Olympus Stylus 1050SW 10.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Black)

Other products by Olympus

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches ; 6.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001CCJNY4
• Item model number: Stylus 1050SW Black
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,079 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 25, 2008

Product Description

Manufacturer's Description

While other digital cameras may use touch screens to access settings, the new Stylus 1050 SW has a shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof body that is sensitive to touch all over. So getting to the most common menu settings in situations where pushing buttons takes time or is difficult is now as fast and easy as a tap on the top, back or sides of the camera.

The rugged 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1050 SW is designed to take the hard knocks that everyday life--particularly those with kids--can throw its way, so you know that the memories it captures will be protected. It can handle five-foot drops to the hard ground, operate in freezing snowstorms, and swim with the fishes -- lethal conditions for most other digital cameras. Additionally, the sleek, lens-protecting faceplate slides down, turning the camera on and revealing the lens in an instant to capture the moment.

Stylus 1050SW Highlights

Tap Control
The Stylus 1050 SW camera can be controlled with a simple tap on its top, back or sides, which is made possible thanks to the new camera’s 3D accelerometer that detects the direction of the force on the camera’s body. For example, to turn on the flash or Shadow Adjustment Technology, tap the camera’s side twice. In adverse climates, where the Stylus 1050 SW thrives, the new Tap Control ensures fast results so you get the shot, even if you are adjusting settings while fighting frostbite with large gloves that would make traditional buttons nearly impossible to maneuver.

Shockproof design for worry-free fun
The shock-absorbing technology designed into the Stylus 1050 SW minimizes the impact delivered to the lens and circuitry when the camera is dropped from heights up to 5 feet. Whether the camera slips out of a backpack or a toddler drops it down a staircase, the Stylus 1050 SW can take a licking and keep on clicking.

Waterproof for underwater adventures
The Stylus 1050 SW performs as well under water as it does on land because its lightweight, aluminum exterior is matched with interior rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal out the elements. It can take photos while being fully submerged to depths of approximately 10 feet (3 meters). The inclusion of a preset underwater scene mode makes the Stylus 1050 SW perfect for snorkeling or a day in the pool. It also features a water-repellant lens coating to prevent water droplets from forming on the lens to get crystal-clear shots no matter how wet the shooting environment.

Freezeproof for icy conditions
Unlike other point-and-shoot cameras that freeze up in frosty weather, the Stylus 1050 SW still performs when the temperature dips well below freezing (down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius) so it is ready when you are to make a snowman or hit the slopes.

Face Detection and Smile Shot
Face Detection tracks up to 16 faces within the frame and automatically focuses (Face Detection AF) and optimizes exposure (Face Detection AE) for sharp, brilliant portraits and group shots. The Stylus 1050 SW also features Smile Shot, which tracks your subject’s face to detect a smile and automatically fires off three consecutive shots so you never miss that perfect smile. This feature is great for parents hoping to capture hard-to-predict baby smiles.

In-camera panorama
In-camera panorama mode captures three images and stitches them together to create one amazing panoramic picture. Simply press the shutter button and slowly pan across a panoramic scene. The second and third images will be captured automatically and stitched together with the first image right in the camera -- resulting in one seamless panorama-size picture ready for printing. To create the ultimate panoramic picture, consumers can use the Olympus Master Software 2 to stitch up to 10 images together.

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. Shadow Adjustment Technology 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 the naked eye.

Perfect Shot Preview
The Stylus 1050 SW features Perfect Shot Preview mode that enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-window screen before snapping the shot. This feature enables 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 an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as zoom, exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

Perfect Fix in-camera editing
The Stylus 1050 SW offers Red-Eye Fix and Shadow Adjustment Edit, in-camera editing features such as resizing, frames, text options and saturation adjustments, enabling users to edit photos right in the camera. With the Perfect Fix function, multiple editing features can be applied at once.

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-up shots where light is scarce.

Digital Image Stabilization
This camera features Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) to capture crisp, clear pictures. By boosting the camera’s ISO sensitivity and shutter speed, DIS freezes the action and captures virtually blur-free images, even when you or your subject is moving.

Large HyperCrystal II LCD
The Stylus 1050 SW boasts an advanced HyperCrystal II LCD, which is Olympus’ next generation of LCD technology. It reproduces true colors with a dynamic contrast ratio of more than 180 percent and a color reproduction performance of more than 160 percent compared to HyperCrystal LCD, providing a preview that is more true to the final image.

Stylish Design and Colors
The Stylus 1050 SW is available in four stunning colors to suit your individual taste: blue, champagne, silver and black. Its newly designed body has a lens protecting component that slides in front of the camera’s lens to further protect it from extreme conditions.

