Olympus is no stranger to producing
intriguing; solid cameras, and the Olympus SZ-31 MR is certainly one such
offering.
The 16 megapixel compact camera not only
boasts a solid built, it also resembles a mini DSLR in its ergonomics, with a
noticeable indentation alongside the handgrip that naturally falls beneath
one’s fingers, and offers a firm grip in one’s hand. Along with a 24x wide
optical zoom, the camera sports a built-in flash (but no hot shoe) and full HD
video recording.
Olympus
SZ-31 MR
Have you Scene this?
Scene settings, which automatically
optimize camera settings based on the photography situation, contains modes
like Cat and Dog mode (which cause the camera to automatically take a picture
when the respective pets are detected); Backlight HDR, which combines several
exposures into one optimal image, a Portrait mode and a Landscape mode.
Scene
settings, which automatically optimize camera settings based on the photography
situation
Flipping the top dial to Magic Filter
further allows one to access numerous artistic effects, while a multi file
setting enables one to save two differently sized photos or movie files
simultaneous. While there are further Full Auto, Panorama and Program Priority
settings, there aren’t Manual Priority, Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority
settings for those who want a bit more manual control.
Dial up and keep track
All other settings are selected via a quick
mode dial on the back of the camera; this also doubles as a four way trackpad,
and together these two controls are used to access features and a myriad of
file size choices.
All
other settings are selected via a quick mode dial on the back of the camera
The 3” LCD screen is not only bright and
beautiful when viewing images, but it also supports touch autofocus. Whether
using that particular method to focus or not, we found the autofocus to be fast
and responsive.
The
3” LCD screen is not only bright and beautiful when viewing images, but it also
supports touch autofocus
A further mention must go to the 24 x
optical zoom, which offers a staggeringly good range of 25mm to 600mm
equivalent. This makes the camera a very good, all-purpose option for
photographers who anticipate dealing with a variety of subjects, both near and
far away.
To the point
In a nutshell, the SZ-31 MR impressed,
proving itself well built and accessible compact will a plethora of features on
offer to keep creative shooters busy.
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Specifications
§ Price:
$275
§ LCD
monitor: 3in
§ Screen
resolution: 920,000
§ Min
focus: 3cm
§ CCD
pixels: 16Mp
§ Sensor
type: CMOS
§ Sensor
size: ½.3 inch
§ Aspect
ratio: 4:3, 16:9
§ Card
type: SD, SDHC, SDXC
§ Battery
type: LI-50B Lithium-Ion battery
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