Olympus SP-620UZ Pro Reviews

The Olympus SP-620UZ is an affordable, compact (but not pocket size) superzoom camera with a 21x zoom lens. It's affordably priced, but not as refined as its pricier competition.

The SP-620UZ's performance is, frankly, quite superb given its price and some of my initial worries of the 16-megapixel sensor. Yes the design is a bit clunky and the build does feel rather flimsy, but... The lens works well across its range and image noise is kept under strict control, image quality is therefore pretty good and those Magic filters and other neat kit all combine to make this a great value snapper for those requiring greater lens reach than a ‘normal' compact provides on a tighter budget.

If you want an expansive (not to mention normally expensive) lens reach but don't want your wallet to take anywhere near as big a financial hit as the best current examples of the bridge camera in the much flashier but way pricier Fuji XS-1 or HS30, then the Olympus SP-620UZ is worthy of consideration. For a street price around £150-160 we can't expect perfection, and while the Olympus doesn't deliver that, for the money the performance it provides is very good indeed. Set against this positive view is a lumpen design, plastic-y build, 'mere' 1280x720 pixels HD video, lack of rechargeable battery (though of course a set of rechargeable AAs are easy enough to come by), plus, for us, the fiddly scroll wheel at the back lets it down. But, to be honest, these are grumbles rather than deal breakers and a plastic-y feel could also be leveled at the likes of Canon's PowerShot SX40HS for example.

When taking into account the price of the SP-620UZ the features and performance make it extremely good value for money, ideal for those who are looking for a decent amount of zoom but are on a tight budget. Image quality is good, with only a few minor handling issues providing any problems with the camera.

The Olympus SP-620UZ is an entry-level superzoom with modest ambition, but fortunately a low(ish) price that suggests anyone purchasing won't feel they are taking a big risk. The all-encompassing lens reach may not match pricier cameras, but it remains at a level with which it is practical to shoot handheld and still get sharp results.

While the SP-620UZ is plasticy and basic looking compared with a top-of-the-range bridge camera, the feeling here is that we are more or less getting what we’re paying for, which can’t be bad. Furthermore, using natural daylight we were able to get sharp results shooting handheld at maximum telephoto setting which isn’t often the case on more expensive models with broader focal ranges – so perhaps there’s something to be said for the SP-620UZ’s modest ambitions. Good edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal fisheye effect at maximum wide angle also further suggest this camera as a good value all-in-one. It’s not flashy, but if all you want is a camera with a bit more "poke" in the lens department than your more style orientated point and shoots, and without it voting almost as much as an actual DSLR, this is one worth checking out.