Versatile Memory
All Olympus digital point-and-shoot cameras accept xD-Picture Card media. The Stylus 1050 SW will also come equipped with an adapter, which will enable microSD memory cards to be used when capturing images. The microSD cards are emerging in consumer electronic devices, including mobile phones and PDAs. Users can also easily display photos on their HDTVs.

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 emailing. 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.

Product Description

While other digital cameras may use touch screens to access settings, the new Stylus 1050 SW has a shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof body that is sensitive to touch all over. So getting to the most common menu settings in situations where pushing buttons takes time or is difficult is now as fast and easy as a tap on the top, back or sides of the camera. The rugged 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1050 SW is designed to take the hard knocks that everyday life  particularly those with kids  can throw its way, so you know that the memories it captures will be protected. It can handle five-foot drops to the hard ground, operate in freezing snowstorms, and swim with the fishes  lethal conditions for most other digital cameras. Additionally, the Stylus 1050 SW weathers the elements in style with four trendy colors (blue, champagne, silver and black) and a new streamlined body. The sleek, lens-protecting faceplate slides down, turning the camera on and revealing the lens in an instant to capture the moment.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Camera I Wish I'd Bought Sooner, November 17, 2008

By	opgu "opgu" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

First the negative: Yes, there is some lag after pushing the shutter button, as well as inbetween photos. I knew that going into the purchase, though it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

I can live with that, however, because otherwise this camera is amazing. I had a Nikon Coolpix 550, which gave me the dreaded "lens error" message after only 3 months, and it never worked again. Having young children in the house and enjoying taking pictures on all kids of trips in all kinds of conditions, I can't afford to have a camera that needs to be treated like a decorated egg.

That's where the 1050SW comes in. The durability of this camera is nothing short of awesome. I love having a camera that can be dropped and get soaking wet and still work perfectly. The sliding lens cover keeps junk out of the lens area when the camera's not in use. Genius all-around design.

As far as the photos themselves, there are TONS of settings that can greatly improve picture quality. Leaving the setting to "auto" 100% of the time will not always provide the best photo quality, but making a change in the easy-to-use photo menu can make a huge difference in the end result.

A 3x zoom has its obvious limitations, but for an everyday/every condition camera that will last and last, this is a superb all-around camera.

84 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not perfect, November 9, 2008

By	H. Schisa (Jamaica) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I use this camera at sea (caribbean). Yesterday it survived four hours in very rough water when hurricane was a few hundred miles north, through crashing waves and the like while I mostly tread water and watched to keep from being carried out to sea. However, there are three things which are troublesome. First, when you click to take the picture, there's a delay in its taking the picture so if you want to get something that's gone quickly, you can't judge things too well. Secondly, the digital display is hard to aim with a moving target, and it can't be seen in heavy sunlight. Third, movies seem to be limited to about ten seconds, and there is popping noise in the video at somewhat regular intervals. So, it's fairly rugged for shallow depths, and the size is great, some pictures are not too bad, but the above criticisms create problematic results under certain circumstances.

48 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good camera for a "point and shooter", December 19, 2008

By	Tiffany Mitchell "tifmitch" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

I wanted to like this camera. I wanted to like it so very, very much. The design and the features sounded amazing. The camera looks great, it's light, feels sturdy, and I fully believe that it would do great underwater or survive the kind of fall that would cause other cameras to disintegrate. Frankly, I was drooling over the prospect of having one to use. Seriously; it sounded like the 007 of cameras.

Unfortunately, I am not capable of taking ANY good pictures with this camera. That's right...absolutely no good pics. This wasn't due to lack of trying. Because my other digital camera is an Olympus, I wanted to stay within the family to keep the acclimation to an updated operating system simple.

After thoroughly reading the manual, testing the camera in snow settings, indoors with high, average, and low illumination, with objects up close and far away, moving targets, night settings, static objects, and food shots; I found that I could not for the life of me take a decent photo. I adjusted light levels on the camera, I tried different modes, different qualities of picture, anti-shaking mode, a fixed camera position, and of course I tried the AUTO mode. God help me, at one point I am pretty sure that I sacrificed a live chicken. All the while, I had my older Olympus taking shots in the sames settings on AUTO. The older camera took great shots. I must stress, I took well over 200 test shots with each camera. The 1050SW was returned for a new camera from a different brand...which is taking great photos out of the box with no time spent on the manual yet.

Maybe it's me. I hope it's just me. Bottom line: if you're like me and want a "point and shoot", this may not be the camera for you. An advanced user might have a better go of it...but 10.1MP and a sexy design won't be of much help if you can't easily take a photo.