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Olympus Stylus Digital 730


Review posted 3/5/2007


Click to take a QuickTime VR tour of the Olympus Stylus Digital 730
Click on the Stylus 730 to take a QuickTime VR tour


The new Olympus Stylus 730 digital camera is designed with all levels of users in mind. The camera’s durable and stylish All-Weather exterior design is coupled with an array of features to ensure stunning images result, including:

  • A large 3.0-inch LCD and Bright Capture Technology improves composition, capture and review of images in all lighting situations;

  • Digital Image Stabilization Mode boosts ISO sensitivity and shutter speed to capture crisp, clear images;

  • New Simple Mode offers easy-to-use auto settings so your camera does all the work to capture a great shot; and

  • New Perfect Fix makes perfect pictures possible by activating three different editing features to fix red-eyes, underexposures and blurs.

Other powerful features include a 7.1-megapixel CCD image sensor that delivers high-quality images that are consistently sharp and vivid even when printed in large-formats – up to poster sizes as large as 16 x 20 inches, and a high quality Olympus lens featuring a fast f3.5 aperture and 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 38 – 114mm focal length in 35mm photography).

The exclusive TruePic TURBO™ Image Processor enhances image quality and delivers faster overall processing speeds for rapid start-up, shutter release and playback. TruePic TURBOTM enables the Stylus 730 to capture information from all 7.1 million pixels with pixel “micro- smoothing” that delivers clearer and more color-accurate photos. The fast start-up of less than one second and nearly instant shutter release time ensures a speedy response so your camera is always ready to take great pictures.

Olympus’ new Perfect Fix feature offers quick solutions for unanticipated image quality issues, which may be caused by several adverse conditions. Digital Image Stabilization Edit can be used to reduce the effects of blur, Lighting Fix can be used to adjust any underexposed areas, and Red-Eye Fix can be used to reduce the effects of red-eye sometimes caused by a direct flash. Additional in-camera editing functions can be quickly accessed right in the camera by the touch of a button; features available include resizing, trimming, frames, text options, color brightness and saturation adjustments.

With the Help Guide function, each of the camera’s features is easily accessible even to novice users. By simply rotating the mode dial to the Guide position, users can access brief descriptions of each of the camera’s functions and scene modes. An improved auto-set Shooting Guide provides users with an explanation of which features to use in a given situation, and then sets the camera automatically for the selected feature in the Guide.

An if Help Guide mode is not simple enough, the camera can be set to Simple Mode by selecting ON or OFF for flash, macro, backlight and self-timer. Large, illuminated buttons are easier to see and feel, and an extra-large 3.0-inch LCD provides ample space to display enlarged text and icon options.

Typically, water and photography are a bad combination, limiting outdoor photography options when rain, snow or sleet are involved. However, the compact, All-Weather Stylus 730 can go virtually anywhere. The metal body construction is durable and lightweight with rubber gaskets throughout the interior to ensure that rain, dust and snow won't get in the way of great photos.


Stylus 730 Features at a Glance:

  • 7.1-megapixel effective CCD and 5x optical zoom lens
  • Durable all-weather body lets you shoot in almost any weather condition
  • Built-in Help GUIDE for easy operation.
  • 24 shooting modes - 20 are preprogrammed Scene modes
  • 3-inch premium LCD with 230,000 pixel resolution
  • Bright Capture Technology for enhanced previewing and image quality in low light
  • Movies at 640x480 @ 30fps (15 second limit per clip), 320x240 @ 30fps or 160x120 @ 15fps with audio, length limited only by memory
  • Add voice memos to still pictures
  • Enhanced flash working range with ISO 1600
  • Remove red-eye, adjust brightness and saturation, or easily convert your color photos into sepia or black-and-white with built-in editing features
  • ISO sensitivity; Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (equivalent)
  • Built-in all-weather speaker and microphone
  • xD-Picture Card slot for cards as large as 2GB
  • Auto-Connect USB for quick and easy image transfer to computer
  • Direct printing to any PictBridge compatible printer
  • Lithium rechargeable battery and charger included


The Stylus 730 is available now with an MSRP of US$349.99. It ships with: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, Li-42B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, instruction manual, warranty card, and a CD-ROM with OLYMPUS Master Software.






Physical Views

Olympus Stylus Digital 730

Olympus Stylus Digital 730

Olympus Stylus Digital 730 Olympus Stylus Digital 730

Olympus Stylus Digital 730

Olympus Stylus Digital 730





Olympus Stylus Digital 730

The Stylus 730 compared in size to a standard CD.




Olympus Stylus Digital 730

The Stylus 730 and the Stylus 740.



