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Olympus SP-560 UZ Ultra Zoom Digital Camera

Olympus SP-560 UZ

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B&H $334.95
Wall Street Photo $368.59
Pavilion Electronics $379.99
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Key Features of the Olympus SP-560 UZ :
  • Ultra Long 18X Optical Zoom (Super Telephoto).
  • SLR Like Body.
  • 8 Megapixel Resolution.
  • 15 fps high-speed sequential shooting.
  • Pre-Capture feature captures 5 frames in buffer before shutter is released.
  • Dual Image Stabilization Mode for blur free images.
  • Large 2.5" LCD Screen.
  • Ability to add Wide angle or Telephoto Lens attachments.
  • Both Manual and Automatic controls.
  • 33 Built in Shooting Modes including Quicktime movie mode.
 The SP-560 UZ features the world's most powerful zoom lens, offering maximum shooting versatility for travel, sports and everyday use. The 18x super telephoto zoom (27 - 486mm equivalent) gets you closer to the action than any compact digital camera on the market. The 2-in-1 blur solution Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization keeps your shot steady by compensating for camera shake and freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity along with faster shutter speeds. Record TV-quality AVI movies close up with sound 640x480 at 30 fps up to the capacity of your xD card.

SP-560 UZ Highlights

Amazing focal length far and wide The key component to quality imaging is precision optics, and the SP-560 UZ delivers. This camera’s versatile yet compact 18x super telephoto zoom gets users close to the action. At the same time, the wide-angle (27mm) lens captures more in each frame. Its super-macro capabilities capture the subtlest details from as close as one centimeter. The compact lens construction combines high-refractive, aspherical and extra-dispersion (ED) lens elements to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity. The bright, F2.8-4.5 lens provides the equivalent of 27-486mm focal length with 100x total seamless zoom (5.6x digital zoom).

Face Detection Technology Face Detection Technology tracks faces within the frame and automatically focuses (Face Detection AF) and optimizes exposure (Face Detection AE) for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures.

Shadow Adjustment Technology Shooting outdoors in bright daylight can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark shadowed areas and bright sunlit areas -- while the human eye is capable of detecting the nuances between dark and light and all the details in between, image sensors traditionally have not been quite as sensitive. The SP-560 UZ addresses this challenge head-on with Shadow Adjustment Technology, which compensates for extreme contrast where the shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. With this technology, users can preview and capture images with the same contrast as their naked eye.

TruePic III image processor Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III image processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to deliver superior picture quality with more accurate colors, true-to-life flesh tones and faster processing speeds. TruePic III also captures sharp images at high ISO settings, which are traditionally associated with increasing image noise or producing grainy photos.

Perfect Shot Preview mode The SP-560 UZ features a Perfect Shot Preview mode that enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-frame window on the LCD before snapping the shot. This feature allows users to see precisely what the image will look like when adjustments are made, ensuring users are capturing the exact image they want. It’s a great way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

Dual Image Stabilization Dual Image Stabilization technology enables users to take crisp, clear pictures in virtually any shooting situation -- adjusting for camera shake and a moving subject. Olympus’ mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization keeps images sharp by adjusting the CCD to compensate for camera shake, which often occurs when zooming in on your subject and in low-light conditions when shutter speeds are slower. Digital Image Stabilization freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds that prevent blur caused by a moving subject.

In-camera panorama The SP-560 UZ features a new in-camera panoramic photo shooting capability, which captures three images and stitches them together to create one amazing panoramic picture. Users can easily do this by pressing the shutter button and slowly panning across a panoramic scene. The second and third images will be automatically captured and stitched together with the first image -- resulting in one panoramic-size picture. To create the ultimate panoramic picture, consumers can use the Olympus Master Software 2 to stitch up to 10 images together to produce an even larger panoramic image.

High-speed sequential shooting and Pre-Capture technology Capable of capturing images at an incredible 15 frames per second (image size reduced), the SP-560 UZ offers the highest burst rate of any compact digital camera. The inclusion of Pre-Capture technology, which works in conjunction with High-Speed Sequential Shooting, enables users to capture the action before and after fully pressing the shutter button. Pre-Capture begins working as soon as the focus is locked, automatically archiving five frames in the camera’s buffer memory prior to the shutter release -- virtually guaranteeing that none of the action will be missed even if the user’s reaction time is slow. Perfect for situations where timing is essential, such as photographing a tennis player serving, children playing or a whale breaching.

