Olympus Stylus 800

Connectivity
Software (7.5)
The Stylus 800 ships with Olympus's Master software version 1.2 for Windows and Macintosh OSX, but an upgrade to version 1.3 is available via download through the Olympus website. The software can be upgraded to Olympus Master Plus, which adds movie editing, album printing, html (web-browser readable) album creation, panorama stitching, CD and DVD writing, and "a lot of other functions," according to the online documentation.

The software delivered with the camera is among the most capable software packages provided with consumer digital cameras. Its image browser is very good, sorting pictures by date and offering a calendar interface for image searches. The image download feature prompts the user to attach keywords to images as they're saved to disk, a system that should facilitate faster identification when searched. It offers standard features such as prepping an image for email and reloading images to the camera's "album" feature, so that you can use the LCD display to share pictures with friends.

The editing suite is well short of Photoshop in refinement, speed, and flexibility, but it offers a very good set of tools. It offers adjustment curves, which is a much more useful tool than the standard Brightness and Contrast dialog. It offers a Hue, Saturation, and Lightness dialog, which are also useful editing tools. Its Sharpen tool offers a single slider control to range from no sharpening to lots. Sharpening mavens know that there is much more to it than that, but for free software, the slider is a real improvement.

The opening screen is kind of goofy – it looks like a disorganized folder window in icon view. Each icon leads to a major function of the program. Apparently, I'm not the only person who isn't thrilled with the screen, because Olympus gives you the option of turning it off and going straight to the browser.

Jacks, Ports, and Plugs (4.5)
The Stylus 800 has a combination A/V / USB 2.0 port and a jack for an AC adapter, which is not included with the camera. It would have been nice if Olympus had included the AC unit, seeing as how the user manual recommends it whenever the camera is connected to a computer or printer.

The USB connection disables the camera's sleep and auto-shutoff functions, so when the Stylus 800 is connected to a computer or printer, it will stay on and continue functioning until the battery dies. That runs a risk of data loss, and in the case of printing, spoiled prints.

It's also unfortunate that the two jacks are under a large, vulnerable plastic door that could be stressed or broken by the cables.

Direct Print Options (6.5)
The Stylus 800 supports the PictBridge and DPOF standards for printing without a computer. With PictBridge, the Stylus 800 can be connected via a USB cable to a PictBridge compliant printer. It's possible to select which images should be printed, how many copies of each should be made, and whether or not the prints should have borders.

The Stylus 800 adds an option to print multiple copies of an image on a single sheet of paper, or to make index prints of all the images in the camera.

With DPOF printing, the print options are saved on the xD-Picture Card. You can take the card to a photo lab, then download the print order to a kiosk or the lab's computer.

Battery (5.5)
The Stylus 800 ships with a 3.7 volt lithium-ion battery. The battery must be removed from the Stylus 800 in order to be recharged in the external charger that ships with the camera. A full charge takes 2 hours. During charging, a red light is displayed and when charging is complete, the light glows green. An optional AC adapter is available; however, its use requires the battery door to remain open. In testing, the Stylus 800 exhibited poor battery life and required frequent recharging. The camera’s powerful flash particularly affected battery life. Users may want to opt for an additional battery to extend the amount of shooting time available.

The camera displays the status of the battery for several seconds during power up. Either a solid battery or one partially filled in is displayed, depending upon how much power is left.

Memory (3.5)
The Stylus 800 has 21.3 megabytes of internal memory. The camera supports xD cards up to 1 gigabyte in its slot, which is found on the bottom of the camera. Unfortunately, there is no card included with the camera. When shooting in SHQ mode, the camera’s memory can only hold 6 images. A large card is definitely necessary for the large file sizes this camera produces. Fortunately, the camera displays the number of shots left in the lower right corner of the LCD screen, alerting the user to how many potential images remain.

Other features (8.5)
Bright Capture Technology – While this has been discussed a bit throughout the review, this is a critical element of the camera and deserves some elaboration. The included "Bright Capture Technology" works to boost the image on the LCD in low light situations, as well as pushing the ISO setting. This increases both the onscreen visibility and recorded illumination. When the camera’s Bright Capture Technology is utilized, the resolution is dropped to 2048 x 1536 (3 MP). This cannot be avoided. If users wish to utilize the higher sensitivity ratings on the Stylus 800 (ISO 800 and 1600) or the high speed burst mode (4 fps), resolution will have to be sacrificed.

When Bright Capture is activated, the camera is actually taking information from a series of 9 million pixels and converting it to 3 million. The information is absorbed by all the pixels but the collection of data functions more like data from a camera with larger pixels, but only 1/3 of the total amount. This grants added sensitivity, but unfortunately sacrifices the 8 million pixels of resolution that is heavily marketed with the camera. This feature is sure to draw mixed results – some users will be pleased with the added versatility the Stylus 800 provides over other similarly priced models, while others purchasing a point-and-shoot model would rather not have to make decisions and sacrifices each time the camera is used. However, the option is there.

Blur Reduction – This seems to be a resultant function of the camera’s bright capture technology, which drops the resolution and increases the ISO sensitivity. This enables users to shoot with higher shutter speeds and thus decrease the potential for motion blur. However, this should not be confused with Image Stabilization or Vibration Reduction found in other cameras.

Sound Recording - Users can also record up to 4 seconds of sound when capturing images. The sound record option is turned on in the submenu labeled with the microphone icon in the Camera Menu. This feature is of limited use, with the microphone carrying just a 3 foot range.

Pixel Mapping - Pixel mapping is a feature whereby the camera checks the CCD for any dead pixels and adjusts the image processing function to compensate. The manual recommends that feature be use only about once per year. We have yet to test the effectiveness of this function, but it is a rare and potentially helpful inclusion that will hopefully be picked up by other manufacturers as well.

Self-Timer – The Stylus 800 has a self-timer which can capture an image either 12 seconds after the depression of the shutter release or two seconds after the shutter release with the optional remote control.

Dual Time Function - There is a dual time feature, which allows users to set the time in another time zone and toggle back and forth between their own time and the dual time. The dual time feature is accessed through the Setup menu of the Mode Menu.

Box Contents - Besides the Stylus 800, the following items are included in the box: li-ion battery LI-12B, battery charger LI-10C, hand strap, USB cable, A/V cable, printed basic manual, and two CD-ROMs with Olympus Master Software and PDF advanced manual.