->Purchase

I purchased the Olympus Stylus 770SW for a family Disney Cruise vacation. The 770SW preformed beyond our expectations! Taking pictures and movies inside and outside the ship were easy and fantastic in their quality of resolution. Our seven year dropped the 770SW while trying to get his picture taken with the big mouse, and other another child steppped on the camera before we were able to pick it up! NO damage to this rugged little camera. We also used the Olympus 770SW under water while snorkling on Castaway island, again the 770SW performed perfect. Rugged, Water proof, and family friendly. I Highly recocommed the Olympus 770SW.


->Buy Online

Finaly A camera you can take on a vacation and not be afraid of what you do with it. After a Reaf Master rated for 100ft failed at 25 ft. and the LCD on a Digital Elf went black when sat on, now one Olympus Survives Cave Diving , droped from a pocket and sat on all in one week.


->Buy

I bought this camera for my son to take underwater photos. He loves it. The pictures underwater are great as well as the above water photos. The camera is easy to use and has a list of photo types to choose from. I would definitely recommend this camera for everyone.


->Price

I don't know why people give this 5 stars

It is sure overrated. The only thing you get from this is that the camera is water proof. That's it.

It has worst motion picture quality compared to other cameras with similar price range

Also the quality of picture is far lower than that of other 300 $ cameras.

It's pic quality is close to that of cheap low-end cameras

One of my friend bought Fuju $100 something camera, which

gives better quality than this camera

Yes sure, if you need a water proof, this camera works

but how many times you think you're going to beach or

water park? Please be cautious

I am totally dissapointed with the pic quality

The worst thing in this camera is that it doesn't have any

view finder. You may wonder why we need view finder but trust me

You can't see anything from the LCD display under the

sun light and also in underwater

Nothing is visible underwater. It's silly because that's

is the reason you pay over 300$

I tried it in a water park. I couln't see anything even from one feet in underwater. NOt 10 feet......Haha....

Do you want to capture your kid play on the beach?

You can't see anything on the LCD. It is just dark.











->

This is the camera I have always wanted. Small, good image quality, and sturdy. I purchased this camera for traveling and everyday use. I'm able to shove it down in my pocket and not ever worry about it. If it rains, so what. Drop it? No problem. I've dropped this camera in a pond while fishing and on asphalt and concrete. Just pick it up and put it back in your pocket. No worries. Technology is expensive and it's nice to finally have something you don't fret over because you dropped $300-$400 on camera and somebody (or you) drops it, etc.
Olympus makes the best digital cameras in my humble opinion so purchase without fear. I've seen other reviews, etc. list the lack of a view finder as a con, but does anyone really even use one anymore? Since digital cameras have been around I can't remember the last time I did. Buy a disposable camera if that's your hangup. The lcd screen on the back of this bad boy is all you need.


->Sale

* Extremely user friendly, it took me about an hour of toying aroung with the camera to learn how to use just about everything on it.

*Crisp clear pictures, able to get great pictures of things even just a couple of inches from the lense.
*Functions Operate very quickly
*hardy and durable camera
*Able to customize many features
*Able to edit images right in camera
*Included software is also easy to use and full of features
*Able to view LCD from all angles
*LCD not great in direct sunlight
*Buttons easy to navigate
*3x zoom is not much


->Sale

If you are buying this camera because you want GREAT photos, look elsewhere. This camera takes GOOD pictures that are great for most family photographers, common consumer print sizes (4x6, 5x7), and for common enlargements (8x10). With an overall picture quality that does not stand out in comparison to most other 7 to 8 Mega pixel cameras, this camera falls in the average picture quality/feature set range of most cameras in its price range.

What differentiates this camera is its uncanny ability to survive what most pocket sized point-in-shoots cannot. A drop that killed my other pocket digital camera's LCD was shrugged off by this camera and, although I do not take this camera SCUBA diving (although some pre-purchase reviews showed the camera being taken as deep as 80 feet underwater without failure - over twice the rated submersion depth), I do take it kayaking, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, to the beach and to other outdoor events without worries.

If you live an active, adventurous lifestyle, have a tendency to be rough on electronic gizmos, or just want not to worry in the great outdoors, the 770 SW is a SOLID camera that take captures moments that no other camera will (because they would be home or broken).



->Purchase

I have the older 720sw. I use it for Caving in the tropics. Extremely tough conditions with almost all shots using flash. I shoot tons of video. It sits in a case on my belt through 100% jungle humidity constantly when I'm above ground. It's been on the belt for 5 days straight 4 - 5 hours a day swimming in underground rivers. Has performed flawlessly since last October 2006.

Took a little getting used to the small size, finger covered the lens for the first few shots.
But the screen is big, flash good in complete darkness. My camera case got crammed with fine river sand, and some breached the lens cover causing it to stick, but I rinsed it thoroughly under running water turning it on and off, and it cleared itself, and is working flawlessly months later.

