Olympus SP-550UZ First Impressions Review

Picture Quality / Size Options
The 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-550UZ has a host of image sizes available from the initial screen in the menu. Users can scroll up to the Image Quality section of the menu to find these choices.

RAW - 3072 x 2304
SHQ - 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 2048 (3:2)
HQ - 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 2048 (3:2)
SQ1 - 2560 x 1920 High and Normal, 2304 x 1728, 2048 x 1536
SQ2 - 1600 x 1200 High and Normal, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
16:9 – 1920 x 1080

The RAW files can be shot simultaneously with JPEGs if desired. Users can choose to turn off the duplicate JPEG feature or can choose from the SHQ, HQ, SQ1, and SQ2 image sizes.

Picture Effects Mode
In the shooting menu, users can adjust the sharpness, saturation, and contrast on +/- 5 scales with live views. In the playback menu, the saturation and brightness can be adjusted on similar scales. The sharpness, saturation, and contrast can be changed in the playback menu if the file is RAW.

The Olympus SP-550UZ is stocked with a few interesting effects that create print layouts, calendars, and even cards. Cards can be made with the Frame and Label sections of the menu. There are about a dozen card templates and labels ranging from “Congratulations” to “Happy Holidays.” These effects make it easier to create projects and print them directly from the camera.