Olympus SP-560UZ 8MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom

Manufacturer: Olympus Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours List Price:$499.99 Our Price:$343.60 Features: 8.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints 18x super telephoto zoom; Dual Image Stabilization 2.5-inch LCD; Bright Capture technology for low-light photos High-speed sequential shooting (up to 15fps) and Pre-Capture Captures images to xD memory card (not included) Description:

Reviews:

fantastic
i have recently bought it. took a few pictures.
it has really a good design and finish.
do not expect high quality pics from a 1/2.35" sensor.
i could not understand two points yet:
can it record movies for 40sec? and is there
any option to shoot more than once on self timer mode.
or is there any other option?



Olympus SP-560UZ



First Ditital Still Camera
I had put off buying any digital camera until the resolutions would produce crisp accurate large format prints. (6+ MP). When this quality
became affordable......, the cameras also became too small for my large hands. I was also used to Video zooms of 20X or more and I did not want the cost, size or weight of SLR. This Olympus has everything I wanted at a very reasonable price for high quality abundant automatic and manual settings, high zoom range and fine image reproduction.Olympus SP-560UZ 8MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom


The Olympus SP-560UZ is an amazing camera
I bought recently this camera for me and it am exact, which I wished. It has a nice grasp to wrap that marks it simply to touch. It also has an amazing characteristic zoom shot of the 18x and makes wonderful macro photos. The menu characteristics are very simple to find and understand, as soon as you keep used for them. I would recommend this camera to everyone, who love, good illustrations, to take more amatuer or experienced photographers.


New Model sp-570 Comming Soon
I had this camera some days now and up to now so well. Quite from the box, the sp-560UZ believes like a piece of quality equipment - my wife (no techie) commentates immediately, as geschauen largely camera felt and. My first some photo learning sections with this camera went well - particularly in free on the beach and the macro photos, which I made from our wonderful California winter flowers. If you possessed a Olymp camera forwards, are the bases of this camera trust and you can immediately take acceptable photos on the self-adjustments. This camera leaves also much of the manual adjustments (ISO, blendenoeffnung, shutter speed) which I the discovery too, the much with this camera uses. Focus seems to be, a little a challenge, but I receive the case from it - each possible camera in this category takes one while to know to begin around and this is certainly no exception. Also - I think that a mono case is a good adding to this camera, it am you a really constant hand have - that really long zoom shot shots is really hard it to hold the camera and the mono case assistance constantly much. Because of its will I rather to wait that some weeks write this report - however I wished to informed customers that, when I registered this camera on the Olymp place of assembly I experienced that Olymp of this line with a FR 570UZ adds, zoom shot the 20x and even objectives broader of an angle have. Customers can wait the newer model - or use from the lower prices on this large small camera draw to wish. My only material objection is up to now that the RAW mode requires the use of the contained Olymp photo, which draws up software, in order to open and draw up the RAW documents. In this camera the RAW documents are except as olf document and not one raw document. Olf the document can not in the air-dried clay brick Photoshop be opened and can in the RAW mode in the Olymp RAW ONE drawing up program be only drawn up. This is not since ashamedly, while the Olymp is good software, it is by any means as complete as clay brick camera roughly contained in Photoshop. Receive with it to Olymp - minus a star for this stupid own silliness.


Great Camera still learning how to use all the features
I bought this camera as well as the Olymp underwater housing, so that I mean hand the underwater photography try could. Using stopped underwater modes it pretty good illustrations of taking. I would like external lightning add bring out more of the colors. Upper section photos are excellent, since this camera has much of the characteristics including RAW display format and an optical zoom shot 18x. I still learn all characteristics and place modes as well as manual work modes set up and her to my favourite attitudes storing, register you. It has also a nice panorama characteristic and with the contained software will pass the illustrations together for one seemless panoramischen shot. Which concerns Underwater has the objective a broader anglel than some the other cameras in the same price distance, which is important for U/W photography. It is entire a material nice camera with much of the characteristics to keep busy to I for one while. I would recommend it for upper section and U/W the photo taking.


