The highest fixed lens zoom falls into our clutches. Can it run with the Nikon Coolpix P90, or does it get lapped? Read our in-depth Olympus SP-590UZ review to find out.
Review summary of the Olympus SP-590UZ:
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 Do you repeatedly find yourself longing for the biggest fixed lens zoom on the market, even if it means a sacrifice in image quality? Do you want a compact that’s comfortable to hold and packed with random features? Are you a beginner? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then the Olympus SP-590UZ is your winner. Its 26x optical zoom and stellar Image Stabilization make this 12-megapixel Ultra Zoom compact a fierce contender in today’s digital imaging market. But the SP-590UZ lacked the image quality and features we liked on the 24x optical zoom Nikon P90. “Hit or miss” was the SP-590UZ’s theme, and it applied to nearly every category. We’d snap a beautiful image, and then follow it up with an amateur-grade shot. The Auto focus excelled, but then the Auto White Balance turned everything red in most shooting environments. The unconventional two-tone lens barrel excited us, but the conventional 2.7-inch LCD put us to sleep. And thus, the vicious cycle repeated, a constant yin yang of pleasure and vexation throughout the entire duration of our Olympus SP-590UZ experience. If you want to zoom like nobody’s biznasty, then the SP-590UZ is at least worth a look. However, we suggest checking out the Nikon Coolpix P90 ($400) and Pentax X70 ($450) before you lay down $450. Release: March 2009. Price: $450.
Pros: Great zoom and Image Stabilization combo. Unconventional design. Comfortable to shoot with and great electric viewfinder.
Cons: Inconsistent image performance. Inconsistent feature performance. Priced higher than competition.
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Full Olympus SP-590UZ Review:
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Design - Good
A manufacturer has finally broken the aesthetic safety net of the Ultra Zoom compact, and the Olympus SP-590UZ gives us hope at a time when we had begun to dread looking at yet another all-black fixed lens model in this category. The Ultra Zoom is an intriguing breed, relying on a massive zoom lens, right hand grip, pop-up flash and electric viewfinder, all of which can be found on the SP-590UZ. But it's the camera's avant-garde architecture that sets it apart from the sheep herd, resembling a gun from "Terminator" rather than a conventionally boring Ultra Zoom. We love the two-tone gunmetal silver and black color scheme of the fixed lens, and the asymmetrical right hand grip was surprisingly ergonomic. The SP-590UZ will stand out in a crowd, especially when that 26x optical zoom is put to use.
On the other hand, the Olympus SP-590UZ's chassis felt a tad cheaper than the Nikon Coolpix P90's. Both cameras weighed in at around a pound and occupied nearly the same amount of space, but there was something about the SP-590UZ's composition that led us to believe the camera would not survive a moderate crash to the pavement as well as the Coolpix P90. The Pentax X70 felt lighter than both aforementioned models, and also seemed a promising candidate for the "Least Likely to Survive a Deadly Tango With Gravity" award.
The SP-590UZ was one of the more comfortable Ultra Zooms we've tested, thanks to its contoured grip and tacky surface. Ports were concealed nicely via thick, hinged doors, and the chunky shutter button zoom toggle gave us plenty of plastic to work with. The camera's lens cap had the habit of falling off even if we looked at it the wrong way, so an aftermarket cap would be a good idea. The pop-up flash was sturdier than other models in the SP-590UZ's class, and the ridged edges of the Mode dial played nicely with our fingers. We could have a used a little rubber on the viewfinder and buttons could have been larger, but the Olympus SP-590UZ's overall design was a few notches above most.
Interface - Good
The Olympus SP-590UZ's 2.7-inch LCD was fairly standard, and its 230,000-pixel resolution provided an average picture, though Nikon's 3-inch foldout LCD was far tastier, offering a better picture and multiple viewing angles. When zoomed in at the 26x optical max, the screen's motion was surprisingly smooth, thanks to the SP-590UZ's Dual Image Stabilization. However, in Playback the SP-590UZ's image zoom function was much slower and jumpier than most compacts we've toiled with. The Display options were also not very impressive in Playback, offering a tiny thumbnail and small text font size while most of the screen was engulfed by empty space. Playback on the SP-590UZ was one of its Achilles heels.
In Camera mode, the Olympus SP-590UZ's menu system was one of the better navigational forces we've seen in the industry. We liked to think of the SP-590UZ's menus as the DOS version of Canon's menus, due to the archaic graphics. But the structure is very similar, utilizing the x-axis/y-axis Function menu layout along the left and bottom sides of the LCD. For that, the SP-590UZ gains a few points because in our eyes, that menu system is functionally superior in the consumer realm. We also liked the fact that we could customize the SP-590UZ's menus with three different themes and the onscreen icons were small enough that they did not hinder our view.