I didn't like the XD format at first. The battery takes a while to charge. But I now have two spare batteries, 1000mah each, and a 2gb spare card.

No problems, and will certainly get the upgraded 770SW for a spare camera soon.

Great product.


->Compare

Salt water spray has claimed two of my previous cameras so when I read about this camera and the Pentax Option W30 I decided one of the two would be a very valuable investment. The next question was deciding which one to buy.

The Pentax is a superior camera. Colors are more saturated, and it has lower noise higher up the ISO range. Also, the Pentax produces videos that are 30FPS (the Olymmpus only goes up to 15FPS) which is a huge advantage. Also, the Pentax uses SD cards, which are available at higher density and faster speed.

The Olympus, on the other hand, is much more bulletproof.

First of all, it will survive down to 30' whereas the Pentax is limited to 10. I wanted a camera that could survive light snorkeling. I routinely breath-hold dive to 12'-15' and I'd hate to have a camera on me that I would worry about. With the Olympus I just do whatever I want.

Second, the Olympus is crush proof. I can slap the thing in my backpocket and sit on it and not break it (I weigh about 190#). I can get on my boat, throw the thing on the deck with the rest of my gear, and watch it bounce around unharmed. The Pentax is just not that strong.

In the end, since I already have a camera that takes brilliant, vivid pictures with great resolution and also takes great video (a Canon SD550) I decided rugged was more important than marginally better optical rendition. I figured the Olympus would take acceptably good pictures and I went with the Olympus.

I'm not disappointed, but I'm not thrilled.

The camera is every bit as waterproof and bulletproof as is claimed. I've slapped it around, thrown it, had it around the boat, seawater, sun, kids, and it's just fine. I can take this camera with me on the boat, take it with me swimming and snorkeling, and it will work when I'll want it. A camera is only useful when you have it and I'm not afraid to have the Olympus with me at all times in any environment.

Having said that, the picture quality stinks, I suspect as a result of the lens design dictated by the water resistant qualities of the camera. In bright sunlight, with the ISO set to 100 (and even up to 200 it's not bad) there is no significant noise. On the other hand, the colors appear washed out and dull compared to similar pictures taken with the Canon. Its resolving power is also inferior to the Canon and there's no question but that I'll continue to use my Canon in environments that are friendly to it (like, no salt water spray risk). On the other hand, since I can't take my Canon everywhere, I love having this camera; I recently went to see America's cup practices in Valencia and I'm happy to say I have a couple of shots of Alinghi that will make decent poster prints. They'd look better taken with my Canon but....right, I would not have taken my Canon in that environment, so...

Focusing delay is very short, as is shutter delay. If you prefocus, the shutter delay is non-existent. Without prefocus, it's less than a second: not bad. On the other hand, shot to shot delay is annoyingly long, a couple seconds at full resolution.

Image compression is average. In the best quality mode you can still see some compression artifacts but the average person will not notice. If you do know what to look for, you'll find it annoying but not a deal-breaker.

I bought a 2Gb H Xd card, and it's pretty fast but not as good as high speed SD. Also, it's nowhere near the density that SD has reached, but 2Gb will go a pretty long way.

In short: buy this camera to take it in places where other cameras fear to go. Don't buy this camera if all you want is great pictures for the backyard or the trip to Disneyland.

Ah, almost forgot. Buy a large styrofoam float and attach it to the lanyard. If you lose the camera over the side of your boat, it's nice to be able to go back and pick it up.


->Comparison

Well I usually don't review items, but I have had this camera for a week, my mother had it for a month before me. All I can say is I am very impressed with the camera and would recommend it to anyone.

Pros
1) Small and compact
2) Waterproof, shock proof
3) Great picture quality, have not had any grainy photos as other reviewers have mentioned
4) Great battery life - I took over 200 photos plus tested features and still have not changed the battery
5) If you take the time to learn the features it is flawless
6) I could go on and on

Cons
1) As with all cameras view screen is difficult to see when sun reflects off it
2) wide photos are difficult to take, but there is a panoramic setting that is useful

I would say if you want a great bomb proof camera this is the one to buy


->Best Price

The two things I've heard about the camera that people complain about:
You have to take the battery out to charge
Indoor Pictures Suck

WELL THE SECOND IS A LIE. :P Photobucket isnt working for me at the moment so I can't upload the pic, but if you email or PM me I would gladly send you an indoor pic.

On my camera it looks just fine. There are no halos no spots or blurs etc. However, I am not a proffesional photographer so I couldnt tell you everything. But to me it just looks like a great picture. I will try uploading a few to amazon. So check the user Images link by the picture of the camera.

About taking the battery out. Is it really that hard? You open the door, take out the battery, put it on the charger. The charger isnt that big and if you are traveling its not like you wont have room to pack it. I dunno, but it seems like an extreeeeemly silly thing to gripe about. Honestly.




