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Olympus Hazard-Proof Tap-To-Snap Stylus 1050 SW and Its Skinny Sidekick, the 1040
Posted by Benny Goldman at 2:00 PM on August 25, 2008
Olympus' tough-as-nails Stylus 1050 SW updates the 1030 SW with a tap-control feature that makes it easy to take pictures in extreme environments. While the specs are nearly identical to the 1030—10.1MP, 1.5 metre shockproof, 3 metres waterproof, -10°C freezeproof—the 1050 uses an accelerometer to allow button-free control. Tapping the top, back or sides of the camera cycle through different options, so you can make adjustments to your pictures even if you're wearing gloves. It'll be out in October, and for US$300, I'd tap that. The Stylus 1040, one of the best looking Olympus point-and-shoots we've seen, down below.
The 1040 is a super-slim cam, and in fact, the thinnest Stylus yet. It ditches the big zoom lens typical of other Olympus cameras for a more common slick, boxy style with flat controls on the back. As far as specs go, it's basically the 1050 SW without the huevos, a 10.1MP point-and-shoot with 3x optical zoom and a 2.7" LCD screen. Also out in October, the 1040 will run US$200.
AU: Local pricing has also been announced - you're looking at $299 for the 1040 and $399 for the 1050SW. I'd say that borders on bargain territory...[Olympus]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
1timeonly
Posted 2:12 PM 25/8/08
shoot... and i just got a pentax optio w60...
1timeonly
i4ni
Posted 2:11 PM 25/8/08
I need to change my pants.
i4ni
Rob C
Posted 2:10 PM 25/8/08
Nice looking cameras. The bottom one looks exactly like a Sony though.
Rob C
Makkuro
Posted 2:53 PM 25/8/08
@K-SO: Yeah that was the biggest complain I have on my 1030SW... damn xD cards that nothing can read without an adapter. Why couldn't they just stick with SD (I would even settle for mini/micro SD)???? Almost every laptop has a SD slot!
By the way, the 1030SW was waterproof to 33ft (10m)... this seems more like the successor to the 850SW instead. (850SW is also only waterproof to 10ft, and drop-proof to 5ft).
Makkuro
K-SO
Posted 2:45 PM 25/8/08
These still use those damn xD cards, right?
K-SO
JacquesAss
Posted 4:27 PM 25/8/08
Yet another Olympus that I refuse to consider solely due to the memory card.
It just doesn't seem like the licensing revenue on xD could possibly compensate for the lost sales revenue of people not buying their cameras...
JacquesAss
thechansen
Posted 6:04 PM 25/8/08
xD card aside, I hate the picture quality from these Olympus cameras. I really really wanted to like them but for the price I would rather my current set up of the canon sd750 and waterproof case. Even more so since they finally got the CDHK firmware running on it. But feel free to replace the sd750 for any other sub $200 canon point and shoot. Call me a fanboy but Canon has their shit together when it comes to point and shoot cams (and I use all nikon dslrs).
thechansen
WolfDV
Posted 5:53 PM 25/8/08
nice cam, but ewww.....xD cards = no buy from me.. (seriously why the hell cant they get with the program and go SD)
looks like I'll still be getting the awesome pentax optio w60 instead
WolfDV
thetrueyuiop
Posted 6:56 PM 25/8/08
i swear, if there was a camera out there that could do all this for the same price; but supported SDHC, i'd be all over it.
thetrueyuiop
TailsNZ
Posted 8:55 PM 25/8/08
Hate xD card? Well these cameras are a step closer to what you want then, all the new Olympus models come bundled with a MicroSD card adapter.
TailsNZ
skierajs
Posted 6:04 AM 26/8/08
Makkuro is right. My 1030SW is rated to 10 METERS on 10 FEET.
Just to give you an idea of how tough these Olympus cameras are:
I bought the "accident coverage" PRP from from that electronics store that everyone has mixed feelings about, so I dive with the 1030SW regardless of depth.
