Sporting a similar design to previous Olympus D-series digicams, the D-550 Zoom features a 3-megapixel CCD, 2.8x optical zoom, and a 3.6x digital zoom. With its familiar film-camera style and high-resolution imagery, the D-550 is a great choice for vacation photos as well as family snapshots.
Optics and Resolution
The DS-550's 3-megapixel sensor captures ample detail for sharp prints at sizes up to 8 by 10 inches. For a serious amateur photographer, 3 megapixels is a great resolution, providing enough detail to perform some cropping and still have crisp prints.
The all-glass autofocus Olympus lens has a 2.8x zoom range that's equivalent to a 36-100mm zoom lens on a 35mm camera. For technophiles, its aperture ranges from f2.9 to f4.4 depending on the zoom setting, with a normal focal range from 2.6 feet to infinity. There's also a 3.6x digital zoom, but remember that digital zoom tends to reduce the sharpness and detail of your image, so it's best used sparingly.
To compose your images, either use the traditional camera viewfinder or the 1.8-inch LCD display (also used to review the shots you've taken). Having both types of viewfinders offers the best of both worlds: if you're used to a film camera or want to conserve battery life, use the viewfinder. If you want to see exactly the picture you'll be capturing, use the LCD display.
More Features
A sliding clamshell lens cover simultaneously protects the D-550's lens and provides a simple way to turn the camera on and off, and the all-plastic body feels both lightweight and durable. While the D-550 offers automatic settings for point-and-shooters and beginning photographers, there are several manual features for more adventurous photographers, including macro mode, adjustable white-balance settings, exposure compensation, and the ability to shoot black-and-white and sepia images.
Power
Power is provided by four AA batteries (alkalines are included). We recommend getting a set or two of rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries and a charger. A digital camera will kill a set of alkaline batteries extremely quickly, especially if you're using the camera's LCD display, so they aren't recommended except in a pinch. To ensure you'll always be ready for action, we recommend having two sets of rechargeables so you can always have one set in the camera and the other set in the charger.
Movie Mode
In movie mode, the camera captures silent video clips at resolutions of either 320 x 240 pixels (up to 33 seconds per movie) or 160 x 120 pixels (up to 148 seconds per movie). The limited duration and resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.
Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on SmartMedia memory cards. The included 16 MB card holds approximately 21 images at the camera's default settings. SmartMedia cards are reusable, but if you tend to take more than 21 images per outing (or plan to use the video feature much), then you'll want a bigger card. A 64 MB card will store well over 100 pictures. With most cameras, the brand of memory card you use is irrelevant, but genuine Olympus cards have a panorama feature not found on cards from other manufacturers. This feature makes it easier to stitch together a series of pictures you've taken into a single panoramic photo, and may justify the slightly higher price of the card if it's a feature you plan to use frequently.
To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera. Your computer should automatically recognize your camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.
Size
At 4.6 by 2.6 by 2 inches and 8.5 ounces, the D-550 is fairly thin and small, making it easy to bring along on outings--but it won't easily fit in your shirt pocket.
Contents and Recommended Accessories
The package includes the camera, 16 MB SmartMedia card, four AA alkaline batteries, USB cable, video cable, carrying strap, and software on CD.
Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we recommend these accessories to make the most of your camera: a carrying case, a set of NiMH rechargeable size AA batteries, and a higher-capacity SmartMedia memory card. Compatible accessories for this camera are listed near the top of this page.
1 Could definitely be better
We received this camera as a Christmas gift from my husband's parents. While we were both extremely excited to get a digital camera, especially one that seemed to be packed with features, now that we've had it a couple of years, I'm looking to replace it.
My biggest complaint is that the picture quality when using the autofocus program is mediocre. I suppose if you had time to read the manual and learn how to use all the different options and menus, you *might* be able to get some great pictures out of this camera, but for a point-and-shoot, I prefer to do just that, point and shoot and get great photos. Moreover, the frame guides in the viewfinder aren't true to life at all - I often find that the photos are far off from what I thought the center of focus would be.
The night scene setting in this camera is awful. You have to use a tripod and hold down the button for several seconds to get anything halfway decent. Pretty much all the photos I've ever taken using the night scene settings are just trash.
For the $300 or so that my in-laws spent on this camera back in 2002, I think we could have gotten something much better for that money. No more Olympus cameras for me.
2 There are better now for a little more money
I guess if you are going for an older camera to save money, this isn't a bad choice, but I would recommend looking at newer ones. Like most electronic gadgets, they get better every year.
Pros:
- generally easy to use
- uses standard AA batteries
- no lens cap to lose
- software - easy web page publishing in professional version
Cons
- a little too big to be pocketable
- there are comparable cameras with 10x and even 12x optical zoom
- no stabilization feature
- lacks shutter-priority, aperature-priority, and manual modes
- difficult to impossible to get good pictures of indoor sporting events and other low-light situations where the flash does no good or you can't use the flash (actually, this is probably true of many other consumer-level cameras)
- slow reaction time - push the button and it takes the picture about a second later (or not at all if it thinks you need the flash)
- menus aren't explained very well in the manual
- software - version that comes with the camera is crippled, but the professional version freezes occasionally
Despite what somebody else said, backing up files to a cd isn't that hard if you know what you are doing; you just have to mount the CD so it looks like any other disk drive. I had no problems with this.
Anyway, I'd say spend a little more money and get a Panasonic with 12X zoom, image stabilization, and some of the other features mentioned above. You could also go for a camera with higher MP, but I'd rather spend my money on features that will actually help me take better pictures, not just bigger ones.
3 Save your $$$$$
Photo's are good, but software ain't.
I've owned the Camedia 550 for a little over a year. I am very disapointed in the software that you HAVE to use with this camera. I upgraded to the "professional" edition, but it's still bad. It does not alow you to back up your photo's onto CD. (Floppy Disk Only, which is worthless). Also I have pixels dying on my viewing screen.
It is difficult to manuver through the options on the camera. Also uses a Smart Media Card, which the new ones do not use, and very few new camera do use, so I'll be stuck with $200 bucks worth of Smart Media Cards when I decide to chuck this thing.