Anyways, the camera is great. If you were thinking about it I highly reccomend it. It's kinda scary getting it wet for the first time, but amazingly fun afterwards. Its fun to ask people to do it. haha


Bottom line, Buy it youll love it.

ALSO IF YOU ORDER HERE, the silver camera isnt really that color the front panel does not match the rest. it is the awesome gun metal color. Anyways like ive said a thousand times its amazing.


->Prices

I have used digital cameras for several years, among them the Olympus C-50, Olympus C5000, and my main SLR, Canon Rebel XT and a few others. I bought the 770SW for a trip to the Galapagos Islands so I could snorkel and free dive. It was purchased a month early so I could get accustomed to the camera.

This is the first digital that I have used without a viewfinder so that took some getting used to. The criticism that one can't see the LCD in bright sunlight is VERY true but that is true of most digital cameras with or without viewfinders. I could see it underwater but not great. None-the-less I could aim it approximately and got some really nice shots. Posted one of a giant turtle and a pelican, which landed on my head thinking I was a rock. The interesting thing is that one doesn't have to change the settings if one shoots underwater mode (far) as it also takes great above water shots. Once you dive below the sun level or greater than 20 ft, the pictures get bluer and bluer as one expects. For scuba I use a Nikonis with a slave strobe, which is really necessary for good shots when one gets 30 or 40 feet. BUT for snorkeling, this camera worked great. In salt water, I can't go as deep anyway without weights, so had no problem with enough sunlight. Using the flash underwater would be OK if the water was perfectly clear, but the water was rather rough in many places and had many particles, so the flash would have bounced off all those particles and produced photos with spots anyway, unless you were trying to get that special effect. Actually had enough light for good shots as the ISO the camera sets itself to when set for underwater far. I suspect that is 400 or 800 since I didn't see much movement in the photos AND the current was strong as May is winter in the Galapagos.

I would suggest purchasing the H-chips (i.e. xD cards) rather than the M-chips as the H-chips are faster which means you can shoot faster to have more chances to get that GREAT shot. I used the 1GB xD cards.

To minimize or eliminate the sand problem, after use on the beach or snorkeling, I repeatedly washed the camera in fresh water while I continually opened and closed the lens (by turning the camera on and off).

I did not have the problem that some people talked about of the mode changing when the camera was turned off. Mine doesn't do that.

I was concerned about a couple of reviews that I read that the images were soft. NONE of my images are soft. They are very sharp and have blown them up to 11 x 14 without problems.

I personally feel that one should throw away the wrist strap immediately and buy an inexpensive lightweight neck strap and put it through the same hole. It cost me $9 at my local camera store. I lost an Olympus C-50 as I was getting off a sightseeing bus with it around my wrist, and the person behind me in a GREAT hurry pushed me, the camera slid off my wrist onto the cement 6 ft below and that was the end of that. Thankfully Olympus had a policy that if you send in a camera and $150 (as of 2005), they will repair it regardless what the problem is. Believe me that C50 had LOTS of problems which they repaired to make it like new. Anyway, a neck strap is a MUST as far as I am concerned.

Can't judge the panorama function as for the most part I take overlapping photos and stitch them together in Photoshop, which works great.

For indoor flash photos, one must be within 8 ft or so and not have high ceilings, then it is fine. I also increase the ISO to 400 or 800 for inside shots if there is a great distance. Obviously one introduces some noise, but many times useable if I don't have another camera around to use. It would be nice to have more flash power, but guess one can't have everything especially for the price and size.

If it is reasonably bright inside or outside, the photos are of good exposure, and sharp for blowups. I haven't noticed the white balance issue that one reviewer referred to, altho I think that was on inside pictures. When I do take photos when it is dark inside, I do use the Photoshop filter "highlight and shadows" more.

I was surprised at the battery life I got. Expected to go through many batteries in a day so bought a few to take along on my trip. Never used more than two and usually only one battery with all day shooting and 2 snorkeling trips. They do sell two types of batteries and suggest getting the one with the longer shooting time.

I now carry this camera EVERYWHERE. Buy one of the skins, which go around the camera to protect it from scratches. It was only $11 at a local camera shop. No it doesn't replace my Canon Rebel XT, but it takes great photos especially in bright situations and does underwater and you can even drop it (haven't tried that one out). It is so small, fits in my vest pocket and barely know I am carrying it.

Definitely as far as I am concerned, this is a MUST HAVE camera.


->Sale

After using this camera (Olympus 770SW) for a few weeks I can say it suits my needs perfectly. The places I've wanted to have a camera haven't always been the best places to take a camera like boating, fishing, kayaking and most anywhere else outdoors in anything less than perfect weather. Most of the time I just left my cameras at home for fear of damaging them. I considered getting a waterproof housing for my Canon A85 but couldn't justify the cost for an aging lower resolution camera not to mention it would then be the size and weight of a brick. I don't know why anyone would consider any other point and shoot camera since this one will do everything any other camera will do but definitely not vice versa! It's VERY small, makes great photos, features high resolution, has a huge LCD screen, has great battery life, is waterproof, shock resistant and crushproof...why WOULDN'T you buy it??


