Comparing the Olympus Stylus 1s and Olympus Stylus 550WP: Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Photography Journey

Choosing your next camera can feel overwhelming with so many options available, so we're here to help distill the key differences between two Olympus models that occupy very distinct niches: the Olympus Stylus 1s and the Olympus Stylus 550WP. Both hail from Olympus’s innovative legacy but target different users and use cases. Through detailed analysis of technical specs, real-world performance, and usability insights from our hands-on testing, this comprehensive comparison will empower you to make an informed decision that matches your photographic ambitions.

Size and Handling: Bridge Camera Bulk Meets Compact Portability

When it comes to size and handling, these cameras could hardly be more different. The Olympus Stylus 1s is a bridge camera that mimics the look and feel of a DSLR. With dimensions of 116x87x57mm and weighing 402g, it provides a substantial grip and a robust feel that suits extended shoots needing tactile control. Its all-metal body and SLR-style form factor give you an ergonomic advantage when shooting in manual or semi-automatic modes.

In contrast, the Olympus Stylus 550WP is a compact point-and-shoot, vastly smaller at 94x62x22mm and only 167g. This camera is built for ultralight portability and casual shooting, sliding easily into a jacket pocket or a small bag. It is especially useful for travel or street photographers valuing discretion.

Ergonomics-wise, the Stylus 1s includes a dedicated grip, numerous physical buttons, and a zoom ring around its fixed lens, whereas the 550WP relies on a minimalist button layout reflecting its entry-level aspirations. This impacts usability in demanding conditions, where rapid access to controls is essential.

Design and Control Layout: Intuitive Usability or Simplicity?

From above, the Stylus 1s reveals a wealth of physical controls - aperture ring, exposure compensation dial, mode dial, and dedicated buttons for ISO, AF, and video. This layout supports photographers who prefer direct, fast adjustments without delving deep into menus. The tilting 3-inch, 1040k-dot touchscreen complements this with touch focus and menu access.

The Stylus 550WP, with a modest 2.5-inch fixed LCD of only 230k dots, has minimal buttons and no touch interface. Its design prioritizes simplicity over creative control, aimed at casual point-and-shoot users. Notably, it lacks any viewfinder, electronic or optical, which can slow composition in bright daylight.

In summary, the Stylus 1s offers a professional-style control scheme suitable for enthusiasts who want to tailor settings on the fly, while the 550WP delivers ease of use at the expense of customization.

Sensor and Image Quality: Bridging the Gap Between Performance and Portability

Arguably the most significant difference lies in sensor technology. The Olympus Stylus 1s is equipped with a 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring 7.44x5.58mm with an area of 41.52mm². This sensor offers a resolution of 12 megapixels (3968x2976), striking a balance between pixel density and light-gathering capability.

Conversely, the Olympus Stylus 550WP houses a smaller 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor of 6.08x4.56mm and 27.72mm² area, yielding a 10-megapixel maximum resolution (3648x2736).

Key Implications:

• The larger sensor in the 1s captures more light per pixel. This means better low-light performance, less noise at higher ISOs, and greater dynamic range, all crucial for demanding photography genres like portraits and landscapes.

• The 550WP’s older CCD sensor tends to lag in ISO sensitivity, maxing out at 1600 ISO, with some softness and noise creeping in at its upper limits.

• The 1s supports shooting in RAW format - essential for post-processing flexibility and maintaining image quality. The 550WP offers JPEG-only, limiting your editing latitude.

For photographers who prioritize image quality and versatility, especially in challenging lighting, the Stylus 1s is the clear winner. Beginners or casual shooters who mostly rely on automatic shooting and quick social shares may find the 550WP’s sensor adequate.

Display and Interface: Tilt, Touch, or Simply Fixed?

When framing your shot or reviewing images, the Stylus 1s’s 3-inch tilting touchscreen with 1.04 million dots provides excellent clarity and flexibility - ideal for shooting at low or high angles. Touch af and menu navigation streamline operation, especially for video recording or sharing creativity in the field.

The Stylus 550WP’s fixed 2.5-inch display is notably smaller and lower resolution, limiting composition accuracy and playback detail visibility. Moreover, no touch functionality means slower menu adjustments.

