Model Design / Appearance (8.75)
The Olympus Stylus 790SW is small and thin, but certainly not frail. It has a sturdy metal body that looks more functional than sexy. Despite this, Olympus calls it “a must-have vacation and party accessory” in its Aug. 23, 2007 product release. It comes in five colors: silver, black, blue, lime green, and orange. More manufacturers are offering point-and-shoot cameras in multiple colors to tailor to the market of consumers who want to personalize everything they own. The 790SW is the first waterproof camera to offer colors other than black and silver, but there is stiff competition from less sturdy cameras, like the Fujifilm Z10fd, which comes in five colors, and the Kodak V1003, which comes in nine colors.
Size / Portability (7.5)
The 790SW has a small and pocket-friendly body with mostly flat surfaces. The buttons protrude slightly, as they should, and a finger grip and the rim around the lens stick out a millimeter or two. These features won’t stop it from being stuffed into a pocket, though.
The camera measures slightly larger than its predecessor at 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.84 inches, but weighs much less at 4.8 ounces unloaded. The older 770SW weighed 5.5 ounces without the battery and memory card and felt heavy for its tiny size.
There are two small holes on the right side for the included wrist strap. It will require excellent eyesight and a lot of patience to thread the strap because the holes are so tiny. The 790SW is small and light enough to dangle from a wrist.
Olympus made this camera incredibly sturdy so it can be taken anywhere. It can be frozen to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can take pictures on most mountains and in frosty conditions. It can be dropped from up to 5 feet, so even toddlers can be trusted to run about with it. It is also waterproof up to 10 feet, so if said toddlers accidentally drop it in the toilet, sink, pool, or puddle, then the $299 digital camera will still work.
Handling Ability (7.0)
While portability and durability were given priority when this point-and-shoot was designed, handling seems to have been an afterthought. The body’s measurements are small and its weight light, however, so it can be handled with one or two hands.
 |
 |
The right fingers wrap around the camera and grasp a thin and smooth sliver of chrome that protrudes ever-so-slightly. The index finger rests on the shutter release button much of the time, while the thumb rests on the zoom controls or on the protruding mode dial below it. The dial is a nice addition; it wasn’t included on Olympus’s older models, and its debut makes it easier to handle and find exposure modes.
To aid in underwater handling, Olympus sells a bright red floating wrist strap for $15. If users drop the camera while snorkeling, the camera will sink. The strap sends the camera floating toward the surface, like a buoy.
There are several weak handling features, so the Olympus 790SW isn’t very comfortable for long photo shoots.
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.5)
The buttons and their placement have been completely redesigned on the Olympus Stylus 790SW. The 720 and 770 both have chaotic, cluttered designs and use a traditional bowl-like multi-selector. The new 790SW’s buttons are more organized. There is also a mode dial, a welcome addition because it can be used instead of the confusing menu system.
The zoom control is a single oval shape that rocks side to side, unlike the 770’s dual square-shaped buttons. The 790 has a redesigned multi-selector, too; it’s shaped in a cross with an OK/function button at the intersection and icons at each arm of the cross. From the top and moving clockwise, icons are Exposure Compensation, Flash, Self-Timer, and Macro . The icons are embossed into the chrome, so they are hard to see.
In the small space between each arm of the cross-like multi-selector is a small circular button. From the upper left and moving clockwise, they access the following functions: Menu, Playback/Print, Shadow Adjustment/Delete, and Display/Info/Flashlight.
On top of the camera are the power and shutter release buttons. The power button is recessed into the camera body, while the shutter release protrudes slightly. The shutter release has to be pushed longer than one would think before the picture is taken. If the button is only tapped, it will not take a picture.
The buttons are small but overall are still an improvement to the 790SW’s predecessors. The mode dial is easy to access, the multi-selector is easier to navigate, and the design is cleaner.
Menu (5.25)
The menu system on the Olympus 790 is confusing and therefore best avoided. There are options located in multiple locations and the standard menu system layout is horrendous. We’ll get to that. First let’s discuss the Function menu, found by pushing the button in the middle of the multi-selector. It gives a nice live preview of the options in its background and is much easier to access than the Standard menu.
|
Function Menu
|
|
|
Exposure Mode
|
Program, Auto
|
|
White Balance
|
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3
|
|
ISO
|
Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
|
|
Drive
|
Single, Continuous, High-Speed Continuous
|
|
Metering
|
ESP, Spot
|
The Standard menu is accessed by pressing a dedicated button in the upper left quadrant of the multi-selector. It opens to a horizontally-striped background and options scattered across the screen: Camera menu is in the middle with reset to the left, Image Quality above, Setup to the right, Silent mode to the lower right, and Scene directly below it.
The Camera menu isn’t very elaborate. It has two nondescript numbered tabs on the left side that can be scrolled to, but are only useful if users remember what options are located there.
|
Camera Menu
|
|
|
White Balance
|
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3
|
|
ISO
|
Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
|
|
Drive
|
Single, Continuous, High-Speed Continuous
|
|
Fine Zoom
|
On, Off
|
|
Digital Zoom
|
On, Off
|
|
Metering
|
ESP, Spot
|
|
AF Mode
|
Face Detect, iESP, Spot
|
|
Voice Memo
|
On, Off
|
|
Panorama
|
Left to Right, Right to Left, Top to Bottom, Bottom to Top
|
The Setup menu has a lot of useless options. It also has numbered folders that don’t really aid in navigation.
|
Setup Menu
|
|
|
Format
|
Yes, No
|
|
Backup
|
Yes, No
|
|
Language
|
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
|
|
Power On Setup
|
Screen (Off, 1, 2, My Favorite), Volume (Off, Low, High)
|
|
Menu Theme
|
Normal, Blue, Black, Pink, My Favorite
|
|
Beep
|
Off, Low, High
|
|
Camera Warning Sound
|
Off, Low, High
|
|
Shutter Sound
|
Off, 1-3 with Low and High options for each
|
|
Volume
|
Off, Low, High
|
|
Rec View
|
Off, On
|
|
File Name
|
Auto, Reset
|
|
Pixel Mapping
|
Start
|
|
LCD Brightness
|
+/- 2 in full steps
|
|
Date/Time
|
Set date, time, YMD order
|
|
Dual Time
|
Off, On (set date and time)
|
|
Alarm Clock
|
Off, One Time, Daily (Time set hour and minute, Snooze off and on, Alarm Sound 1-3 with low, mid, and high choices)
|
|
Video Out
|
NTSC, PAL
|
|
Power Save
|
Off, On
|
|
LED Illuminator
|
Off, On
|
The menus are lengthy and the font is old-fashioned and all in caps. Options are paired with unintuitive icons, as well. Avoid the menus if possible.
Ease of Use (7.0)
The addition of a mode dial makes this camera much easier to use than its predecessors. With that control, even beginners can easily get to the Movie mode without digging through a Scene menu. The menu system is best avoided; it is confusing with the dual options in the Function and Camera menus, and the initial screen of options before the Main menu. There is a Guide mode on the dial that is meant to tutor beginners. This menu is very wordy, but also very helpful for those who are willing to dive into it.
