Olympus Stylus 500 Digital Camera Review

Picture Quality/ Size Options (6.5)
Every time the camera is turned on or the recording mode is re-entered, it returns to its default image size setting of 2560 x 1920 or the HQ mode. This is its highly compressed 5-megapixel image size; not its finest resolution. For users who want the camera to remain in a certain image size, this can be VERY annoying. But for those patient photographers, the image size options are available from all modes, although the Indoor and Candle modes cannot shoot above the SQ2 resolution:

2560 x 1920 (SHQ)
2560 x 1920 (HQ)
2048 x 1536 (SQ1)
1600 x 1200 (SQ2)
1280 x 960 (SQ2)
1024 x 768 (SQ2)
640 x 480 (SQ2)

With 5 megapixels and these 4:3 formatted options, the Olympus Stylus 500 should have no problems producing a decent 8 x 10 or possibly even an 11 x 14-inch print with adequate sharpness and detail.

Picture Effects Mode (7.0)
In the Stylus 500, you will find Black & White, Sepia, Resize, Trimming, Rotation, Soft Focus and Fisheye picture effects. All of these selections can be added in the Edit section of the Playback menu - only after images are recorded.

Like looking through the eyehole on a door, the Stylus 500’s fisheye effect can make noses look absolutely huge and grins really toothy. It is simply (insert appropriate 60’s hippie music) far out, man. This will assuredly get some giggles out of the kids. The Soft Focus effect is reminiscent of the all-too-familiar high school senior portrait pose that always seemed to involve a girl, a rose, and a mirror.

Picture effects are saved as separate image files on the Stylus 500, so it doesn't erase the original, which is good. However, you'll need a memory card with lots and lots of space.

Photos taken in the Stylus 500's Black & White mode appear to be more of a muddy grayscale than a nicely contrasted black and white. This can be fixed in the software, but will just require some extra time. The sepia effect will likely require some tweaking as well. It just doesn't look quite right. True sepia needs to be a bit on the rusty side, and the Stylus 500’s Sepia mode has too much red and not enough brown in its mix.