The 1030SW starts beeping like crazy arount 33 feet, but mine still works up until about 40 feet. After that, the zoom-in button gets stuck in from the pressure, but I have regularly taken the 1030SW camera down to 50 to 70 feet and it doesn't flood.
I think I will stick with the earlier model if the 1050SW is supposed to be the successor and is only rated to 10 ft!
skierajs
B1663R
Posted 11:29 PM 25/8/08
i got the gen 1 (720sw) tough as nails, as advertised. only downfalls, the xD card and the actual quality of the photo's my Nikon point and shoot takes way better pics. and ins 9 years old!!!
B1663R
mpc920
Posted 12:21 AM 26/8/08
1030sw is definitely 10m waterproof. if anything, the release of the new model means the 1030sw will be cheaper. get yours while supplies last - i love mine.
mpc920
itchytooth
Posted 1:56 AM 26/8/08
@1timeonly: I would choose the Pentax over this.
@thechansen: I completely agree. I had one of the 700 models and returned it because the picture quality was awful. Now I use a waterproof case with an old, busted Canon SD400 and the results are pretty great. Every time Pentax or Olympus announce a new rugged camera, I still get excited though. I figure one of these days they'll get it right.
itchytooth
phoenixdye
Posted 4:24 AM 26/8/08
@skierajs: 1030SW = 10M easily!
Was in Cayman Brac and had mine at 45ft w/o any issues, beeps, or control loss. I wonder if the density (salt vs fresh) or temp of the water makes a difference...
If I remember correctly, one of the previous models had an odd down turn to only 10ft as well. Let's hope the specs here are off, as this line of digi ROCKS.
One simply needs to understand the potentially <10mp quality is outweighed by so many amazing attributes of durability for us adventure seekers... basically for the price of a go anywhere outdoorsy camera, get a different one for your nights in da club.
phoenixdye
chasmm
Posted 6:00 AM 26/8/08
@TailsNZ:
wrote "Hate xD card? Well these cameras are a step closer to what you want then, all the new Olympus models come bundled with a MicroSD card adapter."
Beware though...the camera doesn't support the MicroSD card fully. It limits the video recording to just a few seconds when using MicroSD as opposed to xD. I also seem to remember reading something else about some picture modes/operations/settings not being supported by the camera when using a MicroSD.
That said, I bought one of the 1030SWs for my daughter. She loves it, and it takes great pictures.
chasmm
snowrunnr
Posted 1:29 PM 27/8/08
My 720sw recently broke and the repairs were going to be $120. I figure I'll get a new camera instead and was looking at the 1030sw and 1050sw.
The 1030sw looks great with the extra depth and wide angle lens, but will the wide angle lens produce undistorted images in day to day use (in non-scenic or super perspective shots)? Also, the 1030sw is slightly thicker and heavier, but not by much.
The 1050sw looks great as well, since it is slightly thinner and offers the shadow and tap function. Besides being an ugly camera and not going as deep, are there any downsides to this one?
snowrunnr
taking_this_easy
Posted 1:18 AM 26/8/08
so this is what, 38mm camera?
i'll wait for the technology to make it ultra-wide angle(25mm).... then i'll buy it
taking_this_easy
nash72
Posted 6:18 PM 25/8/08
I bought a 700 series from Malaysia 2 years ago, as we love to snorkel in Malaysia (bought also the water casing) and when we are back in Amsterdam we never miss our Dutch Festivals and of course it rains every other hour in Amsterdam!
This camera has met all our expectations,but unfortunately it died on me 3 months, ago. I have taken it to the service shop in Malaysia in hopes of keeping it as a back up camera since we have the water casing, they said it might run around 100 USD. I am now in the market for the new stylus but not sure which one to get 1040 or 1050 any one have an idea?
Also whats the fuss between XD cards and SD cards?
Thanks!
nash72