Olympus SP-550 UZ Expert Reviews

We have analyzed the reviews for the Olympus SP-550 UZ using our BETA review analysis. These are our findings: The Olympus SP-550 UZ is very good. Despite issues with the difficult to see display and focus, people like the great zoom, long battery life, and sharp lens. If you're comfortable with the display and focus, consider this digital camera as an option.

exceptional audio quality, first-class battery life, excellent design, top-quality display, first-class features, good iso performance, outstanding lens, fantastic photos, first-class video mode, outstanding zoom.

poor focus, really bad noise.

Please note: The ratings above are generated using our BETA automatic review analysis and may contain errors.

With one or two exceptions, superzoom cameras have topped out at 12x optical zoom lenses in recent years. However, Olympus is pushing that boundary with its new 7.1-megapixel SP-550UZ, which sports an 18x optical zoom lens. The camera marks a shift back t...

Great body design; high-quality, fast, wide, 18x optical zoom lens; sensor-shift image stabilization; manual exposure controls; RAW image capture.

Very slow; high noise above ISO 400; slightly soft images.

Olympus' SP-550UZ has great ergonomics, but disappointingly slow performance and soft, noisy images drag it down.

The ultra-zoom portion of the digital camera market is taking off as consumers look beyond the standard 3x zoom, and manufacturers continue to up the ante.

Great handling, Best-looking Olympus, Lengthy 18x lens, Nice flash, RAW + JPEG simultaneous shooting, Image stabilization

 Gimmicky pre-capture mode, Slow 1.2 fps burst mode, AA batteries don't last long, Confusing menus, Some scenes reduce resolution, $499 price, Shutter lag, Heavy body, Adjusting the LCD brightness is a pain, Movies can have audio or zoom, bu...

The ultra-zoom portion of the digital camera market is taking off as consumers look beyond the standard 3x zoom, and manufacturers continue to up the ante. The Olympus SP-550UZ's 18x optical zoom surpasses all other compact digital cameras currently on th...

- Great handling- Best-looking Olympus - Lengthy 18x lens - Nice flash - RAW + JPEG simultaneous shooting- Image stabilization

- Gimmicky pre-capture mode - Slow 1.2 fps burst mode - AA batteries don't last long - Confusing menus - Some scenes reduce resolution- $499 price- Shutter lag- Heavy body - Adjusting the LCD brightness is a pain- Movies can have audio or zoom, but n...

The 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-550UZ is a huge improvement upon its predecessor with a sturdier, more attractive body and a longer 18x optical zoom lens. An optical image stabilization system complements the lens, which is currently the longest available on...

Great handling, Best-looking Olympus, Lengthy 18x optical zoom lens, Nice flash, RAW + JPEG files, In-camera RAW editing, Image stabilization, Great movie mode

Gimmicky pre-capture mode, Slow 1.2 fps burst mode, AA batteries don't last long, Confusing menus, Some scene modes reduce resolution, $499 price  

I'm ready for my close up, Mr. Robinson.

One of the longest zoom lenses you can find in a point-and-shoot camera.

Clumsy method to alter aperture and shutter speed.

. Olympus did a great job of packing a long zoom range into the SP-550 UZ. The zoom will open up opportunities in your photography that you've never had before.

Enormous zoom range, which starts with a true wide-angle view. Mechanical and digital image stabilization. Some innovative ISO and burst-mode functions. Helpful guide mode.

Some issues with video capabilities. Some controls could be better designed, especially the zoom level. No articulating LCD. Mediocre boot time. A bit pricey.

With a whopping 18X optical-zoom lens and image stabilization, there's a lot to like about the Olympus SP-550 UZ, but a few features need to be enhanced for it to become king of the superzooms.

The ultra-zoom portion of the digital camera market is taking off as consumers look beyond the standard 3x and manufacturers offer more and more. The Olympus SP-550UZ offers the most optical zoom on a compact digital camera so far with 18x. The current fl...

The Olympus SP-550UZ offers several upgrades from its predecessor. The body itself is much more attractive, with rounded edges, a metallic gray sheen, and comfy rubber handling grips. It has a built-in flash that is much more durable than the rickety one...

The 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-550 UZ Ultra Zoom offers the ultimate in power and versatility with a compact, 18x optical zoom lens which gives users the ability to shoot from super telephoto to as close as 1cm. This lens features Dual Image Stabilization a...