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Olympus SP-560 UZ reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Olympus SP-560 UZ Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 15 January 2008 - |
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- 0 |
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- 27 December 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 22 December 2007 - |
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- 4 |
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- 21 December 2007 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 30 November 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 11 November 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 05 November 2007 - |
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- 0 |
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- 18 October 2007 - |
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- 4 |
Megapixel.net 's conclusion / rating - 15 January 2008 |
“ While most point-and-shoot digital cameras remain mired in the 3x to 4x zoom world, there's a new breed of bytecam that offers more than four times the magnification of their slimmer counterparts while maintaining a compact form. Among these super zoom packages are the Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 and the Olympus SP-560UZ ($350-$544).
Olympus is no newcomer to the superzoom category. It has recognized for a long time that there's a class of point-and-shoot shutterbug that longs for a long lens in their photographic endeavors. That spirit continues today with the 560UZ which sports an 18x optical zoom that's the equivalent of a 27-486 millimeter lens in 35 millimeter circles. Moreover, Olympus has loaded its new superzoom with a raft of features including face detection, shadow adjustment, dual image stabilization and a staggering array of shooting modes for just about any photographic situation a snapper may encounter... ”
Megapixel.net's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DigitalCameraReview 's conclusion / rating - 27 December 2007 |
“ First impressions of the Olympus SP-560 UZ were generally favorable. It is comfortable to hold, has an impressive zoom, and is loaded with features. For those reasons alone, this camera will probably sell well. Living with it is a little harder, especially when one realizes that many of these features are buried in the most appalling menu system yet devised. The last time I was this confused with a piece of electronics, some kind soul had set my cellphone language to Norwegian. With the recent advances in shutter lag reduction – the previous bane of the compact digital camera world – it is a shame that Olympus has sought to replace it with "menu lag," as users scramble to get the camera set up for the picture unfolding in front of them. Above all else, this is what lets the SP-560 down. While the lens has a few drawbacks, the sheer versatility of this zoom range, coupled to a camera with manageable size/weight and powered by readily available AA batteries make this a good choice for travelling, especially so if the destination is going to be sunny and can limit your photography to lower ISO shots. For most shooters, however, it would be worth sacrificing some of that upper zoom range for simpler functionality and greater dynamic range... ”
DigitalCameraReview's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DPReview 's conclusion / rating - 22 December 2007 |
“ We described the Fuji S8000fd as trying to be all things to all people, but that was before we really got to grips with the Olympus SP-560UZ. The number of features and options available on the Olympus is frankly comical. You could use this camera for years without ever finding all the (often fairly pointless) things it can do, so numerous and deeply buried in menus are they.
The SP-560UZ has more features than most users will ever discover, let alone want to use. This isn't helped by the rather brief manual that glosses over much of the camera's functionality only being included as a PDF on a CD. This kind of cost-cutting isn't unique to Olympus but is hard to justify in a camera this feature-laden. The mysteries of "one-touch" white balance and area auto focus mode are only clarified by spending time clicking through the PDF manual.
For instance, while Olympus is to be commended for the inclusion of RAW mode, it should also be shot withering looks for sticking to a memory format that makes using it so slow. This is just one of the examples of nice ideas that haven't been applied quite as well as they could have been. We'd rather see fewer functions perfectly implemented, rather than being overwhelmed by things that aren't quite as useful as they appear.
We are delighted, however, to see an easily controlled wireless flash mode. Using one of Olympus's offboard flashes (FL-50R and FL36R), the SP-560UZ is instantly able to take much better flash portraits than any of its direct rivals. The Shadow Adjust mode also seems genuinely useful for anyone who simply wants the camera to take nice portraits of their friends. And that's the flip-side of the camera's rather keen feature set - if one of its features is particularly useful for you, then it is probably worth overlooking any of its other niggles for.
None of which is to say that the Olympus isn't a good camera - it is. It's not particularly fast but has a good metering system and well thought-out processing that helps it to produce good images at low ISO settings. And, of course, it has the incredibly flexible lens which will continue to offer: "I wonder whether I can... Wow!" moments. At base ISO, the image quality of the Olympus is at least the equal of its two most obvious rivals but that base setting is so low it can leave you struggling with low shutter speeds even outdoors during daylight. And, given that it's hard to recommend its performance above ISO 200 as being particularly special, it's a camera you'll get the most out of outdoors.
