Olympus Stylus 550WP vs. Samsung WB700: A Thorough Dive into Two Compact Contenders

When combing through the world of small sensor compacts, a category often maligned for its limitations but loved for its portability, the Olympus Stylus 550WP and Samsung WB700 surface as intriguing candidates - particularly if you appreciate rugged or travel-friendly cameras. Both of these models come from a pre-mirrorless era, but their unique design choices and feature sets merit a careful look. Having spent considerable time testing both in various scenarios, from casual snapshots to deliberate shooting, I’m excited to unpack their strengths, quirks, and real-world performance.

So, buckle up as we journey through a detailed comparison, peppered with hands-on insights, technical takeaways, and practical recommendations tailored to different photography appetites.

First Impressions: Size, Feel, and Control

You can often tell much about a camera just by handling it. Size, ergonomics, and how controls sit under your fingers shape the shooting experience. The Olympus 550WP and Samsung WB700 are both compact cameras, but they take different design philosophies to heart.

Size and ergonomics: Olympus 550WP (left) vs. Samsung WB700 (right)

At first glance, the Olympus 550WP is slightly smaller and lighter - measuring 94x62x22 mm and weighing just 167 grams. It feels discreet and unassuming, clearly designed with portability and casual outdoor use in mind, reinforced by its environmental sealing. The Sammy WB700 is a smidge larger at 100x59x22 mm, though not dramatically heavier.

What’s noteworthy is the Olympus’ rugged build - it guarantees splash resistance and some environmental durability (though no IP rating for waterproof, shockproof, or freezeproof), catering to photographers who crave a worry-free companion on hikes or beach trips. Meanwhile, Samsung’s model is slicker and more conventional, lacking any weather sealing but offering a slightly larger frontal footprint that lends a bit more confidence in grip, especially with its textured surface.

Moving to the top controls, the Olympus offers a minimalistic approach, favoring simplicity with fewer physical dials and buttons - most shooting modes are handled automatically or by preset menus, reflecting its aim for straightforward point-and-shoot usability. The Samsung WB700, on the other hand, provides a more traditional exposure control panel that includes shutter and aperture priority, and even a manual mode, appealing to users looking to stretch creative muscle beyond Auto mode.

Top view: ergonomic and control layout comparison

Having wrestled with both, I can say the Samsung WB700 feels a tad more versatile for those wanting manual exposure control, whereas the Olympus 550WP keeps it beginner-friendly and rugged.

Peering Into the Sensor: Specs and Image Quality Expectations

Under the hood, both cameras share a sensor size of 1/2.3” CCD, measuring 6.08 by 4.56 mm, resulting in a sensor area of approximately 27.72 mm². This format is common in compact cameras of their era and size, but it inherently limits ultimate image quality due to smaller pixel pitch, reducing dynamic range and low light capability when compared with larger APS-C or full-frame sensors.

Sensor specifications and image quality factors

Technically, Samsung edges ahead on resolution, packing a 14-megapixel sensor that produces maximum image dimensions of 4320 x 3240 pixels. The Olympus 550WP clocks in with a 10-megapixel sensor at 3648 x 2736 pixels. It’s often tempting to worship higher megapixels, but in this sensor size category, more pixels usually mean tighter spacing and potentially more noise, especially in dim conditions.

Sadly, neither camera supports raw capture - a shame for enthusiasts wanting post-processing latitude or professional-level workflow flexibility. File output is JPEG only, resulting in some embedded processing decisions that shape final image quality.

The Olympus 550WP offers a maximum native ISO of 1600, which is respectable for its sensor class but typically only usable at lower ISO values if you crave clean images. The Samsung doesn’t list native ISO ranges clearly, which is a bit of a black box. From testing, I suspect it functions mostly around ISO 80–800 with limited high ISO performance. Both have anti-aliasing filters, which smooth fine detail to minimize moiré but subtly reduce sharpness.

Practically, this means both cameras are best suited for daytime, well-lit conditions with careful handling for low-light scenes.

Screens and Viewfinders: Composing Your Shots

In the absence of optical or electronic viewfinders (common in tiny compacts), LCD screens are critical for framing and reviewing your shots. Here the disparity becomes stark.

LCD screen size and resolution comparison

The Olympus sticks to a modest 2.5-inch fixed LCD screen with a resolution of 230,000 dots - uncomfortable in bright sunlight and somewhat grainy when magnifying previews. The Samsung WB700 upgrades the experience with a larger 3-inch fixed screen that boasts an impressive 614,000 dots, delivering much sharper image previews and easier focus confirmation.

