Product Description

The Olympus ?[mju:] 790 SW goes anywhere you do. Shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof, you can take it mountain biking, swimming or skiing. It handles whatever life throws at it - so there's never a need to worry. Despite its tough attributes, the 7.1 Megapixel ?[mju:] 790 SW looks great and doesn't compromise a bit on photographic features.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3747 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Silver
• Brand: Olympus
• Model: Stylus 790SW Silver
• Released on: 2007-10-02
• Dimensions: 5.51" h x 7.40" w x 3.23" l, 1.00 pounds
• Memory: 14.7MB
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen minimizes glare
• 3x optical zoom; Face Detection technology
• Waterproof (down to 10 feet), freeze-proof, and crush-proof design
• 27 Shooting modes; in-camera editing options

Manufacturer Description
The shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof, and sand/dustproof Stylus 790SW captures amazing 7.1-megapixel images in any situation -- whether it is a day of fun at the beach, an action-packed snorkel adventure, a family ski trip or a night out with friends.

The camera’s good looks, smooth design and rugged exterior contain an array of innovative features and technologies that ensure sharp, vibrant images in any environment.

Stylus 790SW Highlights

Worry-free, shockproof design Built with durable materials and shock-absorption technology that minimizes the impact delivered to the lens and circuitry when dropped, the Stylus 790 SW offers superior durability in a point-and-shoot digital camera.

Takes pictures underwater By combining a light-weight, aluminum exterior with rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal the interior from the elements, Olympus delivers a slim body design that performs as well under water (down to 10 feet/3 meters below the surface) as it does on land. The inclusion of four preset underwater scene modes makes the Stylus 790 SW the perfect camera for the pool, waterpark, or snorkeling in the ocean. The Stylus 790 SW also features a water-repellant lens coating to prevent water droplets from forming on the lens, so you get crystal-clear shots no matter how wet the shooting environment.

Freezeproof for winter fun You can take the cold, so why shouldn’t your camera? Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras, the Stylus 790 SW still performs when the temperature dips below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius) so this camera is ready to hit the slopes.

Sand/dustproof for everyday durability The Stylus 790 SW is the perfect camera for a trip to the beach or the great outdoors. Its airtight construction makes the camera impervious to dust, dirt and other particles. Shoot without worry no matter how harsh the conditions; when the camera gets dirty, just rinse it off in the sink!

Face Detection technology Face Detection technology tracks faces within the frame and automatically focuses (Face Detection AF) and optimizes exposure (Face Detection AE) for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures.

Shadow Adjustment technology Shooting outdoors in bright daylight can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark shadowed areas and bright sunlit areas -- while the human eye is capable of detecting the nuances between dark and light and all the details in between, image sensors traditionally have not been quite as sensitive. The Stylus 790 SW addresses this challenge head-on with Shadow Adjustment Technology, which compensates for extreme contrast where the shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. With this technology, users can preview and capture images with the same contrast as their naked eye.

Large, 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD The Stylus 790 SW boasts a large, high-resolution HyperCrystal LCD, which displays clear, high-contrast images. It increases the brightness of the LCD for better visibility in low-light and bright-light situations -- perfect for composing pictures underwater or in direct sunlight. Images are also viewable on the 2.5-inch LCD from 176-degrees, enabling photos to be composed from a wider range of angles and viewed by several people at once.

Bright Capture Technology for easy low-light photography Low-light photography has never been easier thanks to Olympus’ revolutionary Bright Capture Technology. A brightened preview on the LCD enables simple composition, and with specific scene modes for high sensitivity settings (up to ISO 1600) and rapid auto-focus, even fast-action photos can be captured under low levels of available light.

Bright Capture Technology in Action

Digital Image Stabilization The Stylus 790 SW features Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) for capturing crisp, clear pictures. By boosting the camera’s ISO sensitivity and shutter speed, DIS freezes the action and provides blur-free images, even when you or your subject is moving.

Perfect Shot Preview mode The Stylus 790 SW features a Perfect Shot Preview mode that enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-frame window on the LCD before snapping the shot. This feature allows users to see precisely what the image will look like when adjustments are made, ensuring users are capturing the exact image they want. It is a great way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

TruePic III image processor Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III image processor produces crystal-clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to deliver superior picture quality with more accurate colors, true-to-life flesh tones and faster processing speeds. TruePic III also captures sharp images at high ISO settings, which are traditionally associated with increasing image noise or producing grainy photos.

LED Illuminator An LED Illuminator works like a mini-flashlight on the front of the camera to enhance focus and exposure for macro shooting -- great for underwater close-ups where light is scarce. The LED also works in conjunction with Bright Capture to help illuminate your subject when taking low-light portraits.

