Olympus SP-570UZ 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom
- 10-megapixel image sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
- 20x optical dual image-stabilized zoom
- 2.7-inch HyperCrystal LCD
- Perfect Fix in-camera editing; includes Olympus Master 2 software
- Stores images on xD Picture Cards (not included)
Rating: 5 of 5
Fantastic camera!
The Olympus SP-570UZ is handy, simple 2 learn 2 use & produces terrific results. I especially love the crispness of close-ups. I got it because it has a hot shoe but have not used the external flash yet. Otherwise, the 560UZ is just about as good. I highly recommend both of these models, but if you want the extra flash, get the 570UZ.
Rating: 5 of 5
Olympic Camera
I love this camera. I bought it 4 digital submissions of art work 4 my Advanced Placement Studio Art students & it takes wonderful images.
Rating: 2 of 5
Not what I'm used 2 in an Olympus
I have owned Olympus cameras 4 over 10 years now & have always had a great experience, so when I was ready 2 move up 2 a bigger model I of course looked 2 them.
I am so dissapointed though, not only am I out over $400, I have a camera that is inferior 2 my old olympus. I am not impressed by the quality of the prints this camera takes, I find it very cumbersome 2 use. I was so quick 2 focus on things with the little toggle button on my old camera & now I have 2 use two hands 2 focus this & 4 nothing more than show, it really isn't a camera that you have 2 move the lens cap 2 focus, it could easily be done with a toggle switch, but the manufacturer wanted it 2 appear more professional. I don't think the shoot button is laid out well either it is hard 2 man this camera with just one hand. The quality of the photos when you do a sports action, or multi frame action mode is horrible. I need 2 sit down with someone who knows cameras better than I 2 see if we can over ride the factory settings on that feature. I also didn't like how the unit opens 2 hook up the USB port 2 download the pictures onto your computer, it is a very tight fit & I am always worried about breaking something.
So 2 wrap it up, I wouldn't recommend this 2 someone who is not camera savvy, (doesn't know what Aperature means etc) or who wants some thing 2 just point & shoot.
A few features I do like though, are the scene & guide features where it has "dummy" settings 4 lighting, specific scenes etc. & as 4 the 20X zoom, it really does get you up close fast, & takes a fairly decent picture. I would have 2 say the 20X zoom takes much better photos than the standard photo taking mode.
Olympus has made some awesome cameras but this is not one of them.
I am so dissapointed though, not only am I out over $400, I have a camera that is inferior 2 my old olympus. I am not impressed by the quality of the prints this camera takes, I find it very cumbersome 2 use. I was so quick 2 focus on things with the little toggle button on my old camera & now I have 2 use two hands 2 focus this & 4 nothing more than show, it really isn't a camera that you have 2 move the lens cap 2 focus, it could easily be done with a toggle switch, but the manufacturer wanted it 2 appear more professional. I don't think the shoot button is laid out well either it is hard 2 man this camera with just one hand. The quality of the photos when you do a sports action, or multi frame action mode is horrible. I need 2 sit down with someone who knows cameras better than I 2 see if we can over ride the factory settings on that feature. I also didn't like how the unit opens 2 hook up the USB port 2 download the pictures onto your computer, it is a very tight fit & I am always worried about breaking something.
So 2 wrap it up, I wouldn't recommend this 2 someone who is not camera savvy, (doesn't know what Aperature means etc) or who wants some thing 2 just point & shoot.
A few features I do like though, are the scene & guide features where it has "dummy" settings 4 lighting, specific scenes etc. & as 4 the 20X zoom, it really does get you up close fast, & takes a fairly decent picture. I would have 2 say the 20X zoom takes much better photos than the standard photo taking mode.
Olympus has made some awesome cameras but this is not one of them.