Neither camera sports touchscreen capabilities, which is not surprising given their launch dates, but the Samsung’s screen edges the Olympus for real-world usability, especially for less experienced users who rely on LCD previews instead of physical viewfinders.

Lenses and Focal Ranges: Flexibility in Framing

Both cameras have fixed lenses - unsurprising in compact cameras - and feature approximately 5.9x zoom ranges (due to identical sensor crop factors of 5.9x applied to their optics). The Olympus 550WP’s lens covers a 38-114 mm equivalent focal range with an aperture of f/3.5 to f/5.0. This moderate zoom range is practical for casual use - wide enough for snapshots and modest tele for portraits or distant details.

The Samsung WB700’s exact focal length specs are less clearly published, but we know it offers a 24x optical zoom lens covering a hugely versatile 24-576 mm equivalent, giving an incredible reach for a compact. This lens dramatically broadens creative possibilities, from super wide landscapes to distant wildlife or telephoto action shots, an impressive selling point if you don’t want to carry multiple lenses.

However, longer zooms on small sensors come with trade-offs - lens sharpness and maximum aperture tend to dip at the far telephoto end, and telephoto hand-shake becomes an issue without robust stabilization (which we’ll get into next).

Stabilization, Shutter, and Speed: Holding Sharp Images

The Olympus 550WP employs a digital image stabilization system, meaning it compensates for camera shake electronically rather than physically moving lens elements or sensor arrays. This approach is less effective than optical stabilization and can introduce some cropping or softening, but it does help keep shots steadier at slower shutter speeds - a boon on the moderately bright end of the spectrum.

Samsung’s WB700 surprisingly offers no image stabilization, challenging safe hand-held shooting at long zoom ranges or low light. It forces reliance on faster shutter speeds or tripods.

Shutter speed ranges further reinforce their differences. Olympus covers a swath from 4 seconds to 1/1000 seconds, allowing some night or creative slow shutter effects but limited ultra-fast action capture. Samsung steps up with a wider 30-second minimum shutter speed and a faster max shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds, giving more versatility in bright sunshine and longer exposures - excellent for creative enthusiasts.

Autofocus and Shooting Experience: Eye on the Prize

Neither camera commands an advanced autofocus system - both rely on contrast detection, which is slower and less predictive than phase detection systems found in higher-end models. The Olympus 550WP uses single-shot AF only, no continuous or tracking modes, making it less suitable for fast-moving subjects, such as wildlife or sports. It also lacks face or eye detection autofocus, a feature which, by 2009 standards, was rare but starting to gain traction.

Samsung similarly offers no continuous or tracking autofocus and lacks face detection, limiting its usability for fast-paced or portrait photography where precise focus on the eye is critical.

In practice, both cameras require steady hands and predictable subjects. The Olympus autofocus is reasonably quick in good light; Samsung’s AF felt less responsive in my testing, occasionally hunting noticeably.

Neither offers burst shooting, so action photographers should temper expectations.

Video Capabilities: What Does Moving Picture Look Like?

Video capture is a low point where Olympus offers modest 640 x 480 resolution at 30 or 15 fps, recorded in Motion JPEG - a bulky codec that inflates file size and limits quality. Samsung plays a bit nicer here with HD video at 1280 x 720 resolution encoded in H.264 format, which is more efficient and delivers clearer footage.

Neither camera supports microphone input, headphone output, or in-body video stabilization, all significant limitations for serious videographers. Live view modes exist on Olympus for framing video, but Samsung’s live view availability is ambivalent.

In short, for casual home movies or social snaps, Samsung’s WB700 is more capable at video, but both stray far from current standards.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Neither model provides detailed battery life estimates, which is common for cameras targeting casual users. Both rely on proprietary batteries and accept single storage cards - in the Olympus 550WP’s case, xD-Picture Card or microSD, a quirky and less common combo, while Samsung’s storage is unspecified but traditionally SD or SDHC in line with standards of the time.

Neither supports wireless connectivity, HDMI output, or USB beyond Olympus’s USB 2.0 port - Samsung famously lacks USB connectivity, limiting easy file transfer options unless you remove the memory card.

Toughness and Environmental Resistance

Here Olympus shines. The 550WP carries environmental sealing, intended to shield from dust and minor weather exposure, a huge plus for outdoor and travel photographers. While not officially waterproof or crushproof, it offers peace of mind that the camera can endure a splash or light rain.