Olympus SP-560UZ
The Olymp SP-560UZ is not the best digital camera, which I possessed at all, I thinks that you could receive better illustrations with each possible price camera


More that enough
This camera is capable of taking great picture, close to professional. But rest assured that it has more computer than my computer. Finding you way around in the setup is not too bad for those used to camers , but could scare a newby. If what you want is a simple point and shoot, I would suggest a lesser camera. If you will take time to learn it, it can take pictures equal to the best.


I love this camera
I am a very large canon Elph fan. I think that they are large mobile camera, large photos of this taking. But are, the zoom shot on the canon practically non existant. My son is a float and I could activity shots from him swimming never receive, because I was too far in the locations. I was at a Swimtreffen and the women near me had the Olymp 550uz. I watched out their zoom shot over the pool, in order to take illustrations of their kid. I was surprised. I asked it that over their camera and it began to show me all of the tidy functions which she can do. I was very much impressed. I came the investigated house and compared different cameras as well as going up to a Canon Aufruehrer. Until I was terminated, I came to the summary that this camera for me was. By far it has the longest zoom shot from all point and entry thread cameras. I used my camera for approximately 2 weeks now. I love it. I took it to a Swimtreffen and the shots, which I received, was amazing. I did scn the #17 to fast shot and that in the morning, which is able to take 40 frameworks simultaniously. It was unbelievable. IchWAR then in the situation to select and select the shots, which I wished. The zoom shot was large. The illustrations were not in a diffuse way granular or. I must say it am a quantity of camera. It has functions, which I probably never use. It has attitudes that I am not with familiar, but I like automobile, therefore it functions for me. All in all, I take this camera for any kind case, which would need I activity of shots and a zoom shot. My Canon Elph goes on holidays straight for easily applicable and basic size.


A great camera for all advanced shooters
The SP-560 represents a fine advancement in the line Olymp ultra the zoom shot cameras. The three changes of basic rule are the objective zoom shot of the 18x, firm magnesium alloy the body and the dissolution of increase to 8MP. Under the other changes the Muehelosigkeit of switching is to a second timer of the even 2, which forms time exposure a simpler task. Sheets by the extensive menu and fast and permits a complete row professional characteristics is simple like sharp exposure reconciliation. Picture compensation has throughly to be examined but my experience was that compensation is a trick, which is a bad replacement for stand. Somewhat higher lightning reduces red eye and the objective 18x adds inevitable weight and length, but it is insignificant, if it is compared with the old film SLRs. While long time a Olymp owner, who is I very, also with this new camera satifsied.


Good Product
I used only for cases of a pair, which I used in the self mode. I received large results!


Olympus SP-560UZ 8MP Digital Camera
if this individual part kept fast and as it did not function, they left me it send away to release and sent back me another much to snap in addition... Owing to one and I love the product!!!!! This individual part does, what says it that... it wonderful photos! makes! I had a digital camera for years and was meins, going bad... thus received this, after careful study is.... it an excellent camera..and, that the leader on the camera!! the best is! to use and the fun is not simple, to also to play... all functions still used, but I am sure that they are evenly sufficient. I am I selected this camera!! gladly!