4 Money Well Spent
I bought this camera a year ago; it has served me well in many different environments and in both nighttime and blazing sun conditions. Downloads are swift with either the 3.5 inch flash path floppy or USB. Picture quality is great at low compression settings, higher settings are even better. I use a 64 MB memory card and that is more than adequate for my needs. Battery life is impressive: one charge was good for a 2 week vacation, and that included at least one hour of time viewing pictures with relatives on the built-in screen. Easy to use. Documentation is a bit on the slim side, but sufficient, with the exception of instructions on taking a panoramic picture. Apparently, that info is on the CD. We've taken 1,200 pics or so, no problems.
5 great camera
I bought this camera 18 months ago, and it takes GREAT pictures. I have taken thousands of pictures with this camera with no problem. The two only drwabacks to this camera is its size and it takes a second or two to save the picture to the card, but that's the way it is.
On the other hand, the reason why it is so big is because it uses regular batteries=cheap! However, battery life is great.
Would recommend this camera to anyone who needs a digital camera.
6 Over exposure
As an earlier reviewer had stated about problems with the camera we to are now experiencing the same problems. Pictures taken indoors in low light were fine. Anything with window light or light from a light fixture became streaky. Additionally, pictures taken outdoors in any kind of sunlight looked completely overexposed.
We are now looking for a different make.
7 Love this camera
Bought this one from Amazon this year and I have taken hundreds of pictures with it. Have even had some shown on our local TV news show. Easy to use and the pictures are outstanding!!! I LOVE this camera!!!
8 Strange Problem
I received this camera as a birthday gift. The pictures turned out so well and the camera was so easy to use everyone in my family eventually bought one. However, after one year of use the camera started malfunctioning. (Naturally after the warranty expired) Pictures taken indoors in low light were fine. Anything with window light or light from a light fixture became streaky. Additionally, pictures taken outdoors in any kind of sunlight looked completely overexposed. These problems have rendered the camera completely worthless. My brother, who also owns this model as well, is just starting to encounter the same problem. His camera is also approximately one year old.
9 Great Camera, hefty price
This is one of the best 3 MP camera's i have seen. Its ease of use combined with great quality makes it an awesome camera. Editing your pictures is a snap. You just connect the usb ford from your camera to your computer and your done. The only drawback to this camera is that 400 dollars is a lot to pay for a 3 mega-pixel camera. However, i do think the attributes of this camera makes it worth the cost
10 Excellent photos
I purchased the Olympus D-550 from Amazon last year. Since then I have taken plenty of excellent photos with this camera. I haven't looked into adjusting any of the settings- I simply just point and shoot. After returning from trips and sharing photos with friends with different cameras, the photos from the Olympus D-550 have always been of better quality than my friends' pictures. My friends have mostly Canon digital cameras, which are smaller, more popular and trendier, but the quality is nowhere near that of the Olympus D-550. It also takes good photos in low light situations. You do need to buy rechargable batteries with this camera, as the batteries will run down probably after 2 full days of taking pictures. But I think this is a problem with all digital cameras and should be expected. If you are interested in excellent quality photos and are okay with having a camera that is slightly larger than the current Canons on the market, I would highly recommend this camera.
11 5-Star Camera* * * * *
When I first set eyes on this camera I fell in love with the pop-up flash. Not just that the outcome of it's photos are amazing especially on bright sunny days. This camera is a must have for those looking to take there digital photography to a whole new level, 3.0 mega pixels. I use this camera with a HP Photosmart 1315, and they get along well and always provide me with beautiful, vibrant photos. I was very pleased with my first photo which was an 8x10 of my young nefews. This camera is truly amazing but, there are some must have accessories:
--RECHARGABLE BATTERIES
--LARGER CAPACITY SMART MEDIA CARD, (16MB INCLUDED)
**Go ahead, make the purchase & you won't be dissappointed**
GUARANTEED
12 Great camera, few cons
This D-550 was my first digital camera purchase. I purchased it due to high recommendations .... Photo quality is very satisfactory for a point and shoot artist like myself. As a 35mm convert, the 3 megapixels this camera possesses is a godsend. Battery life is amazing considering you buy the camedia rechargeable batteries from olympus. Great camera! I love it! But like others said, this camera has a couple things that might irk a few. For one, the zoom is very annoying. For myself, I find myself having to whip out my camera very often and very quickly to take some emphemeral shots. The problem is that this camera takes about 5-6 seconds to unwind and start up, an additional 2 seconds to power up the LCD. Adds up when your trying to take a picture of your kid walking for the first time or a once in a lifetime sports event. The camera is also very boxy and big when compared to other similar cameras. But if you'd be able to put up with these small problems, this camera is an amazing buy.
13 Excessive noise in image under low light conditions
I shall say that overall this camera performs well. My main complaint is that the pictures taken in low light (with or without flash) tend to have excessive noises, i.e. tiny color dots all over. However, under ample sunlight, the problem does not seem to exist. Also, I noticed that the camera does not produce as sharp pictures as my brother's Nikon digital does. It does not degrade to the extent of defectiveness, but there certainly is more to be desired.
14 Buyer Beware!
After we had this camera for two weeks, my two year old got a hold of it and from her waist height (about 18") accidentally dropped it onto our hardwood floor. It cracked the case and therefore, totaled it. I don't think ANYthing dropped from such a short distance to a semi-soft surface should be rendered useless, but it no longer even turns on. Olympus repair refused to service it. Buyers with small children or hazardous lifestyles may wish to steer towards a more ruggedized manufacturer, or at least one who recognizes a faulty design. I'm NEVER buying Olympus again!
15 Excellent camera
I got this camera for my birthday about a month ago, and I'm COMPLETELY in love. For a computer-geek non-camera-geek like me, it's the perfect thing.
First of all, the picture quality is excellent. My main medium for my pictures will be electronic, so I usually take photos at highest quality, lower resolution--1024 by 795 or sometimes even 640 by 480 for snapshots I don't really care about. I don't ever intend to print these, though I know that if I ever did want to go to deadtree format, this camera could do it.
The photos it takes are exceptionally clear, bright, well colored and well balanced. The only exception I've found is in very low light--and that may have been because my batteries were dying.
I second what people have said about the batteries, by the way. The LCD eats em right up. The viewpiece tends to look slightly closer than the picture that ends up getting taken, too, though I've learned how to adjust for that. It's no worse than a lot of film cameras I've used.
