Olympus Stylus Digital 1030 SW Review

Click on the Stylus 1030 SW to take a QuickTime VR tour

Designed for adventurers users worldwide, Olympus has unleashed the 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1030 SW, the toughest point-and-shoot camera in the world. This shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof, crushproof and dustproof model builds on the Olympus Stylus SW series, which has a reputation of delivering great images while enduring extreme expeditions and everyday adventures, including life with kids.

Even more durable than its predecessors - it can withstand a drop from 6.6 feet - the camera has also been pumped up with a 3.6x wide optical zoom (28-102mm equivalent in 35mm photography, f3.5-5.0), 2.7- inch HyperCrystal II LCD screen and digital imaging advances, including Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology, and a TruePicTM III Image Processor to capture rich, vibrant detail with every shot. In addition, it features a crushproof body that can withstand up to 220 pounds of crushing pressure.

The Stylus 1030 SW performs as well underwater as it does on land because its lightweight, stainless steel and aluminum exterior is matched with interior rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal out the elements. It can be fully submerged to capture beautiful images down to 33 feet (10 meters) underwater, and features a built-in manometer, making it ideal for more serious underwater adventurers who want to know the depth of where their images were taken. The inclusion of four preset underwater scene modes makes the Stylus 1030 SW perfect for taking photos while snorkeling or scuba diving. Additionally, movies are simple thanks to an underwater movie mode. The camera also features a water-repellant lens coating to prevent water droplets from forming on the lens to get crystal-clear shots no matter how wet the shooting environment.

Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras that freeze up in frosty weather, the Stylus 1030 SW still performs when the temperature dips well below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius) so it is ready to climb the mountain or hit the slopes when you are.

The rugged Stylus 1030 SW is an ideal companion for an expedition in the Sahara because its airtight construction is impervious to dust, dirt and other particles. When the camera gets dirty, just rinse it off with your canteen.

Olympus' enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal-clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to deliver superior picture quality with more accurate colors, true-to-life flesh tones and faster processing speeds.

All Olympus digital point-and-shoot cameras accept xD-Picture Card media. The Stylus 1030 SW will also come equipped with an adapter, which will enable microSD memory cards to be used when capturing images. The microSD cards are emerging in consumer electronic devices, including mobile phones and PDAs.

Stylus 1030 SW Features:

• 10.1-megapixel effective CCD and 3.6x Wide optical zoom lens
• Shock Proof (MIL-STD-810F) up to 6.6ft (2m)
• Waterproof (equivalent to IEC6059 IPX8/JISC0920) up to 33ft. (10m)
• Freezeproof (-10°C/14°F) and Dustproof
• Crushproof up to 220lbf. (100kgf)
• 29 shooting modes - 24 are preprogrammed Scene modes (including 4 Underwater modes)
• 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD with 230,000 pixel resolution and 5 steps of brightness adjustment
• Olympus' Shadow Adjustment, Face Detection and Digital Image Stabilization technologies
• AVI format movies 640x480/320x240 at either 30 or 15fps with audio
• Record 640x480 (30fps) video until memory is full when using Type M+ or H xD cards with Firmware v1.1
• Add voice memos to still pictures
• ISO sensitivity; Auto, 80 - 1600
• Built-in all-weather speaker and microphone
• 14.7MB of internal memory
• Card slot supports xD-Picture Cards up to 2GB as well as microSD (MASD-1 adapter is required)
• Auto-Connect USB for easy image transfer to computer
• Direct printing to any PictBridge compatible printer
• LI-50B Lithium rechargeable battery and charger included
• Optional PT-041 underwater housing (US$279) for up to 40 meter depths

The Stylus 1030 SW will be available sometime this month (March 2008) with an estimated street price of US$399.99. It includes: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, LI-42B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, manual, warranty card and OLYMPUS Master 2 software (CD-ROM).