Olympus SP-550 UZ

Manual Control Options
The Olympus SP-550UZ has a nice selection of exposure modes that cover any user’s comfort level with manual controls. The shutter speed, aperture, and options from the recording menu can be adjusted in the manual mode. The shutter speed and aperture priority modes allow access to their respective exposure settings, and the program mode has only exposure compensation control along with full access to the recording menu. An automatic mode is also available for those photographers who are in a rush or just don’t want to be bothered with the manual controls. On the mode dial, there is an icon of a camera with the word "My" next to it; this is where users can save up to 4 customized shooting modes for quick access.

Focus
Auto Focus (6.5)
The auto focus system can be set to work only when the shutter release button is pushed halfway or it can be set to function continuously. The latter full-time option isn’t incredibly loud, but is certainly audible. The contrast detection auto focus system can be controlled with these modes: iESP, Spot, and Area. iESP is the default mode that automatically selects an auto focus area from around the frame. The Spot mode is locked to the center, while the Area mode allows users to manually move the green brackets to 143 different points around the frame. A predictive auto focus mode can be selected from the recording menu; it doesn’t seem to be much different from the iESP mode though. Of note is the orange auto focus assist lamp that can be activated in the menu.

The auto focus system works through the lens to focus from 3.94 inches when zoomed out and from 47.24 inches when zoomed in. The focal point can be even closer if the macro mode is activated, in which the SP-550UZ can focus as close as 1cm. The auto focus system caused substantial shutter lag, which only got worse the more the zoom was used. It wasn’t any more reliable in the movie mode either: the focus would often lock – even when set to work full-time – and hardly anything would be focused. Overall, the auto focus system’s pedestrian reaction time and unreliability in the movie mode is disappointing.

Manual Focus (3.75)
If users want to avoid the slow and unreliable auto focus system, they can manually focus from the recording menu. Once selected, a column with 1, 2, 5, and 10-meter indicators appears on the left side of the LCD screen. The center of the image is magnified, but it is done digitally so there are stair-step patterns visible. This makes it hard to focus in the preview, but the jagged lines don’t show up in the final images.

ISO (9.0)
The Olympus SP-550UZ has a variety of ISO sensitivities available that put the camera’s predecessor to shame. The SP-500 has ISO settings up to 400, a short range that is now only found on cheap compact models. More and more digital cameras are including higher ISO sensitivity to cater to photographers that shoot indoors or in low light and don’t want to use the flash. The new SP-550UZ tops much of the competition with manual ISO settings of 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and 5000. This is a nice range, but the last two choices only function when the image size shrinks to 3 megapixels or smaller – so you won’t want to print these. Automatic is also available along with a High ISO Auto mode, something new to Olympus digital cameras but that has been included on other manufacturers’ models. Despite the image size shrinkage, the SP-550’s 50-5000 manual ISO offerings are great. To see how well the camera handled noise at high ISOs, check out the Testing/Performance section of this review.

White Balance (8.0)
Like many of the other manual controls on this page, the white balance options can be found in two different menus: OK/Func and Shooting. The OK/Func menu is the best place to adjust the white balance because it has a large live preview. The following options can be found: Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, and One-Touch (custom). The custom setting shows on-screen instructions to set the white balance or cancel. Some models require users to fill a tiny bracket in the center of the frame with white, but the SP-550 requires the entire frame to be filled with something white. In the shooting menu, a White Balance Compensation option allows users to move the white balance up and down on a +/- 7 scale toward blue or red. This isn’t as advanced as Panasonic’s white balance compensation system, but it is better than nothing at all. Also note the exclusion of a dedicated flash preset.

Exposure (8.0)
The Olympus SP-550UZ offers an exposure mode for everyone from full manual to priority to automatic and scene modes. In every mode, either the exposure settings (shutter speed and aperture) can be changed or the exposure compensation can be changed on its +/- 2 EV scale. It can be adjusted in steps of a third. The flash component has a similar +/- 2 flash compensation option as well.

In the setup menu, histogram and detail options can be turned on and off. When they are both activated, they are accessible by pushing the Info/Display button. A live histogram appears, and the detail function highlights overexposed areas as red and underexposed areas as blue.

Metering (7.25)
The typical selection of metering modes is available on the SP-550. The through-the-lens metering system has three modes: Multi-pattern, Spot, and Center. They can be found in both the OK/Func and Camera recording menus, although the former menu is the better choice because it provides a live view.

Shutter Speed (7.5)
Shutter speeds range from 1/2000th of a second to 15 seconds, and despite the manufacturer’s specs, there isn’t a bulb option. The range is fully available for most automatic exposure modes, but shortens in the manual and priority modes. In the manual mode, shutter speeds can be set from 15-1/1000th of a second. When the noise reduction setting in the recording menu is activated, it works when the shutter speed is slower than a half-second. In the shutter speed priority mode, only ½-1/1000 is accessible. The top of the multiselector has an exposure compensation icon on it. This is where the shutter speed can be changed.

Aperture (7.0)
With the 18x optical zoom lens as its highlighted feature, the SP-550 ultra-zoom digital camera offers manual and automatic control over its aperture. Some lengthy lenses have limited apertures, but this Olympus ED lens has a wide f/2.8 setting when the lens is zoomed out. When zoomed in, the maximum aperture shrinks to f/4.5. Throughout the range, the smallest aperture available is f/8.0, and choices come in increments of 1/3. The aperture can be changed by pushing the top of the multiselector with the exposure compensation icon on it and then scrolling right and left with the arrows.