This thing contains a standard USB Mass Storage adapter. It hooks to my Linux boxes just great, using default USB kernel modules. I use Windows XP explorer to manage the image files on Windows--again, as a computer geek, I usually stay away from vendor's file management software. The ability to mount this thing as a storage device under Windows and Linux was a key consideration. I assume you could do that with a Mac too.
I didn't mind the incomplete documentation. I'm a geek! I'm not afraid to explore the menu system on my own! I even discovered how to have it not reset your settings on shutdown. Go geeks!
Great little camera. I recommend it completely.
16 A good value ...
At closeout price of $199, this is a good bargain. It uses the regular AA batteries (four needed) which means you don't have to pay high price for the rechargeable and you can get regular ones everywhere in case your rechargeable run out. The down side of using AA batteries of course is the size and weight.
The image quality is good to excellent. It produces very good 4x6 prints from Costco or Sam's Club digital prints. 8x12 is probably the maximum one will want to go. At this size, although some resolution and other image quality issue shows, the overall result is still good. At 11x14, the image quality is only ok to decent at close range. It looks better at more than 2 ft away, which is probably the distance most of the people will look at pictures of this size.
Speaking of resolution, the 1,984x1,488 pixels only produces 2.95Mpixels, not 3Mpixels is an odd ratio. While is may not sounds like a big deal, it is if you are thinking to get this one vs some of the 3.2 Mpixles camera. The difference in pixels is larger than you think. More importantly, 1,984x1,488 is an odd ratio. Unless you always make prints at home, or crop every picture the way you want, the Costco or Sam's will automatically crop the top and bottom for you! The camera offers a 3:2 mode to "solve" this problem. But the big problem is it reduces the resolution to 1,984x1,312. Either you use the 3:2 mode or your crop it yourself, the effective resolution dropped to 2.6 Mpixels!! If 4x6 pictures are what you use the most, you should think of this camera as a 2.6 Mpixels instead of 3.
Like others have mentioned, the flash is not designed that well. It pops every time because otherwise it blocks the optical viewfinder. BTW, you need to use the LCD viewfinder for the 3:2 mode. You cannot tell exactly what image area with the optical finder with 3:2 mode.
The color is very good but the contrast level is a little too high. This problem becomes visible when you print it at 8x12 and very visible at 11x14. The white balance under sunlight or flashlight is quite good. Under other man made lighting conditions the white balance is less than ideal.
Would I buy this camera had I known how it actually works? Yes at [less money[ but not at [more money].
17 Good camera, make it thinner
The key thing on these little digital cameras is the tradeoff between compact size, versus low price and good quality. This camera is a good compromise.
Excellent photo quality, good battery life. The use of standard-size batteries gives flexibility; when you are travelling and cannot recharge your rechargables, you can just buy some AAs and stick 'em in. A big advantage versus the Nikon Coolpix 3500, which was my main comparator before deciding.
The Nikon though is slimmer, with that intelligent swiveling design for the lens barrel. Olympus could not slim the 3500 down and maintain enough depth for a good zoom. Slimness is a big advantage when slipping the thing into your pocket! Like into a ski jacket for example.
But the Nikon costs more...Another reason I finally chose Olympus.
We've had it for four months and are using it a lot - just took mountainside shots flying over the Alps - crisp and clear as could be. Action shots skiing also turned out great. With 3 megapixel image size, you can easily crop out the unnecessary parts of a photo and still have enough quality for a good sharp picture containing only the part you wanted. This turns out to be a great advantage of a digital camera I didnt realize before buying.
If you have Windows XP you dont need to use the Camedia software, its a snap just using Windows Explorer > My Pictures to store everything in there. But the Camedia software was also quite good and has additional nice features, I just preferred to keep life simple.
Summary: great photos, handy enough, small enough, just wish it were a tad thinner.
18 Decent first Digital Camera
First off. This is my first Digital Camera. 2nd off, since I'm not very old, it's my first good camera (all the others were disposable Kodaks from CVS, heh). I am completely satisfied with this camera. It does everything and anything I ever wanted a camera to do. So many different settings to change to get the exact right picture you want, if you are not satisfied with the first one. After reading many of the reviews on this camera, I find that many are having problems saving their customized default settings, and turning off the camera, only to turn it back on and have to "RESET" everything. Key word being "RESET". The way to fix this and not having to keep "RESETTING" your customized defaults is as easy as 2 steps:
1. Turn on Camera.
2. Push the Menu button, move to Mode Menu (>), scroll downto Setup, and change the All "RESET" setting from its default of On, to "OFF".
Simple enough.
Other than that, this camera Owns, and this is one satisfied customer.
19 OUTSTANDING!!
Have tried & used a number of Digital cameras, borrowed a friends Olympus and was so impressed, bought the Camedia D550 for myself.
Have just returned from an overseas trip where a large number of 'pictures' were taken, I am so happy with the amazing results! The ease of use of the camera, almost as simple as "point & shoot", and the quality of the images is truly outstanding - could not be a happier Olympus customer!
20 Most of the other review have it right but
I agree with most of the positive comments in the other reviews, so I'll focus why I didn't give it 5 stars.
1. For a point-and-shoot guy, I find the focus harder to get then my past non-digital Olympus. I take mostly portraits and pet shots so I need to get the focus on the person/pet and not the background or other points.
2. I can't find any way to save the settings I frequently use as the default settings (anyone know how?). This means I have to reset several setting each time I open the lens. In general, the documentation is OK but sometimes I can't do what I want until I try each menu and several of the options.
3. Since the Windows software from Olympus doesn't have enough editing features, I must use other editors that I only have at work. The software could easily have been better.
4. The delay between the click and the picture means I often miss the shot I want of my pets.
However, with practice, I now usually get the photo I want on my first try and I can delete the rest. I am totally pleased with the picture quality - but since I always get 4x6 prints I'm not fully testing the resolution.
21 Great device for day light pictures
It is versatile and quite robust with battery life. Takes few seconds to charge up. All in all a great product.
22 Great camera, great price
I have been using Olympus cameras since I first got my Olympus AZ300 back in 1987. Incidentally, the AZ300 still works!!
