RAW / JPEG comparison… I would like to see if it's any difference in chroma, color bleed and noise.
Do you have any?

]]> By: joe r http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-132 joe r Tue, 24 Apr 2007 07:28:20 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-132 <p>thank you for a excellent report ;; much better than most pros ;; i think i want to try for crisper shots ;; maybe a 38mm size lens on a canon ;; maybe i am expecting too much</p> thank you for a excellent report ;; much better than most pros ;; i think i want to try for crisper shots ;; maybe a 38mm size lens on a canon ;; maybe i am expecting too much

]]> By: Cathy OK http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-131 Cathy OK Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:22:52 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-131 <p>Thank you for the excellent review. I have just bought the Olympus SP-550UZ and I'm very happy with it so far. However, I am have trouble using the manual focus. I do a lot of nature photography and some flora and fauna are too fine for the auto focus to work. I can get the manual focus to work for one shot but when I review the photo or move the shooting mode dial, I find I cannot get the manual focus to work - it seems to be locked on the previous focus and the only way I can get it to unlock is to turn the camera off and on again or to go into the camera menu and do a reset. I feel there must be a more efficient way - do you have any suggestions? I would be very grateful for any advice you can give me.</p> Thank you for the excellent review. I have just bought the Olympus SP-550UZ and I'm very happy with it so far. However, I am have trouble using the manual focus. I do a lot of nature photography and some flora and fauna are too fine for the auto focus to work. I can get the manual focus to work for one shot but when I review the photo or move the shooting mode dial, I find I cannot get the manual focus to work – it seems to be locked on the previous focus and the only way I can get it to unlock is to turn the camera off and on again or to go into the camera menu and do a reset. I feel there must be a more efficient way – do you have any suggestions? I would be very grateful for any advice you can give me.

]]> By: jahanpour http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-130 jahanpour Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:17:23 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-130 <p> SP-550UZ firmware update guide<br /> <a href="http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/qa/contents/03b/ssoftware10.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/qa/contents/03b/ssoftware10.cfm</a></p> <p>plz tell wht is ur idea about sony h7 & h9 too.</p> SP-550UZ firmware update guide
http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/qa/contents/03b/ssoftware10.cfm

plz tell wht is ur idea about sony h7 & h9 too.

]]> By: Ted http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-129 Ted Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:18:58 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-129 <p>Hi Lawrence,</p> <p>Ver interresting review. It helps a lot, thank you.</p> <p>Images in you galery are wonderful - hard to belive that you are not a pro... really!!</p> <p>I wonder if could spare few minutes to answer one question, that would help me but also - I suspect - many others on this bolg:</p> <p>Does Olympus image stabilisation system make possible shooting pictures on much,much slower ISO -say 2-3 steps?</p> <p>In another words, is it possible to shoot from hand without support on Olympus on ISO 100, in the situation when oter cameras (Fuji compacts?) would have to use ISO800? Galeries, churches etc.</p> <p>If this is possible, then noise on higher ISO would become irrelevant...We would have our perfect camera... </p> <p>I have heard sone mixed opinions on Canon compact IS system - apparently it helps but it is not higher ISO replacemment...Not on compact cameras. Canon IS lenses will improve up to 2 steps, but that is just a different category (SLR).</p> <p>I wonder if IS system in this Olympus compact camera is better...?</p> <p>I say again - really impressive pictures.</p> <p>Kind regards</p> <p>Ted<br /> </p> Hi Lawrence,

Ver interresting review. It helps a lot, thank you.

Images in you galery are wonderful – hard to belive that you are not a pro… really!!

I wonder if could spare few minutes to answer one question, that would help me but also – I suspect – many others on this bolg:

Does Olympus image stabilisation system make possible shooting pictures on much,much slower ISO -say 2-3 steps?

In another words, is it possible to shoot from hand without support on Olympus on ISO 100, in the situation when oter cameras (Fuji compacts?) would have to use ISO800? Galeries, churches etc.

If this is possible, then noise on higher ISO would become irrelevant…We would have our perfect camera…

I have heard sone mixed opinions on Canon compact IS system – apparently it helps but it is not higher ISO replacemment…Not on compact cameras. Canon IS lenses will improve up to 2 steps, but that is just a different category (SLR).

I wonder if IS system in this Olympus compact camera is better…?

I say again – really impressive pictures.

Kind regards

Ted

]]> By: Rod T. http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-128 Rod T. Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:17:58 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/02/olympus_sp550_r_1.html#comment-128 <p>Hi. Thanks Lawrence for this review, it's brilliant but I'm really concerned about barrel distortion at 28mm. Is it actually that bad? </p> <p>Rod </p> Hi. Thanks Lawrence for this review, it's brilliant but I'm really concerned about barrel distortion at 28mm. Is it actually that bad?

Rod

]]>