The real problem that the Olympus faces is not so much that it has any major failings, but that it's not competitive on price with the Fuji (particularly in some markets), and it's not quite as well thought out or focused as the Panasonic. Ultimately, it's a perfectly capable camera with a very nice body and a comprehensive feature set. The problem is, so are its rivals. Another cautious, rather than wholehearted, recommendation... ”
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 21 December 2007 |
“ The Olympus SP-560UZ is an extremely accomplished camera, and more than makes up for its slightly disappointing predecessor. Outstanding design and handling, good performance and a huge degree of versatility make it a superb tool for the keen hobbyist. Image quality is at least as good as its main rivals, and the inclusion of RAW mode means that you can get the best from your photos. If you weren't already stumped trying to decide between a Fuji S8000fd and a Panasonic FZ-18, now your decision is even harder... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 30 November 2007 |
“ Long zooms used to be 10x or maybe 12x, but 2007 was the year that Olympus introduced the 18x zoom; and before the year goes out, Olympus has rolled out an improved version with more resolution, and speed enhancements galore. In addition to its 8.0 megapixel sensor, the Olympus SP-560 also sports new features like the Effects Preview and Shadow Adjustment Technology. More importantly, shutter lag is greatly reduced, making the Olympus SP-560 nearly irresistible. Though the zoom is a little wonky in movie mode, the long zoom, 27mm wide angle lens, optical image stabilization, and respectable image quality make the Olympus SP-560 an easy Dave's Picks in the Long Zoom category... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DigitalCameraInfo 's conclusion / rating - 11 November 2007 |
“ Olympus’ newest ultra-zoom digital camera comes with face detection and a slightly wider, but still incredibly long lens. The Olympus SP-560UZ keeps some of its predecessor’s best features: a high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD screen, lots of great picture effects, and a sturdy body.
The 18x optical zoom lens is the headline feature, and it delivers with a nice range that can be used in almost any circumstance. The 8.1-megapixel SP-560 retails for $499, which is at the high end of what most consumers are willing to pay for a non-DSLR camera.
The Olympus SP-560UZ improves upon its predecessor, but still falls short of its competition. Its colors are inaccurate and there are still problems with basic features like focus and continuous shooting modes: they aren’t fast and the focus can be soft, especially in movies. In the end, there are more things to dislike about the SP-560 than there are to like. There are better ultra-zoom digital cameras out there for less expensive prices... ”
DigitalCameraInfo's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Steves Digicams 's conclusion / rating - 05 November 2007 |
“ The Olympus SP-560 UZ is a very well balanced super-zoom model. Overall, the camera offers some very appealing features, great image quality both indoors and out, and plenty of resolution to create up to poster size prints. The only negatives I found with the camera were its shooting performance results in single exposure mode are a bit behind the rest of the market, and while it offers blazing fast performance in High Speed mode, you are forced to use such a small image size setting. With a street price of US$449 or less, I feel it offers an Ok value for such a capable consumer model with 8-megapixels and an awesome 18x Wide optical zoom lens... ”
Steves Digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
ePhotozine 's conclusion / rating - 18 October 2007 |
“ With such a short space of time between the 550UZ and the 560UZ there's was a nagging worry that the differences would be so small as to not worth noting, but fortunately, there are. The slightly wider lens won't give you a fresh perspective on landscape photography if you owned the 550UZ, but that doesn't stop it from being very worthwhile in its own right. At the other end of the focal length, the zoom will get you places you never imagined, and all without leaving the car. Well, alright, you might have to get out now and again, but an 18x optical zoom is a big weapon and the clarity at the end of it is decent. The standard burst rate is pretty good, without having to recourse to the lo-res mode that offers 15fps.
One of the selling points of the camera has to be the fantastic ISO range, running from ISO50 to ISO3200 without dropping the resolution, and then the rather pointless ISO6400 at 3Mp, which is a mess. While there is noise at every setting, it is kept under control all the way through, with even ISO1600 being usable in colour, as long as it isn't printed at A4.
The extra 1Mp resolution takes it up to 8Mp like its rivals, but the extra is welcome here. There is a slight limitation in the fastest shutter speed being 1/1000sec in AP mode, but unlike the Panasonic Z18 which had the same problem, at least the Olympus can use an ISO50 mode which requires double the light that ISO100 would use.
All these things said, it's the zoom range that will sell the camera. The lens performs well, it's very handy to have a 27mm wide angle view with it, and all the other features, plus the nice build quality and attractive design, make this a cracking little camera with a very big zoom... ”
Complete review here
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