->Comparison

When my daughter lost my first Olympus SW I had to replace it within a couple weeks. I carry it everywhere and put it through the wringer. In my line of work it is exposed to dirt, water, and the occassional concussion. I use it to take super macro close up shots of plants, landscape photos and of course the action kid pics. I also use the movie feature and the sound is fairly decent. My photos are almost always clear. It does a great job focusing on what I want it to focus on. I send it on field trips with my 10 year old, worry free that it will get ruined and knowing he'll be able to take good shots with it. Also, the battery lasts forever, which is nice but I have an extra since you can't charge it when it is in the camera. That can be a bit of a pain.

The one thing I'd say with all digital cameras is to invest in the high speed cards. It makes all the difference.


->Buy

When I opened the packaging, I was surprised how little this camera is. It easily fits in a pocket and it takes fantastic pictures. The macro and super-marco functions work quite well, especially compared with other cameras I've used. Taking movies is easy and they're of decent quality. Highly recommend a 1GB memory card. Overall it's a great camera, even if you don't plan on dunking it in the water.


->Buy

It is water proof, shock proof, freez proof... but olympus still forget one thing. They should make it sand proof. when I take pictures while snorkeling, some sands get into the lens cover and jam it. so I can not turn on it anymore. Thanks to amazon's excellent replacement service, I got new one soon.
Since the lens will not extend out of body and it is anti-scratch, I do not think it is much use to have the metal cover. There should be better design.
As to the operation, although there is a 'Save Setting' option, if I set it to one of preset shooting mode, and turn off then on, it went to the mode selection screen, I still have to click OK button once. Besides that, the operation is straightforward and easy for me (maybe because I used olympus before)
photo quality is ok, for this class pocket camara. start time is much shorter, compare with my previous one. the lag time is also shorter, but still a little long.
the mini-usb is not standard, so i have to put another cable on my usb harber. I think olympus should put a lanyard intead of wrist strip in package. the internal memory can not be used togather with xd Card. Maybe it is used as a buffer?
On general, it is ok, it deliever as described. Of course there can be improvement


->Buy

This is my 7th digital camera purchase in the past 4 years. I have taken over 16,000 pictures in those 4 years. I am an active young person and my cameras go with me anytime I am out on the town or the beach or anywhere with friends and family. I started with the C-50 and went through 4 of those. The C-50 was a great camera in its time, but the slide mechanism wore easily after use and the the camera was in general very fragile. I lost one and broke the others.

I owned 2 of the C-60's. The C-60 was a much improved camera, but the slide mechanism still weakend with use and it was also very suspect to dust and debris with its style of zoom out lens. The picture quality of the C-60 was much better overall than the C-50.

This 770SW is tremendously better than the C-60 or any other camera. It is thinner, there is no pop out lens to break or catch debris. The overall picture is just slightly better than the C-60 but I thought both had a great picture. The 770SW excells in close up and fast moving pictures. I rarely see a blurry image anymore and anything up to 5 inches away produces a perfect picture in the right mode. Purchase the XD high speed card with this camera and take pictures faster than with any other olympus.

Where this camera blows past every other point and shoot is in its duarability. It blew my mind last week that I could jump in my pool with this camera and take under water or just out of water pictures without hurting the camera. I purchased the skin with this camera and it keeps the camera completely scratch proof even after dropping it or losing it to the bottom of the pool...with the exception of the part right above the lens hole. The only minor negative is that the skin is somewhat sticky and makes it hard to store in a pocket and pull out quickly. Again, very minor and far outweighed by the protection.

If you are an active picture taker, buy this camera right now...you will be impressed!


->Affordable

I just picked this camera up as I plan on doing a lot of snorkeling this summer. I just wanted something I could take underwater and this certainly fits the bill.

It's acceptable as far as digital cameras go, but I don't know if I would use it as my main camera.

A couple of things I've noticed when using it -

1) The white balance seems a bit off a lot of times - especially when used with the flash indoors.

2) The screen is pretty much impossible to see underwater and in bright sunlight at the beach.

I took it snorkeling this weekend and took a lot pictures, but most of the time I just had to guess that the picture was framed at what I wanted to take a picture of. I am going to try playing around with the screen settings a bit to see if that helps the next time I go snorkeling. Oddly enough, I bumped into a lady from Australia who had the exact same camera and she also couldn't see the screen underwater, so I know it isn't just me.

The panorama function seemed a little weird for me or maybe I am just spoiled by my old digital camera. Olympus says that you can only use the panorama function if you use an Olympus xD card. I have another brand xD card coming,so I'll test that out then. But, when you set it to panorama, a couple of guide lines pop up on the sides of the screens to help you line up the next shot. However, I guess I am just used to my old camera that would bring up a ghost image of the last shot you took so you could line it up better. That function does not exist on the Olympus, so I kind of had to guess where to line it up for the next shot.

