great little camera

Olympus Stylus SH-2 has exceeded my expectations. It is very intuitive to use. Love the styling which is like a 35m Olympus film camera I used to have. Very light, which is exactly what I need for taking on walks/cycle rides. Zoom is good for wildlife. Close-up option for wildflowers is great.

A camera with style and substance

Although you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I first have to say how stylish and smart this camera looks. It's got that old-school, hipster feel to it (and I mean that in a good way!). I love the black, leather look and silver detail to the front.

If you're someone who is ready to give up on fixed lens cameras, either focusing on advanced DSLR models or going with the convenience of a smartphone camera, you may want to take a look at my Olympus Stylus SH-2 review before dismissing fixed lens cameras completely.

This Olympus 24x zoom camera is made for the night

The SH-2 features a 25-600mm lens backed by five-axis image stabilization and a full set of shooting options to keep your low-light photos and movies bright and clear.

Olympus Stylus SH-2 Review

The Olympus Stylus SH-1 ( at Amazon) was a camera that I really wanted to like. Its stylish, compact body housed a 24x zoom lens with a rock-solid 5-axis stabilization system, and its touch screen made it incredibly easy to pick a focus spot. But the camera's JPG output was a major issue, delivering images that looked waxy and devoid of texture. Its successor, the SH-2 ($399.95), still shows that issue, but the addition of Raw shooting support allows photographers to sidestep the JPG engine entirely. That makes it a solid option in this category, but not the equal of our Editors' Choice, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 ($350.00 at Amazon) . The ZS50 reaches a bit longer with a 30x zoom, also supports Raw capture, and includes an integrated electronic viewfinder, all for the same price as the SH-2. Design and FeaturesThe SH-2 ($399.99 at Adorama)  is pretty average in size when compared with others in its class, although its protruding lens adds some depth. It measures 2.5 by 4.3 by ...

The Olympus Stylus SH-2 is a stylish compact camera with a 24x zoom. It's a solid performer when shooting Raw, but its JPG output is disappointing.

Sharp lens; Raw capture support; 24x zoom range; Excellent build quality; 5-axis image stabilization; Touch-screen LCD; Photo Story and Art Filter modes; 10.4fps burst shooting; Snappy focus; 1080p60 video; Wi-Fi

Waxy JPG output; Doesn't include external battery charger

Olympus Traveller SH-2 review