Olympus Stylus 790SW

Connectivity
Software (8.5)
The Stylus 790SW comes with Olympus Master 2 Software that is compatible with Windows and Macintosh operating systems. For Windows users, there is also a trial version of video editing software. This software program took about 10 minutes to install from the CD-ROM and another few minutes to load pictures from other folders on the computer.

The software has been improved from previous models. The program has several easily accessible buttons across the top of the window: Transfer, Slide Show, E-mail, Print Menu, Edit, RAW, Panorama, Option, Update/Language, Quick Guide, and Help.

Pictures and videos can be browsed by folder or album, and the size of the images can be adjusted to small or large. Pictures can also be viewed by the calendar date, like on the camera.

Editing features are abundant on the Olympus Master Software. There are options to resize, crop, insert text, brightness & contrast, color balance, tone curve, gamma, auto tone correction, hue & saturation, monochrome & sepia, sharpness & blur, distortion correction, and red-eye correction. These all work well and have great previews that allow users to judge the effects of their actions on the pictures.

The Master Software is certainly among the best software offerings provided with digital cameras. Most included software has decent browsing options, but only about a half-dozen editing tools. The Olympus 790SW’s software goes above and beyond.

Jacks, ports, plugs (9.75)
The 790SW has a jack to rule them all. The USB and AV cables fit into it, along with the optional 4.8-volt DC-in power adaptor. There is a rubber seal around it that effectively does its job. The rubber seal also protects the camera from dust.

Direct Print Options (6.5)
The Olympus 790SW is designed with direct printing in mind. Frames and labels can be added to make cards, and calendar layouts are available so pages can be printed straight from the camera. It is PictBridge-compatible and can be connected with the included USB cable and the sealed port on the right side of the body.

Battery (5.25)
The Olympus Stylus 790SW comes with a lithium-ion LI-42B battery pack that is small and weak. Its published specs claim it lasts 220 shots, but it doesn’t seem to last that long. There is a two-level battery indicator, but once it appears to be half-full it lasts only about a dozen more shots before shutting down. The lack of warning makes it tough to have adequate time to charge the battery. The camera comes with a battery charger that consists of a charger and a separate cable that plugs into an outlet. This isn’t as convenient as wall-mount-type chargers.






Memory (4.0)
The 790SW has 14.7 MB of internal memory that can only hold three full-resolution images. More memory will be necessary. Olympus uses xD-Picture cards, which it helped to develop along with Fujifilm. Fujifilm has been phasing out xD-only cameras this year, replacing them with SD/xD compatible models. Olympus, however, remains true to the xD-Picture media, which is generally slower and smaller than competing types of memory. The 790SW accepts up to 2 GB, while most digital cameras accept up to 4 or 8 GB of memory. Even worse, Olympus requires users purchase Olympus-branded xD-Picture cards to use the Panorama mode.

Other features (8.5)
Shockproof – If toddlers or other careless, accident-prone people will handle the camera, then this is the one you want to have. The 790SW has a metal body and a floating circuit board that help it absorb shock from up to a 5-foot fall. This extra durability is a welcome feature and should be included on more digital cameras.

Waterproof – With a host of rubber seals and gaskets, the Olympus Stylus 790SW is waterproof, like its predecessors. Like the older 720SW, it can go underwater up to 10 feet for 30 minutes. This is a step down from the Olympus 770SW though, which can travel to depths of 33 feet.

Freezeproof – If you’ve ever ventured into the cold with a compact digital camera and tried to take a picture, you’ll understand how great this feature is. The 790SW is freezeproof, meaning it can take pictures in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius). It drains the battery faster, but it’s possible. The camera can also operate in temperatures up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. And if it’s accidentally left on the dashboard of the car in the hot sun, don’t fret; it can be stored in places up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shadow Adjustment Technology – This feature is activated from the button in the lower right corner of the back. This is ideal for keeping details in shadows, even on bright sunny days. This seems to work well, although the metering cannot be manually adjusted when this feature is activated.

Panorama Mode – The Panorama mode only functions if an Olympus-branded xD-Picture card is inserted into the card slot. Up to 10 frames can be lined up, but they are not actually stitched together until loaded into the included Olympus Master Software.

Underwater Housing – If users want to explore deeper than 10 feet, the optional PT-041 case can take the 790SW there. At $299, it costs just as much as the camera, but can travel to 130 feet (40 meters).

Perfect Shot Preview – This feature is somewhat hidden in the Guide mode. At the top of the wordy menu is "Shoot with effects preview." This leads to a list of effects that can be seen prior to the shot: zoom, exposure, color (white balance), metering, and movie smoothness. This shows four small previews of options on the LCD screen so users can see potential choices side by side.

Flashlight – The handy Olympus 790SW doubles as a flashlight with an LED on the front. When the LED button is held down on the back, and the LED is turned on in the Setup menu, the LED shines for 30 seconds or until the button is pushed a second time.