All in all, I still like it - because I can take it underwater!



->Sale

This camera is truly wonderful. I finally have something that is rugged enough to go diving, in the air and in the ocean, I don't worry about taking it out on rugged event, and it's small enough to fit into a pocket for when I go out with friends. This a very versatile product. My only complaint is that to get to the shooting and movie modes you have to go through a menu and select one, but I suppose that's the price you pay for waterproofing.


->Best Price

This camera looks too good to be true... right? Every time I tell someone about the camera's shock and waterproof abilities I get the same response... "Are you sure? Are you really going to take it in the water?" Heck Yah! And the pictures are fantastic!


->Deal

This camera is wonderful for underwater snapshots!! The underwater video option is very cool too. The only thing that it's not great with is indoor photos, but I guess I'm spoiled because I usually use a digital SLR. It's slim and compact, durable, and fun to use.


->Best Price

I purchased this camera a week ago because it had wonderful reviews surrounding it. The camera operates well, and produces great shots as long as you keep the iso speed at 100, which is difficult to do indoors, making low-light shots look terrible. I have been doing comparison shots with my old 3.2 megapixel sony cybershot and although this camera is a bit better in image quality, it isnt by much. You would expect a 7.1 megapixel to have a far greater quality than a 3.2 megapixel, but that just isnt the case here. My advice, although the waterproof and shockproof features are a plus, stay away from this camera until the image quality is improved on the next model.


->

I bought this camera for a recent trip to Cancun Mexico. I also have a Nikon D200, but wanted something that I could carry around in my pocket. I ended up going scuba diving - and, this camera took amazingly clear photos at 30 foot depths. I know that it says it will, but I was a little hesitant to jump into the ocean with it and without some kind of waterproof casing. Well, everything worked out even better than expected. I have no complaints...excellent point and shoot camera, great for sporting events, families with kids, etc.


->Deals

This camera deserves 5 stars if you need a camera that easily fits in your pocket or purse and is ready to use whenever that picture or movie moment arrives, even under water. Considering the varied picture taking situations, action, and lighting conditions, the performance was beyond my expectations. The only significant limitation is seeing the display in bright sunlight or under water, even when the screen is set at its brightest. However, aiming was intuitive enough that I never missed a shot and I was able to change modes even under water (but I did practice switching between underwater wide 2 and movie ahead of time). One feature that would be an improvement would be the ability to zoom while taking a movie.

I received this camera just a couple days before leaving on a cruise so I didn't have any time to practice with it. Be careful not to have your finger in front of the lens, especially under water where you may not be watching the screen. Also be aware that when you zoom in for movies that the image movement is also magnified. The wide angle underwater movies are much better than at full optical zoom (digital zoom is off). After a couple days the controls were easy to use to change modes and review pictures and movies.

I used 1 gig cards and the highest resolution which provided about 240 pictures or about 40 minutes of movies. Switching back and forth was easy. Movie recording will continue until the card is full or the battery runs out, not just short clips. My clips were too short until I was comfortable that I would not quickly fill up the memory card or run out of battery. Under water pictures were superb with a natural shift in color toward green. I recharged the battery every other night. The battery was able to take about 100 pictures and 15 minutes of movie between recharges. I recommend a spare battery as it did indicate it was getting low a couple times and ran out once.

The camera was also used in daylight, inside, with and without flash, even night shots (the auto setting was better than Night Scene for harbor lights at night. The camera was steadied on the railing).

I purchased a lanyard with metal clasp at Sports Authority for a dollar which provides a very secure leash. With the lanyard around my neck I could tuck the camera in my shirt pocket. I was always ready for the next picture opportunity without worrying about dropping it.

I'm very pleased with the picture quality although it may not match a camera with a much larger lens system, but it was great to be able to take pictures and movies when I would not have had my larger camera available. The 15 fps movies do not match a 3CCD digital video camera, but they are acceptable. I even recorded short clips during live theater performances (with the screen brightness set at its minimum) and I was pleased with the quality from this tiny camera.



->Wholesale

I RECENTLY RECIEVED MY NEW CAMERA, AND I AM THRILLED. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING WHICH CAMERA TO BUY SINCE DECEMBER (WHEN OUR LAST CAMERA WENT CAPOOT). THERE HAVE BEEN MIXED REVIEWS FOR THE OLYMPUS SW SERIES, BUT COULD NOT RESIST THE APPEAL OF THIS CAMERA'S UNIQUE FEATURES. I CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE IT INTO THE POOL THIS SUMMER WITH THE KIDS. SO FAR, THE POINT AND SHOOT OPTIONS AND PICTURES HAVE BEEN LOVELY. ANY PERSON CAN SCREW UP PICTURES WITH ANY CAMERA, BUT THIS CAMERA HAS SO MANY FEATURES TO AVOID THAT. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME TAKING EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOTS OF OUR GARDEN. I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT QUALITY, AND HAD THAT MUCH SATISFACTION FROM A CAMERA SINCE WE FIRST SWITCHED OVER TO DIGITAL. I AM VERY PLEASED, TO SAY THE LEAST, WITH THIS PURCHASE.


