The Olympus Stylus 770
SW is already special by being both waterproof
down to 10m (33 feet) andshock proof, certified to withstand a fall
from up to 5 feet. Now, it is also certified crushproof (able to withstand up to 220 lbs. of pressure) and has been winterized to perform at below-freezing temperatures (-10°C/14°F) -- which basically means that you have just about run out of reasons why you cannot carry your digital camera with you anywhere you go. This tough, rugged, and excellently
constructed digital camera is targeted to point-and-shoot
photographers who love the great outdoors and don't want to worry about damaging their digital camera in a fall, bump, downpour or snowfall. The Stylus 770 SW is at home on the boat, up the slopes, on the beach or in the swimming pool.
All of this in a compact body that easily slips
into a jeans pocket. Plus it is fashionably elegant,
handles very well, and takes good to very good quality
images.
I love the extra large 2.5-in. LCD and the "Bright Capture Technology" is
impressive, making it possible to see clearly
even in very low levels of ambient light. Anti-glare technology uses natural light to brighten the LCD.
Not having
to worry about damaging the camera in any way
feels very liberating!
Soaking the camera in fresh tap
water for 10 min.
Here is a 10 min soak underwater. Shake off the water, wipe the lens dry and it is immediately good to go!
One thing you have to be careful when using the camera in the water is
that water droplets can get splashed onto the lens and just one water droplet on the
lens will result in a foggy patch on your pictures. Wipe or shake the
water droplets off the lens before taking pictures.
As with the Stylus 720 SW, the wrist strap that comes with the 770 SW unfortunately does not
have an eyelet to fasten the strap tightly around
your wrist. If you are going to take this camera underwater, it is too easy to accidentally let
go of the camera -- and watch it sink to the bottom
of the ocean floor.
Though the camera's internals circuits will not be damaged by bumps and falls, the outer metal surface itself is surprisingly not scratch-resistant. If you want to keep your Stylus 770 SW's protective armor shining for a long time to come, we recommend the optional durable silicon protective skin (comes in blue, orange or clear) which protects your Stylus 770 SW against dust, bumps and scratches while giving you complete control of all the camera functions. Built-in feet stabilize the camera on uneven surfaces. It should also provide a better grip in wet conditions.
There is no AF-assist light, so in low-light
conditions, locking AF can sometimes be challenging:
I found that the AF works well most of the time,
only hesitating when the subject is not contrasty
enough. However, there is now a LED light that you can use to light your subject (and provide the light needed to lock focus).
I was a bit disappointed with the shutter lag,
but prefocusing easily solves this problem.
The Olympus Master 2 software is very user-friendly
and an excellent upgrade from the previous offering. It displays all info on one screen, including
very complete EXIF info. You can do image editing,
resize, crop, insert text, brightness & contrast,
color balance, tone curve, gamma, auto tone correction,
hue & saturation, monochrome & sepia,
sharpness & blur, distortion correction and
red-eye reduction.
It also processes RAW files (though the Stylus 770 SW does not record images in the RAW file format): exposure compensation,
white balance, picture mode, contrast, sharpness,
saturation, B&W filter, picture tone, gradation,
noise filter and color space.
Optional accessories include Neoprene Compact
Camera Case, Premium Slim Camera Case, Silicone
Skin (mentioned above), and 40m Underwater Housing (PT-035).
If you need a waterproof and "built tough
as a tank" all-purpose digital camera, you
might as well stop reading right here, and put
in your order.
Just like the Stylus 720 SW -- and improving on it -- the Olympus Stylus 770 SW is well designed
and well-built, and the "SW" designation
means that you do not have to worry about damaging
it either from a fall or from the elements. More
importantly, it gives great results and should
find a home in the pocket of anyone who requires
a camera "tough enough to take anywhere."
This is definitely the camera for hiking, boating and traveling.
Though the camera's internals circuits will not be damaged by bumps and falls, the outer metal surface itself is surprisingly not scratch-resistant. If you want to keep your Stylus 770 SW's protective armor shining for a long time to come, we recommend the optional durable silicon protective skin (comes in blue, orange or clear) which protects your Stylus 770 SW against dust, bumps and scratches while giving you complete control of all the camera functions. Built-in feet stabilize the camera on uneven surfaces. It should also provide a better grip in wet conditions.
