[David Smith]

This is a follow up to my previous thread so please bear with me.
I have more or less decided to purchase this new zoom. I know it will not be as good as a dedicated DSLR with prime lense but I can carry it on walks, it goes from 28mm to 500mm and I can add a 1.7 tc without affecting the aperture.
Someone has kindly posted a thread with comparison photographs and up to 400 ISO it compares favourably with cameras costing far more.
My questions are:-
This being a new camera (due in shops very soon) A) does anyone know of any other new cameras I should be considering ? B) does anyone think I am missing something and this is just a bad idea?
Thank you

[hornet]

Hi David,

On paper it looks great, and the online review looks good (if genuine, take these things with a pinch of salt - I'm sure the early reviewer is genuine, but there are a huge number of phony reviews, PR blogs and so on out there). I'd wait for just a little bit more evidence - a DP review or similar.

Having said that, I'd seriously consider it myself if I wasn't happy enough for the time being with my FZ20.

I guess others to consider are:
Canon S3 IS
Panasonic FZ50 (or are we at 60 now, I lose track)
Sony (I think H5 is the newest one, but I'm not overly familiar with it).

If I remember the reviews (and this is off the top of my head, so please check):
The Sony delivers great images, but looks a bit odd;
the Canon S3 is an all round good egg;
The FZ50 / 60 offers the full monty, including a hotshoe for external flash etc, but they are starting to squeeze too many megapixels on to a small sensor and noise is starting to get problematic.

Plenty of people around here are using the last two in particular, so have a look in the gallery.

[pduxon]

still on the FZ50 Mark. There is an FZ8 out. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz8/

[hornet]

Originally Posted by pduxon

still on the FZ50 Mark. There is an FZ8 out. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz8/

Thanks Pete, that passed me by. Seems like a good little camera too, although like I think all the other models mentioned it has no hotshoe for external flash. I don't use it often but I'd really miss that feature.

Work looking at though David.

[RAH]

There is no current camera that compares with it for max zoom magnification, or for zoom range. So you haven't missed some other model that you haven't heard of. Some of the Fuji superzooms start at 28mm (S9100, etc) but only go to 300mm. The Oly camera really is a breakthru. I expect that other manufacturers will have to match it, but that will be a wait.

I do think that it might be prudent to wait till at least a Dpreview review is out before buying, but initial reviews do sound very encouraging. I also will almost surely buy one to replace my Oly C-750.

[David Smith]

Thank you for that advice.
Excuse my ignorance but what is Dpreview?
I did read the preview someone else posted and which looked good (apart from high 'noise' at anything over 400 ISO)-is Dpreview a bench mark ?

[pe'rigin]

David,

Are we talking about the Olympus SP 550 UR? I don't know too much about this camera, but reading the reports, it does seem to have a multitude of mouth-watering features. 18x optical zoom and wide angle, which is stabilized. Plus files in RAW.

I don’t know about the optics, but I think it would be worth keeping an eye out for the reports in March when this camera comes out.

I like the Canon S3, it’s a cracking camera, so is the FZ50, which, although more expensive does give more features over the Canon, RAW files and 10mega pixel.

Makes you wonder just where Nikon are at the moment in time.

[David Smith]

Yes I do refer to the sp550. Someone kindly posted this report which looks very good. I don't know if it's completely indipendant-thats why I'm interested to know the importance of Dpreview.
As I say the zoom is very attractive. Downsides seem to be
1) high noise at 400 ISO and above.
2) drops to 3.0 or 1.2 MP when in fps mode
I suppose one day we will have 'bridge' cameras with the same quality as full DSLR but this odes seem a big step forward and for less than £300.00 !!

http://scaredofthedark.typepad.com/..._sp550_r_4.html

[Mick Sway]

Hi Dave
Nice to see a thread going on this subject!
I've also been checking the SP-550 out to, however the lack of photo's in reviews leaves me a little concerned.
I wish I could undersatnd the technical spec's, unfortunately I just like to point and shoot.Since my wife and I like both walking and birding, carrying an SLR around is not an attractive proposition.
A couple of years ago I bought an Olympus C770, with tele adaptor, which has given me some decent bird shots, although I've found the autofocus a bit unreliable with moving objects.
Also it's lucky that I took out a 3 year warranty because it's been in for repair twice, on one occasion locking completely whilst on vacation.
I hope that this new camera proves more robust and the auto focus more reliable .
Reading other reviews on the net, some appear nhappy with the Olympus XD card, which they seem to be saying has a slower writing speed.
The big plus is the 1.7 tele adaptor which is also apparently available for the new model - I hope mine fits because I'm hoping to give it a go.
Best regards
Mick

[rka]

At the end of March, Sony will be releasing the H7 and H9 models which go from 30 to 450 mm (x15). Max ISO is 3200.

Worth waiting to see more detailed specs.

[RAH]

Dpreview is just a popular website that has a lot of camera reviews:
http://www.dpreview.com/
Concerning high noise with ISO 400 and above, this is pretty standard for non-DSLR cameras. The 550 is probably not worse in this category than other super-zooms or point-and-shoots, and maybe better than some of the higher-res Panasonic super-zooms.

