Canon S3 vs. Olympus SP-550UZ?

Hello Everyone!

I was out and about this afternoon and saw the Olympus SP-550UZ. Does anyone have any experience with this model? And is so, how does it compare to Canons S3?

Thank You!

Here are the two cameras side by side :

http://www.dpreview.co​m …0uz%2Ccanon_s3i​s&show=all

I don't have any experience with the olympus, so I wouldn't be able to help you there.

dpreview tore the 550uz a new one,,,
http://www.dpreview.co​m/reviews/olympussp550​uz/
Id get the s3.
its sux because on paper the 550uz kicks its fanny and canon needs to upgrade the s3 but oly blew it big time on the 550uz.

I hate two things in cameras - slow operation and lousy image quality. Olympus has traditionally produced cameras that have both these things, so my choices are very clear to me

id go for the olympus sp550 over the s3 is even though it hasnt a swivel lcd. cant really beat an 18x zoom on a camera that size

http://www.ukcamerasto​re.co.uk …log/Olympus_SP-550UZ.html

forrestio wrote in post #2954228
id go for the olympus sp550 over the s3 is even though it hasnt a swivel lcd. cant really beat an 18x zoom on a camera that size

http://www.ukcamerasto​re.co.uk …log/Olympus_SP-550UZ.html

I don't know anythying about the olympus sp550, but the zoom alone means very little if the rest of the camera is junk. I have read a few reports that say it's very slugish compared to the S3. But once again, I don't personally know anything about it.

xD cards, yuck.

NickSimcheck wrote in post #2954646
xD cards, yuck.

Amen to that, Brother! I have an older Olympus 3 MP camera that I carry around with me because I already have it, and it takes great pictures. But I would consider the xD card worthless if it was all I used. Just look at one from the wrong direction, and it will go corrupt.

I played with an 550 in the store and its VERY slow to operate. The boot up time is awfully slow and the lens zoom takes for ever to move unlike the USM motor in the Canon's

I was in best buy the other day comparing both, price alone it ain't worth it. Aside from the zoom, which the Panasonic FZ-8 @ 3mp (great for the average user's 4x6), it's slow, xd's suck, deleting pictures suck! It takes like 2-3 secs to delete a picture. I read about the dual IS system in it now, but no details in how it's better than anyone else's. When it comes down to it, for $100 or more for the Olympus, I say pssh! That's right, pssh!

one thing that caught my eye on the specs is the MAX shutter speed 1/2000. On the S3 is 1/3200, but using the tele is capped at 1/1600. Which in some situations just does not cuts the mustard. The S3 video will eat the oly in a heartbeat. Also the S3 uses SD/SDHC cards.

Lets hope that canon gets an new S4/Pro2 with APS-C, 10MP 2.8 400mm L ...for $1,400 USD!!!

Slagging off aside, dpreview are well respected and have slated the Olympus SP-550uz. Apparently it is slow to operate and has difficulty focussing accurately, particularly at the long end of the zoom. Read their review and any others you can find before shelling out for one. The specs are great and I had high hopes, but the reality would appear to be different. It would appear that I'm stuck with a weighty dslr and a bag of lenses...............