The Olympus SP-590UZ's buttons were too small, and some were recessed, making them even more difficult for our fingers to reach. Olympus needs to bulk up the external controls on their next Ultra Zoom creation, and how about a thumb dial like the Nikon Coolpix P90's and Pentax X70's? On the plus side, the SP-590UZ's viewfinder provided one of the better displays we've seen, delivering a nice big picture and decent resolution. We found it to be a viable alternative to the LCD, which is rare because viewfinders tend to be tacked on as afterthoughts in this market. Amidst the highs and lows, the Olympus SP-590UZ is fairly average when it comes to its interface.
Features - Good
Olympus didn't go to town on advanced features with the SP-590UZ, and that's because most of the power was poured into hardware upgrades. Regardless, its 15 – 1/2000-second shutter speed capacity was impressive for a compact, and the fact that we could transcend that range and shoot at Bulb for up to 8 minutes was awesome. The F/2.8 – F/8 aperture range was fairly standard, so landscapes with extensive depths of field were not the SP-590UZ's forte. The camera has a nice burst mode that allowed us to capture consecutive images at up to 10 frames per second. The Nikon Coolpix P90 trumped the SP-590UZ with a 15 fps burst mode, but images could only be captured at 3-megapixels while the SP-590UZ's images are capped at 5-megapixels. Also, the Coolpix P90's 15fps capability was really an auto Scene mode, lacking the ability to adjust ISO. Performance wise, we preferred the SP-590UZ because of its level of control.
While the Olympus SP-590UZ definitely offers a nice framework for a multitude of shooting conditions, there were a few Auto and Manual controls that failed to impress us. The Auto White Balance was always too warm and inconsistent. Sometimes images would be too cool, but the red levels in most of our shots were out of control. We also struggled with the Manual White Balance and found the White Balance Compensation to do the best job. The AF Track function was a nifty idea, but the Auto Focus had a difficult time tracking and locking in a particular subject as it moved about the frame. The Manual Focus was shaky as well, providing a tiny magnified monitor in the middle of the LCD. Adjusting the focus meter from left to right took forever since the increments were so tight and its movement speed rivaled a tortoise on downers. We did like the Auto Exposure lock, which allowed us to find a particular exposure and lock it in place so we weren't forced to press the shutter button halfway and relocate the lens.
The Olympus SP-590UZ is of course stocked with plenty of Scene modes, but our favorite addition was Multiple Expose, which allowed us to capture images and overlay them via a transparent filter. This could easily be achieved in Photoshop, but Multiple Expose is a great feature to play with if you're a beginner or just feel like creating inspirational full moon-amidst-whispering-woods images. The SP-590UZ had one of the better Panorama modes we've seen, which is a rarity amongst consumer compacts. There were two different modes to choose from and we found the second mode to be the most effective, enabling us to line up a portion of the previous image to the next image. The SP-590UZ dishes out a large serving of features, but we found a lot of them to simply occupy menu space, especially Beauty mode.
Hardware - Good
Standard imaging lies at the core of the Olympus SP-590UZ, and its 12-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD falls right in line with the Nikon Coolpix P90 and Pentax X70. We didn't expect to be blown away by the SP-590UZ, but that's typical of a compact with a sensor setup like this one. The SP-590UZ's 26x optical zoom and 26mm wide-angle lens sucked up most of the spotlight. It's a highly versatile shooting range for the average shooter, especially those who aren't interested in changing lenses. A 26x optical zoom allowed us to travel places we never knew, or at times wished, we could travel, and the zoom race shows no signs of coming to a halt at the rate these cameras are being developed.
The Olympus SP-590UZ's Image Stabilization worked very well, especially at high zooms. We used the pop-up flash in situations where we needed a fill, but relying on the built-in flash at night was a risky proposition. From power on to first shot, the SP-590UZ clocked in at approximately 3.3 seconds, which is not fast by any means. For quick action, we kept the camera on and in Hi-speed 2 Prerecord mode, which recorded a 10-frame buffer before the shutter button was pressed. For juice, the SP-590UZ runs on four AA batteries and the camera records JPEGs to xD cards.
Image Quality - Good
This is the "Hit or Miss" poster camera. The Olympus SP-590UZ would crank out a beautiful image in one shooting environment and then an exceedingly sub par image in the next. At close range, the SP-590UZ kicked some ass, but landscapes were bland and most colors lacked electricity. Even at night, the SP-590UZ was a crapshoot, but we found that the more manual control we utilized, the better our images were. This is not a good thing for those who rely on a good Auto White Balance or Program AE. Although we had to get our hands a bit dirtier with the SP-590UZ, there were times when the camera produced an image that made all of the fuss worth it.
