Value (6.0)
Looking at other comparable digital cameras, the value can only be determined by assessing the features most important to you. If you want 5 megapixels to make nice 11 x 14-inch prints and don't care about manual functionality, there are cheaper models than the Olympus Stylus 500. However, if a large LCD screen is what's important to you, then this could be your choice, as the Stylus 500 has a large, high-quality LCD screen for this price range. This Olympus seems overpriced to me, as users are paying the $349.99 retail price mainly for the said large 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen.

Comparisons
Olympus Stylus 800 - This digital camera is the most recent addition to the Stylus line and has not yet been released; it is scheduled for July 2005. The Olympus Stylus 800 will have 8 megapixels on a larger 1/1.8-inch CCD, but will be paired with the same TruePic Turbo image processor. The Stylus 800 is marketed to perform better than most compacts in low light with a 3x optical zoom lens that has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and ISO settings reaching to 800 and 1600 available at reduced resolution. The Stylus 800 is slightly larger than the 500 at 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.3 inches, but still keeps the all-weather durability that is the hallmark of the Stylus series. The Olympus Stylus 800 is expected to retail for $449.99.

Olympus Stylus 410 - This model in Olympus' Stylus line was released last fall for $349, but can be found around $200 now. The 4 megapixel Stylus 410 looks incredibly tacky with gold highlights on a brushed silver body, but the all-weather camera is the same size as the 500 model. It also has a 3x optical zoom lens, but with a sliding lens cover that the user must open manually. This point-and-shoot lacks some of the 500's fancier features; instead, the 410 has a 1.5-inch LCD screen, horribly slow startup time (4+ seconds), no ISO control, and only basic scene modes. The Olympus Stylus 410 comes short of the 500 model, but still offers basic functionality for point-and-shooters.

Kodak EasyShare C340 - The 5 megapixel Kodak EasyShare C340 offers 12 scene modes and the same level of manual control as the Olympus Stylus 500 (exposure compensation, metering, white balance, and ISO), with similar user-friendly features like in-camera cropping and color modes. The Kodak C340 has a boxier shape than the Stylus 500 at 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.4 inches, but still comes with a 3x optical zoom lens. The EasyShare C340 has a 3 fps burst mode and 16MB of internal memory. The C340 is also much more intuitive to use - and it's cheaper with a retail price of $249.95. The downside? The LCD screen is only 1.6 inches.

Nikon Coolpix 5600 - With a similar 3.3 x 2.4 x 1.4-inch body, the Nikon 5600 offers 16 scene modes and a similar gamut of manual control. The 5 megapixel Nikon digital camera touts a 3x optical zoom lens and 14MB of internal memory. It has a similar burst mode to the Stylus 500 with a 1.3 fps recording rate and 15 fps video recording rate in movie mode, although in three different sizes. If the size of the LCD screen matters to you, this may not be your camera. It has a 1.8-inch LCD. The Nikon Coolpix 5600 retails for $279.95.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T33 - This Sony point-and-shoot appeared on the market in March, catering to those photographers who prefer a slimmer, sexier camera. The 5 megapixel Sony T33 is meant to fit in a pocket with a non-extending 3x optical zoom lens. The Sony T33 measures 3.9 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches and has much sharper lines than the Stylus 500. As far as manual and automatic control, these cameras are equals. The Sony model has a more powerful flash and a movie mode that can shoot 640 x 480 pixels at 16 fps or 30 fps with the Sony MemoryStick Pro card. The slim Cyber-shot T33 has a large 2.5-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels and retails for $450.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters - These consumers want a camera to take simple pictures. Like just about every other camera that comes out these days, the Stylus 500 will do exactly what the photographer demands of it – you can turn it on, take a picture, and turn it off. With plenty of automatic scene modes and a large viewing screen, this is the quintessential point-and-shoot model.

Budget Consumers - At $349, this might be an expensive first purchase, but to the general consumer the lure of 5 megapixels and the 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen may be too enticing.

Gadget Freaks - The Olympus Stylus 500 has just enough gizmos to make the novice gadget freak smile and go “oooh and ahh.” There is an Album Mode which allows individual photos to be sorted and saved into albums, which can be accessed via the back mounted mode dial. Also, the Stylus 500 can play a three-second sound clip over a photo when reviewed in playback. There is also a 2 in 1 mode where two photos taken in sequence on the Stylus 500 can be merged into one file. For gadget freaks looking for a “trippy” experience, then take a shot and review it in “fisheye” mode. The view will have the distortion as if it had been taken with a fisheye lens. Sort of like a look into a fun-house mirror or a weekend with the late Hunter S. Thompson. There is also a soft focus function for those warm and fuzzy moments caught on the Stylus 500, as well as the obligatory black and white/sepia selections.

Manual Control Freaks - The Stylus 500 is far from a manual freaks’ dream. It is a 5 megapixel camera with obligatory auto modes and a handful of bells and whistles. With “manual” control over only ISO, exposure compensation, and selection of a preset white balance, manual fans will probably look right over the Olympus Stylus 500.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists - If a pro or hobbyist shooter is going on vacation to some far flung tropical destination, the Olympus Stylus 500 will be in their bag - if they could not find a disposable camera on the island. In other words, this will be at the bottom of the serious photographer’s choice of cameras. Not saying it’s a bad camera, just saying it would most likely be used as a silvery paperweight on the desk of a pro.