By the end of the trial period, the Olympus SP-500 had made a mixed impression on me.
The image quality and functionality was convincing enough, but it is just a fact that the specifications of contemporary Megazoom cameras are more extensive than ever. The Olympus SP-500 UZ misses several features found elsewhere, the worst being the lack of an optical image stabiliser.
For the time being, the Olympus SP-500 UZ is an all-round digital camera, and if it is priced considerably lower that its competitors, it will be a perfect find for an experienced photographer in search of a second camera or a compact version of their digital reflex camera. Starters will be less convinced and will probably look around to see what the competition has to offer.