Olympus SP-570 UZ Digital Camera Review

Olympus SP-570 UZ

Digital Camera Review

Dec 28, 2008 - By Steve Morgenstern
2.2 If you feel your inner paparazzo yearning to come out and play, consider the Olympus SP-570UZ with its whopping 20x zoom lens – the equivalent of a 28mm-520mm zoom in 35mm photography. We had lots of fun shooting with this camera, which combines plenty of telephoto power with a healthy wide-angle range. Image quality isn't stellar, but it's not bad either, and manual controls and customization options abound. For a detailed rundown on the pros and cons of this 10-megapixel, $450 ultra-zoom, check out the full review.  
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Olympus SP-570 UZ

Value (7.50)
With a list price of $449.99, we think you're getting a lot of camera for the money. Having that big-zoom flexibility in your hands opens up lots of photographic opportunities, and it's just flat-out fun to shoot with.


Comparisons

Canon PowerShot SX110 IS – A far less expensive camera, at $250, the XS1100 IS zoom is a much more modest 10x versus 20x for the Olympus, but that's still enough to frame many long-lens shots effectively. We like the Canon menu system better than the Olympus style, and as usual, were impressed with the Canon color accuracy, and both cameras offer a full set of manual exposure controls. Physically, though, the clunky Canon body can't compare with the elegantly shaped, solidly built Olympus. Still, if you're looking for higher-than-average zoom capability and can't afford the $450 SP-570UZ, the PowerShot SX1100 IS is worth considering.


 

 Casio Exilim EX-FH20 – This 7-megapixel camera carries a $600 price tag thanks to a special feature above and beyond its 20x zoom: the Casio can shoot up to 40 frames per second, and ultra-slow-motion video at up to 1000 fps. Image quality testing turned up mediocre results, but like the Olympus, not enough to discourage those eager for the special features offered. We prefer the build quality and interface of the Olympus, but sports and other action photographers may be justified paying more to feed their need for speed.


 

Olympus SP-560UZ – In most respects, the 570UZ brings significant advantages over its only slightly lower-priced ($399.99) cousin. The 570UZ offers higher resolution (10 megapixels versus 8) and slightly higher zoom (20x versus 18x), but it's the lab testing that really separate the two, with better color and resolution performance and significantly superior image noise results making the extra $50 for the 570UZ money well spent.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 – The $350 FZ18, with 8-megapixel resolution and an 18x zoom, is a formidable competitor to the Olympus. The two share an SLR-style design that feels good and handles nicely, along with manual exposure control and effective image stabilization systems. The Olympus does have a sharper LCD screen and superior image noise performance and resolution test results, but the Panasonic was the winner when it comes to color accuracy.


Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – Easy enough for anyone to use in Auto mode with good results, and all that long-zoom freedom is energizing. This is a bulky camera compared to ordinary point-and-shoots, though, and costs a pretty penny.

Budget Consumers – We consider the 570UZ a very good value, but it's certainly not a budget-priced camera..

Gadget Freaks – It's kind of a one-trick pony when it comes to folks who are ga-ga for gadgets, but at 20x zoom, it's quite a trick. True hardcore gadgeteers might veer toward the Casio EX-FH20, combining 20x zoom with incredible burst shooting capability, but that move does mean spending an extra $150.

Manual Control Freaks – Except for the sloppy manual focus, we were impressed with the degree of manual control offered by the  SP-570UZ. In addition to the manual exposure options, you get a programmable button as part of the four-way controller group and the option to store four extensive groups of settings for instant access with the My Mode feature.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – If you're persnickety about image quality, you're going to have some quibbles with your 570UZ results, especially the softness of shots taken at extreme telephoto range. On the other hand, this camera is so much more portable than an SLR decked out with a big zoom lens, and exceeds the available SLR zoom range by such a healthy margin, we could easily see adding the Olympus to your traveling gear collection.

 
Connectivity / Extras Page 12 of 15 Conclusion
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