Bridge Cameras

The SP-820UZ iHS Digital Camera from Olympus features an incredibly powerful 40x optical zoom lens which has a 35mm equivalency of 22.4-896mm. With a lens like this, you’ll need no other. From true wide angle all the way to ultra-telephoto, this lens will shoot a wide expansive landscape then zoom in to get a clear, full-frame shot of a subject in the distance. It’s hard to understate the power of an 896mm reach, it will bring far away subjects breathtakingly close and the wide angle lengths are open enough to shoot all your friends gathered around the dinner table or the entirety of a beautiful interior. Of course, these focal lengths won’t mean much if the quality of the images aren’t good.

Fortunately, the Olympus SP-820UZ has that covered thanks to its 14MP CMOS Sensor and TruePic V Image Processor. Together, Olympus terms this their iHS technology or Intelligent High Speed and High Sensitivity. It’s a very accurate term because the image quality and camera performance of the SP-820UZ is well above standards. And thanks to its dual image stabilization system, photos taken with its extremely long lens and shots taken in low light will come out blur-free and with sharp details.

The SP-820UZ also houses Full HD video for recording all the important moments that just won’t fit into one image. Quality of the video image is also improved when shooting at long focal lengths due to Multi Motion Movie IS, an image stabilization system specifically designed for HD Video. A dedicated one-touch button starts your video recording and for viewing your videos immediately, an HDMI output is included in the camera body. Simply connect the cable and push play to screen your films in crystal clear HD.

This “bridge” camera offers the style and look of a DSLR but the ease and functionality of a compact point and shoot and brings to the table some of the best qualities of both. For example, like a DSLR, the SP-820UZ has high-speed sequential shooting so you’ll never miss an action shot or the perfect unposed smile. But, like a compact camera it is easy to use and features an iAuto mode which will select all the camera’s settings based on the image it reads and let you simply compose your image and shoot. The iHS technology also brings with it two helpful functions. HDR Backlight Adjustment creates well balanced shots of high contrast scenes by shooting multiple takes of the same image with different exposure levels and combining them into one shot in which both shadows and highlights are evenly exposed. Hand-Held Starlight performs a similar function with night shots and leaves you with images that are crisp, detailed and without light streaks or blurs.

The SP-820UZ also has features like Smart Panorama and Magic Art Filters. Smart Panorama captures 360º images in one frame by simply panning the camera across the scene and Magic Filters allow you to add effects, like Fish-eye, Miniature and Pin Hole to your photos.

With its powerful lens that will cover all your shooting needs and its superior image quality, this easy-to-hold, easy-to-use Olympus camera is an affordable gem to keep with you for when life’s memories are being made.