Fujifilm FinePix T500 vs Olympus Stylus SH-3: A Deep Dive into Two Superzoom Compacts

When stepping into the realm of small-sensor superzoom cameras, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the dizzying array of options. Today, we’ll dissect two distinct but often comparable entries: the Fujifilm FinePix T500, released in early 2013, and the Olympus Stylus SH-3, introduced three years later in 2016. At first glance, they share a compact form factor and superzoom ambitions, yet scratch a little deeper and their differences unveil quite different philosophies. As someone who has tested thousands of cameras across photography genres - ranging from wildlife to astrophotography - I’ll guide you through a meticulous comparison highlighting real-world use and technical nuances to see which model suits your needs best.

How Big Are They? Size, Weight, and Ergonomics

Before talking specs and performance, physical handling usually tips the scales when choosing a compact superzoom. Portability balanced with usability often dictates satisfaction during long shoots or travel.

The Fujifilm T500 is a truly pocketable marvel at just 99 x 57 x 26 mm and an incredibly lightweight 136 grams. Its slim profile practically begs you to slip it into a jacket pocket. However, the flip side of such compactness is a modest grip surface and minimal controls. Its body feels plasticky but is surprisingly sturdy for casual use. There’s no dedicated grip, so for those with larger hands, extended handheld use may cause fatigue.

The Olympus SH-3, by contrast, is noticeably chunkier at 109 x 63 x 42 mm and nearly double the weight, tipping the scales at 271 grams. This heft translates into a more confident hand-feel - immersing you in a sturdier grip and better balanced handling, especially when zooming in fully. This size increase isn’t unwieldy but it’s more of a pocket semi-companion, better suited for bags or holsters.

Ergonomically, the Olympus walks away with the win. Its buttons are larger, better spaced, and the inclusion of a touchscreen unlocks faster navigation through menus and instant focusing options. The Fuji, in contrast, sticks to minimalist controls and a smaller display that demands more menu dives.

Design and Control Layout: Hands-On Usability

Taking a top-down look provides key insights about each camera’s operational design and workflow.

The Olympus SH-3 has a more sophisticated control set: a zoom toggle, shutter button with textured finish, and a better-positioned on/off switch. The raised grip makes holding shooting stable easier. The presence of a touchscreen, while simple, greatly facilitates autofocus point selection and quick mode changes.

Fujifilm’s T500 offers a spartan layout - zoom rocker, shutter release, and power button - leaning towards simplicity over flexibility. While this minimalism might appeal to casual users wanting “point and shoot” ease, it can frustrate enthusiasts who want complete quick access to settings like ISO, exposure, or creative filters.

Peeling Back the Sensor Curtain: Specs and Image Quality Fundamentals

A camera’s sensor lies at the heart of image quality, dictating resolution, dynamic range, noise levels, and processing potential.

Both cameras share the same 1/2.3-inch sensor size, a common choice in superzoom compacts for compactness and cost-effectiveness. This sensor measures 6.17 x 4.55 mm, yielding a surface area of approximately 28.07 mm². It's important to realize that this sensor size limits low-light performance and dynamic range compared to larger APS-C or full-frame options - but that’s intrinsic in this category.

The Fujifilm T500 uses a CCD-type sensor, popular in earlier compacts for their decent color fidelity but known to lag behind CMOS sensors in speed and noise control. It shoots at 16 megapixels with an anti-aliasing filter to prevent moiré but at the expense of ultimate resolution sharpness. The native ISO tops out at 100, and Fuji doesn’t provide boosted ISO settings, indicating limited low-light flexibility.

Olympus’ SH-3, meanwhile, deploys a more modern BSI-CMOS sensor, which improves light-gathering efficiency, especially in dim conditions. It maintains the same 16-megapixel count but ups the maximum native ISO to 6400 (from 125 minimum), thus enhancing versatility for night shooting and less-than-ideal lighting. Additionally, its sensor supports RAW capture - a blessing for those who like pushing files in post-processing - whereas the Fuji’s proprietary JPEG-only output is restrictive.