->Deals

This is a good camera for outside shots. It's a great looking small and very solid package. However, indoor flash photos have been a consistent disappointment. A "bloom" of haze consistently appears on the right side of the image... Eventhough there is nothing blocking the flash or the lens.


->

The new Olympus Stylus 770SW is the nicest camera to date I've purchased. It takes great pictures and is extremely durable. The picture quality is awesome in all types of weather conditions and lighting. I stronly suggest to purchase this if the price is right.


->Cheap

I have an Olympus 770 SW (NOT the 720 SW), for sure...and I like it. I have had five digital cameras before, and this one is terrific. Considering that it's a sub-compact pocket camera, image quality is fine (not equal to that of a digital SLR, but I don't want to carry around a big box like a DSLR). Shadow detail is especially impressive. Operation is smooth and intuitive. The screen is fine, even outdoors. Shutter lag, a big concern of mine as I like to photograph my kids at sports, is minimal and can be zero if you prefocus. The number of custom scene settings is impressive. I bought it because of the waterproofing and shockproofing, and because of prior good experience with Olympus over the years, but I'm just as happy with the pictures it takes under normal circumstances too.

A few gripes that stop me from giving the camera 5 stars:

1. The battery cannot be recharged when it's in the camera. For a total of $80 or so, you can get an external power source and a cable, and together they let the camera run a long time without draining the battery, but they don't charge the battery. Battery life is fine for a day of normal shooting, but if you use the camera actively, every single night you pretty much have to unlock the case, take out the battery and charge it, then remember to put the battery back in the next day. Each charge takes 5 hours. I'm going to take the same $80 and instead buy two extra batteries to be comfortable--One in the camera, one reserve along with me, and another charging at home. Even so, it will take some planning and thinking to keep batteries ready all the time on a vacation. It would have been much nicer to have a holster or a charging socket on the case.

2. The case is actually smaller than it needs to be. It could be significantly bigger and still fit in my shirt pocket, which is my standard size requirement. As it is, the advanced engineering is impressive to pack all the features in a tiny box, but the camera is more expensive than need be, the lens is smaller than it should be (depending on zoom position, the lens is between f/3.5 to f/5.0, which is pretty weak), it's harder to hold the camera than need be, and if the case were bigger, there would be room for a nice little charging socket too.

3. There is indeed a background, almost mechanical noise introduced when filming videos. It probably can be filtered out, as it's very constant and very low pitched, but it's mildly annoying.

4. Time between shots is too long--it takes several seconds to save each shot at full resolution.

5. You can use the internal memory only if there's no memory card in the slot. Given the slow transfer speed to the card, it sure would be nice to be able to save a dozen or so shots very quickly to the internal memory and then transfer them to the memory when you have time.

For all that, though, I'm really looking forward to using this camera on a forthcoming sea kayaking and snorkeling trip this summer. With one camera, I'll be able to take snapshots above and below water, also modest videos underwater (there's a special scene selection to do just that)!


->Prices

The fact that you can use this camera as a hammer, BUT, one of the most important features of the camera is Image Quality. Outdoor the images are OK, just OK, as my 5 year old CANON G3 takes 10 times better images in terms of sharpness and color saturation. The images that this camera take lack in quality simply becase the lens is tiny and therefore can't pass enough light, ESPECIALLY in low light conditions.

Overall, not a bad camera, but the screen is just SO-SO for outdoors and the image quality is just ok. Also it only shoots 15fps movies and not 30 as most other cameras. You can hear NOISE in the movies as if something mechanical is moving. Very strange, but it's true.

Hopefully the next version of camera will have these things improved.


->Buy Now

I purchased the Olympus Stylus 770SW for a family Disney Cruise vacation. The 770SW preformed beyond our expectations! Taking pictures and movies inside and outside the ship were easy and fantastic in their quality of resolution. Our seven year dropped the 770SW while trying to get his picture taken with the big mouse, and other another child steppped on the camera before we were able to pick it up! NO damage to this rugged little camera. We also used the Olympus 770SW under water while snorkling on Castaway island, again the 770SW performed perfect. Rugged, Water proof, and family friendly. I Highly recocommed the Olympus 770SW.


->Purchase

Finaly A camera you can take on a vacation and not be afraid of what you do with it. After a Reaf Master rated for 100ft failed at 25 ft. and the LCD on a Digital Elf went black when sat on, now one Olympus Survives Cave Diving , droped from a pocket and sat on all in one week.