Rating: 5 of 5
A good replacement 4 an SLR
I had my Canon XTi stollen. Very sad day. Loved it. But I needed a decent camera 2 take with me on a trip 2 SE Asia, & I had no time or money 2 research the new Canon XSi. SO I went with a review in some PC magazine & tried the Olympus SP-570UZ, especially appealing with Amazon's price. After about 2000 pictures, lots of experimenting, I am very happy with this camera. The image quality & sharpness is outstanding which is what I most require in any camera. Its long zoom (20x) results in very sharp, high quality images. Using it is pretty simple, but I encourage folks 2 learn how 2 use all the extra features. One has almost SLR control but there is also some simple settings & guides 2 just point & shoot photography. But more like, Think, point & shoot. If a SLR is out of your budget, or your need a second camera with your SLR, or would like 2 almost have an SLR but without the steep learning curve, this camera might work 4 you. This camera is definitely of the highest quality.
Rating: 2 of 5
Little Things Ruin It
I've read so many good things about this camera that I almost hate 2 be a detractor. But as a hard-shooting amateur, I find this camera frustrating in so many ways that I'm already seeking a replacement after just a few months.
Some of the big things are OK (build, weight, menu structure, view finder, LCD, battery life, memory) but some of the biggest things are not (auto-focus speed & accuracy, image stabilization, lens, menu defaults, controls, zoom). But even if you can live with some of the subjective choices made by Olympus on the big things, their choices on many of the little things are pretty frustrating.
The bottom line:
- I frequently miss shots with this camera.
- I frequently get blurry pictures across many lighting conditions.
- Even when I get the shot, the images, while not terrible, are sub-standard in many ways (and I don't think this is a subjective read on my part, nor do I think I have a defective unit).
This is not my first Olympus UZ. That was the Olympus C-2100 2MP Digital Camera w/ 10x Optical Zoom, with which I took about 16,000 pictures over the last 6 1/2 years. That camera was a pioneer in the UZ category, featuring 10X optical zoom (100X digital), the earliest image stabilization & a fabulous lens made by Canon. Its only real downside was the 2.1MP resolution (which was at the low end even as it was introduced). Mine ultimately developed some dead pixels on the sensor which led me into a very quick search 4 a replacement.
I'd had such good luck with the Olympus, that I didn't even consider other brands. After reading a handful of reviews which labeled this camera the best of its class, I didn't even hesitate. I assumed that time had improved most of the features, & that the learning curve would be fairly small. The latter proved true, the former did not.
At 10MP, resolution is not an issue. The ability 2 save RAW & JPG simultaneously is fabulous, though slow (I don't use it regularly). The view finder & LCD are great. Battery life (with hybrid rechargeables & a few tweaks 2 the default settings) is superb. Some people complain about the menu structure, but there are a lot of features on this camera. I think the menu structure is pretty good. And this camera does feel good in the hand. The built-in flash is also much more usable than the one in its predecessor.
That's where the good ends.
The first questionable thing I noticed is that the camera was making unexpected decisions on which portion of the frame 2 use 4 auto-focusing. These decisions were not good. I have a whole bunch of early shots with some arbitrary element of the shot -- often far from the center -- in focus while everything else is fuzzy. This turns out 2 be a "feature" called "iESP" mode in which, according 2 the manual, "The camera determines which subject within the screen 2 focus on." I quickly disabled it in favor of the "spot" mode (center of the frame gets the focus). There are additional modes available, & though I realize there will be times when iESP is a usable feature, it simply should not be the default.
This also turns out 2 be the first of several senseless defaults that I discovered as I worked through the menus. These include:
- Movies default 2 recording without sound.
- The "record view" (which shows each picture 4 a second or two immediately after taking it) defaults 2 ON, but also defaults 2 the LCD screen even if you're using the viewfinder, rendering it virtually useless. By the time you get the camera away from your eye 2 view the captured image, it's gone.
- When using the viewfinder, by default the control panel is visible on the LCD. Unless you change settings frequently, this is a needless drain on the batteries.
