Olympus SP-590UZ

	Color
	Product Tour	Page 3 of 16	Noise

Color Accuracy (12.58)

In our color accuracy test, the Olympus SP-590UZ performed well, but had the odd performance blip of being more accurate in its Vivid mode than in Natural. We test color accuracy under 3000 lux illumination, shooting the X-Rite ColorChecker chart. We then analyze the photos using Imatest software, comparing the known chart values to the actual test photo results. Click here for more on how we test color

The chart below shows the color reproduction results for the Olympus and our crop of comparison cameras in their most accurate color modes, compared to the ideal chart values (shown in the leftmost column). The SP-590UZ had some trouble with cyan and yellow, but otherwise was accurate.

	Camera Color Comparisons
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Dark Skin
Light Skin
Blue Sky
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Foliage
Blue Flower
Bluish Green
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Orange
Purplish Blue
Moderate Red
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Purple
Yellow Green
Orange Yellow
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Blue
Green
Red
	Ideal	Olympus SP-590UZ	Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

Color Performance Score Comparison		Compare the Olympus SP-590UZ to the Canon SX1
		Compare the Olympus SP-590UZ to the Nikon P90
		Compare the Olympus SP-590UZ to the Sony HX1

Compared to the other cameras of this batch, the Olympus held its own, but didn't blow our socks off in any meaningful manner.

Color Modes (3.00)

On this particular camera, there are only two color modes - Normal and Vivid. Usually we would expect Normal to be the more accurate of the two, but for this model Vivid, with better saturation and generally more accurate hues, produced superior results. Normal had less accurate yellow, cyan and red reproduction when compared to the Vivid mode.

Canon SX1	Nikon P90	Sony HX1
See how the competition stacked up against the Olympus SP-590UZ