Multi-Function Devices

Review: Olympus SP-570 UZ Digital Camera

By admin ⋅ June 7, 2008 ⋅  Send this to a friend.. ⋅  Print this article. ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Add to Technorati Favorites

The Olympus was the first to announce a 10MP resolution, 20x wide-angle optical zoom (26-520mm, 35mm equiv.) with sensor-shift Image Stabilization with its SP-570.

The SP-570 UZ shines in providing both a wide-angle as well as an exceptional tele reach We are continually amazed at the tremendous reach of ultra zoom digital cameras these days and
Olympus’s entry into the megazoom class ensures the greatest magnification rating of any of the products. At 20X, photos even taken at a distance of up to 30 feet  looked as if it had been taken right  close to the subject.

The SP-570 UZ’s range is also amazing: This model covers the equivalent of a 35mm film camera’s range of 26mm to 520mm; it’s therefore great for taking both wide-angle pictures and very detailed macro (close-up) shots.

But Olympus’s zoomy monster isn’t a one-trick pony by any means. The SP-570UZ also features a servo-controlled zoom; 23 distinct scene modes; the ability to let you manually modify ISO, aperture, shutter, and focus settings; a “guide” mode that steps you through the photographic process; and intuitive controls.

The camera’s controls are familiar to anyone who has some experience using a digital camera. Four buttons controlling basic functions line the left edge of the 2.7-inch screen, while five buttons arrayed like a directional pad serve double duty as controls for the flash, the self-timer, and the macro (close-up) mode. You turn a ring on the lens to adjust the servo-controlled zoom, but a small motor actually moves the lens. It’s intuitive, but the motion of the motor-driven lens–which doesn’t move exactly in proportion to your turning of the dial–took a little getting used to before it was no longer distracting.

We also had a bit of trouble getting the autofocus to lock onto targets in low light. The autofocus would scan from one end to the other trying to sharpen the image, and sometimes took up to 2 seconds to fully lock on to a focal point. In bright daylight, however, the iESP targeting system (which the autofocus controls use to pick a spot to focus on) worked remarkably well, and produced clear shots even at the maximum zoom, aided by the image stabilization system built into the lens.

Specification

General:

Product Type
Digital camera - Compact
Weight
15.7 oz
Width
4.6 in

Depth
3.5 in
Height
3.3 in
Main Features:

Resolution
10 megapixels

Sensor resolution
10 megapixels

Optical Sensor Type
    CCD

Effective Sensor Resolution
10,000,000 pixels

Total Pixels
10,700,000 pixels

Optical Sensor Size
    1/2.33 in

Light Sensitivity
ISO 64, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, ISO 6400

Digital Zoom
5 x

Shooting Modes
Frame movie mode

Shooting Programs
Snow, Beach, Candle, Indoor, Sunset, Auction, Cuisine, Documents, Fireworks, Landscape, Smile shot, Night scene, Sports mode, Behind glass, Portrait mode, Quick shutter, Self-portrait, Multi-firework, Night portrait, Panorama assist, Shoot & select 1, Shoot & select 2, Landscape-portrait, Available light portrait

Special effects
Sepia, Frames, Black & White

Max Shutter Speed
    1/2000 sec

Min Shutter Speed
    8 min

Exposure Metering
   Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted

Exposure Modes
   Bulb, Manual, Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority

Exposure Compensation
   ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps

Auto Exposure Bracketing
    5 steps in 1/3 EV step

White Balance
    Custom, Presets, Automatic

White Balance Presets
    Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (daylight), Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (warm white)

Digital video format
    AVI

Still Image Format
    RAW, JPEG

Continuous Shooting Speed
    1.2 frames per second

Color support
    Color

Image Stabilizer
    Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)

TV Tuner
    None

Video Capture
    AVI - 640 x 480, AVI - 640 x 480, AVI - 320 x 240, AVI - 320 x 240

Lens System:

Type
    Zoom lens - 4.6 mm - 92 mm - F/2.8-4.5

Focal Length
    4.6 mm - 92 mm

Lens Construction
  11 group(s) / 14 element(s)

Viewfinder:

Viewfinder Type
   Electronic

Color support
   Color

Lens Systems:

Auto Focus
    TTL contrast detection

Type
    Zoom lens

Focal length
    4.6 mm - 92 mm

Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera
    26 - 520 mm

Focus adjustment
  Manual, Automatic

Auto Focus Points (Zones)
    143

Min Focus Range
    3.9 in

Macro Focus Range
    1cm

Lens Aperture
    F/2.8-4.5

Optical Zoom
    20 x

Zoom Adjustment
    Motorized drive

Lens construction
    11 : 14

Features
    ED glass, Aspherical lens
Battery:

Supported Battery
    4 x AA Alkaline battery ( Included )

Microphone:

Type
    Microphone - Built-in
Connections

Connector Type
    1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x DC power input

Expansion Slot(s)
    1 x XD-Picture Card
Camera Flash:

Effective Flash Range
    1 ft - 21 ft

Type
    Pop-up flash

Flash Modes
    Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction

Red Eye Reduction
   Yes

Effective flash range
   1 ft - 21 ft

Features
   AF illuminator

(No Ratings Yet)

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