Caveat emptor the Olympus 560!
This report REPLACES a negative report, which I was communicated, based after insufficient knowledge of the camera: I rose this morning thinking of approximately 4:00 in the morning of the fatal entry thread, which I had the other night with my new Olymp FR 560 at a party became, the camera, which should to the PARTY CAMERA of MY DREAMS! At at least two opportunities the results straight were terrible, and I could not believe that Olymp had set such out a bad box. After I had thought it, over and over I came to this moved possibility: could it (sip, Keuchen) I been its??? Thus I left a bed and continued doing a row experimental shots of the low light in the house. Which I should adjust and continue, (first) the camera on that point fairs and then on that center-loaded measuring to take a number of shots of the first ISO of AUTOMOBILE next to each other and then the identical shot at the HIGH ISO AUTOMOBILE. If they say, you do not have to begin to know this camera them kidding. For such a little sprizen you, which has FR 560 a quantity of things in it, which your illustration taking cannot only increase, but can you off throw in addition. Final result: in order to avoid chaos when trying good photos in the situations of the low light to make, an EXAMINING you whether you NEVER the PARTICULARLY measuring instrument attitude use! If you selected this attitude unintentionally, the camera decides that it knows that more than you do you over, what you try on to focus and MAKES the DECISION FOR THEM. If you try, on a thing to concentrate and the camera decides to concentrate on still something you your hair will pull out. SO -- if you first to the camera form this your standard program turn: (1) select your shooting mode (me prefer the P mode for example), and (2) OPERATE THEN the OK/FUNC KEY, the ATTITUDES of the CAMERA TO EXAMINING. This gets toolbar above along the lower edge of screen and a pile attitudes icons in the untereren left side edge of the screen. SET, the FOLLOWING ATTITUDES TO CREDIT (registers from top to bottom) with intending, in the situations of the low light with the camera to self-adjustments to shoot surely: Stock SELBSTCIso (or ISO HIGH AUTOMOBILE) PARTICULAR FRAMEWORK (an illustration of a square) CENTER WEIGHTED MEASURING (a square with a white point) or POINT FAIRS (a square with a black point). To if you the measuring attitude on PARTICULARLY have to receive a CHANGING you IT TO UNITY OF the OTHERS, or you receive massif headach as well as the Terminalheartburn, which tries, the camera over to concentrate up, which THEY wish it. I cannot emphasize this enough: PARTICULARLY is the ATTITUDE FROM HELL adjusts, if you do not carry out that you selected them! The other thing is the AF collecting main lamp: In the weak bright situations the AF lamp is blind to the things with horizontal line sample and can hunt and hunt and not focus. TURN the CAMERA too somewhere between 45 degrees and vertical ones, in order to repair this. In this turned position you keep the focus locked, then you bring the camera for the shot in position and continue you accordingly. Additionally if you concentrate somewhat in such a way on dark that sufficient light is not thrown back to the camera, it does not lock itself. The same thing, if you up to now are from the topic away that the light is too weak, so that the focus locks itself. Watch out in such a way from all these things and adjust you accordingly. I set the shots in clay brick bridge, in order to see, what did the camera settingwise. IN the ISO AUTOMOBILE did not select it strongly as ISO 400. The meant a slow shutter speed. The meant holding my breath with my locked body when fastening the camera against my nose, while the camera took the shot with 1/2 second exposure. In the HIGH ISO AUTOMOBILE did not select it strongly as ISO 800. This received to me a much better shutter speed (around 1/25-zweite) and a little brighter illustration, those was a little louder, but still acceptable for a VERY MUCH DIMLY LIT shooting situation. It means still something Photoshop surgery, but not totally useless illustrations! The final result: GUARANTEE that you do not use the PARTICULARLY measuring attitude; it is an accident -- at least in the weak light. Since the camera does not go over ISO 800 independently outside, you should not do it on probably their any. Those higher attitudes -- and I did once an entry thread to entire weak light on ISO 3200 -- are worse than useless -- your entire effort is trashed. I improve now mean camera report from two to four stars. A very good camera, IF you know, to select which attitudes to and not avoid which attitudes (why 5 stars? Because I as much to go had to endeavor!)


Olympus SP-560 UZ Digital Camera
Olymp SP-560UZ 8MP digitally camera with double picture stabilized 18x optical zoom shot A, which professional photographer in the city recommended that I regard this camera seriously. I had it approximately a month and in the morning really fallen. I took existing bright photo at a party; they came from beautiful. From the course it has so many characteristics that I did not use all it in one month, but I in the situation its may move, specific circumstance-referred by automatic (point and entry thread) on automatics, on controling aperature or speed or both manually. It brings near the control together, which I had with my best 35mm movie camera. The dissolutions existing will enlargement or even projection permits. It is not excessively extensive one bag camera, but not. I endorse recommendation of this specialist completely.


old horse learns new tricks
I bought a Olymp sp-560 as ascending to a preceding Olymp acquisition. I wished the face identification and illustration impact. The camera is one from the best that I possessed at all.


