Value (7.5)
At $299, the Olympus Stylus 790SW is the least expensive camera in the manufacturer’s waterproof line. The 720 and 770 models sold for $399. The Pentax W30 sells for the same price. If a waterproof body isn’t a priority, there are plenty of better-looking and better-performing cameras on the market for much less. Consumers should consider purchasing a budget camera with a separate underwater housing; the total cost will likely be less than $300 and the pictures will turn out better.
Comparisons
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Olympus Stylus 770SW – This digital camera is also waterproof, but is more expensive at $379. The 770SW can go deeper underwater, up to 33 feet, and can be crushed with up to 220 pounds of weight. It has 7.1 megapixels and many of the same exposure modes and settings found on the newer 790SW. The Stylus 770SW has a 2.5-inch LCD screen and a 3x optical zoom lens that functions internally. The 770SW comes in three colors: silver, bronze, and royal blue. Its specs are slightly different; it doesn’t have face detection and can’t change the display info on the LCD screen.
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Olympus Stylus 720SW – This point-and-shoot was the first in Olympus’ line of waterproof digital cameras. It is outfitted with many of the same components, including 7.1 megapixels and an internal 3x optical zoom lens. It also has a 2.5-inch LCD screen, but with a lower 115,000-pixel resolution. The 720SW was introduced prior to the era of fashion accessory cameras, so it only comes in a silver housing. It is not freezeproof, but can be dropped from 5 feet and dunked to 10 feet like the 790SW. It originally retailed for $399 but can be found online for less than $325.
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Pentax Optio W30 – This 7.1-megapixel camera comes in a body that resembles a bar of soap. It is waterproof up to 10 feet for two hours, but doesn’t have much going for it in terms of picture quality. When we tested it in our lab, the resolution wasn’t great, there was too much noise, the dynamic range was unimpressive, shutter lag was present, and pictures in low light were underexposed. The colors look decent, but that’s about it. The Pentax W30 has a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 115,000 pixels, and a flash that fires to 11.8 feet. Like the Olympus 790SW, the Pentax has a host of editing effects in the Playback mode, and even cartoon-like frames. There are 20 Scene modes and face recognition autofocus. The W30 comes with the same $299 price tag.
Casio Exilim EX-S880 – The 8.1-megapixel Casio S880 comes in red or black and has an extending 3x optical zoom lens. The lens has a wider f/2.7 max aperture. It is not waterproof but provides an alternative to consumers who simply want a point-and-shoot camera that will fit in a pocket. It has a few dozen Scene modes, along with a YouTube capture mode that records video at settings optimized to the online video sharing site. The S880 has a 2.8-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels and is powered by a 220-shot lithium-ion battery. It accepts SD, SDHC, and MMC media in addition to 10.8 MB of internal memory and includes a “data storage” function that converts e-mail, Web pages, and documents to JPEG files so they can be stored and accessed on the camera. The S880 measures 0.68 inches thick, so it can go just about anywhere. Face detection included, the Casio S880 retails for $279.
Fujifilm FinePix Z10fd – This fashion accessory of a digital camera isn’t waterproof, but has a lot of other tempting features and is less expensive at $199. It measures 3.6 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches and comes in five colors including “Wasabi Green” and “Sunset Orange.” The 7.2-megapixel Z10fd comes with Fujifilm’s signature face detection system. It has a 3x optical zoom lens that doesn’t extend from the camera, making it more durable than the extending types but not quite as sturdy as the Olympus models. The Z10fd has a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 150,000 pixels and can record and display 640 x 480-pixel videos at 30 fps. This camera is designed for teens and young adults with its IrSimple wireless transfer technology and Blog mode that automatically makes smaller copies of captured pictures. There are 15 Scene modes, a 1.4 fps Burst mode, and 54 MB of internal memory, in addition to the xD/SD hybrid card slot.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – This camera is designed for point-and-shooters who are clumsy and frequently drop things. It can point and shoot in the water, snow, or sun.
Budget Consumers – With a retail price of $299, the 790SW is one of the most budget-oriented waterproof digital cameras.
Gadget Freaks – It can be frozen, dropped, and drenched; that qualifies it as a camera of interest for this demographic.
Manual Control Freaks – These consumers will pass by the 790SW and perhaps even mock it. There aren’t many manual controls.
Pros/Serious Hobbyists – They won’t even look at the Olympus Stylus 790SW.