[bestboat]

Hi Dave,
I am in a similar predicament, a keen walker, rambler, who likes to take photos of whatever comes up. I am particularly interested in reptiles and insects, and my present camera, a Minolta A1 [28-200], has served me very well in Macro mode there. However, it just does not have sufficient reach to take photos of birds, and I was therefore planning to get a Pentax K100D with a 70-300mm[105-450] zoom and a short Macro zoom, to replace it.
Apart from the,additional expense, I just hate carrying a lot of gear around, and from the advice of experts on the forum, it appears that 300mm[450] is just too short for bird photography in any case.
So, like you, I am having second thoughts, and have decided to wait for a few months to see how this new Olympus,and any other new entrants, actually turn out in practice.
Marry in haste, Repent at leisure.
Regards, Bestboat

[David Smith]

I've more or less decided to go for the Olympus and am going to order it today. I don't like doing so until physically seeing it but as I dont have any decent zoom I'm keen to get started. I'm advised that there will be a shortage-hence am ordering now to get the 1st batch.
Out of interest which part of France are you based in ? I have holidayed on southern coast (from Italy right throught to Spain)

[bestboat]

Originally Posted by David Smith

I've more or less decided to go for the Olympus and am going to order it today. I don't like doing so until physically seeing it but as I dont have any decent zoom I'm keen to get started. I'm advised that there will be a shortage-hence am ordering now to get the 1st batch.
Out of interest which part of France are you based in ? I have holidayed on southern coast (from Italy right throught to Spain)

Actually, in The Lot, about 3 hours by car to either the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, or from Spain. I went down to the Landes last week to see the Cranes which migrate to that area for the Winter. Saw hundreds of these beautiful birds, but alas, my camera did not have sufficient "reach", hence my quest for a new one. As I mentioned earlier, I am a very casual "birder", although I do visit Reserves, but am just not into sitting for hours in a Hide, with a lot of heavy gear. Despite this, however, I seem to be swinging back towards the Pentax, for I did have a Minolta SLR, with a variety of lenses some years ago.
I gave it up, because it was all too much for climbing. So where do I go from here? The more reviews that I read, the more difficult it is to make a decision.

Just a follow up.
Now Married in Haste, a decision that I hope that I will not regret in my more leisured moments. Found a K100D, Body only, on EBay.fr with 9 seconds left. Bid , and won it for £253, including 2years guarantee.

Now to choose my lenses.

[David Smith]

[Well done! for that price you cannot make a mistake-you can always re-sell.
I also had (still have) a Minolta 7000i with 28-80 & 70-200 lenses. Have always been into photography but recently into bird watching. Like you I'm not into sitting in hides for hours but do enjoy it on a casual basis. As I enjoy walking I have decided on the Olympus (easier to carry). If I find I'm getting into tele photography I might sell & buy as you have done.
Don't know the area where you live-I have to admit that I only ever stopped in central France on the way to the south.
Enjoy your Pentax.

[rka]

Originally Posted by bestboat

Hi Dave,
I am in a similar predicament, ...

Same situation here.

K100D + 70-300 (450mm effective) will be a bit more expensive than SP500 (10x) but much higher good ISO performance even though at 450mm (9x) you have f5.6 vs f4.5 of the 550.

Would like to see how 550 performs with TCON17. If only one stop lost, then will get equivalent 800+mm lens (16x).

Need to see more tests.

[RAH]

Originally Posted by rka

Would like to see how 550 performs with TCON17. If only one stop lost, then will get equivalent 800+mm lens (16x).

Need to see more tests.

The TCON17 does not lose any stops. It is not like an SLR teleconverter that sits between the camera and the lens.

[Mick Sway]

Hi all
re:OLYMPUS SP 550
I have attached a couple of pics taken in the back garden with the new camera, which will give some idea of the zoom capability.
Please bare in mind that they're taken through the living room window.
PIC 1 - normal view of garden, note box feeder to right of bird bath
PIC 2 - woody on box feeder, taken at 18 x zoom set on auto
PIC 3 - woody cropped
Best I could do with weather, work and all.
Best
Mick

[terryeyre]

how many yards away was the woody?

[STS]

Hi Mick. Looks pretty impressive for a quick try out! What do you make of it for extreme close-ups? I use my present camera for taking photos of moths and I wondered how the auto-focus would perform. I understand there is a manual focus option but it doesn't sound easy to access? By the way, I thought these cameras weren't available here yet, so where did you get yours if you don't mind my asking?

[Mick Sway]

About 10 - 11 I would say

[Mick Sway]

Hi STS
Havn't tried the macro function yet, however I have had some sucess
with butterflies using the Olympus c770.
As for buying it , I used:
www.ukdigital.co.uk
Their bundle price including 1 gig XD, energiser fast charger with 4 x AA
and carrying case, was £352 inc postage.
Ordered on Sunday last and delivered Tuesday.
Please don't take this as a recommendation since this is the first time I've used them, I have bought from Digital Depot in the past.
The real test would be when something goes wrong.
I hope to give the camera a bit of a workout tomorrow.
I also have the 1.7 telephoto on order, which costs about £100 inc adapter.

[David Smith]

Mick
It's your camera and I'm excited!! I keep phoning around & every one tells me they don't know when it will be in-I will be in town 1st thing tomorrow!!
I know someone has 'sort of' asked the question but
1)have you found out if you have to go wide angle and therefor close up for macro or can you use macro with zoom?
2)did they tell you when the converter is expected ?
3)how did you decide which card to go for i.e. can you get faster reading cards?
Would appreciate and early reply if possible although I'g going for it anyway.
Thanks
Dave

[STS]

Mick, many thanks for the gen re your camera purchase. I look forward to hearing how you get on with it.

[Mick Sway]

Hi Dave
I bought the XD card that came with the bundle and have never tried to obtain anything other than Olympus cards to use with my old camera.
Digital depot told me that the cameras are flying out, however, they would not have the adaptors in until next week.
As regards the macro features I have not had the opportunity to try them out yet and probably won't until butterflies and dragonflies put in their appearance.

Best Regards
Mick