Once I got the auto-focus mode changed, that's when I began 2 realize just how poor it is. It's slow, frequently inaccurate, & performs especially poorly in anything other than direct sunlight. On my previous Olympus, I had become accustomed 2 a quick & perfect focus every time. With the 570, it sometimes takes three or four tries before it can focus, & it almost requires a hard edge somewhere within the AF target mark. This may help explain why iESP is the default: it allows the camera 2 search 4 hard edges in the frame & use those 2 get a quicker focus lock. Unfortunately, it also means weird auto-focus decisions.
I appreciate the extended zoom range of this camera, especially at the wide angle end. But this comes with serious trade-offs.
First, the lens has some serious pin-cushioning problems which even zooming cannot completely alleviate. I often have 2 use my camera 2 take pictures of images in square frames. This camera makes that an especially difficult task.
Second, at the telephoto end, autofocus becomes a painful problem. I also take lots of pictures from the stands at baseball games, & this camera performs very poorly in that type of setting. Even worse, the image stabilization is of very little help. In my previous Olympus camera, handheld was always an option -- even at the 100X end. With this, even a tripod cannot guarantee that the image you see in the view finder will be the image you get. The simple act of pressing the shutter button is often enough 2 make it reset, which is very frustrating.
These problems render the optional digital zoom portion as essentially worthless. When all is said & done, the usable telephoto zoom on this camera is about the same as the earlier model (though there is definitely more useful range at the wide angle end if you can live with the pin-cushioning).
You will see mention in almost every review of the zoom ring on the lens. Most reviewers dismiss it as "not too bad." I have 2 disagree. It's very, very bad in design & implementation.
Some photographers may be able 2 adjust 2 its quirks, but I find them simply unacceptable. First & foremost, the zoom does not respond exactly 2 the turning of the ring. Sometimes it stops before you stop moving your hand, other times it continues zooming after you have stopped moving your hand. Moving it slowly sometimes results in a slower zoom, but the threshold between slow & fast zooming is hard 2 find. It is possible 2 move the ring & get no change whatsoever in the zoom. As a result, accuracy with the zoom is nearly impossible.
Though the concept is a throwback 2 the old SLRs of my childhood, the more modern alternative (a small lever near the shutter release which can be operated by the index finger of your shooting hand) is far superior. The ring on the 570 essentially forces the use of two hands, & even then cripples your ability 2 frame a shot as you wish on the fly.
And finally, the zoom ring turns the wrong direction. Counter-clockwise zooms in, clockwise zooms out. I am forever getting this wrong -- another reason 4 missing shots.
This last piece, the direction 2 turn the control, is just one of many annoying smaller things found in this camera. Among these are:
- You must remove the lens cap when the camera is powered on. I prefer 2 leave the power on with the lens cap on, then just slip the lens cap off when I'm ready 2 shoot. That's not possible with this camera.
- If you forget 2 take the lens cap off, you get an error message, the camera locks up, & you must cycle the power off & on. At a minimum, this triples the boot-up time.
- The edge of the lens cap is very close 2 the surface of the lens. Finger smudges on the lens have become a very real & common problem.
- There are some very subtle differences between the "P" mode & the "Auto" mode of shooting -- limitations which you may not realize until you look at the pictures later (I used "P" initially, then switched 2 "Auto" when I discovered some subtle improvements 2 the results).
- The so-called "smile detector" feature is worthless. Don't buy this camera 4 that. It just plain doesn't work unless all the conditions are perfect (a rarity).
- The camera sounds are LOUD, even at their quietest setting. The alternative, "silent mode", is so quiet that you can't tell when the shutter has snapped.
- The shutter snap sound is artificial, & there is no tactile sense that the shutter has snapped. The older Olympus had a soft mechanical click, & it was essential. Over time, this -- along with shutter lag -- have served 2 differentiate between the professional DSLR class & the amateur UltraZoom. There is no question that this camera is aimed at amateurs (and not even at a "prosumer" class user).
- When reviewing photos, they are displayed in either the viewfinder or on the LCD based on which you were using 2 take photos. Viewing pictures is difficult in the viewfinder, & there should be an option 2 specify that the LCD is always used 4 reviewing. But there is no such setting.
