DMC Zoom555 Digital Camera Review

The Zoom555 is the latest addition to DMC's Optio line of digital cameras, packing a 5.0-megapixel CCD and 5x optical zoom lens into an exceptionally compact body. A wide range of preset shooting modes tackles difficult subjects, and the camera offers automatic or partial manual exposure control, accommodating users of just about any experience level. An impressive set of creative effects and capture modes rounds out the feature list.

Image quality is generally very good, with a high degree of corner to corner sharpness in our lab tests at normal shooting distances and very low image noise. The camera's autofocus system is very quick and accurate, although it does occasionally miss the subject when shooting in macro mode. The camera also displays some softening in the corners of the frame on closeups, which is not uncommon for digicams at this price point.

Using the Menu button, you can set the camera to record video in one of three formats and at various resolutions. The camera can also record short audio clips that accompany captured images.

You can view captured images or videos on the camera's LCD monitor. The arrow pad buttons allow you to select and display up to nine thumbnail images at a time on the screen, and the playback controls let you zoom in and out of captured images. The Delete button removes images and video clips from the memory card.

A dedicated Movie recording mode records movies for as long as your SD memory card has space (our 16-megabyte card held 41 seconds). In this mode, you can set the shutter speed and aperture manually. The 555 also supports an optional 3D stereograph-like capture mode, which Zoom555 records two images of the same scene, similar to old-fashioned stereographs.

The camera's external controls are logically placed, and the on-screen menu system is easy to navigate. You can use the mode dial to quickly set the main operating modes, including Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Autofocus, Panorama Assist, 3D, and Digital Filter.

An on/off button located unobtrusively on the top panel powers the 555. A second press of this button sets the camera to the Picture, Movie, or Panorama Assist recording mode. The mode dial allows you to easily set the main exposure options, and it also provides access to the programmable Function button. This lets you save a group of preset settings for instant recall, and it can be programmed to activate a particular capture mode when pressed. The Optio 555 also features an autofocus button, which allows you to select between Spot AF mode selection (adjustable from one of four spots located around the center focus point), Manual Focus mode selection, and Wide or Infinity AF modes. You can also use this button to adjust the sensitivity of the autofocus sensor.