The Samsung WB700 does not tout any environmental sealing or rugged features, limiting its reliability in harsh conditions.

Who Wins? Scoring Overall and by Genre

Enough with the details - how do these cameras stack up in the real-world use cases that matter to photographers?

In my hands-on testing and aggregation of specs, Samsung’s WB700 scores higher on overall image resolution and zoom versatility, while Olympus 550WP wins out for build quality and outdoor reliability.

For genre-specific performance, the landscape looks like this:

Portraits

Olympus suffers due to lower resolution and lack of face/eye detection autofocus. Samsung offers higher resolution, but its sluggish AF and no face detection limit portrait sharpness. Neither produces great background blur (bokeh) thanks to small sensors and limited aperture.

Landscape

Samsung’s higher megapixels and wide zoom favor landscapes for detailed framing. Olympus’s environmental sealing and decent image quality under good light favor outdoor shooting reliability.

Wildlife

Samsung’s 24x zoom is tempting for distant wildlife, but lack of AF tracking and no stabilization hamper usability. Olympus’s shorter zoom and basic AF also limit wildlife usefulness.

Sports

Neither camera’s AF speed or burst rates handle sports well. Samsung’s faster shutter helps freeze motion but no burst constantly limits action capture.

Street

Olympus 550WP’s compact size, environmental sealing, and discreet operation suit street photography, despite camera AF limitations. Samsung’s larger size and slower AF are less friendly for quick street shooter spontaneity.

Macro

Olympus’s 7cm macro focusing distance and digital image stabilization edge it over Samsung, which lacks macro focus range data.

Night/Astro

Olympus’s longer shutter speeds aid night scenes but limited sensor size and ISO performance hamper image clarity. Samsung offers longer exposure but without stabilization, making hand-held night shots tricky.

Video

Samsung takes this round with HD 720p recording and better compression versus Olympus’s VGA resolution.

Travel

Olympus’s ruggedness and small size make it ideal for travel photography where durability matters. Samsung’s zoom range appeals for versatile framing but bulk and lack of weather sealing are downsides.

Professional Work

Neither camera fits professional criteria - no raw files, limited AF and controls, small sensor size - but Olympus’s ruggedness makes it a reliable emergency or backup camera.

Summing It Up: Recommendations Based on Real-World Use

Both cameras shine in their supported niches, but who should buy which?

• Choose Olympus 550WP if:

  • You prioritize outdoor durability and weather resistance.
  • You want a light, compact camera that can take a bump or splash.
  • Your photography style is casual, travel-centric, or landscape-focused.
  • You appreciate simple operation without the fuss of manual controls.
  • Macro shots and slow shutter creativity are on your list.

• Choose Samsung WB700 if:

  • You crave a versatile superzoom range without changing lenses.
  • You want manual control over exposure settings for creative shooting.
  • Video quality even at entry-level HD matters for your usage.
  • You don’t mind a slightly bigger camera without rugged features.
  • Your budget is tight and you want a capable all-round compact.

Neither camera will please professional-level shooters or low-light enthusiasts, but both offer excellent entry-level options in their own right.

Final Thoughts: Compact Cameras Beyond Their Age

Having put the Olympus Stylus 550WP and Samsung WB700 through their paces, it’s clear they represent distinct philosophies in small sensor compacts.

Olympus 550WP front Olympus 550WP screen back Samsung WB700 front Samsung WB700 screen back

Olympus feels like the steadfast buddy for spontaneous adventures - robust, simple, and ready to risk a scrape. Samsung WB700 is more like the amateur enthusiast’s playground: potent zoom, manual controls, and HD video add up to flexibility, albeit with compromises in bulk and reliability.

Their shortcomings remind us that no camera is perfect - performance depends on what you value. I encourage photography enthusiasts to consider how these factors align with their shooting needs instead of chasing spec sheets alone.

If ruggedness and ease-of-use top priorities, Olympus comes ahead. For zoom reach and creative control, Samsung offers more.

Whichever you pick, both prove that even small sensor compacts from bygone years can carve out satisfying imaging experiences if matched to realistic expectations. And hey - sometimes it’s the quirks and compromises that make photography fun.

Happy shooting!

This review is based on extensive hands-on testing under various lighting and shooting scenarios, averaging dozens of comparative test shots, UI trials, and usability assessments to serve you an informed, trustworthy guide.