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Introduction
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01.Physical Tour
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02.Testing/Performance
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03.Components
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04.Design / Layout
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05.Modes
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06.Control Options
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07.Image Parameters
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08.Connectivity / Extras
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09.Overall Impressions
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10.Conclusion
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11.Sample Photos
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12.Specs / Ratings
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13.Comments
Olympus Stylus 1030 SW
Previous: Page 2
Testing/PerformanceNext: Page 4
Design / LayoutViewfinder (0.00)
The 1030 SW doesn't offer an optical viewfinder. If you were hoping to squeeze a few extra shots from a dying battery by switch off the LCD display, you're out of luck.
The 2.7-inch display, with a 230,000-dot resolution, looked dim at its default settings. Five brightness settings are available through the setup menu and, by cranking it up all the way, we achieved an acceptable on-screen display for indoor use. Out in bright sunlight, though, the screen was hard to see even at its brightest setting, a particular problem in a camera with no optical viewfinder. On the plus side, color reproduction is quite accurate, and the off-axis viewing angle is better than most point-and-shoots, making it easier to grab a shot with your arm extended.
The built-in flash is a measly half-inch wide and, as expected, doesn't provide a lot of illumination oomph. Olympus gives the flash working range spec as 0.33 feet (1.0m) – 13.5 feet (4.1m) at the widest zoom setting, and 0.98 feet (0.3m) – 8.9 feet (2.7m) at ISO 800. The fact that they're quoting figures at an extreme end of the light sensitivity range, one guaranteed to produce noisy images compared to a more common setting of say ISO 100 or 200, indicates that whoever wrote the specs recognized the problem and tried to compensate statistically. And, in fact, shooting seven feet away from a blank wall, the flash pattern reveals a prominent hot spot just left of center surrounded by rapidly fading brightness.
There are four flash settings: Auto, Redeye, Fill In and No Flash.
This tiny flash isn't very effective.
Zoom Lens (2.75)
The zoom runs from 5.0 – 18.2 mm (28 – 102mm equivalent on a 35mm camera), which is slightly more than 3.6x. The zoom occurs within the camera body itself – there's no lens snout sticking out of the 1030 SW, which helps keep it pocket-friendly. The aperture ranges from f/3.5 at the widest setting to f/5.1 at the maximum telephoto length. That's not a spec to delight available light photographers. The lower the aperture number, the more light the camera lets in, and f/3.5 is pretty high. And a higher aperture means you'll need a slower shutter speed to achieve proper exposure, increasing camera shake and image noise. By comparison, the 12x zoom Canon PowerShot S5 IS offers a maximum aperture of f/2.7.
The lens is well protected by a solid frame.
Unlike other cameras in this price range, the 1030 SW doesn't offer true image stabilization technology, either via a shifting lens component or a sensor that adjusts to camera movement. The 'digital image stabilization' system works by boosting ISO settings and shutter speed, which we hesitate to label as image stabilization at all.
This Murakami sculpture was shot from the same spot with the lens at 5mm,10mm and 18mm.
Shop for the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW
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