->Price

I bought this camera for my son to take underwater photos. He loves it. The pictures underwater are great as well as the above water photos. The camera is easy to use and has a list of photo types to choose from. I would definitely recommend this camera for everyone.


->Deals

I don't know why people give this 5 stars

It is sure overrated. The only thing you get from this is that the camera is water proof. That's it.

It has worst motion picture quality compared to other cameras with similar price range

Also the quality of picture is far lower than that of other 300 $ cameras.

It's pic quality is close to that of cheap low-end cameras

One of my friend bought Fuju $100 something camera, which

gives better quality than this camera

Yes sure, if you need a water proof, this camera works

but how many times you think you're going to beach or

water park? Please be cautious

I am totally dissapointed with the pic quality

The worst thing in this camera is that it doesn't have any

view finder. You may wonder why we need view finder but trust me

You can't see anything from the LCD display under the

sun light and also in underwater

Nothing is visible underwater. It's silly because that's

is the reason you pay over 300$

I tried it in a water park. I couln't see anything even from one feet in underwater. NOt 10 feet......Haha....

Do you want to capture your kid play on the beach?

You can't see anything on the LCD. It is just dark.











->Deal

This is the camera I have always wanted. Small, good image quality, and sturdy. I purchased this camera for traveling and everyday use. I'm able to shove it down in my pocket and not ever worry about it. If it rains, so what. Drop it? No problem. I've dropped this camera in a pond while fishing and on asphalt and concrete. Just pick it up and put it back in your pocket. No worries. Technology is expensive and it's nice to finally have something you don't fret over because you dropped $300-$400 on camera and somebody (or you) drops it, etc.
Olympus makes the best digital cameras in my humble opinion so purchase without fear. I've seen other reviews, etc. list the lack of a view finder as a con, but does anyone really even use one anymore? Since digital cameras have been around I can't remember the last time I did. Buy a disposable camera if that's your hangup. The lcd screen on the back of this bad boy is all you need.


->Comparison

* Extremely user friendly, it took me about an hour of toying aroung with the camera to learn how to use just about everything on it.

*Crisp clear pictures, able to get great pictures of things even just a couple of inches from the lense.
*Functions Operate very quickly
*hardy and durable camera
*Able to customize many features
*Able to edit images right in camera
*Included software is also easy to use and full of features
*Able to view LCD from all angles
*LCD not great in direct sunlight
*Buttons easy to navigate
*3x zoom is not much


->Deals

If you are buying this camera because you want GREAT photos, look elsewhere. This camera takes GOOD pictures that are great for most family photographers, common consumer print sizes (4x6, 5x7), and for common enlargements (8x10). With an overall picture quality that does not stand out in comparison to most other 7 to 8 Mega pixel cameras, this camera falls in the average picture quality/feature set range of most cameras in its price range.

What differentiates this camera is its uncanny ability to survive what most pocket sized point-in-shoots cannot. A drop that killed my other pocket digital camera's LCD was shrugged off by this camera and, although I do not take this camera SCUBA diving (although some pre-purchase reviews showed the camera being taken as deep as 80 feet underwater without failure - over twice the rated submersion depth), I do take it kayaking, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, to the beach and to other outdoor events without worries.

If you live an active, adventurous lifestyle, have a tendency to be rough on electronic gizmos, or just want not to worry in the great outdoors, the 770 SW is a SOLID camera that take captures moments that no other camera will (because they would be home or broken).



->Lowest Price

I have the older 720sw. I use it for Caving in the tropics. Extremely tough conditions with almost all shots using flash. I shoot tons of video. It sits in a case on my belt through 100% jungle humidity constantly when I'm above ground. It's been on the belt for 5 days straight 4 - 5 hours a day swimming in underground rivers. Has performed flawlessly since last October 2006.

Took a little getting used to the small size, finger covered the lens for the first few shots.
But the screen is big, flash good in complete darkness. My camera case got crammed with fine river sand, and some breached the lens cover causing it to stick, but I rinsed it thoroughly under running water turning it on and off, and it cleared itself, and is working flawlessly months later.

I didn't like the XD format at first. The battery takes a while to charge. But I now have two spare batteries, 1000mah each, and a 2gb spare card.

No problems, and will certainly get the upgraded 770SW for a spare camera soon.

Great product.


->Deal

Salt water spray has claimed two of my previous cameras so when I read about this camera and the Pentax Option W30 I decided one of the two would be a very valuable investment. The next question was deciding which one to buy.

The Pentax is a superior camera. Colors are more saturated, and it has lower noise higher up the ISO range. Also, the Pentax produces videos that are 30FPS (the Olymmpus only goes up to 15FPS) which is a huge advantage. Also, the Pentax uses SD cards, which are available at higher density and faster speed.

The Olympus, on the other hand, is much more bulletproof.

