Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera Review

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

Digital Camera Review

1.8 The 10-megapixel Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is the latest addtion to the company's line of ruggedized point-and-shoot cameras. It doesn't match the level of indestructibility achieved by the brawny 1030 SW we reviewed earlier this year, but it's fine for the pool or ski slope, with waterproof performance to 10-foot depths and freeze resistance down to 14 degrees F (-10 degress C). We like the style and strong metal construction, but our lab testing was not kind to the 1050 SW. And while Olympus is proud of its admittedly innovative Tap Control system, we found it more gimmicky than practical. For the full story, click through to the complete review.
Advertisement
Top Point & Shoot Cameras
Max Price: $1020
$0 $255 $510 $765 $1020
Filters
All
Canon
Casio
Fuji
Kodak
Nikon
Olympus
Panasonic
Pentax
Sony
All
Compact
High-End
Pocket
Ultra-Zoom
1.Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
Ultra-Zoom
$400
2.Canon SX1 IS
Ultra-Zoom
$527
3.Panasonic DMC-ZS3
Compact
$318
4.Samsung HZ15W
Ultra-Zoom
$280
5.Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900
Pocket
$325
Stylus 1050 SW Prices
Latest Camera Reviews
DSLR Point & Shoot
Panasonic
DMC-GF1
Samsung
TL225
Pentax
K10D
Canon
PowerShot S90
Olympus
E-P1
Canon
G11
Canon
EOS 5D
Panasonic
DMC-ZS3
Nikon
D3000
Canon
PowerShot A650 IS
External Reviews
Steve's Digicams
Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is the latest addtion to the company's line of ruggedized cameras, which now includes five models, from the $250 Stylus 850 SW to the top-of-the-line 1030 SW, priced at $350. The 1050 SW ($300) doesn't match the level of indestructibility achieved by the brawny 1030 SW we reviewed earlier this year, which can survive underwater to a depth of 33 feet. This is more of a pool and ski slope companion, designed for up to 10-foot depths, 5-foot drops, and temperatures down to 14 degrees F (-10 degress C). It looks like it could also survive dousing with a martini that was shaken, not stirred and spilled in its direction – this is a handsome camera, with a slick drop-down lens cover and thin, sophisticated lines. Its basic photo specs are straightforward, with 10.1-megapixel resolution and a 3x zoom lens, but it doesn introduce one interesting technology in the form of a Tap Control. By tapping on the top, back and sides of the camera the user can control picture playback, shadow adjustment and flash mode, even if you're underwater or wearing gloves. We put our mittens on a few weeks early to carry the $299.99 camera into the labs and out into the rain for an extensive test drive. 
 

Section
The Good
The Bad
Tour
Impressive metal-body construction Easy to insert battery backwards or upside-down
Testing/Performance
Good video test scores Mediocre results overall, awful white balance performance
Components
LCD handles bright daylight well; handy full-width lens barrier Lacks hardware image stabilization
Design/Layout
Sophisticated appearance unusual for ruggedized camera Tap control marginally useful - should have been customizable
Modes
Plethora of mostly useful scene modes Slow full-res burst speed, non-adjustable self-timer
Control Options
On-screen preview of exposure comp and white balance adjustments No manual exposure or focus control
Image Parameters
Broad range of resolutions; useful panoramic image utilities Minimal in-camera editing
Connectivity/Extras
Decent supplied software Proprietary cables
Value
Competitively priced based on weatherproof capabilities
Better choices for point-and-shoots if ruggedness is less important

 

Advertisement