Olympus Stylus Digital 600 Review

The Stylus 600 is equipped with an Olympus aspherical glass 3x zoom lens, 5.8 - 17.4mm (35 - 105mm equivalent in 35mm photography), 5 lenses in 3 groups with 3 aspherical lenses. It has a 5x digital zoom feature. The maximum aperture is F3.1 (W) / F5.2 (T).

The TTL contrast-detect auto focus system covers from 20" (0.5m) to Infinity in normal mode, from 8" (0.2m) to infinity in Macro mode, and from 2.8" - 20" (7cm - 50cm) in Super Macro mode. The lens retracts fully inside the camera when the camera is powered down and is protected by an automatic closing metal barrier.

There is no optical viewfinder, you frame, review and perform menu operations on this large 2.5-inch (6.35cm) HyperCrystal LCD monitor with approx. 115,000 pixels of resolution. It delivers a high contrast image with a 160° wide-view radius.

Conventional LCD screens are difficult to see in the bright light, the HyperCrystal LCD provides excellent visibility. Even in dim light you can see what you are shooting on the LCD and capture bright clear images.

The built in speedlight features Auto, Red-eye reduction, Fill and Forced Off modes. The flash range is Wide: 13.1ft (4.0m); Tele 8.2ft. (2.5m). With Bright Capture (ISO 1600) - Wide: 26.3ft(8.0m), Tele 16.4ft (5.0m)

Two types of Red-eye reduction are offered:

1. Red-eye reduction flash mode ON when taking the picture to reduce the effects of red-eye.
2. Red-Eye Fix menu function after the photo has been taken so you can easily fix the picture even after it's been shot.

On the top is the Power button and Shutter Release.

Controls on the back: Top is the zoom lens control which also functions as the magnified playback and index mode buttons when in play mode. Below that is the Auto / Scene button. The "green arrow" is the Playback mode button. The GUIDE buttons calls up the onscreen user's guide to main functions. The DISPlay button selects the amount of overlay information on the LCD image. The 4-way selector is used to navigate menu screens and select images for playback. In record mode the "Up" button changes the exposure compensation, "Right" to change the flash mode, "Down" to activate the self-timer and "Left" to enable the Macro focus modes.

An optional AC power adapter can be connected to the 4.8V DC IN port. The A/V Out port sends the audio/video to a television set, the video format is user selectable for NTSC or PAL standard. Data I/O is via a Mass Storage compliant USB v1.1 port, this port is also PictBridge compatible for direct printing.

Note the black rubber O-ring inside the I/O port door. Olympus states the camera is "weatherproof and is not damaged by water spray from any direction" as long as the rubber ring is intact and the I/O port door is properly closed.

Still images and movie clips are stored in the camera's ~7.9MB of internal memory or on removable xD-Picture Card flash memory cards. Olympus brand xD-Picture Cards are required to use the camera's built-in Panorama feature. 16MB to 1GB xD-Picture cards are now available.

Power is supplied by a LI-12B 3.7v 1230mAh Li-ion battery pack. Olympus does not specify the battery runtime. The included LI-10C charger lets you charge one battery while using another. Lithium battery packs can be charged or "topped off" at any time without shortening the service life of the battery.

The optional PT-029 Underwater Housing for the Stylus 600 Digital is a stylish and durable transparent polycarbonate housing for anyone looking to pursue underwater digital photography when diving, snorkeling or surfing - and it is also ideal for use during activities that call for ultimate protection from the elements such as skiing, fishing, sailing, or even in certain industrial situations.

A clear and durable polycarbonate case provides an attractive shield for your digital camera as you explore your underwater surroundings at depths up to 131 feet. A tight O-ring main seal with safety lock, along with stainless steel and nickel-plated brass hardware, help to ensure protection from corrosion for years to come.

The Olympus Digital Underwater Housing gives you full control over your camera. It features a large, responsive shutter button, precision zoom lever, and durable controls to lend you access to everything your Olympus digital camera has to offer.