I will admit I was a skeptic when I bought this camera. I have a toddler and a tech-retarded wife, both of whom are responsible for previous spectacular digicam annihilations. So I turned to the Stylus 790 more out of desperation than anything.Now I admit to being a total convert. For the price-point, I was just hoping for something that took mediocre pics and wouldn't die in 6 months at the hands of my ruthless gadget assassins. It, in fact, takes remarkable pictures, comes with a ton of handy features barely noted on Amazon, and really is indestructible.
Really. And by indestructible I mean it has survived being burried at the beach, dropped in the bubble bath, thrown in the toilet (more than once), gone through the dishwasher cycle (don't ask), dropped from our 3-level balcony to the sidewalk below, and having been laundered (washer AND dryer).
Plus battery is good for hundreds of shots, the video clips are surprisingly crisp, and I rarely have issues with blurry pictures any more. Also, Olympus' face-finding technology is pretty amazing stuff.
Overall I would highly recommend this camera on its own merits as a great camera. The fact the it survived my household is the icing on the cake, since (I hope) you won't be nearly as rough in testing it. Enjoy!
Unfortunately my last camera had no image stabilization, so about 1/3 to 1/2 of all the photos I took came out blurred. But before I could make a decision on a replacement, my old one died. Apparently some road grit had gotten into the lens and one day it refused to extend or retract. Since most of the compact digital cameras on the market have lenses that extend prior to use, it narrowed the field down dramatically. This was the main reason I decided to go with the Olympus.
I've had it for a few months now and had occasion to use it for both moving and normal photography (I've posted a few good and bad photos here). I'm not completely sold on it, but to me the pros outweigh the cons so I'm going to keep it. There are however, a few design issues that I find frustrating.
The first is the focus time (the time between pushing the shutter button and when the photo is actually taken). With my old compact digital it was almost instantaneous, so "I got what I shot". With the Olympus it takes a second or two, which when shooting moving vehicles (from a moving vehicle) is enough time to allow the subject to change position and now be slightly out of focus. Unfortunately image stabilization will not compensate for that.
Another issue is the placement of the flash. On most cameras the flash is on the opposite side from where you hold it (the flash is usually on the left while you hold it on the right). However, on the 790SW the flash is on the same side as the hand grip, which means that if you are not extremely careful your finger will block part of the flash. I have some group photos taken at night where the people on the right side are in darkness while those on the left and in the center are properly lit.
But the biggest issue I have is with the battery life. Typically I would get between 300-400 shots from the battery on my old compact digital camera. However, the battery life on the 790SW is amazingly short. My first trip I got only 170 daylight shots before the camera completely shut down. As it was only mid morning and I wouldn't be able to charge the battery until that night, I spent the rest of the day with a useless camera while dozens of great photos got away. Since then I picked up a second battery, but still have to keep an eye on my power consumption so that I don't run out before the end of the day. I thought about buying a third or forth battery, but at that point I would be spending a large chunk of the overall cost of camera just to keep it powered.
In short:
Pros:
Bulletproof (water/dust/freeze/crush/shock proof)
Non extending lens will not jam from dirt or dust
Auto open/shut metal lens cover
Image Stabilization
7.1 Megapixel
Cons:
Focus time
Placement of the flash
Battery life
Must remove the battery to charge it
While the focus lag-time problem might be unique to my work, the flash and battery issues are ones that everyone should consider before buying this camera. If you have unique needs (camera robustness, weather/water proof) then this is one of the few choices on the market and worth the money. However, if you don't need the special abilities this camera has to offer, I think you would be better served looking for something else in this (or even a lower) price range.I am a pro photographer, shooting with a Nikon D2Xs. I was looking for a compact camera for my wife, when I saw this camera in the reviews, it seemed like a good choice. I did some research and found a SCUBA website that tested it to 64' deep, and although the depth gauge stops at 30 something feet, it performed fine event at over double the rated depth.
I was specifically concerned about the contrast these little point and shot cameras have, coming from the world of pro DSLRs... This isn't a $4500 D2Xs, but I was very surprised how good the picture is. The large screen is very sharp and bright. The integrated lens cover is metal, and seems like it would be sturdy.
I would recommend this camera as a high performance compact point-and-shoot.First let me say, while not the highest MP's on the block, the advertized "oopps-proofing" of this camera drew me in. Drops from up to 5 feet can be weathered, its submersible, can operate in temperature conditions to 10 below 0, and the portability are all sure fire winners in our family. Now onto the software: Can I say WOW? Very user friendly (as I have YET to crack open the book). Was able to literally shoot right out of the box, navigate the settings on the camera without issue(still more to learn I am sure, though), and with a simple plug in of the USB, uploading is automatic! SOOOOO much easier than my first digital camera circa 1994 (yes, you read me right)....AND WORKS SEAMLESSLY WITH VISTA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice editing tools within the software, thus no need to import pics into Photoshop or the like to correct red eye, etc. You can even email right out of the software v. attaching pics of old camera softwares gone-by. Camera boasts the ability to shoot video as well (although I'd recommend the 2GB card, which likewise allows for tons of still images should you be away on vacation and unable to download/free up space). Case colors are eye catching too. All in all, considering the rough-in-tough capabilities (without the tank look of many electronics that are made for active and or clumsy users), the requisite/acceptable number of mega pixels (note I did not say stellar, just acceptable), the software (both in and out of the camera) and the large viewing screen (considering the overall size of the camera to begin with), this was a good buy for our family's needs.Pros
He's a tough little guy, he's not going to break if you bump him or spill on him
He's an attractive camera
He's small enough to go with you anywhere
He's easy to hold and handle, he comes with a safety strap too
He's easy to use, no steep learning curve, just point and shoot
He's plug-n-play style with Windows XP, no software install required
Cons
His battery doesn't recharge unless you pop it physically out of the camera and pop it into a separate charging tray
Additional Thoughts
It's a good-looking, tough, small camera -perhaps more bulky than the pictures you see on the web reveal, but still small and comfortable in the hand. I didn't need the manual to start using it right away. I am enjoying new freedom from paranoia! I know that if I knock this camera around a bit it's not going to die on me. The toughness of the camera makes me brave about it, and that's why I bought it. As for picture quality, features, battery life... they all seem very good to me, pretty standard for your daily point-n-shoot. I've have the camera for a few weeks now and I use it constantly. Again, the big selling point is its hardiness. I am not shy about keeping it with me in a bag or pocket because it can handle being bounced around a little. I haven't found a thing about this little guy I don't like! :-)
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