My take on the 560 uz
I like uz 560, but my wife does not like the illustration quality. I tried to explain it that I try to make most photos with the existing light. Some photos, which I made, are night illustrations without lightning and I impressed also, how much to bright appearance very freely form the illustration. If I use lightning, the illustration has a slight blue hue to it, which is, why I natural lighting prefers. I got monopod to help around the camera still much and this assistance. Some photos, which are made in a large distance, can use the assistance one monopod or the stand, since it arrives to little Unschaerfe at it. But, if you have much of Taglight(sun), the illustrations come from perfect. I themselves like the quality of the building of cameras, although some illustrations are not from the highest quality, but I experiment still. I know that this camera comes into handy, as soon as my soft ball plays High School of the daughters begin and also the principal reason, which is I this camera got that I would not like to miss close up shots with the zoom shot 18x, if my daughter graduates. It now, as strong it to receive a close seat and with the bad lighting in the auditories is, white I that I receive a rather acceptable photo.


The most Beautifull Photo
I have a lot time with this camera but the image quality could say everything about they. I get photos so clear, very very clear. This is my best upgrate since the SP 500. I purchase this camera because my older camera (the sp510) haven't image stabilization. But this.. is more than i expected. I really love this camera. but not all is good. In auto mode the ISO Level can be SET very high (400-800 automatically) and this provocate blurry photo. The image stabilization dual really work very well. The auto-focus may be slowly and somethings and the objective its not clear as possible you want. for elsewhere don't have any dissapoint about they. About, the video Quality i really think that's very poor comparate with the quality of the SP 510.


Olympus SP-560UZ Review
Simply set a large camera, which produces high-quality illustrations throughout. This camera approaches quality to SLR. Good points: 1. On AUTOMOBILE attitude makes large photos. The others take something work. 2. Many elections for receiving the right illustration. 3. Large opinion screen visibly in the daylight. 4. Two levels macro for high end. 5. Shade correction. 6. The battery life even with lightning is large! 7. Batteries of the use AA. I recommend NI-CAD OR NMH for long life. 8. Very comfortably in the hand. Weight not an expenditure. Not so property points: 1. Not a simple point and an entry thread. Necessity to be to the user of the high level a middle. 2. Does not remember your personal attitudes, if you are turned off. Must reset itself. 3. Requires XD coded maps, which are more expensive then Sd. 4. Has a special insert for USB Download to a computer. 5. Skylight, UV, etc. do not like starting from Lager47mm objective. Must you a Optek adapter and 58MM objective set (no cap) buy.


Does it all, if you can figure out how.h
I used this camera for one approximately month, within, outside, and underwater. A broad angle objective Built in to have is large, and the zoom shot 18x gives it versatile usefulness. The characteristics of this camera to be mentioned too here a numerous, and during many be easily reached, there are the matter characteristics buried deeply in the menus of the camera. They wish the manual handy of the owner hold, if you use this camera. Some problems - the higher ISO attitudes (1600, 3200) are very granular and the file of the RAW shots take so long that you can only really use them for raised shots. And you arrange this under "Verschrobenheiten": if you stop "fine zoom shot" to "on", you cannot shoot fair dissolution of standard in highest resolutions of the camera. All in all, is it large camera. It is not SLR quallity, but it is not SLR price also not, and the underwater housing is approximately $1000 more inexpensive than a SLR housings.


great camera for the price
With only limited use up to now, I was impressed with camera. Up to now I used only the self mode, but some large CLOSE UP/ZOOM shot shots of the sum birds, pelicans have and landschaftlich adorn etc. and the macro work, which also probably are. The zoom shot is particularly impressive for one point and an entry thread very. Color rendition is good and the Olymp software assistance optimizes the colors on pics, which seem small "off". An objection is inside -, low light pics without lightning - bends you to smear (finely, if lightning is used). I think, as soon as I keep used for manual controls, which I see more versatile usefulness. Entirely, I think that this is a large camera - a zoom shot 18x for less than $400 is to be struck hard.


