Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)*Updated 18 July 2009
I bought this camera to replace my Olympus SP 565UZ. Overall the SP 590 out performs the 565 with the exception of its much higher price.
Zoom: I think most people who are looking at this camera are doing so because of the 26x zoom feature, so I will remark on this first. In my armature opinion the zoom on this camera is awesome. Obviously when you are stretching out to the full length of the zoom you are going to want some kind of support (such as a gorilla pod if you're a backpacker like me) because dual image stabilization can only do so much for you to prevent blurry pictures of something that is miles away. I have been able to capture some pretty good photos of objects that are not easily viewed by the human eye. I do recommend using light filters, but I definitely give this feature 5 stars
Physical features: As a previous reviewer noted, right out of the box this camera feels pretty cheap due to its larger size and remarkably light weight. After handling it for a while I defiantly think it is more durable than the 565 was though. Its access doors are much beefier than the 565's and it has an aluminum casing around the lens that you can grab onto. I like this feature because the 565 had almost nothing to hold onto in the front when you wanted to add that extra two handed stability to your shot. Once you throw some batteries into the camera the weight does go up and the cheap feeling goes down.
Battery life - I love the fact that the SP 590 takes AA's instead of a Li-ion batteries (this was a deciding factor in me not getting the Nikon P90) because it guarantees that I can just pick up another set of AA's on long trips or camping where you're not around a reliable power source long enough to recharge your batteries. I just took this camera on a two week backpacking trip and I went through two sets of Sony 2500 mAh Ni-Mh batteries. Conservatively speaking I took well over 1000 Pictures and about 40 minutes of video on just those batteries. I give these batteries and this camera's use of them 5 stars.
Operating software: A note on some of the software features. The SP 590 has a built in "beauty" feature and a few other "picture fixing" programs, these features seem mostly like a gimmick because it takes a lot of time for the camera to process the images, and it's something that is more suitably done on your computer with photo editing software. If you are in "beauty mode" don't plan on taking any quick shots because you can expect a 10 or more second delay between shots.
Manual features: As I've said before I am an armature at photography but one of the major reasons I bought this camera was because I had mastered what few manual controls there were on most point and shot cameras and I wanted to take the next step. The SP 590 offers plenty of room for me to grow in this department. This is no DSLR but it is a good in-between camera. I do wish that there was some way to use a manual focus, like there is on the SP 570uz, because when you are using the zoom it's hard to get the camera to auto zoom on the item you are trying to capture especially when there are items like power lines between you and the shot you want.
Media Card: I've said it before and I'll say it again, it finally seems as though Olympus gotten over their proprietary high horse when it comes to XD media cards. The SP 590 and all other new Olympus cameras come with adapters to allow the use of Micro SD cards. The problem with previous cameras was that if you wanted to take a panorama picture you had to have an OLYMPUS brand XD card. This is not an issue with the SP 590 as it allows you to take panorama shots with any card or even just the internal memory. The 590 also recognizes the higher write speeds of Class 4 and Class 6 Micro SD cards. Which has solved one of the major headaches associated with VGA videos on the previous models.
Video: The SP 590 offers VGA video recording size of 640x480 at 30 frames per second. Because the 590 recognizes the higher write speeds of the class 4 and 6 Micro SD's you can now record 20:00+ min videos without having to purchase a high speed XD type M+ card. Another major complaint of Olympus cameras has been addressed with the zoom feature in video mode. The SP 590 DOES allow you to zoom in and out while taking video, a feature that is not common on previous models.
Megapixels: This camera does take up to 12mp shots which is great if you plan on blowing all of your photos up to a poster size image or larger. But I usually print no bigger than an 8x10 and I don't want to fill my computer up with picture files (a 12mp picture uses over 2.5mb of space) so Leave my camera at 5mp (which only uses about 1mb of space).
Over all: Even though I feel the price is a bit high right now I give this camera 5 stars. It fits well in the hands and takes very good pictures. It's compact enough to take around on trips and you don't have to worry about having extra lens as with DSLR's, but you still get some of the desired features as a DSLR.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus SP-590UZ 12MP Digital Camera with 26X Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
The SP-590UZ offers the advanced manual controls that experienced photographers demand and find on a digital SLR (single lens reflex). At the same time, users can easily set the camera to operate like a simple point-and-shoot with automatic scene modes. It offers the compact body of an ultra zoom with the flexibility of high-performance optics usually found in interchangeable lenses for DSLR cameras, a 12-megapixel image sensor, Dual Image Stabilization, Face Detection, Ultra High-Speed Sequential shooting and a bright 2.7-inch LCD.FEATURES:Capturing It All--Near, Far and Wide - Optical precision is the foundation for creating quality images. The bright, f2.8-5.0 lens provides the equivalent of 26-676mm focal length. Users can get close to the action with the compact 26x super telephoto zoom and at the same time, the wide-angle (26mm) lens captures more in each frame. Its super-macro capabilities capture the subtlest details. The compact lens construction combines aspherical lens elements and extra-low dispersion (ED) lens elements to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity. Whether it is capturing fast-action sports or everyday snapshots, this sturdy compact body with a wide-angle and telephoto lens provides the versatility to get the job done.12 Megapixels for Superior Image Quality - The SP-590UZ has a 12-megapixel sensor that enables consumers to achieve consistently sharp and vivid images when producing large-format prints or cropping/enlarging a portion of an image.Unleash Your Creativity with New Artistic Scene Modes - Olympus\' ultra zoom cameras have been known for being the perfect, versatile solution for dual households; providing flexibility and manual controls for experienced shutterbugs, while being as easy and approachable as a point-and-shoot for novice or even first-time users. The SP-590UZ takes this to a new level with pre-capture scene modes: Multiple Exposure, So
