Olympus breaks all zoom records with the introduction of its mighty (and great-looking) SP550, an 18x zoom, 7.1 Megapixel prosumer digital camera. The ISO range is from ISO50 all the way to ISO 5000 (resolution is reduced to 3 MP for this sensitivity level).

The mere fact that that the SP 550 has an 18x optical zoom capability is exciting enough - what makes it even more enticing is that the focal length starts at 28mm - *** absolutely superb *** for wide-angle travel photography (think building architecture in the cities of Europe) - and goes all the way to an astounding 504mm - here's a handy camera for a spot of bird photography and other super-telephoto applications. A CCD-based mechanical image stabilizer helps with reducing image blur from handshake. If you need an even wider zoom range, slap on the TCON-17 and enjoy the 856.8mm telephoto the SP550 is suddenly endowed with. Due to the design of the lens barrel though, you'll need to screw on the Olympus CLA-10 conversion lens adapter first.

Watch this video to see how the camera would look like in your hands - it looks darn intimidating with its lens fully extended.

You might also want to download the SP550 manual.

User Tests and Reviews

I personally prefer to read user reports and feedback when it comes to digital cameras. Hope you find these links helpful.

1. As of the date of writing (14-Feb-2007), Lawrence Ripsher's Photo Journal has the best Olympus SP-550 review (plus a follow-up review) anywhere on the internet. I guarantee you'll get to know the camera better from reading his field review than from reading laboratory-type equivalents. You can also follow a related forum discussion here. To view the images used in the review, go directly to the SP550 gallery here. Click here to find out where in Singapore Lawrence purchased his Oly.
2. Read this thread for Eddie's test of the effectiveness of the SP550's Image Stabilization feature at 28mm focal length. He has now updated his test to include shots at the 504mm telephoto end of things, and managed a sharp picture at an impressive 1/10 seconds! He also shares which shop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia he bought the camera from.

Image Samples

Here are links to SP550 photos.

1. George Hsia talks extensively about his experiences with shooting RAW SP550 images, and later converting them using Silkypix - summary and links here.
2. Full-sized, ISO 50 image samples from TKH's new SP-550 UZ - grab them before they're gone! He also writes a short review on the camera, noting that the real-time information from the live histogram helps with obtaining the desired exposure.
   
3. Two full-sized SP550 photos are available for download at Olympus Australia
   
4. PCHome.net has two pages (second page is here) full of SP550 image samples, and even went crazy and took shots at high ISOs
   
5. Here's an updated list that tracks Olympus SP-550 UZ Sample Images

FAQ

1. Does Image Stabilization work in video mode?
   Yes, with some caveats.
2. How does the BULB mode work?
   Keep the shutter depressed, and it can remain open for up to 8 minutes in ISO50, 100 and 200. (source)
3. How do I correct the mild levels of chromatic aberration (CA) that is present in SP550 photos shot at both ends of the zoom range?
   Use the freely-available Panorama Tools to perform this step in postprocessing. (source)

Compared With Other Cameras

1. SP550 vs Canon PowerShot S2 - impressions from playing around with the SP-550 in the shop. Positives of the UZ = wide-angle 28mm focal length, feels much lighter (go here and scroll down 4 pages, and there you'll find that the Oly weighs in at 365 grams without batteries, quite a bit lighter than the PowerShot S3 IS, the successor to the S2, which is heavier at 410 g), better Electronic Viewfinder and LCD screen, better thumb rest and hand grip.

Reviews

Here's an updated list of Olympus SP-550 UZ reviews and tests that have been posted up at various digital camera review sites.

1. DCRP First Look: Olympus SP-550. Scroll down two pages, and you'll find a table of battery life ratings for several competing cameras. The Oly puts in an impressive performance at 530 shots per charge.
2. Preview of the Olympus SP-550 UltraZoom at Imaging Resource.
3. First look posted over at PopPhoto.com.

Pricing and Availability

Click here to quickly check deals, prices and availability for the Olympus SP-550 across multiple stores.

$HK3980 is the price of the Oly SP550 bundled with a 1GB card in Hong Kong.

Olympus SP-550 UZ Press Release

I think the most interesting version of the SP-550 press release is the one hosted at Olympus-Europa.com. Scroll right to the bottom and you'll be rewarded with high-resolution images of the SP550.

Head to DPReview.com for a nice presentation of the camera's features.

Forum Chit-Chat

Links to discussions centering around the SP-550 camera

1. Who still wants to buy the SP550?