Difficult to Use at First
This camera makes good pictures and has lots of functions. I purchased it because of the awesome 18X optical zoom. I had a 12X zoom that made wonderful photos and I thought these would be even better. In time my action pics have gotten better. There are so many bells and whistles, it is difficult to make quick shots. It is more camera than I bargained for. I think with practice and study my photography will return to what it was with my previous camera, but there is a lot to learn.


olympus SP-560UZ Digital Camera
This is an excellent camera, if you are just starting out or if this is an upgrade from a previous digital camera. The price makes this camera worth a serious look, and the quality of the pictures cinch it.


Disappointed
I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this camera and purchased one as soon as I could. Disappointed! The professional reviews I read were on-target, however, my experience with the auto-focus and color electronic viewfinder (EVF) were not up to what I was expecting. I currently have a Sony DSC-H2 and a DSC-F717 before that, so I'm comparing the Olympus to my experience with these two cameras. The auto-focus did not have a high level of consistency in focusing properly/sharply. Too many of my pictures were slightly or way-out of focus. With my Sony's, the auto-focus is highly consistent - only an occasional picture is out of focus. This is what I've come to expect with any camera.

The SP-60UZ's color electronic view finder seemed primitive (again, in comparison with the Sony). It looks like a 'cheap TV' picture and not a true representation of the image you are taking. Because of this, it looked like all of my pictures were in-focus, but the resulting image was not. So the EFV was no help in determining if the camera was focused or not. I'm not going to spend a day taking pictures only to find-out afterwards that a high percentage of them are not focus properly.

The images that were in focus looked spectacular so image quality is what they say in the pro reviews.

Anyway, I was hoping for a new 18x super-zoom with great image quality and was disappointed in the camera I received.


Extraordinary Camera
I read all reports any good something bad, but it is a new camera, so not, which is already out there enough of their. I meant to be a professional camera to received and regarded my elections from in high of degrees of taxpayer cannon to Kodak, who am falling way back of, which their reputation used. I selected this because of ehrfuerchtigen zoom shot, am the ISO abilities, which are safe there, noises on high levels however test that noises with another camera are many worse it, and cannon of only obtained ISO 1600, Olymp 3200. I love supermacro four tenths tariff, with 8, the maintenance board an extraordinary illustration to form can. This has also the highest taxpayer processor out, applicable pic III. Modes and time does not reset itself with batteries, after which loading, out, which I hate everything reseting strike. Face querying works very well, smiles also mode. I love also, if you operated at all accidently shutter down completely in place of the half way, thus you unfocused illustration received, it focus forwards everyshot. Each small thing adds up to the large things for a large camera, in order to keep the "large illustration" literal. Thus you do not agree upon this camera for second best, are fair, as good, if not better than most "average SLRs" I this cause say you, some are unbelievable, if you have thousand dollar over 1.


