Olympus SP-550 UZ Performance

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Olympus SP-550 UZ Performance

Timing and Performance

Good to average speed for a consumer camera.

Startup/Shutdown
Power on to first shot	2.9 seconds	Time it takes for LCD to turn on and lens to deploy.
Shutdown	2.4 seconds	How long it takes to retract lens.
Buffer clearing time	10 seconds (4 seconds buffer clearing in LF JPEG)	Worst case buffer clearing time. -- This is the delay after a set of shots before you can remove the card. Some cameras won't retract their lenses and shut down until the buffer is cleared.
Mode switching
Play to Record, first shot	0.7 second	Time until first shot is captured.
Record to play	5.0 seconds	Time to display a large/fine file immediately after capture.
Display recorded image	0.7 second	Time to display a large/fine file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time):
Full Autofocus Wide	1.52 seconds	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at wide angle position.
Full Autofocus Tele	1.11 seconds	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at telephoto position.
Prefocused	0.090 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Continuous AF	1.48 seconds	This mode usually shows no speed increase with our static subject; we have no way to measure performance with moving subjects.
Manual focus	0.60 second	For most cameras, shutter lag is less in manual focus than autofocus, but usually not as fast as when the camera is "prefocused".
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large Fine JPEG	4.16 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.
Single Shot mode 640x480 JPEG	2.48 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.
Single Shot mode RAW	10.54 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.
Early shutter penalty?	No	Some cameras refuse to snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer.
Continuous mode Large Fine JPEG	0.97 second (1.03 frames per second); 3 frames total; 5 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.
Continuous mode 640x480 JPEG	0.81 second (1.23 frames per second); 1 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.
Flash recycling	7 seconds	Flash at maximum output.
Download speed
Windows Computer, USB 2.0	989 KBytes/sec	Typical Values: Less than 600=USB 1.1; 600-770=USB 2.0 Low; Above 770=USB 2.0 High

The Olympus SP-550's performance varies from above to below average with very little average about it compared to other long zooms, whose performance in general is not quite as nimble as compact digicams. Startup and shutdown speeds are above average for the Long Zoom category (which means it's slower than a 3x digicam at 2.9 seconds, but faster than the average long zoom). Shutter response is above average, too, coming in at 0.090s when prefocused; but below average with full autofocus, taking a full 1.52 seconds at wide angle. Shot-to-shot cycle times and continuous-mode speeds are also above average. The flash takes 7.0 seconds to recharge after a full-power shot, which is below average. Connected to a computer or printer with USB 2.0, download speeds are average, but not so slow you'll need an external reader. Bottom line, the Olympus SP-550 UZ is a responsive long zoom, although not a quick focuser.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Surprisingly good battery life.

Operating Mode	Battery Life
Still-image capture mode LCD on, NiMH batteries	560 shots

The Olympus SP-550 UZ uses a four AA-size batteries for power. The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions using NiMH batteries. We normally recommend picking up a spare set of batteries and keeping them freshly charged and on-hand for long outings, but the SP-550's battery life is good enough that few users are likely to feel the need for a second set of batteries.

(Interested readers can find an English translation of the CIPA DC-002 standards document here. (180K PDF document))

Storage
The Olympus SP-550 UZ has 20MB internal memory and uses xD Picture Cards, although no card is supplied with the camera.

Image Capacity with 20MB Internal Memory		Fine	Normal	RAW
3,072 x 2,304	Images	4	10	1
3,072 x 2,304	File Size	4.2 MB	1.8 MB	10.7 MB
2,560 x 1,920	Images	8	16
2,560 x 1,920	File Size	2.5 MB	1.2 MB
2,304 x 1,728	Images	8	20
2,304 x 1,728	File Size	2.5 MB	994 KB
2,048 x 1,536	Images	8	25
2,048 x 1,536	File Size	2.3 MB	785 KB
1,600 x 1,200	Images	14	40
1,600 x 1,200	File Size	1.4 MB	497 KB
1,280 x 960	Images	21	62
1,280 x 960	File Size	914 KB	321 KB
1,024 x 768	Images	33	95
1,024 x 768	File Size	593 KB	208 KB
640 x 480	Images	83	207
640 x 480	File Size	240 KB	96 KB

The Olympus SP-550UZ stores its photos on xD memory cards or in approximately 20MB of internal memory, and no card is included with the camera. That means that out of the box, you can only capture four full resolution, low compression images, or one RAW image. We strongly recommend buying a large capacity xD Picture card at least a 512MB card, preferably a 1- or 2GB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings and videos. (Check the shopping link above, cards are really cheap these days, so no reason to skimp.)