Olympus SH-50
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 125 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
- 269g - 112 x 63 x 42mm
- Revealed January 2013
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
88 Imaging
40 Features
48 Overall
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Olympus SH-50 summary
Olympus SH-50 is Olympus's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera originally announced on January of 2013. It uses a 16 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.
The SH-50 places at #86 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and over all #586 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check our Smart camera search to find camera rankings based on your personalized criteria.
Below is a diagram of specific factors used in the rating system.
Olympus SH-50 history
The Olympus SH-50 comes with a history of related digital cameras. Underneath, you can look at all previous and brand new models as well as important specifications.
F3.0-6.916MP1/2.3"2013
Olympus SH-50 Gallery
You can see the SH-50 from several angles in the gallery below.
Olympus SH-50 Pros and Cons
Below is a collection of positives and negatives of the Olympus SH-50 based on things that are usually considered important in a digital camera.
Olympus SH-50 Sensor details
The Olympus SH-50 houses the TruePic VI processor. The specification of the sensor in the Olympus SH-50 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can easily produce cropping.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banThe BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16 megapixels and supports a standard ISO range of 125 - 6400. Sadly, RAW files are not supported therefore you have less room to maneuver in post.
The graphic below displays the SH-50's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The SH-50 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsTo get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.
Olympus SH-50 dimensions
Olympus SH-50 has a weight of 0.59 pounds (269g or 9.49 ounces) and the sizing of the camera is 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387g so the Olympus SH-50 is less heavy when compared with its rivals.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneBelow is a pic of the Olympus SH-50 beside a soft drink to help you have a feel for its scale.
The top view below will illustrate the button arrangement on the SH-50.
Olympus SH-50 Lens specs
The SH-50 has a fixed lens providing a focal range of 25-600mm giving it a 24.0 x zoom which is huge and does enable you to zoom right in.
At the widest 25mm, the lens provides an aperture of f3.0 making it kind of slow and not the best in low light occasions and you might struggle to capture good bokeh. You will also need to increase the ISO producing noisy images. Towards the tele end, 600mm is amazing zoom and comes at f6.9 making it fairly sluggish and you may need to use slower shutter speeds.
Olympus SH-50 Connectivity
The SH-50 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
Digital cameras that come with NFC and / or Bluetooth support can be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can copy files and sometimes alter settings without the hassle of connecting directly to the camera.
Some applications even allow a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it can be attached to an external screen. Almost all cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack through the USB port.
Olympus SH-50 Video specs
The max video resolution in the Olympus SH-50 is 1920 x 1080 and it can capture in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 1080p resolution can provide a good balance for video quality versus file sizes but 1080p will not give you much room to downsample. The camera does not have a mic and / or headphone socket which means that you have got no control over your sound. It is probably a better idea to order another camera if you want good sound in your videos.
Olympus SH-50 Weather Sealing
There is no environment proofing on the Olympus SH-50 so you need to be careful in rainy or dusty situations.
Olympus SH-50 Screen and Viewfinder
The Olympus SH-50 houses a 3" fixed screen boasting a resolution of 460k dots.
Moreover the screen is touch friendly which means you can easily set focus point as well as change settings using your fingertips.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe View Finder specifications regarding Olympus SH-50 are below:
- ViewFinder None
Viewfinders can be rather helpful for bright outdoor situations which will make the camera screen washed out and difficult to view.
Olympus SH-50 Shutter specs
Olympus SH-50 has the ability to shoot continuously at 12.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 sec.
Olympus SH-50 Flash and Hot shoe specs
Olympus SH-50 has got only in-built flash with no external flash support.
Olympus SH-50 Autofocusing specs
Olympus SH-50 has got just Contrast Based AF and doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more quicker and exact when compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera boasts Face detection which makes it handy for taking portraits of people.
Olympus SH-50 has touch to focus. You can use your fingers in order to switch focus. It also features Tracking AF for moving objects. Olympus SH-50 can use manual focusing if needed for low light or you require more accurate control on focusing.
Olympus SH-50 Battery life
The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR offers the maximum (600) battery life for this group of cameras.
Here is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that come with the highest battery life:
Olympus SH-50 for varying styles of photography
The following bar chart provides a rundown of the Olympus SH-50 for varying styles of photography. To check out more, visit the specific paragraph below.
Olympus SH-50 Portrait photography advice
The Olympus SH-50 gets a score of 44 which is horrible, meaning that it is not really appropriate to use for portrait photography. Shooting portrait photos leans heavily to sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos & option to utilize off-camera flash.
Olympus SH-50 Street photography details
Having a nice points total of 64, the Olympus SH-50 is a good option to use in street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of image quality plus portability.
Sports photography with Olympus SH-50
A average sports photography score of 48 indicates the Olympus SH-50 is fairly appropriate for shooting sports. A camera should have fantastic autofocus plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.
Olympus SH-50 Travel photography factors
Size is super crucial when choosing a travel camera. All things considered, the Olympus SH-50 gets a nice 69 as a travel camera which is a very decent option for your vacations.
Landscape photography with Olympus SH-50
If you're looking to choose a digital camera for landscape photography, the most essential factor will no doubt be image quality. The Olympus SH-50 and it's moderate rating of 49 for a landscape camera is reasonably acceptable amongst it's competition.
Olympus SH-50 Vlogging advice
A camera for vlogging really should offer a moving display screen, mic input and if possible image stabilization. Considering all things, the Olympus SH-50 is not really appropriate as a vlog camera as it gets a horrible rating of 34.
Olympus SH-50 Alternatives
If you are searching for replacements to the SH-50, below is a range of the top rated cameras which fall in to the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.
The chart listed below shows you a summary of the SH-50 compared to it's highest scored rivals shown earlier.
These are various other cameras you might look into as alternative options. To look at a thorough comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.