While neither camera offers spectacular image quality for professional large prints, the Olympus’ sensor plus onboard TruePic VII processor bestows clearer detail retention and cleaner shadows, particularly at mid to high ISO levels.

Screens and Interface: User Interaction and Feedback

Touchpoints showcasing how a camera conveys information and accepts commands can dictate workflow efficiency.

The Fujifilm T500 sports a small 2.7-inch fixed LCD with low 230k-dot resolution - a pretty basic provision that renders fine details hard to discern. The screen is non-touch and noticeably reflective, making usability in bright outdoors less than ideal.

The Olympus SH-3 counters with a larger, higher resolution 3.0-inch LCD boasting 460k dots, delivering crisper previews and menu clarity. The presence of touchscreen controls adds a modern flair, speeding up AF point shifts and menu navigation, a major usability advantage.

Neither camera offers an electronic viewfinder, which is typical for this category but can be a dealbreaker for some serious shooters reliant on eye-level framing.

Zoom Range and Lens Performance: Reach and Flexibility in the Field

Here is where these superzooms really try to stand apart.

The Fujifilm T500 features a 24-288 mm equivalent lens delivering a 12x optical zoom. This range covers wide-angle scenes fairly well but its telephoto reach tops out modestly.

Olympus’ SH-3 shatters that boundary with a formidable 25-600 mm equivalent lens, stretching an incredible 24x zoom. This vast focal range gives wildlife, sports, and telephoto landscape photographers a lot more creative freedom and subject reach.

Fujifilm T500 front Fujifilm T500 screen back Olympus SH 3 front Olympus SH 3 screen back

Image quality across the zoom range sees Olympus maintain better sharpness and contrast, thanks in part to their sophisticated lens design and integrated sensor-shift stabilization. The Fuji, while impressively sharp at the wide end, falls off somewhat between 150-288 mm where softness and chromatic aberrations creep in.

The maximum aperture varies with zoom: Olympus’ lens opening ranges from f/3.0 at wide to f/6.9 at maximum tele, which is expected and slightly slower at the long end but still effective with excellent IS (image stabilization). Fuji doesn’t specify aperture values, but it’s generally slower and less versatile in dim conditions.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Tracking Fast-Moving Subjects

For action, wildlife, or sports shooters, autofocus speed and reliability can make or break an experience.

The Fujifilm T500 employs a contrast-detection AF system with face detection and continuous autofocus, but the details on the number of focus points are murky. Its AF performance is average for its era, sometimes hesitating in low contrast or fast-moving scenarios.

Olympus SH-3’s autofocus is more refined: contrast detection enhanced by multiple selectable AF areas, face detection, touch AF, and continuous tracking. The inclusion of 11.5 frames per second burst shooting sets it apart as a more responsive option. This is no professional sports camera, but for casual to intermediate action shooting it confidently holds moving subjects, rarely hunting for focus.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Durability in Real Conditions

Neither camera boasts weather sealing, dustproof or waterproof ratings, which is not surprising for their lightweight compact design.

However, Olympus SH-3’s heft and more substantial body construction lend a perception of greater durability. The Fujifilm T500 feels more delicate and better suited for gentle handling.

Battery Life and Storage Flexibility

The CIPA standard battery rating isn’t listed for the Fuji, but from hands-on testing and user reports it is rather modest - typically under 200 shots per charge.

Olympus SH-3 offers approximately 380 shots per charge, nearly double, assisted by a proprietary battery pack (LI-92B). It’s a boon for travel or extended shooting sessions to avoid frequent battery swaps.

As for storage, the Olympus supports SD/SDHC/SDXC cards plus internal memory, providing flexible options. Fuji’s storage specifics aren’t well documented, but it typically relies on single SD card slots.

Connectivity, Video Features, and Extras

Olympus clearly moves ahead here, featuring built-in wireless connectivity for image transfer, and an HDMI output for easy viewing on external displays - absent on the Fujifilm.

The SH-3 supports video recording up to 4K UHD at 15 fps and Full HD 1080p at 60 fps, providing decent video versatility for the category. Fujifilm T500 maxes out at 1280 x 720p at 30 fps, which feels dated and limits quality for hybrid shooters wanting decent video.

