* Olympus Stylus 1030SW

Basic Specifications

Resolution 10.10 Megapixels
Lens 3.64x zoom (28-102mm eq.)
Viewfinder LCD
LCD Size 2.7 inch
ISO 80-1600
Shutter 4-1/1000
Max Aperture 3.5
Mem Type xD
Battery Custom LiIon
Dimensions 3.7x2.4x0.8in (94x61x21mm)
Weight 6.0 oz (170 g)
MSRP $400
Availability: 03/2008

Olympus Stylus 1030SW

Overview
The Olympus Stylus 1030SW is a 10.1 megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera with a rough-and-ready body that is waterproof, crushproof, shockproof, and freeze-proof. A 3.6x optical zoom lens provides a wider-than-average 35mm-equivalent focal length of 28mm-102mm and is complemented by a 5x digital zoom. At f/3.5-f/5.1, the lens isn't the fastest glass in town, but the camera specializes in outdoor shooting, so the speed of the lens should suffice under most outdoor conditions.

As is common for point-and-shoot cameras, aperture and shutter speed cannot be set manually on the Olympus Stylus 1030SW. Instead, you'll find a total of 29 shooting modes, 25 of which are scene modes. The 1030SW's basic feature set is complemented by on-board Help, a Shooting Guide, the very useful Perfect Shot Preview (which gives you a preview of how a photo will look with various settings such as White Balance), a live Histogram and Frame Assist. There's also a Shadow Adjustment feature on the Olympus 1030SW that is designed to balance shadows and highlights in various situations such as backlit scenes, and a Manometer that measures air pressure, so mountain climbers and scuba divers have a reference point of the height (or depth) at which an image is captured.

Face Detection and a post-processing automatic Perfect Fix feature add to the Olympus Stylus 1030SW's capabilities. Optical image stabilization is not available. Instead, the 1030SW utilizes its ISO range of 80 to 1600 for what the company calls "Digital image stabilization." Like most compact cameras, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW does not have an optical viewfinder. However, the camera is outfitted with a high resolution 2.7-inch LCD that has a wide angle of view and 5 brightness settings. All things being equal, even considering its feature set, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW's real claim to fame is its ability to withstand conditions that other cameras (or their manufacturers) can only dream of.

Olympus Stylus 1030SW User Report

Like its predecessors in the SW lineup, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW is made for the outdoors and can handle just about anything you can think of. You can drop it from 6.6 feet, sit or stand on it (it can withstand up to 220 pounds of pressure), take it underwater to a depth of 33 feet, or outdoors in sub-freezing weather (down to 14 degrees F). But you don't have to be an outdoor adventurer to test the Olympus 1030SW's durability; just think of it as a camera that can go where no other camera can -- or should -- venture.

The Olympus 1030SW is a perfect companion for the swimming pool, beach, boat, or anywhere water, dirt, dust, and other elements would wreak havoc with the electronics of most cameras. At its core, though, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW is a point-and-shoot camera with the standard array of shooting options. But its feature set holds a few pleasant surprises with extras that make shooting easier for novices, and provide more experienced users with a couple of handy options as well. The camera has a few shortcomings that may detract from its usefulness as your one-and-only digital camera, but the Olympus Stylus 1030SW is a hardcore camera for those who want to take pictures under conditions where other cameras fear to tread.

Look and Feel.

Built like a workhorse, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW's metal body is incredibly sturdy. Thanks to special protective seals and gaskets, the camera can be submersed in water to a depth of 33 feet. Because it's so well-sealed, the Olympus 1030SW is impervious to rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, sand, and other outdoor camera hazards. At the same time, the metal body can be dropped from a height of 6.6 feet with no ill effects; and while you may not make a habit (as I did) of purposely dropping your camera, accidents happen and it's always comforting to know that a slip-through-the-fingers drop or bump won't harm the camera. You should, however, check the sealed areas for specs of dust or sand, which can interfere with the seals.

The Olympus 1030SW's crushproof feature is probably more important than you imagine as I recently found out. After setting the camera on the couch next to me one day, a friend innocently sat down on it. Although he weighs less than 220 pounds, this made me a believer in Olympus' claims that the 1030SW's body and reinforced LCD can withstand up to 220 pounds of pressure. Since freezing temperatures are long gone in my area, I didn't test the 1030SW's ability to function in 14-degree Fahrenheit conditions; but in last year's test of its sibling, the 770SW, there were no problems (other than my frozen hands and face).

Measuring 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.94 inches, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW is small enough to be carried comfortably in pocket or purse. It weighs about 6.3 ounces with the battery and xD-Picture Card, a little heavier than other compact cameras, but the weight certainly adds to the camera's sturdy feel. The Olympus 1030SW's design is a little different from most, and looks more industrial than sexy. However, the 1030SW comes in three cool color combos: silver/silver, black/silver, and green/silver.

A self-covering lens is located in the upper right hand corner (when you're looking at the camera from the front), with the flash just out of the way of your forefinger when gripping the camera. The lens is protected by the automatic cover, which opens when you power up the camera and the lens's surface showed no droplets or other picture-altering effects when wet. But it's a little too easy to let the forefinger on your left hand stray in front of the lens and ruin the shot, so be particularly careful if you have large hands. Generally, though, the Olympus Stylus 1030SW is fairly comfortable to hold.

The Olympus 1030SW doesn't have an optical viewfinder; rather, your sole method of composing is its 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot LCD. The display has a wide angle of view so you can easily see your composition from the side or overhead. This also allows you to easily share images with family and friends right after you've photographed them. The ability to adjust the LCD's brightness in five steps is an extra benefit so you can easily tweak the monitor according to shooting conditions. In low light, the 1030SW's LCD lights up automatically so you can clearly see what you're shooting.

Conclusion
Pro:
*Compact, attractive design
* Rugged build
* Waterproof
* Freeze proof
* Crushproof
* Shockproof
* Submersible to 33 feet with no time limits
* Special underwater scene modes
* 28mm wide-angle optical zoom
* Macro illumination lamp
* Face Detection
* 2.7-inch LCD
* Shadow Adjustment
* Live preview of effects, exposure, and white balance
* Helpful on-board Guide
* Quality mode dial replaces mode button
* Pre-Capture movie mode

Con:

* External control identifiers difficult to read
* Image noise even at low ISO
* Chromatic aberration
* Soft images
* Face Detection buried in main menu
* Image quality not as good as "non-rugged" competition
* Poor autofocus system
* No manual aperture and shutter speed controls
* Digital image stabilization isn't what it sounds like
* Weak flash
* No optical viewfinder