Olympus SH 25-MR Review

Small form factor

The Olympus SH 25-MR comes equipped with a 16MP CMOS sensor that can capture images at a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456. Having a CMOS sensor has its advantages over a CCD sensor as they offer better low light performance. Another interesting feature found here is the high ISO range, with the maximum ISO sensitivity available here being ISO 6400. This is great for capturing images in low lit areas. The touchscreen capabilities of this camera are yet another highlighted feature. The screen is not of the highest resolution we have seen, but the 430k dot display is more than sufficient in providing the detail in images previewed or reviewed on the camera itself. The display also has the option for allowing one to touch to focus and touch to capture. This is a neat feature and it is a great inclusion, especially when you consider the price of the camera.

Being a travel compact camera, the Olympus SH 25-MR comes with GPS capabilities. Most compact cameras have a lot of difficulty in capturing the signal, but this happened in a cinch on this model. The first time, during the set-up process it took time to refine the location, however, all succeeding times it found the location instantly. A neat aspect of this camera is that if the camera is powered on and one is travelling, it keeps on updating the location without losing its signal.

Large hand grip featured here

Olympus have added a Multi Recording function to the camera, which allows you to capture a Full HD movie and an image, simultaneously without the loss of any pixel count. There is a dedicated mode on the camera for accessing this function and in this mode, there are three sub modes, such as frame, size and magic. In the size mode, the camera saves two different sized photos or movie files, simultaneously; in the frame mode, two images or videos from different angles are saved simultaneously and in Magic mode, a picture with a filter is saved at the same time as the original. This is a mode that can grab someone's attention for a sizeable amount of time and it allows one to get creative by trying out the different capabilities.

Apart from this mode, there is a photo with video mode allowing one to record a movie before and after an image, a panorama mode, scene modes with a range of presets, a magic mode that has a ton of filters and a 3D shooting mode that records images that can be viewed on a compatible 3D TV or monitor.

Olympus has not held back any punches and just like adding a ton of features to this camera, they have not compromised on the video recording capabilities as well. The Olympus SH 25-MR can record Full HD 1080p videos keeping it at par with the other high end cameras available in the market. Videos are recorded in the MOV container using the H.264 video codec.

3-inch touchscreen at the back

Rounding up this section of the review, this camera is feature packed and comes with loads of functions that will allow one’s curiosity in photography to expand beyond the conventional.

Specifications

• 16 Megapixel backlit CMOS sensor
• 12.5x super-wide optical zoom (24-300mm)
• Multi Recording functions
• 3.0-inch 460,000 dot touch panel LCD
• GPS & Electronic Compass
• Dual Image Stabilisation
• Aperture ranges from f/3 (wide), f/5.9 (telephoto)
• ISO Range is 80 to 6400
• 43MB internal memory
• 925mAh battery