In practice, the 1s’s screen enhances usability for photographers with more complex workflows and creativity demands. The 550WP is functional but basic, reflecting its targeting of convenience over control.

Lens and Zoom: Versatility for All Occasions

Let’s talk lenses. Both cameras feature fixed zoom lenses, but their versatility differs greatly:

The Stylus 1s stands out with a bright constant F2.8 aperture throughout its extensive 28-300mm equivalent zoom range, offering excellent low-light ability and creative control over depth of field. Such a versatile zoom range covers wide-angle landscapes to tight telephoto wildlife or sports shots, uncommon for fixed-lens superzooms.

The 550WP’s modest 3x zoom is fine for casual walking photography but won’t satisfy enthusiasts wanting longer reach or fast apertures.

Macro capabilities favor the 1s as well, focusing down to 5 cm with sharpness and image stabilization assisting close-up detail, whereas the 550WP’s minimum focus distance is 7 cm with less stabilization support.

Autofocus and Shooting Experience: Speed and Accuracy Matter

The Stylus 1s boasts a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points, enabling fast and accurate autofocus, plus face detection useful for portraits or street photography. It also supports continuous AF tracking and continuous shooting at 7 frames per second - benefits that elevate it for wildlife, sports, and event photography.

By contrast, the 550WP’s autofocus is single-point only, slower, and less reliable for moving subjects, with no continuous AF or burst shooting features. This limits responsiveness to fast action.

If your photography involves active subjects, fast-moving scenes, or portraiture requiring precise focus, the Stylus 1s is well suited. For casual snapshots or static scenes, the 550WP is passable.

Image Stabilization: Optical vs. Digital

Image stabilization is crucial, especially at telephoto focal lengths or in low light:

• The Stylus 1s uses optical image stabilization, meaning lens-element shifts compensate for camera shake, delivering sharp images even at slower shutter speeds or longer zoom.

• The Stylus 550WP relies on digital stabilization, which crops and adjusts the image electronically to reduce blur, but often at the expense of image quality or cropping.

In practical terms, the 1s’s optical stabilization offers superior results, especially handheld in challenging conditions.

Video Capabilities: Full HD or Basic VGA?

Video enthusiasts will appreciate the 1s’s Full HD video at 30 frames per second in efficient codecs, allowing decent quality recording with real-time autofocus. While lacking microphone input, it maintains solid baseline video performance.

The 550WP is limited to low resolution VGA (640x480) video, not suited for modern content creation needs.

If you plan to include video in your creative toolkit, the Stylus 1s offers meaningful advantages.

Durability and Weather Resistance: Rugged or Lightweight?

The Stylus 550WP features environmental sealing, marketed as splashproof and resistant to dust, making it suitable for outdoor adventures and light inclement weather. However, it is not waterproof or shockproof.

The Stylus 1s does not have specific sealing, so while robustly built, precautions are recommended in demanding weather.

If ruggedness is your priority for hiking or casual outdoor shooting under varied conditions, the 550WP has an edge.

Battery Life and Storage: Shoot All Day or Pack Spare Batteries?

The 1s uses the BLS-50 battery pack, rated for approximately 450 shots per charge, which is generous for a camera with an electronic viewfinder and powerful zoom lens.

The 550WP lacks detailed battery life specs, but its smaller body and simpler features typically correspond to moderate battery endurance. It uses integrated rechargeable batteries with convenient USB charging.

Storage-wise:

• The 1s supports standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.
• The 550WP accepts xD-Picture Cards, microSD, and internal memory, reflecting its era.

For extended sessions, especially in professional contexts, the Stylus 1s’s battery and media support are better aligned with your needs.

Price and Value: Paying for Performance and Features

While the Stylus 1s commands nearly double the price, you’re investing in significantly more advanced technology, including a larger sensor, brighter lens, RAW shooting, robust autofocus, and better video.

The 550WP’s affordability pairs well with its simplicity and light outdoor resilience but comes with compromises on image quality and versatility.

Olympus 1s front Olympus 1s screen back Olympus 550WP front Olympus 550WP screen back

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Let’s explore how these cameras hold up across different photography disciplines and scenarios.

