Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Digital Camera Review

Speed and Timing

Shooting speed is one of the selling points of this camera, indicated by the "iHS" or "Intelligent High Speed" moniker. The camera didn't disappoint, and boasts some very fast burst speeds and a solid variety of options.

Two levels of burst shooting are available at full resolution, Sequential 1 and Sequential 2, plus two more at three megapixels, High-speed 1 and High-speed 2. One final option, Auto Split Shooting, fires a three megapixel continuous burst as long as the shutter is held, but only writes the last 9 frames to memory.

We clocked the SZ-31 at speeds that were generally consistent with Olympus' claims. The fastest full resolution burst is capable of just over 10 frames per second, however the buffer maxes out at 12 shots. The slower full resolution setting is only 2.5 frames per second, however the camera's twin TruePic V processors can handle 200 shots in a single burst. If you're willing to sacrifice resolution, the High-speed settings are capable of 60 frames per second for 75 shots, or 15 frames per second for 120 shots.

Self-timer options are limited to 12 second and 2 second countdowns. No additional customization is available.