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Features & Controls











Stylus 730 Specifications

Imager 7.1 Megapixel (effective), 7.4 Megapixel gross, 1/2.3” (1.10cm) CCD
Lens 6.7 – 20.1 mm (38 – 114mm equivalent in 35mm photography), 10 lenses in 8 groups, 3 aspherical lenses, 1 ED lens
Zoom 3x Optical Zoom + 5x Digital Zoom (seamless to 15x)
Maximum Aperture f3.5 – f5.0
LCD 3.0” (7.6cm) Color LCD, approx. 230,000 pixels
Focus System CCD Contrast Detection
Focus Range Normal Mode: 19.7” – infinity (0.5m – infinity) Macro Mode (Wide): 7.9” – infinity (0.2m – infinity) Macro Mode (Tele): 11.8” – infinity (0.3m – infinity) Super Macro Mode: 2.8” – 19.7” (7 – 50cm)
Focus Mode iESP Auto, Spot AF
Shutter Speed 1/1000 sec. – 1/2 sec. (up to 4 sec. in Night Scene mode)
ISO Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (equivalent)
Metering Mode Digital ESP Auto Multi-Pattern TTL, Spot Metering
White Balance iESP2 Multi-Pattern Auto TTL, Pre-Set (Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent1, Fluorescent2, Fluorescent3)
Recording Modes Still Image: JPEG
Movie: QuickTime® motion JPEG
Adjustment Resolutions 3,072 x 2,304, SHQ / HQ
2,560 x 1,920, SQ1
2,304 x 1,728, SQ1
2,048 x 1,536, SQ1
1,600 x 1,200, SQ2
1,280 x 960, SQ2
1,024 x 768, SQ2
640 x 480, SQ2
1,920 x 1,080, 16:9
Shooting Modes 24 Shooting Modes: Auto, Program Auto, Scene Preset (Portrait, Landscape, Landscape & Portrait, Night Scene, Night & Portrait, Sport, Indoor, Candle, Self-Portrait, Available Light Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, Museum, Cuisine, Behind Glass, Documents, Auction, Shoot & Select1, Shoot & Select2, Beach & Snow), Digital Image Stabilization Mode, Movie
Panorama Modes Up to 10 frames automatically stitchable with OLYMPUS Master Software when using Olympus brand xD-Picture Card™
Up to 3 frames can be stitched in-camera
Sequential Shooting High speed: 3.5 frames per second up to 11 frames in SQ1 mode
Normal speed: 1.0 frames per second, 6 frames or more in HQ mode
Shooting Assist Functions Compare & Shoot
Movie Mode QuickTime® Movie with Sound: 640x480/30fps, SHQ; 320x240/30fps, HQ; 160x120/15fps, SQ
Image Processing TruePic TURBO™ Image Processor
Pixel Mapping Automatic Pixel Mapping (APM) available via menu setting
Noise Reduction Set automatically at shutter speeds of 0.5 seconds or longer
Image Playback Still Image: Single, Index Display (4/9/16/25), Up to 10x Enlargement, Slideshow, Rotation, Calendar, Album, Histogram
Movie: Normal, Reverse, Frame-By-Frame
Playback Edit Effects Still Image: Digital Image Stabilization Edit, Lighting Fix, Red-Eye Fix, Resize, Trimming, Rotation, Black & White, Sepia, Frame, Label, Calendar, Layout, Brightness, Saturation
Movie: Frame Index
Direct Printing Options PictBridge™ and DPOF
Flash Built-in
Flash Modes Auto (for low-light and backlit conditions), Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-In, Off
Flash Working Range Wide: 12.5 ft. (3.8m), Tele: 8.5 ft. (2.6m)
Selftimer 12 Seconds/Auto
Setting Memorization On/Off (Hold changes/Reset to default settings)
Date/Time Calendar Simultaneous recording into image data, Automatic up to 2099
Removable Media Card xD-Picture Card™ (16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512MB, 1GB or 2GB)
Outer Connectors Multi-terminal (USB connecter, Audio/Video output, DC input*) *Optional DC coupler (CB-MA1) is required.
Auto-connect USB 2.0 Full Speed (USB mass storage)
System Requirements Auto-Connect USB: Windows® 98SE/ME/2000PRO/XP with USB Port, Mac OS® 9.0-9.2x/OS X 10.1-10.4 with USB port
Software: Windows 98SE/ME/2000PRO/XP, Mac® 10.2 and higher
Operating Environment Operation: 32° – 104°F (0° – 40°C), 30% – 90% humidity
Storage: -4° – 140°F (-20° – 60°C), 10% – 90% humidity
Power Supply Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (LI-42B), AC Adapter (D-7AC) with the Optional DC Coupler (CB-MA1)
Size 3.8” W x 2.4” H x 0.83” D (95.4mm x 61.4mm x 21.0mm)
Weight 4.6 oz. (130g) without battery and media card



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