Finally, when you get used 2 all of the quirks on this camera & get ready 2 take a family picture, you will discover that this camera does not support the use of a remote control. There is a time delay shutter release, but that's just not the same.
If I had known this, I would not have purchased this camera.
I suppose that none of these things would be deal-breakers if the image quality was as exceptional as I have become used 2 with Olympus cameras. But I find the images soft & the colors somewhat wan. I came 2 discover that there are various menu settings which allow these characteristics 2 be adjusted (picture mode, sharpness, contrast, & saturation), but that seems ridiculous 2 me. I want crisp images & accurate colors. That should be the default (and only) option on the camera. Even after I have adjusted these settings at great length, the image quality remains quite flat.
An additional frustration does creep in with regard 2 the menus. Though I find their organization 2 be quite easy 2 navigate, I find myself frustrated because certain menu options are unavailable based on mode settings. For example, I don't understand why the "Camera Menu" is grayed out & unavailable when the camera is in "Auto" mode.
If you are drawn 2 this camera 4 some of the gimmicky features I have not mentioned, I recommend that you think twice. Yes, there are lots of scene modes & image preview/editing options, as well as extensive bracketing & shooting parameters 2 adjust. But I consider these 2 be mainly toys, & I do not use them. If you are shooting portraits in a studio somewhere, such nuanced options may come in handy (but you probably wouldn't want an ultra-zoom in such a setting anyway). If you are taking pictures out in the real world, there is just not enough time 2 decide on & set the correct scene mode before you snap.
Two final things: First, the camera contains some internal memory which allows you 2 take pictures without using the optional xD memory card. But be careful not 2 lose the USB cable which comes with the camera. The camera-end connector is not standard, & without that cable there is no way 2 offload those pictures. (I found this out the hard way.) Second, though the quality of video clips is acceptable, the zoom range is severely hobbled when in the video mode. Full-range zoom is not possible when shooting videos.
As you can tell, the SP-570UZ has been a disappointment 2 me almost from the moment it came out of the box. It may be that this is truly the best camera currently available in this class, but if that is the case, the class has regressed since the C-2100UZ was released in 2001. That would be a shame.
Some of the big things are OK (build, weight, menu structure, view finder, LCD, battery life, memory) but some of the biggest things are not (auto-focus speed & accuracy, image stabilization, lens, menu defaults, controls, zoom). But even if you can live with some of the subjective choices made by Olympus on the big things, their choices on many of the little things are pretty frustrating.
The bottom line:
- I frequently miss shots with this camera.
- I frequently get blurry pictures across many lighting conditions.
- Even when I get the shot, the images, while not terrible, are sub-standard in many ways (and I don't think this is a subjective read on my part, nor do I think I have a defective unit).
This is not my first Olympus UZ. That was the Olympus C-2100 2MP Digital Camera w/ 10x Optical Zoom, with which I took about 16,000 pictures over the last 6 1/2 years. That camera was a pioneer in the UZ category, featuring 10X optical zoom (100X digital), the earliest image stabilization & a fabulous lens made by Canon. Its only real downside was the 2.1MP resolution (which was at the low end even as it was introduced). Mine ultimately developed some dead pixels on the sensor which led me into a very quick search 4 a replacement.
I'd had such good luck with the Olympus, that I didn't even consider other brands. After reading a handful of reviews which labeled this camera the best of its class, I didn't even hesitate. I assumed that time had improved most of the features, & that the learning curve would be fairly small. The latter proved true, the former did not.
At 10MP, resolution is not an issue. The ability 2 save RAW & JPG simultaneously is fabulous, though slow (I don't use it regularly). The view finder & LCD are great. Battery life (with hybrid rechargeables & a few tweaks 2 the default settings) is superb. Some people complain about the menu structure, but there are a lot of features on this camera. I think the menu structure is pretty good. And this camera does feel good in the hand. The built-in flash is also much more usable than the one in its predecessor.
