The perfect all-around camera for outdoors: 10 megapixel, shockproof, freezeproof and waterproof to 33 feet
Right upfront, scuba divers will adore the new 10-megapixel Olympus Stylus 1030 SW. This new top-of-the-line model in Olympus’ SW (Shock & Waterproof) series was introduced in January of 2008 as part of the company’s announcement of nine new consumer cameras. While sporting a new look that is somewhere inbetween the Stylus 770 SW (33 feet depth) and the Stylus 850 SW (10 feet), it’s clear that this is the successor to the 7.1 megapixel Stylus 770 SW that we love so much. Don’t let the small size and stylish look fool you: this shockproof, waterproof, crushproof, freezeproof, sandproof, and dustproof may just be the toughest consumer camera ever built. It survives drops from almost seven feet and you can take it diving down to 33 feet, without an underwater housing. And there is more.
Quite possibly the perfect camera for Scuba divers. That’s because its ability to be taken down to a depth of 33 feet clearly sets it apart from other cameras in Olympus’ SW series. They are all tough and you can take them all just about anywhere. But when it comes to diving, only this new 1030 (and its 770 SW predecessor) will do. Sure, many dives go deeper but there is a lot of great scenery in shallow waters, and we have no doubt that the 1030 SW, like the 770 SW before, won’t mind the occasional descent to 50 or 60 feet. Not needing to take along a bulky underwater case is priceless.
But diving is not all the 1030 SW can do. Thanks to a rugged metal body, extensive sealing and shock-absorbing construction, the 1030 can survive drops from two meters, or 6.6 feet. And there we thought the 5-foot drop spec of the also new Stylus 850 SW was impressive. Freezing temperatures do not affect this camera as it is freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. So it’s a perfect companion for sledding, skiing and snowboarding as well. Finally, unlike the lesser SW series cameras, this one is crushproof as well. Its tough case and reinforced LCD can withstand 220 pounds of pressure.
Amazingly, the 1030 SW can do all this while still being a very compact, elegant camera you can take anywhere. It has a footprint of 3.7 x 2.4 inches and is 0.84 inches thick — exactly the same as the 8-megapixel 850 SW. It’s, however, packed full of circuitry and tons of little parts and weighs a bit more, though still just over six ounces without its Li-Ion battery, and not much more with it. The new and more powerful 3.6X optical zoom is internal, which means there is no annoying lens barrel that motors in and out. And even though the 1030 SW can stand up to deep water, dust, crushing, sand and freezing temperatures, it’s also a regular full-function digital camera with all the features you expect from a modern point & shoot compact.
Like the 850 SW, the 1030 is easy to use right out of the box. In the back there is a mode dial that lets you select automatic, image stabilization, guide mode, movie, playback and favorites, as well as scenes. Below the mode dial is a four-way navigation pad with an “OK” button in its center. Four additional function buttons bring up the onscreen menu and cycle through often used functions.
A word about the internal zoom. While the 770 had a 3X zoom equivalent to the standard 38-114mm equivalent, the new camera has a slightly extended 3.6X zoom that starts at a wide 28mm and goes up to 102mm. This means that it is much better suited to underwater photography where a wide lens always comes in handy while giving up hardly any magnification.
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