We’re pleased to present a short video tour of the Olympus SP-550UZ, which includes a demonstration of its massive optical zoom lens range and built-in sensor-shifting image stabilisation. There’s no need to download any new software – just press the play button in the middle of the screen below and wait for the video to start; you may need to press the button twice. The quality and any delay before playing may vary depending on your internet connection.

Good points Massive 18x optical range with wide angle. Effective built-in image stabilisation. Great build quality and ergonomics. Closest focusing distance of just 1cm. Bad points Some coloured fringing when zoomed-in. General softness throughout range. Quite leisurely startup and shutdown speed. Screen doesn’t flip-out. Scores (compared to 2007 super-zooms) Build quality: Image quality: Handling: Specification: Value: Overall: 18 / 20 14 / 20 15 / 20 18 / 20 17 / 20 82%