That's where the good ends.
The first questionable thing I noticed is that the camera was making unexpected decisions on which portion of the frame 2 use 4 auto-focusing. These decisions were not good. I have a whole bunch of early shots with some arbitrary element of the shot -- often far from the center -- in focus while everything else is fuzzy. This turns out 2 be a "feature" called "iESP" mode in which, according 2 the manual, "The camera determines which subject within the screen 2 focus on." I quickly disabled it in favor of the "spot" mode (center of the frame gets the focus). There are additional modes available, & though I realize there will be times when iESP is a usable feature, it simply should not be the default.
This also turns out 2 be the first of several senseless defaults that I discovered as I worked through the menus. These include:
- Movies default 2 recording without sound.
- The "record view" (which shows each picture 4 a second or two immediately after taking it) defaults 2 ON, but also defaults 2 the LCD screen even if you're using the viewfinder, rendering it virtually useless. By the time you get the camera away from your eye 2 view the captured image, it's gone.
- When using the viewfinder, by default the control panel is visible on the LCD. Unless you change settings frequently, this is a needless drain on the batteries.
Once I got the auto-focus mode changed, that's when I began 2 realize just how poor it is. It's slow, frequently inaccurate, & performs especially poorly in anything other than direct sunlight. On my previous Olympus, I had become accustomed 2 a quick & perfect focus every time. With the 570, it sometimes takes three or four tries before it can focus, & it almost requires a hard edge somewhere within the AF target mark. This may help explain why iESP is the default: it allows the camera 2 search 4 hard edges in the frame & use those 2 get a quicker focus lock. Unfortunately, it also means weird auto-focus decisions.
I appreciate the extended zoom range of this camera, especially at the wide angle end. But this comes with serious trade-offs.
First, the lens has some serious pin-cushioning problems which even zooming cannot completely alleviate. I often have 2 use my camera 2 take pictures of images in square frames. This camera makes that an especially difficult task.
Second, at the telephoto end, autofocus becomes a painful problem. I also take lots of pictures from the stands at baseball games, & this camera performs very poorly in that type of setting. Even worse, the image stabilization is of very little help. In my previous Olympus camera, handheld was always an option -- even at the 100X end. With this, even a tripod cannot guarantee that the image you see in the view finder will be the image you get. The simple act of pressing the shutter button is often enough 2 make it reset, which is very frustrating.
These problems render the optional digital zoom portion as essentially worthless. When all is said & done, the usable telephoto zoom on this camera is about the same as the earlier model (though there is definitely more useful range at the wide angle end if you can live with the pin-cushioning).
You will see mention in almost every review of the zoom ring on the lens. Most reviewers dismiss it as "not too bad." I have 2 disagree. It's very, very bad in design & implementation.
Some photographers may be able 2 adjust 2 its quirks, but I find them simply unacceptable. First & foremost, the zoom does not respond exactly 2 the turning of the ring. Sometimes it stops before you stop moving your hand, other times it continues zooming after you have stopped moving your hand. Moving it slowly sometimes results in a slower zoom, but the threshold between slow & fast zooming is hard 2 find. It is possible 2 move the ring & get no change whatsoever in the zoom. As a result, accuracy with the zoom is nearly impossible.
Though the concept is a throwback 2 the old SLRs of my childhood, the more modern alternative (a small lever near the shutter release which can be operated by the index finger of your shooting hand) is far superior. The ring on the 570 essentially forces the use of two hands, & even then cripples your ability 2 frame a shot as you wish on the fly.
And finally, the zoom ring turns the wrong direction. Counter-clockwise zooms in, clockwise zooms out. I am forever getting this wrong -- another reason 4 missing shots.
This last piece, the direction 2 turn the control, is just one of many annoying smaller things found in this camera. Among these are:
- You must remove the lens cap when the camera is powered on. I prefer 2 leave the power on with the lens cap on, then just slip the lens cap off when I'm ready 2 shoot. That's not possible with this camera.