I recently got this camera because of a newborn on the way. It's handy to be able to take pictures, review them, and add/erase pictures as needed depending on how pictures came out. Although I never had a bad picture with my AZ300, the digital camera is one less step that I need to take in terms of picking pictures that I want to develop, e-mailing them, and storing them.
Olympus has been known for their fine camera construction in terms of both optics and automatic functionality. This camera is no-exception. It allows both full-automatic function with some user-overriding features--not enough to make it a full-blown professional camera, but enough to allow a user to take a good photograph in unusual lighting conditions. Controls include spot metering, ISO selection (although I wish speeds higher than 400 were available), 7 different portrait modes, exposure control, sharpness, white balance, etc., give users something to work with as well as typical features such as black-and-white picture shooting, etc.
The 3.0 MP resolution is more than enough for casual users as well as those who wish to make prints up to 11x14, although maximum resolution setting are recommended for this kind of application. Utilization of various TIFF and JPEG modes are covered well in the manual -- just remember, TIFF for VERY "spiff"y prints!!
Word to the wise. I'm sure it's mentioned already, but INVEST IN RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES. Although some may lament how AA's are not necessarily robust to handle this type of application, I find it refreshing to know that there is an extremely standard and relatively inexpensive power source that I can use. And rechargeable batteries certainly make up for their cost in just a couple of charges alone.
Also, invest in a 128 MB SmartMEDIA card. The supplied 16 MB card is good for casual use, but woefully inadequate to store any amount of high-resolution images. I like using the 3:2 mode so I can print 4x6 images on the HP Photosmart 7350 without cropping or resizing!!!
Some negative reviews proclaim something to the effect of image aberrations ("UFO's?") that occur during night shots. I have not experienced any such malfunction.
Great camera, great price!! This is the one to buy if you're an amateur looking for a good digital camera!
23 It's pretty good
My 1st digital camera. Okay my 1st REAL digital camera. The others were pretty much disposable. I like the Olympus Camedia D-550 3MP fairly straight foreword use. Excellent photographs. READ the manual before. Fits nicely in the hand. The flash can get in the way if your not used to having it in its place. Just a little re-adjustment in how you hold the camera. What I don't like is the resetting of preferences each time you turn it. Wish it could hold what dpi and format you want. It's just a little bothersome. It's not time consuming to set that information. All in all it's a fairly good camera.
24 Good camera
We checked out all the other 3 Megapixel cameras and much preferred the Olympus based on price and features. The fact that I have had an 35mm Olympus camera for 20 years and have never had a problem with it also helped make the decision.
What's good:
1) Picture quality
2) Features - preprogrammed modes
3) Clear LCD screen
4) Nice software included - even though I use PhotoShop for editing, the software doea a good job of organizing the photos.
What's Not So good:
1) As others have pointed out, the lense cover has to be fully retracted to fire it up - not difficult - but often overlooked.
2) No camera case
3) Irritating constant pop up of flash, even when not needed.
Other than that, make sure you have extra memory cards, and don't even think about using it without rechargeable batteries.
25 Nifty camera, but has some annoying traits
If you are looking for a versatile, relatively inexpensive 3 megapixel digital camera, the Olympus Camedia D-550 is a very nice selection. It takes good pictures, the Camedia software has greatly improved over earlier versions, and transferring pictures is especially easy using Windows XP (Home version). One of the neat things about the camera is the ability to let you choose what equivalent film speed you want to use. The "faster" the film (i.e., the higher the ASA number), the less light you need, but the grainier the picture. I took a few pictures at dusk in the San Diego harbor using an equivalent ASA of 400 and got some terrifically colorful, but grainy shots.
That said, there are some aspects of this camera that are annoying. Nothing that cannot be dealt with, but it's still annoying that you have to deal with them.
First, the flash pops up EVERY time you open the camera lens. I don't know why this is so annoying, but it is.
Second, the camera defaults to a HQ (high quality) resolution that is not the best resolution. You have to change that manually. The problem is, every time you shut off the camera, it resets to the default setting again.
Third, the default setting on digital zoom is off. Again, you can change it manually, but guess what? Every time you turn off the camera, it goes back to the default on the digital zoom as well.
Fourth, the instruction booklet is skimpy on information. If you like playing with this toys, this may not be a bad thing; but it would be nice to have more information on how to use all of the features.
In summary, this is not always a user friendly camera, but if you overlook those flaws (which just require you to keep on your toes), this is a very good camera.
26 Top Notch Digital Camera for non-professionals
The Olympus D-550 Digital Camera was a surprise replacement my older D-490 camera which I had the misfortune of dropping on the ground and breaking. As much as I loved the D-490, the D-550 proved more than up to the task of replacing and succeeding the older version in terms of my satisfaction.
The D-550 brings a number of a excellent features to the table:
Pros:
-----
-Sharp 3.0 Megapixel resolution
-Closeup optical and digital zoom capability.
-Large memory capacity (in terms of size of cards it can support)
-Lightning fast USB connectivity.
-Multiple light exposure settings.
-Quicktime full-motion video capability.
-Easy thumbnail view of pictures from back LCD screen.
-Compact design
Cons:
-----
-Short battery life (rechargeables are a must!)
-No sound with Quicktime movies
-Fragile case-cover that is essentially a $5 piece of equipment that can render the entire camera useless if it breaks (I know this from experience).
When it's all said and done, this camera holds up remarkably well against comparable models. The cons listed above are likely found with any brand of digital camera in this grade. This camera is not designed for the professional photographer, but if you're a person who simply loves to take lots of photos as a way to create a record of life, then this is the digital camera for you.
27 First Digi-CAM
This is simply a great camera for one with little experience with film in general, but experts may appreciate the functions as well (although, since I'm no expert, I'd have no idea) I was taking great pictures with the camera 5 minutes out of the box. Perfect for vacations, school, friends, etc. It's one of the best deals for a 3.0 MP camera out there now. Olympus also has a solid product line and reputation (along with Canon and Nikon).
-Pro's:
-Ease of use
-Feels substantial, like a real camera. The other cameras feel so fragile that I don't even want to touch it.
-USB works seamlessly with windows XP.
-Lens protector "clamshell" cover gives you ease of mind when camera is stored away.