Not the best camera for the real estate professional
I bought this camera because of the bright safety device technology, since I do a quantity of illustrations inside of the houses, I bought it also, because it had in the camera panorama, which is perfect for my virtual routes of the houses. However none of the large characteristics of this camera work, if the camera is adjusted to panorama mode. In the panorama mode you receive the black illustrations, not possibly, to draw up even in Photoshop. If I shoot the shots, I adjust the camera to inside and continue making the photos from on the left of to the right to naturally had the first shot the window like that to be, as, turning the camera, in order to get caught the remainder of the area, adjusted he for the lighting of the window, thus the remainder of the area darkly was. This camera is also for using lightning with everyone shot excluded able, if you are in the panorama mode. If you show the camera toward to a darker section of the area for the first shot, it adjusts automatically to taking, which perfectly however if you partition at the window arrive, which you have an atom bomb to go away outside from the window to. I keep large internal shots with this camera so long, as I do not use the panorama function, which is the principal reason, which, I bought this camera over the cannon. The illustration on the monitor and not the viewfinder is seen before, in which you look, thus you no idea have of, how the illustration came out, than, more viewfinder using another note, if you do not make a photo with more viewfinder and for the monitor, until you see the illustration to your computer to downloaden or them before on the camera. All photos, which by the large opinion-searchsee however the locking result are made, is not. Everything, which I read over the camera, which one sounded perfect for my business, if everything of its characteristics, which were worked on in the panorama mode it, which would be crucial camera. Entirely, I am very much in this camera disappointed.


Excellent build, but mediocre picture quality
I switched to this camera from a Canon A610, which died on me. The first thing, which I considered with this camera, is that the illustration quality on my $200 Canon was better or alike than this camera $400. The dynamic values are terrible, if the skies are washed to the white frequently out. How many "supersuperzoom shot" adjusts the cameras, which compete in Spezifikt., it for restrictions of the noises and the dynamic values in its small CCD by over processing, and the pictures show the indications of the heavy noise reduction, filter and washes from details. Granted, this is not a DSLR, but this is not an inexpensive camera, also not. It seems to receive that they really pressed the borders of the CCDS, in order maintenance board 8, and used a too small CCD for this dissolution. A thing, which I add, after she did more research, am the fact that this problem is generally for all new cameras in this market segment as appears to the Canon S5. They press the pixel counting pulses so strongly, and the zoom shot extends up to now that optical quality suffers consequently (you see http://scripts.mit.edu/~birge/blog/digital camera buying tip from on engineer/ for more explanation of, why.) Another expenditure, which I found, is that the automatic focusing algorithm is rather slow, particularly at the long fokalen lengths and it has frequently difficulty with each possible scene movement. Sometimes more badly, it does not explain to you that it focused successfuly, than it. The part of this is the zoom shot, is safe I, but my experience in this regard was supported by some very much which are received reports on dpreview.com. I am sad to insult the Olymp fans around here, but Olymp of engineers cannot hurt the laws of solid-state physics, and fewer photo electrons capacity, and this means of fewer dynamic values mean smaller pixels. Also fewer signals noise means smaller pixels, and it represents. The fact of the affair is that they pressed the pixel counting pulse too far for the size of the CCDS, and them received better pictures from a camera with few pixels, ironically. I do not have anything against Olymp, or I would not have bought this. Glowing, breathless reports by people, which are, thus inexperienced, it at the mediocrity are not useful surprised. I legend do not buy not this camera in particular, as I suggest that this category of the camera is not worth the money fair. On the bright side is the building quality supurb. Much better than the Canon S5, which I regarded first. The camera has a nice weight and a very firm feeling in the hand. The materials are completely more rueber high quality, the one exception, which is an inexpensive and annoying rubber cover on the USB gate. Another highest point is the zoom shot and picture compensation. The distance is unusual and essentially gives you everything from a broad angle to a middle Telephoto. Unfortunately the costs of this are an objective, which does not accomplish well at the oversizes: in the broad angle its in high degrees is distort and at the Telephotolaengen there important chromatic deviation (the einsaeumende color) away from the center. In the summary I would say that Olymp of the mass (possibly led him) of setting from of way followed to much effort in specmanship, and smaller into the meeting of the right technique decisions. They wanted to obviously have 18x and 8MP, which were printed on the box, and regarded image quality a secondary interest. This can to all marks of endemically its supersuperzoom shot cameras, but it does not change the fact that you do not receive your money worth, which it counts with this camera: Image quality. This is a very large dishonor, because in most every other aspect this is the netteste camera, which I used at all. My advice: if you need the dissolution, which is carried out by 8 maintenance board, you must him above straight suck and a SLR buy. Only they have large enough CCDs to touch to such dissolutions sufficiently and this applies to all marks, not fair Olymp. Otherwise you keep a maintenance board 5 camera simple. The pictures are fair, as good, if not well and, a quantity money saves you.