The SP-590UZ's image performance was on par with the 10-megapixel Olympus SP-565UZ's, so there were no major upgrades in this department. We discovered typical image viruses, such as fringing and color splotches. While on the subject, color was definitely not the SP-590UZ's calling, despite the camera's Saturation and Contrast control. The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS still outperformed the SP-590UZ when in the battle of the hues. All in all, the SP-590UZ produced a decent image performance, but it was nothing to write home about.
Scene Test – Battery Park
Sharpness/Edge Test – Financial District
Both images here handle the blue skies quite well. We were impressed with the Olympus SP-590UZ's rendering of the fluffy white clouds in the first image, as well as the detail within the vines. We start to run into issues around the border of the image, however. The lack of focus and dash of fringing in the corners is not as noticeable as the blatant lens distortion, so we had to watch lines and structures throughout our shoot. The second image exhibits some impressive detail within the branches of the trees, but we get a nice little green lens flare at the bottom. Regardless, the overall detail and sharpness in this image is great, and both shots deserve an honorable mention.
Color Test – A Bounty of Costumes
Color Test – A Bounty of Costumes Enhanced
The epic color battle with the Olympus SP-590UZ never seemed to end. We had to manually white balance the first image so it didn't look like we shot it with a red filter on. Colors are melancholy and fail to pop, and the red hat appears to exhibit a little splotching. At least the colors keep to their borders. We used Auto White Balance in the second image just to show you how ridiculous the red levels were right out of the starting gate. We also boosted the saturation and contrast, and the colors are exploding. With a manual white balance and a little less saturation, the colors would be at their best, but this is a camera that really makes you work for it.
Zoom Test – Lady Liberty Telephoto
Zoom Test – Lady Liberty Wide-angle
A 26x optical zoom allowed us to get up close and personal with Lady Liberty, as we can see in both of these images. The Image Stabilization was excellent at full zoom, so at least the Olympus SP-590UZ's main feature does its job. However, Lady Liberty is being consumed by a fierce line of fringing along her back. In fact, the whole image is wrought with fringing and is also a bit underexposed. But, at 26 times the average wide-angle, the zoom capability is awesome. The sky is beautiful in the wide-angle image, though the water is filled with little fringe patches. Impressive hardware, average imaging.
Detail Test – Mr. Squirrel
Macro Test – Battery Park Flowers
Contrast Test – Fence Creatures
Edge Test – More Fence Creatures
This next batch of images is a much better representation of what the Olympus SP-590UZ is capable of capturing. We'll start with Mr. Squirrel, who was shot at a full 26x zoom. Again, the Image Stabilization was most excellent at full zoom and the detail in this image is great. Despite traces of fringing, this was one of the best images produced by the SP-590UZ. The macro flowers exhibit some very fine detail as well, though we'd like punchier colors within the flowers. We weren't able to bury the lens into our subject matter like other wide-angles, but that's something we also experienced with the Olympus SP-565UZ.
Contrast was not a huge issue this time around either, and the SP-590UZ balanced the sky and fence creatures quite well. We didn't need to use a fill flash, but we did take advantage of the Shadow Adjust feature, which was just a fancy Backlight Compensation. We're not sure what's going on in the last image, but we can tell you what we see. First off, the image almost appears black and white due to the dull colors. There's also a hefty amount of fringing and we can catch some noisy splotching on the insides of some of the soda can blades. At full resolution, this image is a mess, but it's actually not bad when scaled down. Touchy, touchy.
Night Test – Vincent's
Night Test – Little Italy
Night Test – Chinatown
Night Test – Unlucky Ducks
Low Light Test – Shadow Man
The first image was by far our most successful night shot, and that's because we kept the exposure low. When we attempted to boost the exposure at night, we experienced the horrific effects of color splotching, as evidenced in the next image. We dig the light trails and depth, courtesy of the low shutter speed and tight aperture, but the sky looks like Windows 95 in Safe Mode. Gadzooks! The first window shot is a tad noisy, but colors are not terribly desaturated for once and detail is impressive, given the available light. The same applies to the grim fourth image, though we could have used a little more focus to enhance the realism of the dangling ducks. The last image was captured as a joke after roughly 100 attempts to snag a decent shot of the full moon. The color gradation in the background is poor, but the shadows are sharp. Also, look how warm that Auto White Balance is. At night, the SP-590UZ was, you guessed it, hit or miss.
Price and availability
The Olympus SP-590UZ is available for a suggested retail price of $450.
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