-Value (A 3.0 MP for less than $.../MP is hard to come by)
-ergonomic: some cameras don't provide a grip, so it's hard to even take pictures.
-Cons: (Why it's 4 stars)
-Did not come with an adapter, bag, or rechargeable batteries.
-Turning it on is somewhat confusing. (switching between view pictures and taking pictures)
-Buying a new memory card is a must.
-Batteries die really quick.
If you can get past the Con's as I had, you will be 100% satisfied with your purchase.
Happy Shooting.
28 Wished I had this when I was in Europe!!!
Olympus has a great reputation with their 35mm and now that reputation is passed on to their digital cameras.
The camera feels very sturdy except for the shutter door which I do agree needs a new design.
However after the initial akwardness of the shutter door, it doesn't become much of a big deal. You just get used to it.
What's great is that the pictures turn out ABSOLUTELY WONDERFULL if you choose
the HQ (high quality) or SQ function which takes up a bit of memory. Therefore I highly recommend getting
a 128MB smart media card which lets you take 173 photos and short 30 seconds movie clips (no sound)!
Also I do recommend getting the rechargeable battery and adaptor because the LCD eats up all your battery juice.
I do recommend this camera if you are thinking of getting a digital camera that is reliable and affordable.
It has a lot of potential and features that you can explore but I'm a point-and-shoot type of person.
29 A fine little camera!
I just received this camera yesterday and really like it except that it will not save your choice of picture resolution and format. It always defaults to SF mode. Other than that, it will make a fine addition to my collection.
30 I found my camera!
I do not just buy something quickly. I look around and around and around.
I checked a lot of reviews on this camera. And I really liked what I read. I got the camera and have used it about a week. Thus far, it has everything that I wanted and more. Still getting my camera "feet" with it, but it is getting easier and easier to use.
I am very happy with the quality of the pictures. Happy with the size of the camera and the "feel" of it in my hands.
I am a happy camper....
31 Mel_dude
Excellent camera for the money. I bough my on amazon.com. Used it during my trip to tampa, fl. Got some great pictures. Does not perrforms fairly in very low light environments. Overall a great buy.
32 Good but not the excellent
I'm totally happy with the picture quality for the price i'd paid for it.
However, there are some small hitches that users might need to consider before buying this camera
1) lens shutter door is flimsy and cumbersome
2) software isn't that great and I use MGI photosuite instead
3) flash opens up automatically when opening the lens door but
doesn't close automatically
4) Ease of use isn't that great.
33 It Survives
O.k., I recently purchased this camera and haven't had a chance to really put it through its paces. While vacationing over the New Year's holiday I had unknowingly dropped my new camera in the snow. Luckily, I knew the general area were it probabaly fell out. I found it after searching frantically for about 45 minutes. Dried it off, and ta-da! It worked with the photos I took intact! I'm sold...
34 A Satisfied Customer
I owned a Olympus D-340R prior to this. It was only 1.3 megapixels, but I always got fabulous photos with it. This one is even better!! I enjoy experimenting with the various features
I'm puzzled by some of the other reviews..Mine came with the complete manual for the cameria..The photosoftware manual is on disk..but Camedia Master is lousy. Use PhotoSuite.
35 frustration says it all
Wow, what was olympus thinking when they put this camera on the market? Using this camera has been nothing less than a hair pulling experience.Most basic features of this camera are adequete, but the advanced features are very difficult to use and/or not worth the additional cost. The users manual is written as though the user has already taken extensive course study on the camera (example: diopter dial is only referenced in manual in a graphic footnote). Picture quality of 3 megapixel is a joke (especially in lower light levels) and seems to be more of a marketing/sales device. I would strongly advise the average camera consumer to avoid purchasing this
model.
36 Great Camera, Great Pictures, but bad Software
I just received my camera about a week ago and I love it. It takes great pictures and perfect size. I would have to agree with some of the others on the fact that, yes if you purchase this you should purchase a camera bag, and rechargable batteries.
The part that I am disapointed in is the software that they give you with the camera, yes granted you can down load your pictures from the camera, but you can not save the picture in a formate(btm, pdf,jpeg). Or send them by email. What good is it if you can not email your pictures. Isn't that one of the main things a person wants to do with a digital camera. They do give you the option though, you can upgrade your software to the Pro version for [PRICE] more. I think that is a terribly tricky thing for Olympia to do. Just one more thing to try and get a few extra bucks out of you. Just for that, I am going to purchase a different software than their brand. I do not appreciate being tricked into spending more money.
37 Not very bad
I was thinking of buying a digicam for myself. For a reasonable pricerange - .... My two options were Canon A40 and Olympus D550. After surching digital camera reviews sites for a couple of days I decided to go for Olympus. My neighbor has Canon A40 so I had a chance to compare pictures made with two cameras under similar conditions. Olympus was superior. My surprise came when I transfered a couple of pictures made at night. I see 7 vertical distinctive dark strips on every picture under low light condition! I took another one from Staples - and got same thing! At the same time my sister has same camera bought 7 month ago, and those pictures are OK. I am all confused...
38 great buy - olympus 550
I just received this camera a few days ago. Pictures come out just fine. I'm not really sure of what I'm doing yet and still it's great. I'm printing on an HP 7350 and you can't see any pixels, even in an 8 x 10. I'll let you know more once I really get going with all the camera can do.
39 Good Camera but poor Olympus Support
After spending several weeks comparing the D550 with several other 3MP cameras, I bought the D550 due to price and picture quality, although I was close to buying the Fuji Finepix 3800 mainly because of the 6X optical zoom. I don't regret buying the D550 at all. It takes great, clear, crisp pictures, especially at the SHQ resolution setting. However, I can only rate it at 3 stars due to the fact that Olympus does not see the need to furnish their customers with a decent paper copy of the user's guide for this camera. They do have a 178 page guide on the CD that comes with the camera that they expect you to print out on your printer. Unless, that is, you expect to sit at your computer taking all of your photographs. Calls to Olympus Customer Support and Technical Support to get a printed copy of the manual were a joke. The only way they'll give you a printed manual is if you give they your credit card so they can charge you $10 for it. Come on!, online manuals are fine for computer peripherals and the like that you use only while at your computer but this is a camera that you take outside and with you on vacations, etc. The least they can do is to provide their customers with a printed copy of what they need to use their product! Two hours of phone calls (mostly spent on-hold), to their Customer Support and Technical Support departments were futile. Hope I never have a technical problem with this camera. I'd hate to deal with Olynpus support again!
