Olympus Stylus SH-2 Review | 108 Data compared

The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a retro-styled travel zoom camera featuring a 24x (25-600mm) lens, 5-axis image stabilization, and the addition of Raw shooting support to mitigate aggressive in-camera JPG noise reduction. Performance highlights include quick 10.4fps burst shooting and snappy autofocus, making it a strong, capable option for photographers willing to edit their images. Conversely, the camera suffers from poor in-camera JPG processing that produces waxy images at low ISO, alongside a low-resolution 460k-dot LCD screen. Additionally, the SH-2 lacks an external battery charger in the box, and competitors may offer better value for users seeking superior direct-from-camera results.

Olympus SH-2 Review Summary The Olympus SH-2 is a retro-styled compact travel camera featuring a 16-million pixel CMOS sensor, a 24x optical zoom lens (25-600mm equivalent), and a 3-inch touch-sensitive screen. It delivers highly saturated colors and strong detail reproduction when used in bright, outdoor lighting conditions. Key advantages of this model include its relatively rare ability to shoot in raw format for post-processing flexibility, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, and an easy-to-use touchscreen interface that allows for touch-to-focus and touch-shutter firing. However, the camera suffers from notable drawbacks in its manual configuration and low-light performance. It lacks dedicated shutter-priority and aperture-priority semi-automatic modes, and its full manual mode restricts users to just two physical aperture settings based on the current focal length. Furthermore, its low-light capabilities are limited, as shooting at or above ISO 1600 introduces significant detail loss and visible image smoothing. The camera also features a fixed rear screen with no electronic viewfinder, and it is bulky enough that it will not comfortably slide into a standard jeans pocket.

The Olympus SH-2 is a sleek, pocket-sized compact camera tailored for travelers and business professionals, originally retailing for $349. The camera stands out due to its impressive 24x optical zoom range (equivalent to 25mm to 600mm) and a highly effective 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system that allows for sharp telephoto shooting at moderate shutter speeds. Additional strong points include its newly introduced RAW format support—which provides significant editing flexibility in post-production—as well as built-in Wi-Fi, diverse shooting modes, and creative Art Filters. However, enthusiast photographers might find a notable drawback in the camera's small 1/2.3-inch, 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, which limits image quality compared to larger-sensor alternatives. Despite this physical limitation, testing showed that images captured across a variety of ISO settings held up remarkably well, particularly when processing the RAW files. Ultimately, the review positions the SH-2 as a high-value, nimble option where the utility of its massive focal range and stabilization outweighs its sensor size constraints.

The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a retro-styled travel compact featuring 24x optical zoom, raw shooting support, manual controls, and creative features like time-lapse and live composite. It is equipped with a 3-inch touchscreen and built-in Wi-Fi, making it a stylish and functional option for photographers seeking a versatile, portable camera. However, the review notes significant cons, specifically poor image quality at the telephoto end of the lens and a marked decline in performance at higher ISO settings. Despite these limitations in low light, the camera is recommended for users prioritizing style and creative features for, according to the ePHOTOzine.

The ⁠Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a premium, retro-styled compact travel zoom camera featuring a 16-megapixel sensor and a powerful 24x optical zoom lens (25-600mm equivalent). A standout feature highlighted in the review is its 5-axis image stabilisation, which effectively keeps handheld photos and 1080p Full HD video steady even at maximum telephoto lengths. The camera offers excellent versatility for advanced users by introducing RAW shooting capabilities, full manual controls, and specialised shooting modes like time-lapse video and live view composite shooting. Additionally, it boasts built-in Wi-Fi that connects to the Olympus Image Share app for seamless remote control and geotagging, alongside a highly responsive focus system and a robust battery life rated at 380 shots per charge. Despite its strong travel appeal, the review points out several material and design limitations. On the downside, the camera's textured black plastic grips are less effective than rubber, making the body somewhat slippery and necessitating the use of the included neck strap. The overall build quality is generally good, but the battery and memory card compartment cover is constructed from thin, fragile plastic....

The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a stylish, pocketable superzoom compact camera featuring a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 24x (25-600mm equivalent) zoom lens, and a robust 5-axis image stabilization system that ensures sharp handheld shots even at maximum zoom. The camera is solidly built with an aluminum alloy top plate, weighing 9.6 ounces, and includes a 3-inch touch-screen LCD for easy focus point selection. It delivers quick performance with a 1.6-second startup time, snappy autofocusing at wide angles under 0.05 seconds, and a fast 10.4fps burst shooting mode for up to 16 JPG frames. Additionally, it offers built-in Wi-Fi for remote control and image sharing, a Live Composite mode for light painting or astrophotography, and sharp 1080p60 video recording. The camera's greatest strength is its newly added Raw capture support, which allows photographers to bypass the internal processing engine and achieve excellent, crisp image quality for this class. Conversely, its primary drawback is its disappointing, "waxy" out-of-camera JPG output, caused by aggressive noise reduction that smudges fine textures and details even at low ISO sensitivities. Other notable downsides include the omission...