Portrait Photography

• Olympus Stylus 1s: The 12MP sensor and fast F2.8 aperture facilitate attractive skin tones, pleasing background blur (bokeh), and accurate face detection autofocus for sharp eyes. Ideal for portrait enthusiasts.
• Olympus Stylus 550WP: Limited by slower lenses (F3.5-5.0) and JPEG-only capture, skin rendering is softer with less background separation. No face detection.

Landscape Photography

• Stylus 1s: Handles wide dynamic range and details well when stopped down; the 28mm wide end captures sweeping vistas. Lack of weather sealing is a downside.
• 550WP: Less dynamic range and resolution; fixed wide-angle is narrower (38mm equivalent) limiting scene breadth.

Wildlife Photography

• Stylus 1s: 300mm reach and fast 7fps burst facilitate distant animals and action shots.
• 550WP: Only 114mm max zoom, no continuous shooting; less suited for wildlife.

Sports Photography

• Stylus 1s: Strong continuous AF and burst rates make it possible to follow moderate sports action.
• 550WP: Not recommended due to slow AF and no burst.

Street Photography

• Stylus 550WP: Compact size and stealthy design excel for candid street shooting.
• Stylus 1s: Bulkier and less discreet but better for more controlled creative shooting.

Macro Photography

• Stylus 1s: Close focusing from 5cm with optical IS assists detailed close-ups.
• Stylus 550WP: Macro less forgiving due to smaller sensor and higher minimum focus distance.

Night/Astro Photography

• Stylus 1s: Higher native ISO support up to 12800, better noise control aid night scenes and moon shots.
• Stylus 550WP: ISO tops at 1600, with less usable detail in dark conditions.

Video

• Stylus 1s: Full HD video good for casual vlogging.
• Stylus 550WP: VGA resolution limits use.

Travel Photography

• Stylus 550WP: Small size and splashproof design make it a lightweight travel companion.
• Stylus 1s: More versatile but heavier and bigger.

Professional Work

• Stylus 1s: RAW capture, robust controls, and fast AF fit semi-professional workflows.
• Stylus 550WP: Casual use only.

Technical Summary: Strengths and Weaknesses at a Glance

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

Opt for the Olympus Stylus 1s if you:

• Prioritize image quality, flexibility, and creative control.
• Want a long zoom range and a fast lens for portraits, wildlife, or sports.
• Need RAW shooting for advanced editing.
• Desire a fully featured bridge camera with an electronic viewfinder.
• Want better video quality for casual productions.
• Are willing to carry a slightly heavier camera for superior results.

Choose the Olympus Stylus 550WP if:

• You want a small, rugged, and straightforward camera for casual use.
• Need a discreet pocketable option suitable for travel and street photography.
• Don’t require the latest technology or advanced controls.
• Budget is tight, and you want a basic yet reliable shooter.
• Splash and dust resistance is a plus for your shooting conditions.

Conclusion: Matching Your Camera to Your Vision

The Olympus Stylus 1s is an outstanding compact superzoom that bridges convenience and pro-level control with its powerful sensor, bright lens, and flexible features. It’s ideal if your photographic journey aims beyond simple snapshots to creative, diverse shooting scenarios requiring quality and adaptability.

The Olympus Stylus 550WP represents a different philosophy - ultra-portability, ruggedness, and simplicity. It aligns with photographers prioritizing ease, durability, and pocket-ready convenience over technical prowess.

Whatever your choice, testing these cameras hands-on remains invaluable. Explore how each performs in your typical shooting environments. Pairing the right camera with your style and needs will fuel your creative adventures.

We hope this deep dive demystified the critical differences between the Olympus Stylus 1s and Stylus 550WP. If you’re inspired by the 1s’s capabilities, check out contemporary accessories like protective bags, spare batteries, and high-speed memory cards to maximize your experience. Or, if the 550WP’s ease calls to you, consider protective cases and wrist straps to safeguard your travels.

Happy shooting!

References and Further Exploration

• Olympus Stylus 1s official specifications
• Olympus Stylus 550WP user reviews and sample galleries
• Hands-on comparisons and image samples trusted from extensive camera testing by photography experts.

If you want any help framing more detailed genre-specific guides or accessory suggestions, just let us know!