The SP-560UZ updates Olympus’ ultra-zoom series with a higher megapixel count and a few new features. The SP-560UZ has 8 megapixels, up from the older SP-550’s 7.1 megapixels. Both have 18x optical zoom lenses and mechanical sensor-shift image stabilization. One of the biggest differences is the new image processor: the SP-560 has a TruePic Turbo III processor and includes face detection.
Physical Tour
Front (7.75)
The Olympus SP-560 has a very familiar look. The SP-560 is identical to the SP-550 with the molded rubber hand grip, large lens, and neck strap eyelets that poke out from each side. The left side features the rubber hand grip with its curved and comfortable edge. Atop this edge and visible from the front is the shutter release button surrounded by the zoom ring.
On the right side of the SP-560’s front is a large lens with a nice wide cap. To the upper left of the lens is a small auto focus assist lamp. Directly above the lens is the built-in flash unit. To the upper right of the lens is a small shoulder with a chrome grill for the camera’s microphone.
Back (8.0)
The back of the new model is almost the same as the old, with only a new icon or two added to the buttons. The Olympus SP-560UZ has a 2.5-inch LCD screen on the left side with an Olympus logo beneath it. Above the LCD is the electronic viewfinder. To the upper right corner of the LCD is a small button that switches the view from the LCD to the viewfinder and back. Directly above the LCD is an electronic viewfinder with a plastic frame around it. On its left side is a small, round, grooved dioptric adjustment dial. To the left of the LCD is a finger grip that opens the port door on the side. On the upper left shoulder is a chrome neck strap eyelet.
Most of the controls are on the right side of the back. The upper portion of the right side has a comfortable thumb grip. Below it is a cluster of gray buttons with printed white labels. Like the SP-550, the menu and playback/print buttons are at the top. Below these buttons and in the center of the cluster is a multi-selector made of a central OK/Func button and a ring around it. At the top and moving clockwise around the ring, the multi-selector accesses Exposure Compensation, Flash, Self-Timer, and Macro. To the left of the multi-selector is a skinny LED that flashes red when the camera is processing – which is often. The button to the lower left of the selector accesses the Info/Display modes and the button to its right is for the Shadow Compensation/Delete functions. The latter button is the only one that differs from the SP-550. To the right of the cluster of controls is a small finger grip that opens to the memory card slot on the right side.
Left Side (8.0)
This side is very wide, displaying the huge 18x lens barrel. The lens barrel is surrounded by a rubber ring for better handling and a chrome ring for decoration. Behind the barrel is the main portion of the body with the flash unit at the top. Below the flash is a round flash button that opens the unit; this must be done manually. Near the back of this side are a rubber port door and a dioptric adjustment dial on the side of the viewfinder.
Right Side (8.0)
The nearly two-inch-wide hand grip can be seen on this side. The front portion of it is coated with a nicely textured rubber and the back half is molded from a durable plastic. Near the bottom of the back half is a door that opens to reveal the memory card slot. Connecting the two halves is a chrome vertical band with a neck strap eyelet on it. The side of the lens barrel is also visible.
Top (7.75)
The camera’s L-shape is evident from the top. At the top of the “L” is the tip of the lens covered with an included cap. The cap has a tiny loop on it so users can connect it to the neck strap. Behind the cap on the lens are the specs: “Olympus ED Lens, AF Zoom, 4.7-84.2mm 1:2.8-4.5.” Behind the skinny line of text is a rubber strip that surrounds the lens barrel. Hovering above it is the flash unit that manually pops up when the button on the left side is pushed. The electronic viewfinder is a protrusion that looks like an extension on the back of the flash. In between is some more bragging text: “Image Stabilization 18x Optical Zoom.” To the right of the flash/viewfinder unit is a large mode dial that is nicely textured on the sides and thick enough to easily rotate. It has 10 positions on it: Manual, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Program, Auto, Playback, Movie, Guide, Scene, and My Camera. In front of the mode dial is the name badge: “SP-560UZ.” To the upper right of the mode dial and at the top of the hand grip is the shutter release button with its surrounding zoom ring. To the lower right of these controls is a half-moon-shaped button with an image stabilization icon on it and a burst folder icon next to it. Behind the slightly protruding shutter release is a much smaller and recessed power button.
Bottom (6.75)
The bottom of the camera isn’t very exciting. Beneath the hand grip is a battery compartment with a sliding plastic lock on it. In the center of the camera bottom is a metal tripod socket. The enormous lens barrel is on the right half of the SP-560; at the base is a flattened spot that stabilizes it better when it’s resting on a table or other flat surface. On the right side of the bottom are nine holes that make up the speaker grill.