Stylish, compact, rugged design The Stylus 790 SW combines light, durable body construction with shock-absorbing materials throughout the interior and the sealant technology used in Olympus underwater housings. In addition to the shockproof and waterproof construction, the Stylus 790 SW features a light-weight, all-metal body and clean, smooth lines that make it the ultimate pocket camera. At a slim 0.8 inches, the camera easily slips into a pocket, handbag or backpack.

27 selectable shooting modes With 27 pre-programmed shooting modes, such as Beach & Snow, Available Light Portrait, Sunset and Under Water Snapshot, the Stylus 790 SW makes it easy to capture beautiful images in a variety of lighting and shooting situations. The Stylus 790 SW features a Movie Mode that can record TV-quality video (640x480/30fps) with sound -- above and below the water’s surface.

In-camera editing With in-camera editing features such as red-eye fix, resizing, adding frames or text, and color or saturation adjustments, users can edit photos anywhere with ease -- touch up or embellish photos without a computer.

Olympus Master 2 software Olympus Master 2 software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to a computer quick and simple. Images are easily organized by folders or albums and are searchable by date in the Calendar View. With one-click editing tools, such as red-eye removal, images can be touched up before printing or e-mailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away. Use the optional muvee Theater Pack to create professional-quality slide shows and DVDs from your pictures using any of several built-in templates.

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Customer Reviews

Almost the perfect camera for the job
My wife and I are die-hard skiers and we want to photograph the beauty around us while we ski as well as each other. We've tried our other digital camera, a Fuju that we have loved, and our small digital video camera. Both freeze. And when I say freeze, I mean after only moments in the air on a mountain at 32 degrees... or even higher ... they freeze, even after carrying them in an inner pocket to keep them warm. SO, I was hunting for a camera specifically for outdoor photography in the winter on the slopes.

The Olympus Stylus 790SW is almost perfect for the job. First, when outfitted with an in-specification memory card and a fully charged battery, it works great in the cold! We demonstrated this many times this past winter, on mountains that were cold... 20 degrees at noon cold. Second, while we hadn't specifically been looking for it, the camera is shock-resistant. The specs say it will resist the shock of being dropped from a specific height. Well, we haven't dropped it. But we HAVE fallen while its in that inner pocket. I don't believe either of us has fallen directly on the camera, but I certainly worry a great deal less than I have with our other cameras during our winter photography attempts. Finally, it is waterproof to a certain depth in a body of water. This is perfect for those days when the snow is getting under the coat, or even on those occasional rain bursts. No fear of trashing the camera.

The only negative is the lack of a viewfinder. Only the large LCD provide feedback as to what the camera is pointing at. Indoors this is fine. Outdoors, in the bright with white snow reflecting light right at you, this makes it at times impossible to see any hint of what the camera is capturing. Add to this the effect of the polarized lense in most goggles, and its just plain hard to see the LCD while on the slopes. The good news in all of this is that I've taken many a blind photo only to find, when reviewing it that evening, that I got exactly what I was looking for... the only real challenge is holding the camera level.

The bottom line: This is almost the perfect camera to take to the ski slopes, and it would be perfect with a viewfinder that allowed you to see what you are capturing even in the brightest light conditions.

You Get What You Pay For :)
It's a handy little point and shoot, but my main reason for buying it was underwater capabilities.

Pros:
* underwater photography and video! AWESOME!
* big huge lcd screen
* multiple shooting modes
* compact, light, cheap

Cons:
* the menus are so "user friendly" it's almost confusing and childish. If you've NEVER used a camera before, I'm sure it'd be helpful, but for me it's too much extra junk to sift through.
* unnecessary "favorites" and "shakey" option on mode wheel (should be embedded as a menu option or playback option)
* alot of menu sifting to adjust white balance and other photo settings.
* TERRIBLE microphone/sound capture. I hope mine is not defective, because it is really bad. I have a 2 year old 6 megapixel Sony CyberShot thats sound quality is 10 times better. I would advise you not to capture any video where sound is an important factor.

Great waterproof camera, takes great pictures.
I used a Pentax waterproof camera prior to purchasing the Olympus, and was satisfied with that one, but wanted a better quality picture. I purchased the Olympus and got just that! The picture quality is just as good as what I got from my non-waterproof camera, the screen size was great, the camera super easy to use, I couldn't ask for more!

On a side note, I also purchased one of these for my son, and his was defective, malfunctioning as soon as it got in the water. Olympus of course replaced it, I think one of the seals was just bad.