High-resolution 2.5-inch LCD and electronic viewfinder Compose and display incredible images on the camera’s bright 230,000-pixel LCD. The high-resolution screen enables you to review pictures, scroll through menu options and treat friends and family to a digital slide show with ease. The SP-560 UZ also features an electronic viewfinder with dioptric correction.

33 Shooting modes including TV-quality video with sound The SP-560 UZ makes it easy to take great photos in a variety of scenarios and lighting situations with 33 shooting modes, including TV-quality video with sound (640x480/30fps). Simply select the desired mode for portraits, landscapes, night scenes, fast-action, macro and more.

Bright Capture Technology for easy low-light photography Low-light photography has never been easier thanks to Olympus’ revolutionary Bright Capture Technology. A brightened preview on the LCD enables simple composition; and with specific scene modes for high sensitivity settings (up to ISO 3200) and rapid auto-focus, even fast-action photos can be captured under low levels of available light.

Full manual and automatic control The Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes give users versatility and control for optimal performance in any situation. Users can express their creative vision -- adjusting the f-stop for detailed portraits with softened backgrounds, or slowing the exposure speed to create the blurred effect of motion, or just sit back and let the camera do the thinking through the use of the automatic settings.

Olympus Master 2 software Olympus Master 2 software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to your computer quick and simple, and images are easily organized by folders or albums and searchable by date in Calendar view. Also, with one-click editing tools, such as red-eye removal, images can be touched up before printing or e-mailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away. Use the optional muvee Theater Pack to create professional quality slide shows and DVDs from your pictures using any of several built-in templates.



Olympus SP-560 UZ Photo Samples

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These are actual photos taken with Olympus SP-560 UZ .
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Compare Olympus SP-560 UZ with similar cameras
Name: Sony DSC-H9 Panasonic DMC-FZ18 Fujifilm S8000fd Olympus SP-560 UZ
Megapixels: 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0
Optical Zoom: 15 X 18 X 18 X 18 X
Max Res: 3264 x 2448 3264 x 2448 3264 x 2448 3264 x 2448
LCD Screen: 2.5 " 2.5 " 2.4 " 2.5 "
Digital zoom: 2x Yes, 4 x Yes, 5.1 x Yes, 5.6x
Image stabilizer: Yes, Lens Yes, Lens Yes Yes, Sensor shift
Media Card: Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo + Internal SD/MMC/SDHC card + Internal xD Picture Card + Internal xD Picture Card, Internal
Battery: Lithium-Ion NP-BG1 rechargeable Lithium-Ion rechargeable AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended) AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Weight (with batteries): 440 g (15.5 oz) 407 g (14.4 oz) 510 g (18 oz) 365 g (12.9 oz)
Lowest Price: $389.95 $299.95 $279.95 $334.95
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Olympus SP-560 UZ User Reviews

Avg. Rating
4.5
Out of 5
 This item is reviewed by 38 people so far.
Click here for complete reviews.

5
Out of 5
Absolutely Amazing
- Reviewd on: 2008-09-28 By: W. Walsh
Bought this camera as an upgrade to what I had. Nikon 4 megs. Easy to use and the quality of the pictures are fantastic. For this amount of money, what a bargin. This was my first Olympus and it won't be my last,
5
Out of 5
Olympus SP-560UZ is GREAT
- Reviewd on: 2008-08-09 By: Gary Morton
I've had my SP-59UZ four months. I've taken several hundred photos during this time. The camera takes excellent photos and is very easy to operate. The optical zoom and image stabilizaition are GREAT! I highly recommend this camera.
5
Out of 5
Great Little Camera
- Reviewd on: 2008-06-27 By: Y. Zahir
I've had this camera for about 6 month, and I love it! It's simple to use and the pictures come out great! I highly recommend it.
3
Out of 5
No Focus / No Support
- Reviewd on: 2008-06-19 By: Jim Cobb
Very disappointed with Olympus. I own 2 other Olympus cameras and was very satisfied, bought this camera and after shooting several hundred exposures was not satisfied with results only about 25 % of shots were in focus. Contacted Olympus with my concerns, but they never returned my inquiry. Sent camera back to 17 Th Photo and purchased a Cannon S5 IS. 17 Th St Photo is an excellent retailer and the Cannon S5 IS, in my opinion is a much better camera.
5
Out of 5
Olympus sp-560uz Ultrazoom Camera
- Reviewd on: 2008-06-03 By: A. Thomas
Great camera! I've Had Several olympus cameras analog and digital. The 560 ultra zoom does it all. Just finished ordering a high speed memory card for this camera so I can take better action shots. This Camera is well worth the money.