The feature list for the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW reads like a kayaker’s wish list for a digital camera: 10.1 megapixels, a 3.6x (5-18.2mm or 28-102mm in 35mm) optical zoom that’s sealed behind glass with a built-in lens cover. It’s also shockproof to a two-meter drop, crushproof to 220 pounds and waterproof to 10 meters. The zoom’s wide end—28mm—is quite a bit wider than the 33-38mm (35mm equivalent) typical of most point-and-shoot cameras. To top it off, the 1030 SW is the size of a deck of cards and fits easily in a PFD pocket.
The camera is powered by a proprietary lithium-ion battery and is compatible with xD flash cards, and, with a supplied adapter, microSD cards. The battery and card go under separate gasketed covers. The camera lacks an optical viewfinder, so you have to compose shots with the 2.7-inch LCD display. Control buttons on the back are neatly arranged for right thumb operation. There are two zoom buttons, a mode dial, and a four-way controller with four more buttons at its corners. The controls are simple enough, but it’s best to get to know the camera before you get on the water. The icons and labels are tiny and can be difficult to read.
The camera offers seven size options for still pictures in jpeg-only format, from 3648×2736 all the way down to 640×480. It also shoots AVI video with options for size and frame rate: 640×480 or 320×240, and 30 or 15 frames per second. One thing to note: Older xD cards limit the 30f/sec video to 10 seconds. The newer xD M+ or H cards record video until the card fills up (About 18 minutes of continuous video at the highest quality for the 2GB xD M+). An ISO range from 80 to 1600 can be selected from the menus. I shot in Program mode most of the time, which allows some adjustments like exposure compensation. The camera also has an Auto mode, where the camera makes all the decisions, and a “Digital Anti-Shake” mode, which varies the ISO to yield sharper (but noisier) picture in low light. I liked the live histogram, which shows the range of tones and alerts you to blown-out whites and filled-in blacks before you take a picture. In most digital cameras this feature is available only after you shoot.
I tested the camera’s resolution by comparing it with a 10.2MP digital SLR at equivalent focal lengths on a tripod. Not surprisingly, at 100 ISO, resolution (the camera’s ability to discern fine detail) was better on the dSLR, but the difference wasn’t huge. Digital noise—those random, snow-like color variations, especially seen in shadows—was greater with the 1030 SW, more like it would be at 400 ISO on a digital SLR. Some areas of the images, especially skin tones, look like noise reduction has been applied in-camera even at 100 ISO, a feat of digital smoothing that made me look 10 years younger! In any case, the images printed well, and even an 8 x 10 print from a 1600 ISO image looked fairly good, though somewhat “snowy.” In general, I got crisp, sharp pictures by shooting handheld with the zoom at the wide end. On the telephoto end of the zoom, some hand-held pictures weren’t sharp at 100 ISO. A higher ISO or a tripod would be useful for telephoto shots. This camera surpasses the point-and-shoot weatherproof film cameras of yore, and with a steady hand or tripod, is suitable for 8 x 10 or even 11 x 14 blowups.
A built-in lens cover opens automatically with start-up. The lens is located in an upper corner, which means you can get a finger in the shot if you’re holding the camera with two hands. At first I didn’t like that—it’s too easy to get a fingertip in the picture—but the offset lens location helps for shooting with one hand and lends itself to a variety of secure handholds you may come to appreciate. The Macro mode for close-ups is excellent, with a super Macro mode capable of filling the frame with creatures like sea slugs as small as an inch across. The Macro focus is fast and doesn’t “hunt.” The camera’s built-in flash offers the typical four flash modes: Auto, Red-eye, Fill (always on) and Off. Built-in memory has room for only three images in top-quality mode. For comparison, a 2GB card yields 410 images.
On the Water
The camera fits easily in a PFD pocket, but will sink like a stone in water. The supplied wrist strap is too short by itself for shooting tethered to a D-ring inside a pocket, so I added a line long enough to shoot at arm’s length. I found that with gloved hands I couldn’t feel the back buttons, but I managed to navigate the buttons and shoot anyway without much difficulty. Start-up time is fast, faster than the time it takes to lift the camera to shoot. Pushing the shutter halfway, the camera beeps loudly and the LCD flashes a green rectangle when the image is in focus. The sound is easy to turn off if you find the beep annoying or want to photograph shy critters.
Focus is fairly fast outdoors in daylight. It slows down a lot in evening light or in deep shadow, but in these situations you’ll probably want a tripod. There is a noticeable, though short, shutter lag if you point the camera and shoot, but by holding down the shutter button halfway to acquire focus, when the shutter is fully depressed image capture is quick, and I couldn’t detect any lag.
The LCD is bright—it beats almost anything I’ve used for viewing outdoors—but reflections off the LCD can block your viewing, so at times you may have to move or tilt the camera to see the image. The lens glass has a cover that retracts on start-up, giving reassuring protection when not in use. On salt water, I worried about salt crusting on the lens, but a shake and inspection before returning it to the PFD worked pretty well. Olympus recommends a rinse or brief soak in freshwater after use in salt water. Whatever coating Olympus puts on the lens, water drops after submersion are tiny. I did get a couple tiny drops from paddle splash. The drops were difficult to see and mostly didn’t show on subsequent shots, but it’s wise to check the lens during and after shooting and carry some Q-tips and a drop of alcohol to keep it clean.
A 12-second time delay is set by pushing the bottom of the mode dial twice, then set. This is simple enough, but the delay has to be reset after each shot. I would much prefer a delay that stayed on until you choose to turn that feature off.
Conclusion
The Olympus 1030 SW provides no-worries photography when shooting with wet hands, in bad weather or plunging the camera over the side for underwater shots. It’s simple to operate, and it fits in a PFD pocket. The 10.1MP resolution and the waterproof, shockproof and crushproof body lead the category. All that I have left on my wish list is the option to use AA batteries for long trips, and an interval timer or remote control. Perhaps some day, but for now the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is a winner. The 1030 SW comes with rechargeable battery and charger, wrist strap, Olympus Master 2 software, USB and video cables and a one-year warranty.