Olympus Stylus 500 Digital Camera Review

Front (7.5)
There are three small microphone holes on the lower right side of the lens opening on the face of the Stylus 500. Along the bottom left face in narrow black font is the Stylus 500 model name next to the “All-Weather” designation. On the left front of the camera is a raised, small spine that attempts to be a finger grip. It looks like a silver toothpick stuck to the front of the camera body and has about the same level of functionality. Above that is a sticker heralding the HyperCrystal LCD; this can be removed. Just below the sticker is the Olympus logo. The zoom lens is slightly off-center to the right. The lens cap is a single panel that snaps open inside the camera when it is turned on. Above the lens and to the left is the built-in flash and to the right is the LED indicator. Above the lens opening and to the right in black lettering are the words “5.0 megapixel.”

Back (7.5)
The Stylus 500’s large square 2.5-inch LCD screen is placed towards the left side of the camera’s back face; the controls are clustered along the right. The LCD is surrounded by a black frame and has a white Olympus logo at the bottom. In the top right corner is the wide and telephoto bi-directional rocker switch with “W” and “T” embossed on the left and right sides. On the left side of the switch is the standard green checkerboard icon and on the right is an icon of a magnifying glass.

Below the zoom toggle on the left side is the built-in speaker, made of 21 holes. To its right is the mode dial, which has four icons on it. The dial is constructed of the same light colored silver aluminum of the rest of the Stylus 500, but its face has a smaller disk of darker grey with four pictograms on it: a small black camera for still image recording, a narrow black outline of a movie camera for the video mode, a green arrow for playback mode and a green notebook-like icon for the album mode. The dial is small and set to the right edge of the back of the Stylus 500’s body. Since it is basically flush with the camera body, it protrudes slightly from the right back edge to allow manipulation. Luckily, it is notched like a dime, and it can be easily turned (don’t worry: it’s not easy enough that you’d bump it out of place; it has just the right tension). A small two-color LED (red or green depending on the function) sits above the mode dial, while a black tag line sits to the left of it to point out which function is currently in use. To the left of the mode dial and below the speaker is a tiny Quick View button. Below it is the four-way navigational dial.

The dial looks like a squashed circle with a bowl-like curve in it. The center is a separate OK/Menu button, while the surrounding bowl-ring is a single panel. This causes problems later, when users try to scroll one direction in a menu and the camera registers a different direction. There are four features that can be activated at each cardinal point on the compass: Scene (top), Macro (right), Self-Timer (bottom), and Flash (left).

Left Side (7.0)
There is basically nothing on the left side. A single head screw secures a shiny silver metal band to the body.

Right Side (6.5)
The port door to the USB / A/V and DC in jacks is located on the Stylus 500’s left side. The cover is constructed of a gray plastic and opens towards the back of the camera. This isn’t exactly intuitive, as the finger grip to pry the camera open is on the bottom. It seems like you should open it toward the top, when it actually opens to the back - unnecessarily awkward! The hinge looks interrupted by the recessed wrist strap loop.

Top (7.0)
On the narrow silver metal band that runs around the camera, small black letters advertise the HyperCrystal LCD on the top left. The power button is also labeled in bold black letters and miraculously, sits beside the small, smooth power button. It is very small and slightly recessed into a dimple in the camera body. To its far right is the shutter release button, a long raised metal oval that is smooth to the touch.