Has it been a few years since you purchased your point and shoot camera? If you're thinking about making an upgrade, a lot has changed in the world of instant cameras. Olympus, the makers of one of the first water-resistant cameras, has taken it to the next level with their Stylus Tough line of digital cameras.
I recently had the opportunity to test the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW 10-megapixel digital camera, and I was surprised by its size. It may only weigh a little over 6 ounces and fit in the palm of your hand, but it packs a lot of punch. It can also take a punch – it's able to withstand up to 220 pounds of pressure, can be dropped from 6-1/2 feet, is waterproof to 33 feet and is freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The Quick Start Guide was very easy to follow, and the only delay in getting started was waiting for the camera to charge, which took less than two hours.
I immediately noticed the unobtrusive lens cover on the Stylus 1030 SW. I own one of the earlier Stylus cameras with a large, sliding lens cover. While elegant in design, it was sensitive and would often close if lightly bumped when I was in the middle of taking a shot. The Stylus 1030 SW's lens cover is designed in such a way that it would be impossible to close it accidentally. In addition, the HyperCrystal II LCD at 2.7" is generously sized with adequate color representation. Another plus is the shutter lag, which has definitely decreased compared to earlier Stylus models.
At one point, after getting a little frustrated trying to switch between several of the myriad features, I came to the realization that I was holding a pretty tripped out camera disguised as a tiny point and shoot. In addition to the aforementioned features, the Stylus 1030 SW has a 3.6x wide-angle zoom lens, Face Detection, Red Eye Reduction, Digital Image Stabilization, AVI Movie with sound and In-Camera Panorama (with three different options for combining shots). These are only a few of the many features that the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW has packed into a small but impressive camera.
One of the first features that I experimented with was the Panoramic mode. In the Panorama Camera 2 mode, I manually shot each frame, and then the camera combined those individual frames to create one panoramic image. While not completely seamless, the Stylus 1030 SW did a nice job. Depending on the environment in which you are taking a photo, there are Scene Modes that consist of an array of photo-taking situations such as Fireworks, Night Scene, Beach & Snow, or Behind Glass. Using the Night Scene mode, the Stylus 1030 SW did a good job with photographing an illuminated building – that included snow in the foreground of the shot – producing only slightly grainy results. Of course, it is a little cumbersome to operate the camera's buttons outdoors with gloved hands, but that is to be expected. And for those of you who still pull out your trusty red eye reducing pen, you can toss it in the trash. The Stylus 1030 SW's red eye reduction flash will take care of that problem for you. While these are some of the standard features, there are plenty of more exotic features that Olympus packs.
Not only can you take still under water photos with the Stylus 1030 SW, you can also shoot movies. While you cannot use the optical zoom for a non-water movie, it does have surprisingly good sound quality. The sound is not available when shooting underwater movies. The Stylus 1030 SW also has Macro and Super-Macro modes that worked particularly well with underwater still shots. Another feature that Olympus boasts is the Face Detection technology. It is supposed to automatically focus on the face of your subject, so you get the best shot possible. However, the camera didn't "detect" the face of my subject unless they were looking straight at the camera. A slightly more valuable feature is the Digital Image Stabilization. When the Digital Image Stabilization mode was set, the camera did a great job of reducing – if not totally eliminating – blur of an image.
Overall, the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is a rugged point and shoot camera perfect for those who want to capture every moment of their outdoor adventures, or to just to remember every day events. The Waterproof feature alone makes the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW a camera worth a second look. It can be purchased for approximately $349.99. Check Olympus.com to find a retailer in your area.
