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180 of 180 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb, March 8, 2008
First off, the cons, since they're most important
-XD Picture Card.
This is the biggest thing that irks me, since XD is a dying brand and Olympus refuses to give it up. However, since working with it, i've found nothing really bad about xd, only that it's like sd but just a tiny bit bigger, so don't worry about this.
-Doesn't come in orange.
Oh well, I think i'll live with silver (which is very nice by the way)
-Has an odd "favorites mode" i probably won't use*
*see below for disclaimer
-Panorama only works in P mode
Who cares, i take all my pictures in that mode anyway (But it took me a while to learn that)
-Low battery
For some odd reason, i get a low battery signal even when i know i've got a couple of hours left. No big deal, i carry an extra battery with me all the time.
Uhhh, i truthfully can't think of anything else
Pros:
-Rugged
This camera is a beast. I don't think you can break it. i saw C-net freeze two of these things in a block of ice and when i was at National Camera Exchange, they literally swept it off the counter and let it crash to the floor. It also feels really sturdy in your hands
-Waterproof
What can i say, built in waterproof. Does that mean i don't have to worry about the rain or snow? Yes. Yes it does.
-Compact
For all it's ruggedness, this camera is small. Thin, with a lens you don't have to worry about protruding.
-Easy to use
Comparing it to some Cannon brands at a store, this camera was WAY easier to use and was a lot faster in selecting modes, types of shots, ect.
-Panorama
Has an in camera panorama that is amazingly easy to figure out. First time i tried it, i got exactly the type of shot i wanted, no learning curve. Stitches three pictures together in camera. Perfect for those spectacle nature shots and whatever else you need to capture. (note: Panorama only works with an xd card, and not compatible with the micro sd to xd converter that you get in the box)
-LED lamp
Super bright white LED on the front for those really dark shots. You can also turn it on when the camera isn't on, really useful if you need it in a cinch.
-Surprising Video
Can take video in 30fps, which came out really good. Option of 15fps as well.
-Quick shot view
has a button to press while in camera mode to quickly view shots. When finished, press shutter half way and it zips back to camera mode.
-Very, VERY fast
Even when it wasn't pre-focused, the shot time was in under a second. When pre-focused, the speed really was instantaneous. (as in feeling like an SLR speed)
-8mp
Excellent image quality. Outshot cannon models in outdoor shots bar none. Indoor, we found cannon did it a little better, but that was digitally zoomed in all the way, comparing it side by side with some hesitation. ergo, it's so small, who cares, and even then the quality was still amazing. But if you're that passionate about perfect pictures, you need an SLR.
-3x zoom
Not kidding, a 3x OPTICAL zoom with a lens that doesn't protrude from the camera. Since it's 8mp, i don't think i'll use the zoom, but wow, it really does work.
-Fast startup
With no external lens to push out, startup time is blazingly fast.
-Favorites
If you set a picture in your favorites, it can never be erased from the camera (unless removed from favorites) even when formatting internal memory as well. Plus, you can set one of these pictures to your menu background, which is a nice touch.
What else can i say, this camera really took me by surprise. It has everything i could want in a camera, plus it's amazing durability. Great buy, suggest getting one of the packs that Amazon offers if you want a really good price. If you want to see it, compare it, hold it, test it, whatever, i suggest heading over to National Camera Exchange. They should have it, and they really know they're stuff.
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88 of 90 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, February 25, 2008
So i purchased this camera to take with me on my trip to cancun where im planning on doing some snorkeling, although i still have not taken the camera on the trip i have already used it and know what its capable of. The camera has the BEST image stabalizer and anti-blurr system i have ever seen, my brother took the camera to a nascar race and took a picture of a car going over 175mph right infront of him and there was no blurr. It has a great macro setting to take close up pictures, i took a picture of a quarter on my desk from about 1 1/2 inches away and it looked amazing, same with a picture of a flower (the built in LED bulb for macro shots helps a lot!). The VGA with 30fps only takes 10 seconds of video which sucks, but it u do VGA with 15fps (frames per second) you can do up to 30 minutes, and i could not tell a difference between the two when i uploaded two similar videos i shot to test it. The camera takes great pictures, and the 20+ shot modes help out sooo much. (candle lit mode for that special night, sunset mode, fireworks mode, underwater wide and 2 other underwater modes, night mode, portait, everything u can think of.)I tested it under water at my local pool and it works great, very fine underwater pictures, the lens has a metal lens cover that closes when u turn off the camera and its very durable (ex. when my dog grabbed it from my hand and ran off with it) nothing but a few minor scratches. sorry for the long review but i wish i had a long one when i bought it, would have helped me make a decision much faster. Camera only goes 10ft so the underwater case is a must if you are going scubadiving, i will at the end of march and ill update the review to let u know how that is. Hope this helps, all in all, this is a great camera!
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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for older kids!, April 2, 2008
I was looking for an 'unbreakable' camera for my hopelessly clumsy 10 year old who begged me for one as a birthday gift. Considering that my dad trusted me with an SLR when I was 10, I decided to give her a chance too - but with precaution. I've read many reviews that the picture quality of the Olympus 850 SW was not so great - and that's true if you're so used to Canon and Nikon (we have both in point and shoot and dSLR).
However, the greatest features of this camera are it's capability to take shots under water and it's being shockproof (6-ft drop). Taking shots in rain, snow, or other wet conditions - as well as wild conditions - is worry-free. If the picture quality is not as important as HAVING pictures on those occasions, then using this camera is a no brainer. The 24-scene modes, framing, labeling, shadow fix, etc. are just bonuses in my opinion - though my daughter loves experimenting with them. It does not offer much in the way of manual control, but I guess that's the point of a point-and-shoot.
She's taken it swimming many times now and it always amazes me to see our own smiling faces under water! Maybe the pictures are less vivid than I would have hoped - but for that, I would have to buy an underwater case for my Nikon D80 - and spend twice the cost of my original camera :) So until I'm an avid underwater photographer, I can settle for my daughter's Olympus 850 SW.
I must add though, that the battery life is quite mediocre. It must be charged after only less than a hundred shots in VGA mode. Opt to get a second battery.
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