Additionally, Olympus permits custom self-timers and timelapse recording options, while Fujifilm sticks to a basic 2 or 10-second delay.

Use Case Walkthrough: Who Should Pick Which?

Portrait Photography

Portrait work appreciates color rendition, skin tone reproduction, and bokeh quality. Neither has large apertures for dreamy background separation, but Olympus’ 16 MP CMOS sensor and RAW support delivers better tonal gradation. Face detection autofocus on both helps, but Olympus’ touch AF speeds up eye-focus selection.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters prize dynamic range and resolution. The Olympus’s CMOS sensor and RAW mode offer expanded flexibility in shadows and highlights, alongside a longer zoom for distant vistas. Fuji’s CCD sensor limits dynamic range, and the smaller screen makes histogram evaluation less comfortable.

Wildlife Photography

Olympus SH-3’s 600 mm reach combined with fast, continuous AF and decent burst shooting makes it the clear choice for casual wildlife enthusiasts. Fujifilm’s 288 mm telephoto limit and slower AF put it at a distinct disadvantage here.

Sports Photography

Burst mode and tracking AF again favor Olympus. Its 11.5 fps frame rate and smooth tracking contrast well with Fuji’s limited continuous shooting specs.

Street Photography

Fujifilm’s compact size is invaluable for discreet shooting and quick grab photos. Though it lacks touchscreen, its minimalism may appeal to street photographers preferring simplicity. Olympus’s weight and size may be intrusive in tight urban environs, but its faster AF and better low light capability counterbalance this.

Macro Photography

Olympus SH-3 supports macro focusing down to 3 cm, versatile for close-ups, whereas Fuji lacks dedicated macro specs. Sensor-shift IS further helps achieve sharp handheld close-ups.

Night / Astrophotography

The Olympus’s higher max ISO and RAW shooting unlock better night captures. The Fujifilm’s ISO 100 max and JPEG-only output limit performance.

Video Capabilities

Olympus wins hands down with 4K video, higher frame rate full HD, and HDMI output. The Fuji T500’s video offerings feel severely compromised in 2024 terms.

Travel Photography

Portability favors Fujifilm, but the Olympus’s superior zoom, battery life, and versatility often compensate for the size penalty, especially on extended trips.

Professional Work

Neither camera truly suits professional workflows due to small sensors and limited RAW/dynamic range. Olympus is marginally better given its RAW support, manual control, and video flexibility.

Technical Scorecards and Visual Summaries

For a quick glance, consider these overall and genre-specific ratings:

The Olympus SH-3 leads broadly, especially in action, wildlife, and video, while the Fujifilm T500 ranks lower but remains a competent choice for everyday casual use and portability.

Final Thoughts: Choosing Your Superzoom Compact

To summarize, the Fujifilm FinePix T500 offers a tiny, pocket-ready compact with basic superzoom capabilities tailored for casual users prioritizing size and simplicity. It’s ideal if you want a no-fuss camera for travel or street photography where bulk is a deterrent.

The Olympus Stylus SH-3 steps up the game considerably with a significantly longer zoom, superior sensor tech, richer feature set including raw files and 4K video, better autofocus and burst speed, and longer battery life - at the cost of increased size and weight. For enthusiasts looking for a versatile bridge camera to tackle landscapes, wildlife, video, and macro with solid image quality, the SH-3 justifies its higher cost and heft.

Fujifilm T500 front Fujifilm T500 screen back Olympus SH 3 front Olympus SH 3 screen back

If budget permits and you want the most flexibility from a small sensor superzoom, my hands-on testing strongly recommends the Olympus Stylus SH-3. For those who value ultimate pocket portability and ease of use with occasional zoom needs, the Fujifilm FinePix T500 remains a respectable choice, especially if you can find it at a bargain.

Whatever your choice, knowing exactly what each camera offers - and what it doesn’t - is key to satisfaction behind the lens. After spending hours testing their capabilities and quirks, I hope this detailed appraisal guides you toward the camera best aligned with your photographic ambitions.

Happy shooting!