Olympus SP-560UZ
Wider is BETTER!!! I couldn't be happier with another camera... GO OLYMPUS!!! :) Tak!


A fantastic camera better suited to the intermediate to advanced photographer
First let me share that I purchased this camera because of the recomendation of a local professional protographer and haven't been sorry. The manual controls are excellent and the auto features the most impressive I've seen on cameras running many times its price. For example: face detection and smile detection works well, I love the manually aimed focus on a single user directed point in the viewing field, while remaining in auto focus mode. Through glass mode is of questionable value and works poorly as expected. The true optical zoom outclasses everything else right now although I expect Canon to quickly match or slightly exceed the 18 times zoom.

All this technology comes at a price though and it is not in the price tag you take the hit, but in the fuction. If you are looking for a point and shot camera for quick shots of the family or friends you are barking up the wrong tree! There is a LONG delay for the auto range,focus and other features that make this camera so special to work so stop action - spur of the moment shots are not going to happen in full auto. In manual focus the time from off to open shutter cycle and completed photo is impressively fast, but you have to know how to change from full auto and be competent at range focusing. This is a trade off for the full auto - do everything modes. There are faster stop action modes, but again there is a trade off of time for auto focus, as this setting is about shuitter speed. The the burst quality is quite degraded to the point that a print of any size better than a standard snap shot may be hard.

I am not trying to spoil a great camera for anyone, but this is a camera that by definition and fuction is designed for someone who wants manual modes available to them and plans to use manual modes frequently. It's placement in the point and shoot catagory is unfortunate because for many laymen - it will be frustrating rather than rewarding. If you find a regular point and shot digial technically frustrating and want to take only snap shots, let me say it again, this is not a camera for you - there a number of better choices for less money. Like all optical zoom of any length a tripod is required in spite of image stabalization. Also video mode will work best with an H card rather than just the regular XD

For those of you who seek SLR-type manual controls with great optics and a superb auto mode then this camera is nearly impossible to beat.

Biggest improvement over the Olypmus SP-550UZ is the high spead USB cable. Downloads are lightning fast! Frankly I can't really tell the difference in my type of shooting in the .9 extra megspixal upgrade from the 550

A fantastic camera for under 375 dollars purchased through Amazon - who by the way increases the price of this camera during the daytime hours to over 400 and reduces it at night/early am hours - go figure when you want to buy. - Added on 11/8/07: Now that this is not a brand new, just released camera, the price is coming down. Nevertheless I would check at different times to see if you find a better price here at Amazon. It does continue to change.


So Far So Good
I've only had this camera for a day, but I thought I'd post an early review since there are none up yet. I was reluctant to buy this camera because it is SO new, and I generally prefer to wait for reviews to be in, but the 560 had so many interesting features I decided to give it a try. So far I'm glad I did. I've only been taking trial snapshots around my house to become famliar with the camera, but they're all coming out beautifully; very sharp, rich colors, no visible noise. Even low-light and high-zoom shots have been surprisingly good. The pre-programmed settings and other features (of which there are many, you should check the porfessional reviews to see them all) are really useful and I think some of them are unique to this camera right now.

The design is great if you don't mind pushing buttons often. I looked at other cameras that had easier access to different settings, but were crowded with buttons. The 560 has much fewer buttons cluttering its surface, but that means more button pushing to get things done. I'd rather do that than have all that clutter on the body, but others might not. It's also small, lightweight and fits nicely in my hands.

I don't really know yet if this deserves 5 stars, so I might revise this after I've had some time to take pictures outdoors and generally use it more. As of now I'm very satisfied all around. I bought it from a reputable online store with good independent reviews for about $380.



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--end of Olympus SP-560UZ 8MP Digital Camera with Dual Image Stabilized 18x Optical Zoom