40 Best Digital Camera!!!
I LOVE this camera!! It is very easy to use, and photos printed from it are very crisp and clean. The focus is very good, and there are many different types of flashes. My only complaint is it takes too long to reset itself after you take a picture. But, as far as quality of pictures and user-friendliness, this is the camera for you!
41 Worse camera ever owned
I purchased a D550 based on my satisfaction with 35mm Olympus cameras, but what a disappointment. The quality of pictures was poor. Nearly every photo I took was distorted and Olympus Repair could not fix the problem. I returned the camera and have since purchased another manufacture's camera with which I am delighted.
42 For me, the perfect digital camera
I've tried out many different digital cameras over the last three or four years, from Kodak to Olympus to Canon to odd ones like HP. I've tried cameras that cost anything from $150 to $1000. So, when it came time for me to give up my never-used 35mm Canon SLR, I knew exactly which digital camera I wanted to replace it with.
A few years back, I tried out a friend's Olympus Camedia camera with the same body as this one. It was only in the 2-megapixel range, as opposed to the 3 megapixels of this model, but I was always really impressed with the quality of picture it took. For a point and shoot digital camera, the shots were just amazing.
So I didn't have to look very far before I found this camera, the Camedia D-550. And it's certainly lived up to the expectations I'd developed from using the friend's camera.
In my opinion, this is what really makes this camera stand out from its competition:
•À? It looks and feels like a camera. Some digital cameras go out of their way to be all futuristic and oddly shaped, which I find annoying. I want to be able to hold a camera with my hands, not my fingertips.
•À? The design of the navigation software is excellent. I've used cameras that go to the extremes of interface design, and I've hated it. I used a Kodak camera once that used menus and control panels that were so big and colorful, it was like it was designed by Fisher-Price. Sure, it looked friendlier to use at first, but when I actually tried to find anything, like how to change the size of my pictures, it was too big and clunky. On the other extreme, some companies make cameras that use a completely bare and technical interface that's impossible to understand. With the Camedia D-550, all of your important tools are no more than two button presses away, thanks to the intuitive design of the interface. If you want to switch to Macro mode, you just turn the camera on and press "Up" twice. If you want to change the size of the pictures you're taking, you just hit the menu button and press left on the wheel that pops up, and you'll see a nice list. Not too invasive, not too technical.
•À? Streamlined features. A few years ago, it became popular to pack as many different things into a camera as you possibly could. Sound recorders! Movie cameras! PDAs! Cell phones! Put everything you'd ever want in one device! I thought this was a terrible idea. If you want a video camera, get a video camera. A still camera can't possibly hold more than a tiny clip, so why even bother? While this Camedia D-550 does come with the ability to take video clips, it doesn't assume that video will be your primary use of the camera like other models sometimes do. The feature is there, but you can easily ignore it.
•À? Rugged body design. Olympus sells a similar Camedia to this in features and price, but a different body. I borrowed one for a weekend, and was constantly having trouble with the lens that stuck out of the camera body. The lens cap would fall off all the time, and I just wasn't careful enough with it. When I had my 35mm SLR, I just put a UV filter over the glass of the real lens, and didn't worry about scratching it, but you couldn't do that with the other Camedia lens. With the D-550, you avoid the problem entirely. When you turn the camera off, the lens retracts into the body of the camera, and is covered by the sliding panel that's part of the camera body. It's a brilliant design that keeps the lens safe, and the speed of the lens movement is quick enough that it's not annoying. I love that my camera is so tough. Though I haven't dropped it yet, I have the feeling it would survive a drop just fine.
•À? And, of course, the image quality. Even with plain old point-and-shoot simplicity, the colors are vivid and sharp, the exposure is just right, and the low-light pictures are just incredible, which is important to me as a hater of flashbulbs. The other day, a bird fell down our chimney and got trapped in the upper grill of our fireplace, beyond where we could see. So I stuck the camera up into the fireplace and had someone point a dim flashlight where we thought the bird was, and I got a pretty decent picture of it! The bird ended up getting out of the fireplace and flying out the window just fine, by the way. :-) The macro feature is pretty cool, too. My desktop picture on my computer is a photo of an ant I took with my D-550. People are really impressed that the ant takes up 3 inches on my screen.
When you consider all the excellent features this camera has, then realize that it's much less expensive than similar cameras, it seems like a no-brainer. I would have easily paid twice what I did for the D-550, and still felt like I was getting a great deal. This camera is going to last me a long, long time, and I'm loving every minute of it.
43 Even better than the D-510 but still has one flaw
The Camedia line continues to be a great all around camera for the average person to use. I bought this one after using my father Camedia D-510 extensively. It is simply and easy to use, with a basic manual that answers your questions. The onscreen directions are usuable, but could have been better. I havefound the pictures to be quite clear as I expected. It was easy to use on pick up, I only went to the manual occasionally to find specific features or answers.
Forget those Mac switch ads: It is VERY easy to transfer your pictures to the PC via a USB cable. They fixed one thing in this regard in that you have to activate the camera when plugged in to transfer. The older model just drained your battery as it turned on immediately and stayed on. The transfer wizard is useful for transferring to the PC, but you can also just treat this as a removable drive so why switch? The LCD window is great for taking up close shots and looks to be inprovved over pervious versions as well. This is a point and shoot camera and is one of the best at 3.0 MP. It offers everything I need, plus I can make mini movies with ease (no sound).
The only problem is the camera lens door! They did not fix this problems! You have to open it of course to shoot, but if you do not open it all the way the camera will not take pictures and this can be confusing for some as the viewfinder is blurry. You must make sure to click it all the way open. I have learned to live with that, but when I am taking shots it is too easy to shift the door slightly back inward and cause the camera switch back to view mode. This is the only flaw, it will frustrate you greatly when it happens, but I have adapted to taking pictures in a way to avoid this.
I had hoped they had fixed the door, but did not. Either way I love my camera and still recommend the product. Search around for competitive prices.
