Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

By now, you have probably already been exposed to the flood of advertising surrounding the Olympus Stylus Verve. Television commercials, print ads, and the repetition of the phrase, “find your verve,” all created a growing marketing buzz for arguably the year’s hottest digital camera. The sleek shape and shiny contours of the Verve’s frame (along with the promotional barrage) propelled Olympus into the consciousness of many holiday shoppers. Though manufacturers consistently try variations on traditional forms and motifs, few seem able to “break the mold” and create an appealing new shape that gains practical acceptance.
Advertisement
Latest Camera Reviews
DSLR Point & Shoot
03/10
Samsung
NX10
03/10
Panasonic
DMC-TS2
03/10
Nikon
D300S
03/10
Sony
Cyber-shot DSC-TX5
12/09
Pentax
K-X
03/10
Olympus
Stylus Tough 6020
12/09
Canon
EOS 7D
02/10
Fuji
Fuji FinePix XP10
11/09
Sony
Alpha A550
02/10
Nikon
Coolpix S4000
ADVERTISEMENT
Recently Viewed Products
$300
$550
$250
$170
ADVERTISEMENT
Special coverage from Camcorderinfo.com
staff on DSLR reviews
Canon Rebel T1I
Camera Review
Nikon D5000
Camera Review

Olympus E-P1 Panasonic GH1
Camera Review

Click here for complete coverage...
Digital Camera News

Likes

-Genuinely original stylish design
-Compact frame fits comfortably in a pocket and is easily portable
-LCD screen handles glare of bright light with minimal solarization
-Interesting selection of presets, grants options beyond the typical set
-Reasonably priced and generally affordable
-Cuisine mode always offers a good laugh

Dislikes

-Performance was not given as much attention as design
-Lots of noise often contributes to poor image quality
-No customizable white balance setting
-Tiny buttons difficult to control and access
-Weak movie mode compared to current competition
-Limited zoom range

 

Conclusion
While the Olympus Stylus Verve will draw many of its users based on its appearance, the camera is an average with some strong limitations. The camera offers adequate color and resolution capabilities but is drastically limited by an inability to control noise in restricted lighting and will force the user to rely on the fixed in-camera flash. The Verve’s stylish design contains a smooth 1.8” LCD screen that projects one of the brighter, more visible images I have seen in low light. With an affordable price tag, currently below the $300 USD mark, the camera is designed for the fashion-conscious user who wants something portable and stylized that they can throw in their pocket and carry along on a night on the town. While the camera’s restricted performance elements strongly limits the Verve’s user base, it will fit the needs of the beginner or true point-and-shooter with minimal interest in manual control and a strong preference for style.

Advertisement