Boosting SP570UZ Image Quality

[Heuristx]

The SP570UZ is a camera that comes darn close to an all-in-one solution to all photo applications. It is handy, easy to carry and use, and has fantastic functions all crammed in a small unit.

But there is a tradeoff that everyone should be aware of.

So, if you decide to NOT join the poor maniacs(of whom I am one) who carry bags with extra lenses and a ton of other gadgets, frantically changing lenses every five minutes, be prepared that you'll have to cope with some problems in exchange. Here are some suggestions that can help boost the quality you can get out of the SP570:

The first problem is that the image sensor is tiny. This means noise in the final image. Luckily, there is a solution to the problem: Neat Image, the noise-removal program:
http://www.neatimage.com/index.html?d72
If you just want pictures on your screen, the free(!) jpeg mode is fine. The difference between the input and output is dramatic! If later you want to do large, good quality prints, consider getting the $49- registered version.

Next: limited sensitivity. Over ISO 200, the sensor will produce grainy images. Perhaps Neat Image will help there, too, I haven't tried it, so try pushing it to ISO 400, but not further. Also, it is worth trying to use a -0.3 exposure adjustment on sunny days. Pictures should be post-processed, for which the free GIMP:
www.GIMP.org
is a good solution. At least an auto-levels should be tried, maybe a Color Boost, perhaps a slight contrast boost, and then an Unsharp Mask. Finally, the noise removal in Neat Image.

The other problematic area is the lens. It is unbelievable what range the lens has, but it is a bit soft in wide and normal modes, and there is a rather strong vignetting on the telephoto end. Also in telephoto mode, a strong purple fringe.

To cope with these:

Try keeping the aperture at 8.0 or so(use the A mode on the mode dial) for any focal length. Set Sharpness to 0 in the menu, the GIMP will do a better job at sharpening. Against vignetting, there is another free program, rather simple, but it does the job! It can be downloaded from:
http://www.fsoft.it/Imaging/Vignetting.htm

To combat the purple fringe at the telephoto end, the GIMP has a plugin at:
http://registry.gimp.org/node/185

again, free of charge. It does a decent job.

Sometimes a slight HDR can also boost sharpness, so I tried HDR. Photomatix makes it easy, but it doesn't give enough control; only accepts pictures with at least a 1.0 difference in exposure, and produces a rather harsh, unrealistic result. I had better luck with taking 3 pictures at a time with a 0.3 difference in jpeg format (the SP570 cannot take them in RAW; set the format to Jpeg, set the AE Bracketing to 0.3 and turn the bracketing on), and loading the three pictures into Dynamic Photo HDR, again, from MediaChance.com. I tried the Human Eye and the Eye Catching options and got good results. If you try HDR, don't edit the individual shots with the GIMP before; do the post-processing on the result that Dynamic Photo HDR produced.

The SP570 makes it difficult to use a filter or even a lens hood, but I think that's fine; filters can be simulated, and the lens does not show flare even in a backlit situation.

Finally, I found it difficult to see the LCD when the camera was held at awkward angles, like when you raise it above your head to shoot above a crowd of spectators or when the camrea is held low and pointed sharply upwards. The solution I found was: an old pocket tv can be connected through the video cable, and so you can have a remote viewfinder that gives you total freedom to aim your camera. See the post on this site under Other Digital Photography Gear - No Hinged LCD?, at:
No hinged LCD?

I hope this helps. Enjoy your SP570, it is a very powerful camera that can produce large prints worth hanging on the wall!