Olympus : Stylus 720SW

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Product Info

The SP-720SW is the latest evolution in the Stylus series--a digital camera that can withstand a 5-foot drop, shoot under water up to 10 feet, and capture phenomenal photos in any situation. The Stylus 720SW combines light, durable body construction and shock-absorbing materials throughout the interior with the sealant technology used in Olympus underwater housings. The fully-featured, compact Stylus 720SW offers 7.1 megapixels, 3x optical Olympus zoom lens, 2.5-inch LCD, Bright Capture Technology, Digital Image Stabilization Mode, and much more. Designed for everyday use yet versatile enough to shoot on the mountain, at the game, at the party, on the beach, or under water, the Stylus 720SW is a breakthrough digital camera.

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Overall: 80%

Function: 80%

Presentation: 100%

Value: 80%

MSRP ($): 399

Guest's Review

Summary:

I have no idea how long I've been hoping for a shock and waterproof camera, but it was a nice surprise to finally open a box for a camera claiming this status. The Olympus Stylus 720 SW is a gorgeous, yet functional, camera, designed for the outdoor enthusiast.

Review:
The Stylus 720 SW’s exterior is a sturdy metal chassis with a brushed finish, it feels strong but isn’t heavy; you can throw it in your pocket and forget it’s there. At 7 megapixels, the camera is certainly not a light-weight when it comes to image quality, it’s more than enough to capture most moments, and will enable to you enlarge your image to 8x10 and beyond without loosing quality. The camera uses’s Olympus’ XD memory cards, which run about $10 more than SD cards, but still aren’t a bad deal.

The shock resistant and waterproof camera body is what drew my attention to the camera, and is really what makes the argument to buy it. There is absolutely no reason to baby the Stylus 720 SW. You can throw it in your coat pocket without a case, take a slam in the park, and drop it in the snow, all without worrying that it won’t take a picture when you need it to. When I’m out freeriding I try to carry as little as possible, and I avoid pocket bulk wherever I can, and when I’m teaching I have too much in my pockets to begin with; either way, eliminating the padded camera case makes a huge difference to me. I’ve found that since I don’t have to worry about moisture or shock damage, I’m much more willing to ride with the camera in a pocket, which means that I get more pictures when I’m out riding.

The Stylus 720 SW does not have an optical viewfinder, a design choice that I have mixed feelings about. By eliminating the viewfinder, Olympus was able to keep the camera body smaller, but created a potential problem in bright or cold weather. At the top of a mountain, surrounded by snow, the sun is especially bright, and can make even the brightest display seem too dim. You can only take pictures as long as you have battery power, and cold weather saps battery life fast; with the Stylus 720 SW you can’t turn off the display and use the optical viewfinder to conserve batteries. Neither of those issues are a deal breaker with this camera, it has a decent battery life, and the screen is bright enough for most days, but since the camera was designed for those of us who spend more time outdoors, and might need to take a picture when it’s bright out, or want to turn the display off to extend battery life, it does seem to be a bit of an oversight.

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