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Olympus SP-820UZ Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Olympus SP-820UZ

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    Main Features

    • 14MP - 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 80 - 6400
    • 22-896 mm F3.4-5.7 Zoom Lens
    • 3" Fixed Type Screen
    • 2 fps continuous shooting
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • 240 fps High-Speed Video
    • 485g. 117 x 78 x 93 mm mm
    • Replaced Olympus SP-820UZ
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Olympus SP-820UZ Overview

    First introduced in August 2012 , Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ is a 14.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and 22-896 mm F3.4-5.7 lens. Olympus replaced the older SP-820UZ with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
    Compare Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ vs Olympus SP-820UZ

    Olympus SP-820UZ Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Olympus SP-820UZ has an Overall Score of 31/100 and ranked #496 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #1073 out of 1220 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Olympus SP-820UZ Physical Specs
    Olympus SP-820UZ weighs 485 g (1.07 lb / 17.11 oz) and has external dimensions of . Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Olympus SP-820UZ is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 93mm, it is not small either, 64mm thicker than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Olympus SP-820UZ
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Olympus SP-820UZ
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Olympus SP-820UZ with the dimensions:

    Olympus SP-820UZ Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Olympus SP-820UZ Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Olympus SP-820UZ, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Olympus SP-820UZ Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Olympus SP-820UZ Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Olympus SP-820UZ with its main competitors:

    Olympus SP-820UZ Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs SP-820UZ Thickness vs SP-820UZ
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-810 UZ
    Compare
    413g 72g lighter 74mm 19mm thinner
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Panasonic FZ150
    Compare
    528g 43g heavier 92mm 1mm thinner
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-800 UZ
    Compare
    455g 30g lighter 91mm 2mm thinner
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-100
    Compare
    594g 109g heavier 133mm 40mm thicker
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-820UZ
    Compare
    485g equal weight 93mm equal thickness
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Pentax XG-1
    Compare
    567g 82g heavier 98mm 5mm thicker
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus FE-47
    Compare
    204g 281g lighter 27mm 66mm thinner
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-590 UZ
    Compare
    413g 72g lighter 81mm 12mm thinner

    Weather Sealing

    Olympus SP-820UZ doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Olympus SP-820UZ Sensor and Photography Features

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4288 x 3216 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. SP-820UZ has a native ISO range of 80 - 6400 but unfortunately, Olympus SP-820UZ doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Canon PowerShot S120 in the same price range.

    Olympus SP-820UZ is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Olympus SP-820UZ vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Olympus SP-820UZ's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Olympus SP-820UZ Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Olympus SP-820UZ Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Olympus SP-820UZ Lens

    Olympus SP-820UZ features a 22-896 mm F3.4-5.7 40× zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 22mm focal length on the wide end and remarkable super telephoto reach at 896mm.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    SP-820UZ
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    SP-820UZ
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.40 at 22mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.70.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    SP-820UZ
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    SP-820UZ
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average



    Olympus SP-820UZ LCD

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 460k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    SP-820UZ doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7000 (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Olympus SP-820UZ Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

    Olympus SP-820UZ Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-810 UZ
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Panasonic FZ150
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 410shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-800 UZ
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-100
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 330shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-820UZ
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Pentax XG-1
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 240shots Yes No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus FE-47
    Compare
    640 x 480 shots No No No
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Camera Olympus SP-590 UZ
    Compare
    640 x 480 shots No No No

    Olympus SP-820UZ Video Features

    With Olympus SP-820UZ, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Olympus SP-820UZ will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

    SP-820UZ also a high speed mode where it captures videos at 240 fps for ultra slow motion videos. SP-820UZ has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Olympus SP-820UZ doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in a similar price range.

    Olympus SP-820UZ Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Olympus SP-820UZ can shoot continuously at max speed of 2 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately SP-820UZ doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Olympus SP-820UZ features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

    Olympus SP-820UZ also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Olympus SP-820UZ PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Olympus SP-820UZ review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Full HD Video
    Face Detection Focusing
    22mm Wide Angle Lens
    896mm Good Tele Lens
    40.7X Optical Zoom
    Panorama Shooting
    240 fps High Speed Video
    Report a correction

    Buy Olympus SP-820UZ from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Image Stabilization
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Touch Screen
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    Low Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    Only Unknown Focus Points
    Low Screen Resolution ( 460kdots )
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    Heavy Body: 485
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.40
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Olympus SP-820UZ Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Olympus SP-820UZ in 5 different photography areas.

    Olympus SP-820UZ for Portrait Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a score of 16 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSP-820UZ.
    Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

    Read the details of how we scored Olympus SP-820UZ for Portrait Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ for Street Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a score of 37 for Street Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Street We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSP-820UZ.
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    22 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Small Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Olympus SP-820UZ for Street Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ for Sports Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a score of 16 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSP-820UZ.
    896 mm Tele Lens
    Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Unknown Focus Points
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Image Stabilization
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Olympus SP-820UZ for Sports Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ for Daily Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a score of 50 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    40.7X Optical Zoom
    485g
    Body Thickness 93mm
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Olympus SP-820UZ for Daily Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ for Landscape Photography

    Olympus SP-820UZ has a score of 18 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSP-820UZ.
    22 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Olympus SP-820UZ for Landscape Photography
    Olympus SP-820UZ Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Olympus SP-820UZ compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Olympus SP-820UZ alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Olympus SP-820UZ

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Olympus SP-820UZ amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Olympus SP-810 UZ
    Olympus SP-810 UZ
    Compare
    Panasonic FZ150
    Panasonic FZ150
    Compare
    Olympus SP-800 UZ
    Olympus SP-800 UZ
    Compare
    Olympus SP-100
    Olympus SP-100
    Compare
    Olympus SP-820UZ
    Olympus SP-820UZ
    Compare
    Pentax XG-1
    Pentax XG-1
    Compare
    Olympus FE-47
    Olympus FE-47
    Compare
    Olympus SP-590 UZ
    Olympus SP-590 UZ
    Compare

    Olympus SP-820UZ Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Olympus SP-820UZ with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Olympus SP-820UZ's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Olympus SP-820UZ
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have RAW support?
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Olympus SP-820UZ?
    What is the Sensor Size of Olympus SP-820UZ?
    is the Olympus SP-820UZ a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have Touch Screen?
    Does the Olympus SP-820UZ have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Olympus SP-820UZ?
    What is the Weight of Olympus SP-820UZ?
    What are the Dimensions of Olympus SP-820UZ?
    Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Olympus
    Model Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ
    Announced 2012-08-21
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 22-896 mm (40×)
    Max Aperture F3.4-5.7
    Macro Focus Range 1cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Technology TFT Color LCD
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 460k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 4s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/2000s
    Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation n/a
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 15.00 m
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CMOS
    Sensor Size 1/2.3"
    Sensor Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.07mm2
    Sensor Resolution 14 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4288 x 3216
    Max Native ISO 6,400
    Min Native ISO 80
    RAW Support
    Autofocus
    AF Touch
    AF Continuous
    AF Single
    AF Tracking
    AF Selective
    AF Center
    AF Multi Area
    AF Live View
    AF Face Detection
    AF Contrast Detection
    AF Phase Detection
    Number of Focus Points Unknown
    Number of Cross Focus Points 0
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 180 (30, 240 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity None
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 485g
    Physical Dimensions 117 x 78 x 93 mmmm
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC
    Storage Slots 1


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