Click to Enlarge Olympus SP-510 Ultra Zoom
There were other disappointments as well. The EVF for example, has serious vertical smear issues. In composing some of the images, the smear level was so pronounced that the main subject of the image wasn't recognizable. The images themselves turned out fine though, but this is a nagging issue for this camera and Olympus would do well to fix it.
Another shortcoming with this camera is that the minimum aperture in manual mode is f/8. So, if you're shooting in very bright conditions, you must either raise the shutter speed or lower the ISO. Normally, this isn't a huge concern, but if you're going to put in manual exposure controls, give a full range of control! Changing the shutters speed and aperture is also cumbersome and Olympus needs to rethink how they have done this as well. The four circular buttons that surround the function button change the aperture and shutter speeds, so if you try changing the exposure while using the EVF, you have to grope for the correct button. Dedicated controls for manual exposure control placed toward the top of the camera would be ideal -- maybe replace the EVF/LCD toggle button into a shutter speed and aperture toggle and a wheel in the front to change the values.
The 510 is also touted by Olympus as an excellent camera for capturing action by using their "Sports" setting in the scene selector. This works similarly to shutter priority by raising the shutter speed to at least 1/250th of a second. If that speed is not obtainable with existing light, the ISO is automatically raised until the minimum shutter speed is reached. This works in most situations, but for high action sports, where the subject is moving very quickly, it can cause ghosting and undesirable movement. Using the manual exposure mode with a shutter speed of 1/500th or 1/1000th of a second yielded much better results. It is also disappointing that using a full resolution JPEG setting we were only able to shoot 2-3 frames continuously before the filling the camera's buffer.
The camera also has a pronounced shutter lag that's typical for one chip, consumer grade cameras. By having the shutter depressed half way and keeping the main point of focus sharp, the response improved dramatically and with the manual exposure, we were able to take some nice action images. Even still, I would not consider this a camera that should be purchased primarily as a "Sports" or action camera as Olympus markets it.
The video mode is simple to operate. You place the function wheel onto the movie camera icon, compose the scene, depress the shutter release and you're shooting video. The viewer also shows you in minutes and seconds how much time you have available for video. The video function does not allow you to change focal lengths while shooting, but you can shoot, stop and change focal lengths and start shooting once again. The quality level available for video is also impressive for such a small package and the EDIF optics help here as well.
In all, the Olympus SP-510UZ is a very likable camera, and if you know and understand its limitations, it can be a very good performer. I can see advanced amateurs and even the occasional pro wanting to use this camera on vacations and in shooting situations where they either don't want to or can't carry a large amount of camera gear with them. It has all of the features that these shooters want in a small, convenient package. Novices will appreciate the ease of use and many helpful features, especially the Guide, which answers many questions that the beginner might have. It's almost like having an experienced photographer standing next to you while you shoot. The macro feature alone would cost as much for a comparable lens on a DSLR, and add in the RAW format, endless exposure/scene controls and high quality optics and the camera sells itself. For the money, the Olympus SP-510UZ is a great deal.
Key Specs:
7.1 MP point and shoot with EVF and LCD viewing
38-380mm F2.8-3.7 lens
2.5" LCD (115,000 pixels)
28 exposure modes
11.6 oz (325 grams) without batteries
4.2" W x 2.9" H x 2.8" D (105.5mm x 74.5mm x 70.0mm)
4-AA batteries for at least 630 images
Street Price of $342
What's in the Box:
SP-510 UZ digital camera
4 AA alkaline batteries
USB cable (CB-USB6)
Audio/Video cable (CB-AVC3)
Neck strap
Quick Start Guide
Warranty card
Basic Manual
2 CD-ROMs (OLYMPUS Master Software and Advanced Manual)
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