Olympus Stylus Digital 1050 SW Review

Click on the Stylus 1050 SW to take a QuickTime VR tour

Designed for adventurers users worldwide, Olympus has unleashed the 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1050 SW. Durable enough to stand up to an "on the go" lifestyle, the metal body and shock-absorbing construction allow the camera to withstand up to a 5 foot drop. Also with waterproof seals and gaskets, it can take pictures as deep as 10 feet under the surface. 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.

Featuring a 3x optical zoom (38-114mm equivalent in 35mm photography, f3.5-5.0), 2.7- inch HyperCrystal II LCD screen and digital imaging advances like Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology, and Smile Shot, the camera comes full of of top of the line features.

The Stylus 1050 SW performs as well underwater as it does on land because its lightweight, metal 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 10 feet (3 meters) underwater. The inclusion of a preset underwater scene mode, the Stylus 1050 SW perfect for taking photos while snorkeling or scuba diving.

Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras that freeze up in frosty weather, the Stylus 1050 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.

Olympus has made the camera easier to operate in extreme conditions by adding its breakthrough "Tap Control" technology. When turned on, you can simply tap different areas of the camera to operate it. This is a must for cold weather when the user is wearing gloves.

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 1050 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 1050 SW Features:

• 10.1-megapixel effective CCD
• Shock Proof (MIL-STD-810F) up to 5ft (1.5m)
• Waterproof (equivalent to IEC6059 IPX8/JISC0920) up to 10ft. (3m)
• Freezeproof (-10°C/14°F) and Dustproof
• 3x internal optical zoom lens (35mm equivalent of 38-114mm)
• 27 shooting modes - 23 are preprogrammed Scene 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 up to 2GB when using a 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
• 41.6MB 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-42B Lithium rechargeable battery and charger included

The Stylus 1050 SW is available with an estimated street price of US$299.99. It includes: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, LI-42B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, manual, warranty card, MASD-1 (microSD Adapter) and OLYMPUS Master 2 software (CD-ROM).