44 Excellent Camera, Poor Support.
This is an excellent camera for the money. The resolution is good enough for a clear 8x10 glossy. It is easy to use and the panorama feature is great. I also like the 35 mm format option that can be selected. It would be nice to have a better zoom. The 2.8X optical zoom is good and is mainly useful for framing. Most of the 10X zoom is digital and I found that if you zoom much over 3X the pictures loose their sharpness. The size is perfect and the appearance and quality is excellent. I was only interested in the models that had the sliding door over the camera lens, so I sacrificed the zoom quality for this feature. I found the instruction manual to be lacking. There are features that the manual does not address, like how to make a panorama, and how to download to your computer. This information is in the software that comes with the camera but they could mention in the manual that one can basically use the camera like a drive on your computer. You don't really need the software to get the pictures to your computer. My only real complaint is with Olympus support. When I loaded my software, I could not run the Camedia Master 4.0 on my Imac because it required a serial number that was supposed to be on the sleeve but it was not. I got the run-around from tech support. They said they would send me new software but did not. I persisted and finally received the software, but it took nearly three months to get it and countless communications with some individuals that had no communication skills and in one case barely spoke English. I was disappointed in the software because it did not have "slide show" as the earlier versions did. To get that you have to pay for a $20.00 upgrade. In my opinion that is just a "rip off". All-in-all I have been very pleased with Olympus products, I just wish they had better technical support.
45 Great Pictures
After doing much research, both online and in print, I chose the Olympus. I am very glad that I did. It takes great pictures. Clear and sharp. It is truly a point and shoot camera. Not many adjustments, which makes it very easy for my wife to use. The software that comes with it does a great job. Everyone loved the great pictures from the recent Niagra Falls trip. In short, an excellent value and great little camera.
46 D-550 Olympus AWESOME!
I will never again take pix with a 35mm camera. Not as long as I have the Olympus Dig.550D. The colors & resolution are more vivid than reality. I use an HP 7150 photo series printer when I print the pix and nothing compares to the quality. Everyone who sees my photos agrees. I took many shots in Alaska this summer and the prints I made far surpass professional quality. You don't have to be a professional to operate this user friendly digital camera.
47 The greatest, though not the latest.
I enjoy having the "greatest" equipment that I can afford. However, this means not getting it when it is the "latest." I watched the reviews and other info on various cameras for some time. The D550 was one that I kept an eye on. Finally, the D550 started falling in price. The D550 is now available at a number of online retailers for less than $... dollars. I paid $... and was then able to upgrade to better memory cards and other accessories for the original price of the camera alone. Now I have a great camera. For my needs: family photos, vacation memories, birthdays, and the such; the D550 is perfect. I won't be doing many, if any, night time photos. I don't need fancy exposures or other pro camera tricks. I keep the resolutions small for simple 4x6 shots, but it is nice to have the option to go larger. Once on the computer I can adjust, using various software packages, the image to make it more email friendly. But, usually, I just post an image at my simple website (hosted by ...) and let the family know to browse on over. The manual does not show to much other than the basic operations. But, there are lots of websites out there with great reviews and usage tips. I have printed most of them and created a binder with all the info in it. If you are worried about going digital with your photo memories and are confused by all the lingo, hype, and information out there, then go with the D550. The manufacturer is reliable, the digital technology is mature, the features are above average, and the price is within reach of the first time buyer.
48 Nice pictures!
This is my first digital camera. I researched it thoroughly and for the features this is a GREAT price. PCWorld also said that it had the best overall image quality indoors and outdoors. This is definitely true of my pictures.
One thing it's lacking that I really wish it had was audio with the movies.
It's a little heavier than most digital cameras but not much more than film cameras. So carrying around will feel no different. I kind of prefer the extra weight which isn't much to begin with.
Don't buy a DC input adapter for it. It calls for 6.5V, center positive but any 6V center positive adapter with the right connector will do.
It's very easy to use and wait between shots is minimal on the default setting. It's pretty slow on maximum setting but that makes sense since it has to store to the smartmedia.
Don't regret buying this camera at all.
btw, for first time buyers like myself, if you don't plan to print much, 640x480 resolution (taken by 1 MP cameras) WILL do. I didn't quite believe all I read, but the images aren't all that bad.
49 Good camera--BUT e-mail? Forget it
One week into owning, and the camera is very good for daylight photos. I agree with everyone about the hopeless manual. Most images are too small to read without a magnifying glass. Biggest problem, and the telephone techs seem to have no answers, is trying to attach photos to e-mails. I have a new iMac, with OS 9.2, but none of the pdf. manual instructions work when trying to transfer to a folder.If e-mailing photos is your main interest, do research this problem before committing. (and DO buy rechageable batteries and a camera case)
50 I Love this Camera
The Olympus D550 Zoom is my first digital camera and I have had it now just under a month. I am very pleased with pictures that I have taken so far and I am amazed at the sharpness and the true color of the pics. I must confess that I am still experimenting with it. One thing I found was that the literature that came with the camera could have been a little more reader friendly. When one realizes how easy the camera is to operate, one wonders why the instructions had to be so intimidating.
Things i should have done but didnt do: (1) Should have bought a bag with the camera.(2)Should have bought a battery charger and rechargeable batteries (3) should have bought an AC Adapter.
I use the camera in my job on a daily basis. I can find no fault with it. But hey, who am I? .... Just an amateur having fun. Would definitely recommended it.
51 D-550
This is a very good camera for the price. It has features ranging from movie mode to a 3X zoom. The software is easy to install and with Windows XP one does not need to do any special steps to download pictures from the camera to the computer.
I recommend taking pictures in SQ mode for the simple reason that they are smaller files. I left the camera set in HQ mode and now have 40 vacation pictures that claim over 40MB of disk space. This is my fault, and not the camera's.
I really enjoy the compactness and functionality of the camera. It came with a 16MB card, and if SQ resolution is good enough, then this should be adequate for any three day weekend trip. I did buy, and do recommend, purchasing a large card. I bought a 128MB card for [price] and in SQ mode will capture over 1000 pictures before filling it up. Since I download to my computer the first chance I get then delete from the card, I don't foresee ever needing another card. Even in HQ mode the 128MB card will hold over 150 pictures.
Again, this is a fine camera and I'd recommend it to anyone.