- If you forget 2 take the lens cap off, you get an error message, the camera locks up, & you must cycle the power off & on. At a minimum, this triples the boot-up time.
- The edge of the lens cap is very close 2 the surface of the lens. Finger smudges on the lens have become a very real & common problem.
- There are some very subtle differences between the "P" mode & the "Auto" mode of shooting -- limitations which you may not realize until you look at the pictures later (I used "P" initially, then switched 2 "Auto" when I discovered some subtle improvements 2 the results).
- The so-called "smile detector" feature is worthless. Don't buy this camera 4 that. It just plain doesn't work unless all the conditions are perfect (a rarity).
- The camera sounds are LOUD, even at their quietest setting. The alternative, "silent mode", is so quiet that you can't tell when the shutter has snapped.
- The shutter snap sound is artificial, & there is no tactile sense that the shutter has snapped. The older Olympus had a soft mechanical click, & it was essential. Over time, this -- along with shutter lag -- have served 2 differentiate between the professional DSLR class & the amateur UltraZoom. There is no question that this camera is aimed at amateurs (and not even at a "prosumer" class user).
- When reviewing photos, they are displayed in either the viewfinder or on the LCD based on which you were using 2 take photos. Viewing pictures is difficult in the viewfinder, & there should be an option 2 specify that the LCD is always used 4 reviewing. But there is no such setting.
Finally, when you get used 2 all of the quirks on this camera & get ready 2 take a family picture, you will discover that this camera does not support the use of a remote control. There is a time delay shutter release, but that's just not the same.
If I had known this, I would not have purchased this camera.
I suppose that none of these things would be deal-breakers if the image quality was as exceptional as I have become used 2 with Olympus cameras. But I find the images soft & the colors somewhat wan. I came 2 discover that there are various menu settings which allow these characteristics 2 be adjusted (picture mode, sharpness, contrast, & saturation), but that seems ridiculous 2 me. I want crisp images & accurate colors. That should be the default (and only) option on the camera. Even after I have adjusted these settings at great length, the image quality remains quite flat.
An additional frustration does creep in with regard 2 the menus. Though I find their organization 2 be quite easy 2 navigate, I find myself frustrated because certain menu options are unavailable based on mode settings. For example, I don't understand why the "Camera Menu" is grayed out & unavailable when the camera is in "Auto" mode.
If you are drawn 2 this camera 4 some of the gimmicky features I have not mentioned, I recommend that you think twice. Yes, there are lots of scene modes & image preview/editing options, as well as extensive bracketing & shooting parameters 2 adjust. But I consider these 2 be mainly toys, & I do not use them. If you are shooting portraits in a studio somewhere, such nuanced options may come in handy (but you probably wouldn't want an ultra-zoom in such a setting anyway). If you are taking pictures out in the real world, there is just not enough time 2 decide on & set the correct scene mode before you snap.
Two final things: First, the camera contains some internal memory which allows you 2 take pictures without using the optional xD memory card. But be careful not 2 lose the USB cable which comes with the camera. The camera-end connector is not standard, & without that cable there is no way 2 offload those pictures. (I found this out the hard way.) Second, though the quality of video clips is acceptable, the zoom range is severely hobbled when in the video mode. Full-range zoom is not possible when shooting videos.
As you can tell, the SP-570UZ has been a disappointment 2 me almost from the moment it came out of the box. It may be that this is truly the best camera currently available in this class, but if that is the case, the class has regressed since the C-2100UZ was released in 2001. That would be a shame.
Experience the power of 20x zoom with the SP-570 UZ. This compact 10 Megapixel camera does it all - from wide-angle perspectives 2 breathtaking close ups. Dual Image Stabilization even ensures images come out blur free. And 4 high-action moments, this model shoots at up 2 a whopping 13.5 frames per second in 3 Megapixel mode!
($334.00)
Buy Olympus SP-570UZ 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom Now!
