OLYMPUS SP-800UZ 14 MP 3.0" LCD 30X Optical Zoom 28mm Wide Angle Digital Camera

Reviewed By: on 5/5/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Amazing zoom and great image stabilization to match, mostly clear pictures, nice browsing features, love the built in software

Cons: Wish image sensor was bigger - images tend to be blurry on a 1:1 scale)
button layout could be better - i frequently hit the image preview button without intending to
needs more options for video recording and more manual control
Wish it came with a manual other than that contained in the camera

Other Thoughts: Overall a great camera
Knowing what i know now i would still buy it in a heartbeat

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Benefits Outweigh Limitations

Reviewed By: JLR on 7/22/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month

Pros: Very solid construction – This camera feels like it’s built to last.

30X Optical Zoom - Optically zoomed photos are sharp provided you keep the camera steady. Very impression optical range. This is very handy when taking shots of nature where you can’t approach the subject.

Macro Shots – The camera can take macro shots within a variety of camera modes. I could get within about ½ inch of the subject and get great results.

In Camera Panoramic Mode – Merges 3 photos either horizontally or vertically. You can’t imagine how nice this feature worked when on vacatkion at Niagara Falls. I'm very impressed with these photos. Easy to use feature.

In Camera Red Eye Removal – This does a great job removing red eye after the photo is taken. This saves me time because I don’t have to transfer pics to a PC and use photo editing software to manually clean this up.

In Camera Tutorial of Features.

720p HD Movies.

Powerful flash.

Good battery life.

Charges battery in camera.

Cons: Movies – You have to chose between sound or optical zooming because you can’t have both. What a shame! Very poor design decision from Olympus. However, you can pre-zoom the camera before starting the movie and then film at the fixed optical zoom with sound.

Photo Preview – There is no separate preview mode where the lens is inactive or fully retracted while viewing photos. So, the lens cover can’t be used while you’re just viewing your shots. As a result, when you pass around the camera to show friends the nice photo you just took you’re worried about someone accidentally damaging the lens.

Menu navigation – Is not that intuitive and takes some getting used to.

Image Stabilization – helps minimally when zoom is maximized.

Auto focus has a slow response during movies.

Image stabilization seems to provide minimal assistance with movies.

No viewfinder.

No manual.

No HDMI cable.

Other Thoughts: Nice point and shoot with a powerful zoom and excellent ease of use.

Great for portraits and nature shots that are up close or at significant distance.

Great detail and excellent colors.

Not a replacement for a really good camcorder. Sad part is that is could have been if Olympus had only put more into the video mode. Many less capable point and shoots allow for optical zooming with sound during movies. Obviously, they couldn't get the zoom noise from the 30X zoom down low enough to avoid criticism so they took away a key sound capability and ended up with other criticism instead. I was about to return the camera over this one issue until I saw what great photos is takes. This is a keeper.

I used a Panasonic 12 GB Full HD Video SDHC Class 4 card.

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Great Camera and Features for Price

Reviewed By: bobinPA on 6/22/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Zoom of course is the best feature and it has a lot of other really great features as well. Takes solid pictures but one downside to having so many features is that you have to learn which are best in which situation which is a good thing.

Cons: You will have to download and read the manual on this one, no way can you fumble around all the settings and know what you are doing. There is no zoom in video mode which most cameras do not have that capability, yet is would be nice to utilize that big zoom in high def.

Other Thoughts: learn the manual you wont be disappointed

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Benefits Outweigh Limitations

Reviewed By: JLR on 7/22/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month

Pros: Very solid construction – This camera feels like it’s built to last.

30X Optical Zoom - Optically zoomed photos are sharp provided you keep the camera steady. Very impression optical range. This is very handy when taking shots of nature where you can’t approach the subject.

Macro Shots – The camera can take macro shots within a variety of camera modes. I could get within about ½ inch of the subject and get great results.

In Camera Panoramic Mode – Merges 3 photos either horizontally or vertically. You can’t imagine how nice this feature worked when on vacatkion at Niagara Falls. I'm very impressed with these photos. Easy to use feature.

In Camera Red Eye Removal – This does a great job removing red eye after the photo is taken. This saves me time because I don’t have to transfer pics to a PC and use photo editing software to manually clean this up.

In Camera Tutorial of Features.

720p HD Movies.

Powerful flash.

Good battery life.

Charges battery in camera.

Cons: Movies – You have to chose between sound or optical zooming because you can’t have both. What a shame! Very poor design decision from Olympus. However, you can pre-zoom the camera before starting the movie and then film at the fixed optical zoom with sound.

Photo Preview – There is no separate preview mode where the lens is inactive or fully retracted while viewing photos. So, the lens cover can’t be used while you’re just viewing your shots. As a result, when you pass around the camera to show friends the nice photo you just took you’re worried about someone accidentally damaging the lens.

Menu navigation – Is not that intuitive and takes some getting used to.

Image Stabilization – helps minimally when zoom is maximized.

Auto focus has a slow response during movies.

Image stabilization seems to provide minimal assistance with movies.

No viewfinder.

No manual.

No HDMI cable.

Other Thoughts: Nice point and shoot with a powerful zoom and excellent ease of use.

Great for portraits and nature shots that are up close or at significant distance.

Great detail and excellent colors.

Not a replacement for a really good camcorder. Sad part is that is could have been if Olympus had only put more into the video mode. Many less capable point and shoots allow for optical zooming with sound during movies. Obviously, they couldn't get the zoom noise from the 30X zoom down low enough to avoid criticism so they took away a key sound capability and ended up with other criticism instead. I was about to return the camera over this one issue until I saw what great photos is takes. This is a keeper.

I used a Panasonic 12 GB Full HD Video SDHC Class 4 card.

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Good for the price.

Reviewed By: Fairless Fred on 7/12/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: 1) Price is cheap for what you get
2) 30X zoom
3) The 3 burst settings work great (I use them for my kids playing)
4) LCD screen has nice detail.

Cons: 1) Awkward buttons. It appears little thought was put into them or their layout. The 'wheel' is all but useless.
2) Slow zoom motor...
3) Auto focus struggles at time, especially in low light. (Interestingly, I will frequently put it in the "HI3" burst setting in low light and it will perform significantly better in low light).
4) No viewfinder....just the LCD screen.
5) Not all settings are compatible (which is normal) but there is no documentation that I can find that tells you what features conflict with each other. The on screen error message doesn't tell you either. So while experimenting you will have to figure out what setting don't go together.
6) The built manual in the camera is not very helpful. I went and downloaded the manual from Olympus' website which was much better...but still didn't help with #5.
7)Also...the default compression setting ("normal") produces pictures that are considerably of lesser qualit then the "fine" setting.....so just leave it on "fine"

Other Thoughts: This camera gives you features and performance outside of its price range, but with the cut in price comes a cut in some usability.

I recommend it for those people who are ready to jump out of the normal point and shoot pocket cameras but who are on too tight of a budget to go for a DSLR (or DSLR-like) camera.

Make sure you have an extra SD card! I got addicted to the burst setting(s) at first and ended up filling up my 4gb card really fast!

I like (not love) the camera....but for the price.....no real complaints.

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BEST EVER

Reviewed By: Country_Girl on 7/4/2010

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: I love this camera. It take VERY good photo's. The photo's are sharp, very stabble. Theree is a part in the camera that is called Beauty fix- if there is anything wrong such as red eye, etc the Beauty fix will take care of it. I also love the video part of this camera. I have finally got myself the top of the line camera.

Cons: AWESOME CAMERA

Other Thoughts: I just can't say enough about this camera. I am totally in amazment with it. I use it all of the time.

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