The Olympus SP-350 temper an 8.0-megapixel CCD, 3 x lenses, the availability of immense guide vanity manage and a plan vulnerable shoe moment a pocket-friendly, consolidated size. In addition to the camera's automatic and manual controls, the SP-350 offers no less than 24 preset Scene modes, including a QuickTime Movie mode. With its small size, nice selection of creative controls, and high resolution sensor, the Olympus SP-350 is an excellent all-around camera suitable for novices and experienced amateurs alike.

Though the Olympus SP-350 is compact, bona fide packs impact a chain of monumental features, including copious instruction demonstration control, 24 preset Scene modes, an 8.0-megapixel CCD, again a large, 2.5-inch LCD monitor. The SP-350's compacted dimensions are in to suit for shirt pockets and small purses, with an automatic lens cover that makes it quick on the draw as well. The included neck strap is handy when shooting over a boat rail or while riding on a ski lift, but I'd recommend picking up a soft case to protect the SP-350's flat-black body panels from scratches.

The Olympus SP-350 like a 3x, 8-24mm whirl lens (equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera). Maximum cavity ranges from f/2.8 to f/4.9, depending on the rocket setting. A permit of lens threads lets you mix Olympus' accessory conversion lenses, extending the camera's patulous angle besides telephoto capabilities. The SP-350 employs an efficient contrast-detection autofocus system, with focus ranging from 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) to infinity in normal mode. A Macro setting focuses as close as 11.8 inches (30 centimeters). There's also a Super Macro option that gets as close as 0.8 inches (2.0 centimeters), for real close-in shooting.

By default, the camera uses an iESP autofocus area setting, which automatically sets the focus based on the subject's proximity to a range of AF points around the center of the image area. Through the Record menu, you can opt for a Spot AF setting, which will instead base focus only on the very center of the frame. There's also an Area AF mode, which lets you manually position the AF area just about anywhere in the frame. In addition to its 3x optical zoom, the Olympus SP-350 also offers 5x Digital Zoom. Keep in mind though, that digital zoom simply enlarges the center pixels of the CCD and thus results in lower image quality. The 8.0-megapixel CCD produces high-resolution images, good enough for prints up to 16x20 inches with good detail and sharpness, as well as lower-resolution images for sending via email or for printing 5x7- and 4x6-inch prints.

For composing images, the SP-350 offers a real-image optical viewfinder also 2.5-inch TFT color LCD monitor, which one's thing a utterly mirror like limpid further fine display. The optical viewfinder has no dioptric adjustment, and a slightly woebegone Eye point. The LCD pathfinder provides a quite detailed exposure-information display, and a histogram option is available for checking the exposure graphically. There's also a framing guideline option, which divides the image area into thirds horizontally and vertically, or adds diagonal lines, to help you line up difficult shots. In Playback mode, the LCD monitor provides image enlargement and an index display. And the SP-350 also features a helpful Guide button. Hold down the Guide button when in menus and the screen displays a context sensitive help message. With the Olympus SP-350, you're never lost and don't have to remember what everything means. Just press the Guide button.

Exposure control on the Olympus SP-350 is wieldy also straightforward, despite its prodigious manual exposure direct offering. The camera offers a affiliate of unfolding control modes, enabled by turning the Mode dial, as well as a wide selection of preset Scene modes for specific shooting situations. Most of the exposure options are controlled through the multi-page LCD menu system, which is fairly simple to navigate. An initial shortcut menu screen pops up before entering the main Record menu, offering quick-access options for the camera's White Balance, Image Size, and Macro, or you can choose to just enter the main Record menu itself.

The SP-350 offers full Auto, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual main exposure modes. Shutter speeds range from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds, with a maximum eight-minute bulb option available as well. In addition to the available shutter speed and aperture settings, the user can also adjust Exposure Compensation (to lighten or darken the image), ISO (the camera's sensitivity to light), White Balance (to adjust the color), a white balance adjustment tool, Metering (to read light from the whole frame or just the center), and Flash modes. The Olympus SP-350's built-in flash operates in Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill, and Off modes. There's also an external flash hot shoe, for attaching a more powerful flash unit. Through the Picture tab of the record menu, you can also adjust contrast, saturation, and sharpening.

Most of the preset modes are fairly self-explanatory, as they handle very distinct situations. However, the Shoot & Select modes deserve some explanation. Both take a sequence of shots but Shoot & Select 1 locks focus on the first frame (great for faces) while Shoot & Select 2 adjusts focus for each frame (better for sports and action shots). When you've finished the sequence, the images are displayed so you can delete the unwanted ones. Another option on the Mode dial is the My mode, which lets you save as many as four sets of custom settings.

Basic Makrs

• 8.0-megapixel CCD
• 2.5-inch color LCD display
• Real image optical viewfinder
• 3x, 8-24mm zoom lens (equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera), with threaded barrel for conversion lenses
• 5x Digital zoom
• Aperture range from f/2.8 to f/8
• Shutter speeds from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds, with a Bulb setting (maximum eight seconds)
• Automatic, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual exposure control, with 24 preset Scene modes
• Built-in flash with five operating modes
• External flash hot shoe
• xD-Picture Card storage, plus 25MB internal memory
• Power supplied by two AA-type batteries, single CR-V3 battery, or optional AC adapter
• Olympus Camedia Master software for both Mac and Windows

Special Marks

• TruePic TURBO Image Processor
• A Guide button for help in most menus
• Live histogram and grid overlay
• Macro and Super Macro lens adjustment
• Noise reduction for long exposures
• Panorama mode for stitching together multiple images
• "2 in 1" multi-exposure and Time-lapse photography modes
• White balance (color) adjustment with eight preset modes and a manual setting, and a fine tuning adjustment
• Digital ESP (full frame), Center-Weighted, and Spot exposure metering options
• Adjustable ISO to 50, 100, 200, or 400 equivalents, plus an Auto setting
• Normal, High Speed, and AF Sequential Shooting modes
• QuickTime movies (with sound)
• "Calendar" organization of captured images
• "Album" organization for favorite photos
• DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), PRINT Image Matching III, and PictBridge compatibility
• DCF (Design rule for Camera File system) compatibility
• Exif 2.2 compatibility
• USB 2.0 Full Speed with AutoConnect (no driver software needed) and USB cable
• Video cable for connection to a television set

Inside Section

The Olympus SP-350 Digital ships with the following items in the box:
• SP-350 Digital camera
• Neck strap
• USB cable
• Video cable
• Two AA-type batteries
• CD-ROMs loaded with Olympus Master software, drivers, and instruction manuals.
• Basic manual, Quick Start guide and registration kit