Color (5.2)
The Olympus SP-500 UZ comes equipped with a 1/2.5-inch CCD and a TruePic Turbo image processor. To see just how true its colors are, we took several exposures of an industry standard GretagMacbeth color chart. We tested the camera in well-illuminated studio conditions using the camera’s noise reduction system to get the clearest and most accurate pictures. We then uploaded the images into Imatest Imaging Software to help analyze the accuracy of the rendered colors and the degree of saturation. A chart modified by the software program is reproduced below. It shows the original color of the GretagMacbeth chart in the inner vertical rectangle of each tile; this is what the camera’s colors should ideally look like. The outer square of each tile shows the SP-500’s produced colors. The inner square shows the ideal colors, corrected for luminance.

The margin of error is easier to see in the graph below. The 24 ideal colors from the original chart are shown as squares and the Olympus SP-500’s colors are shown as circles. The line connecting the two shapes displays the margin of error for each color. Unfortunately, many of the lines are quite lengthy. This tells us that the camera’s colors aren’t as accurate as they should be.

Indeed, the colors are quite inaccurate. The Olympus SP-500 UZ received an overall color score of 5.2. And while many digital cameras keep their mean color error score in the single digits, the SP-500 had a disappointing 11.5 color error score. The camera slightly over-saturated colors by 3.7 percent, which is typical for most consumer-level digital cameras. The overall color inaccuracy is abnormal though and is quite disappointing.

Still Life Scene
Below is a shot of our still life scene recorded with the Olympus SP-500 UZ.

Click on the image above to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: the linked file is very large!)

Resolution (2.54)
Olympus advertises 6 effective megapixels from its total of 6.37 megapixels. We tested the camera’s ability to maximize its resolution and keep images sharp by taking a series of pictures of an industry standard ISO 12233 resolution chart. After taking sets of pictures at a variety of focal lengths and aperture values, we imported the files into Imatest Imaging Software. We report the best results.

Click on the resolution chart above to view the full res image

At a focal length of 19.6 mm, we found the Olympus SP-500 UZ to be the sharpest when using an aperture of f/4.5. Imatest analyzed this shot and determined its resolution in terms of line widths per picture height (LW/PH). Basically, this would be the maximum number of alternating black-and-white lines the camera could read inside its frame before they became too fine for the imaging system to distinguish and the camera would begin blurring them together. Traditional measurements for 35mm cameras are done in units of line pairs per picture height (LP/PH), but because that unit does not account for the various sizes of imaging sensors we use LW/PH.

Along the horizontal axis of the frame, the Olympus SP-500 read 1380 LW/PH. Vertically, the camera read 1293 LW/PH. This is much lower than we’d anticipated from a camera that advertises 6 megapixels. By contrast, the sharp 5 megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S5200 read 1639 LW/PH horizontally and 1607 LW/PH vertically. The SP-500 UZ was tested with its noise reduction system activated and its image sharpness option set to Normal, but it still slightly over-sharpened pictures. Horizontally, it over-sharpened by 10.6 percent; it did so vertically by 6.54 percent. For its lackluster performance, the Olympus SP-500 received an overall resolution score of 2.54.

Noise – Auto ISO (1.51)
The Olympus SP-500 was tested with its noise reduction feature on, but it didn’t seem to make all that much of a difference. When the ISO was automatically selected by the camera, noise levels reached the equivalent of ISO 250 in our brightly lit studio. For this, the SP-500 produced images with excessive noise and received a dismal 1.51 overall auto ISO noise score.

Noise – Manual ISO (4.41)
The SP-500 has an ISO range typical of a compact digital camera. Users can select from 80, 100, 200, and 400 manual options. We turned on the noise reduction mode and tested the noise levels at each of the camera’s four manual settings. Below is a chart with our findings. The horizontal axis displays the ISO settings and the vertical axis shows the amount of noise produced at each of them.

With an automatic score of 1.51, it wasn’t hard for the SP-500 to perform better in the manual ISO settings. After all, it couldn’t get much worse. The camera turned out a manual ISO noise score of 4.41, which ranks competitively with other compact models. In general, noise seems to be a consistent flaw of ultra zoom models and the SP-500 UZ performed in-line with the rest of the pack.

Low Light Performance (6.5)
To test the sensitivity of the SP-500’s imaging sensor, we evaluated its performance under decreasing levels of illumination. The first test was at 60 lux, which is roughly equivalent to a living room with a soft lamp and a glowing fireplace. The second test was done at 30 lux, which is the same amount of light emitted from a 40-watt bulb. While these two light levels are still common picture taking situations, the next two are a bit more unusual, and we run these tests to test the sensitivity of the CCD and see how it handles noise in longer exposures. The third test was at 15 lux and the fourth at 5 lux; both of these are very near darkness and forces longer exposures to maintain an adequate exposure.

Low Light Tests
60 Lux	30 Lux
15 Lux	5 Lux

The images get progressively noisier as the light diminishes and exposures are extended. Low light photography without the flash is definitely possible with the SP-500 UZ (assuming there is a tripod to keep the camera steady) and the images should retain illumination if the camera is set properly. Many cameras have trouble keeping pictures sharp and focused in the low light tests, but the Olympus SP-500 UZ kept edges relatively crisp. Still, the amount of noise is an issue. Below is a chart showing just how much noise there was during each of the four tests. The horizontal axis shows the length of the exposure and the vertical axis displays the noise levels at each of the four exposure times.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (7.22)
The Olympus SP-500 acted more like a compact digital camera than a DSLR for this test. It took 2.8 seconds to turn on and take its first shot when using an Olympus-branded xD-Picture card.

Shot to Shot (9.14)
The SP-500 has a few burst modes, but they’re only available if the noise reduction mode is turned off. Continuous shooting went for 19 shots at an average pace of 0.76 seconds between captures. The AF Burst mode varied in its shot to shot time because the camera refocuses between shots. It’s slow for a burst mode, but it can capture pictures up to the capacity of the memory card. The AF Burst shot a photo at an average of every 0.79 seconds in our testing. The bracketing mode takes either 3 or 5 shots at the same 0.8-second rate. The fastest burst mode on the SP-500 is the High Speed mode, which takes 3 frames in one second before taking a breather to write to the memory.

Shutter to Shot (8.6)
The amount of shutter lag depends on the situation and subject because the lag is mainly attributable to the auto focus system. Low light slows the camera’s reaction times down, as do fast-moving subjects. In our testing under strong lighting and with a stationery subject, the camera had 0.2 seconds of lag time between the shutter release button being pressed and the moment the picture was taken.

Intro	Page 2 of 12		Physical Tour
Olympus SP-500 UZ Digital Camera Review Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance	Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes	Manual Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions	Conclusion	Specs / Ratings