Olympus SP-570 UZ

Sorry Jamie, but I'd have to strongly disagree with your assertion that the SP570 "...uses a good old-fashioned zoom ring on the lens, allowing precise stepping of the focal range. This is a refreshing alternative to zoom buttons and makes the user experience far more DSLR like". I was tossing up between this camera and the Fuji S8000fd, and it was the absolutely TERRIBLE zoom ring function on the SP750's lens that was the decider. There's far too much freeplay - nothing happens until you've turned the ring through several degrees - and then it overshoots your zoom point! Also there's absolutely no damping in the ring's action, so it's NOTHING like a true zoom ring on a dSLR. In fact, if you turn the zoom ring very slowly, it doesn't even to begin moving the lens! It was almost (literally) impossible to zoom with any accuracy at all, and which is why I ended up with the Fuji instead - even allowing for the shorter(!) zoom and lack of RAW. At AUD$200 more than the Fuji the Olympus just ain't worth it!

Thanks Beowulff. The zoom still uses electronic stepping and I agree it isn't as responsive as a mechanical optical zoom but I personally found it more accurate and easier to operate than a zoom rocker switch. Horses for courses and all that :-)

I thank both gentlemn before me for their valued feedbacks as I'm currently in search for a DSLR but in as compact as ever form, size and yet durable with excellent caption. I'm now seriously reviewing both your assessments and opinions and what I found most interesting on this Olympus is the 20x zoom range and would not bother much on the performance of the ring as you both emphatically tried to stress on... I'm going for this after all after reviewing the G9 from Canon, the LX3 from Lumix, the EOS 450 and the D90 from Nikon. Yes, there's the price and level to category factor which I am subjected to and yet, both your feedbacks unscored the key elements in deciding my eventual choice for this SP-570 UZ..

I have considered this camera and have decided my Canon S5IS will not be replaced any time soon. Although featuring an amazing 20xlens, the Olympus does not seem to perform anywhere near as good as my S5, which incidently, has many features that other DSLR's can only dream of. I still like Olympus a lot though for being so brave and pioneering! my old 35mm Olympus compact still gives me great images, but for me, the S5IS is still the best value compact DSLR on the market.