Olympus Stylus 1050 SW
Digital Camera Review
Nov 28, 2008
- By Steve Morgenstern
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.
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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
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The Good
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The Bad
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Tour
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Impressive metal-body construction |
Easy to insert battery backwards or upside-down
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Testing/Performance
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Good video test scores |
Mediocre results overall, awful white balance performance |
Components
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LCD handles bright daylight well; handy full-width lens barrier |
Lacks hardware image stabilization |
Design/Layout
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Sophisticated appearance unusual for ruggedized camera |
Tap control marginally useful - should have been customizable |
Modes
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Plethora of mostly useful scene modes |
Slow full-res burst speed, non-adjustable self-timer |
Control Options
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On-screen preview of exposure comp and white balance adjustments |
No manual exposure or focus control |
Image Parameters
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Broad range of resolutions; useful panoramic image utilities |
Minimal in-camera editing
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Connectivity/Extras
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Decent supplied software |
Proprietary cables |
Value
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Competitively priced based on weatherproof capabilities
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Better choices for point-and-shoots if ruggedness is less important
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