52 Night Photo settings
Those having trouble with low light photos might try using the ISO400 setting with flash in some cases. It's a faster "shutter speed" and will eliminate double or blurred image "pre-flash" problems.
53 So easy a 5 year old could do it
This camera was so easy to use. The manual was easy to understand, but even before reading it I was shooting great pics. While I was outside the other day my 5 year old daughter got a hold of it and shot some great pics of our yard out an open window. I combined this with the HP photosmart 1115 printer and am printing incredible 8 x 10 pics with no computer hooked up. This is a fantastic camera.
54 Sharp pictures, a pleasue to own.
I've only had this camera a few weeks and I am extremely pleased with its performance. My previous camera was a Sony Mavica with 640 x 480 resolution, so you can imagine what a difference it makes when you can get a resolution as high as 1984 x 1488. So far every picture I've taken as turned out sharp and crisp just using the default settings. Anything to a landscape to a close-up of my orchids has come out just fine. Pictures I have printed out using an older printer come out looking like real photos (unless you put your nose in the photo where you can see each pixel).
I have to agree with one reviewer about the manual, it jumps around a bit and leaves out key bits (like the camera has to be in the on position to download to the computer, to an experienced digital camera user it is a no-brainer, but to a novice...). Unlike some cameras it feels sturdy in your hands, not cheap. Make sure you have a USB hook-up in the back of your computer, if you have a older computer (5-6 years old) you may not have this feature. Consider getting a tripod if you're going to use the night feature as the shutter will be open for a couple of seconds. Overall a great camera, worth the 5 stars.
55 My search is over
It took me a week to find my first digital camera (I tried both Olympus D-520 and Kodak D-3600 (what a joke this Kodak!) but I returned them after couple of days of use) and by this time I've been having D-550 for two weeks already and I just want to describe its pros and cons based on my own experience.
Pros:
1) Compact size. Viewfinder and lenses are protected when the camera is off
2) Battery compartment has a lock that prevents it from being accidentally opened (I had this problem with D-520 and Kodak)
3) No special software or drivers required (I use Win2000) to transfer data from camera to PC or vice versa (unlike Kodak)
4) Amazing picture quality when you shoot outside whether it's sunny, cloudy or it's night. For night pictures you MUST use tripod or place camera on something steady. I'm not quite impressed with pictures taken inside but it's a tough test for any camera and I've not finished yet playing with manual settings. I believe I can get more out of it
Cons:
1) Often when I look through viewfinder my nose sticks to monitor leaving marks (not such a big problem as it may sound)
2) Movie mode lacks sound and limited to ~30 seconds. Of course you can have as many 30 sec flicks as your memory allows
3) Viewfinder is a bit offset
4) No buttons or any other widgets to pick mostly used features like scene or flash selection. You are bound to use menu A LOT which is not the most handiest way
5) Useless printed manual. You should read PDF one on included CD
To sum up I would say that I'm really happy with this camera, it already gave me good deal of joy and sense of satisfaction. I highly recommend it.
56 Not a bad camera in any respect.
The D-550 is another of the Olympus line of clam shell cameras dating back to the old (non-digital) Stylus models of the mid-80s. In that sense, the design is tried and true and I like it for its compactness and its ability to protect the lens from those with a penchant for losing lens caps. For the vast majority of digital camera users, this camera will meet all of their needs well into the future. The D-550 trumps the recently released D-520 by offering resolution at 3 megapixels, which with some software manipulation (similar to TV line doublers) claims to raise the maximum resolution to an effective 6 megapixels. I've played with interpolation and am not a believer, and I have stated in numerous reviews of other digicams that resolution beyond 2 megapixels is generally wasteful. The question here is whether the D-550 is worth the 50% premium it carries over the D-520. This cost jump is a function only of the increased resolution. This higher resolution can be worse than unnecessary for *most* applications, it can make the camera less user-friendly. Aside from the fact that it raises the initial price of the camera, operationally it requires greater battery use, usually involves longer lag times between shots, takes much longer to download to a PC and especially prolongs both phases of e-mailing photos (your uploading the file and your recipient opening it). These latter issues are, in my opinion, the most important, as the real purpose of digital cameras is being able to integrate them into the world of personal computing. [note: For those folks whose needs are enlarging photos beyond 8" x 10", higher resolution is required] The other features of the D-520 worth noting are its very adequate 2.8X optical zoom *plus* a vaguely helpful digizoom (do not accept digital zooms in place of optical zooms; they are not equals), its ability to operate off readily available AA alkalines (though it will accept rechargeables and these make more sense in may ways), its easily expandable memory (it uses SmartMedia, not quite as good as CompactFlash cards, but close enough) and an adequate number of user-controllable settings, all of which can be handled automatically if you prefer. The only drawback of significance has been slow focus on the Olympus digital cams, resulting in more blurred pics than I think acceptable (and this even with my 700, self-stabilizing model!). Personally, I'd take the D-520 and use the money left over to buy a bigger memory card and some rechargeables.
57 If you want an Olympus Camera under $500, get the 520.
Not worth the price!
I had both, the 520 first, which had some features I was not happy with but I thought the 550 with the 3 MP was the way to improve on it. Definitely not. At night, it looked like there were UFO's behind me. Even when standing perfectly still, lights came out as streaks in the background. Printed pictures were not great and most photos taken were blurry.
In the end I got the Sony CyberSHots 71
58 A great digital camera.
The D-550 Zoom is a great dig. All the features you should ever need unless you intend to be the ultimate professional. The picture quality is wonderful. The only draw back is the instruction booklet. If this is your first dig it will take you a while to discover all that it does and the literature is hard to follow sometimes. I still recommend it over any other camera in this price range.
59 This is a Great light camera!!!!!!!!
I bought olympus d-550 a week ago, and was completely satisfied. It has a 2.8 optical zoom, and that is like to zoom object 3 times. Digital zoom doesn't help. Ignore digital zoom when you buy a camera, because digital zoom is just the zoom that your computer can make when you enter pictures to your computer. The bigger picture you make, slopier image becomes. i can make pictures a whole page big on a sharpest quality. I like about this camera that cover slides down, and lens is always protected, under the cover. This is highest megapixels with such a small lens. I like this camera and I am very satisfied with it so far.