First of all, it will survive down to 30' whereas the Pentax is limited to 10. I wanted a camera that could survive light snorkeling. I routinely breath-hold dive to 12'-15' and I'd hate to have a camera on me that I would worry about. With the Olympus I just do whatever I want.

Second, the Olympus is crush proof. I can slap the thing in my backpocket and sit on it and not break it (I weigh about 190#). I can get on my boat, throw the thing on the deck with the rest of my gear, and watch it bounce around unharmed. The Pentax is just not that strong.

In the end, since I already have a camera that takes brilliant, vivid pictures with great resolution and also takes great video (a Canon SD550) I decided rugged was more important than marginally better optical rendition. I figured the Olympus would take acceptably good pictures and I went with the Olympus.

I'm not disappointed, but I'm not thrilled.

The camera is every bit as waterproof and bulletproof as is claimed. I've slapped it around, thrown it, had it around the boat, seawater, sun, kids, and it's just fine. I can take this camera with me on the boat, take it with me swimming and snorkeling, and it will work when I'll want it. A camera is only useful when you have it and I'm not afraid to have the Olympus with me at all times in any environment.

Having said that, the picture quality stinks, I suspect as a result of the lens design dictated by the water resistant qualities of the camera. In bright sunlight, with the ISO set to 100 (and even up to 200 it's not bad) there is no significant noise. On the other hand, the colors appear washed out and dull compared to similar pictures taken with the Canon. Its resolving power is also inferior to the Canon and there's no question but that I'll continue to use my Canon in environments that are friendly to it (like, no salt water spray risk). On the other hand, since I can't take my Canon everywhere, I love having this camera; I recently went to see America's cup practices in Valencia and I'm happy to say I have a couple of shots of Alinghi that will make decent poster prints. They'd look better taken with my Canon but....right, I would not have taken my Canon in that environment, so...

Focusing delay is very short, as is shutter delay. If you prefocus, the shutter delay is non-existent. Without prefocus, it's less than a second: not bad. On the other hand, shot to shot delay is annoyingly long, a couple seconds at full resolution.

Image compression is average. In the best quality mode you can still see some compression artifacts but the average person will not notice. If you do know what to look for, you'll find it annoying but not a deal-breaker.

I bought a 2Gb H Xd card, and it's pretty fast but not as good as high speed SD. Also, it's nowhere near the density that SD has reached, but 2Gb will go a pretty long way.

In short: buy this camera to take it in places where other cameras fear to go. Don't buy this camera if all you want is great pictures for the backyard or the trip to Disneyland.

Ah, almost forgot. Buy a large styrofoam float and attach it to the lanyard. If you lose the camera over the side of your boat, it's nice to be able to go back and pick it up.


->Deals

Well I usually don't review items, but I have had this camera for a week, my mother had it for a month before me. All I can say is I am very impressed with the camera and would recommend it to anyone.

Pros
1) Small and compact
2) Waterproof, shock proof
3) Great picture quality, have not had any grainy photos as other reviewers have mentioned
4) Great battery life - I took over 200 photos plus tested features and still have not changed the battery
5) If you take the time to learn the features it is flawless
6) I could go on and on

Cons
1) As with all cameras view screen is difficult to see when sun reflects off it
2) wide photos are difficult to take, but there is a panoramic setting that is useful

I would say if you want a great bomb proof camera this is the one to buy


->Comparison

The two things I've heard about the camera that people complain about:
You have to take the battery out to charge
Indoor Pictures Suck

WELL THE SECOND IS A LIE. :P Photobucket isnt working for me at the moment so I can't upload the pic, but if you email or PM me I would gladly send you an indoor pic.

On my camera it looks just fine. There are no halos no spots or blurs etc. However, I am not a proffesional photographer so I couldnt tell you everything. But to me it just looks like a great picture. I will try uploading a few to amazon. So check the user Images link by the picture of the camera.

About taking the battery out. Is it really that hard? You open the door, take out the battery, put it on the charger. The charger isnt that big and if you are traveling its not like you wont have room to pack it. I dunno, but it seems like an extreeeeemly silly thing to gripe about. Honestly.




Anyways, the camera is great. If you were thinking about it I highly reccomend it. It's kinda scary getting it wet for the first time, but amazingly fun afterwards. Its fun to ask people to do it. haha


Bottom line, Buy it youll love it.

ALSO IF YOU ORDER HERE, the silver camera isnt really that color the front panel does not match the rest. it is the awesome gun metal color. Anyways like ive said a thousand times its amazing.


->Best Price

I have used digital cameras for several years, among them the Olympus C-50, Olympus C5000, and my main SLR, Canon Rebel XT and a few others. I bought the 770SW for a trip to the Galapagos Islands so I could snorkel and free dive. It was purchased a month early so I could get accustomed to the camera.

This is the first digital that I have used without a viewfinder so that took some getting used to. The criticism that one can't see the LCD in bright sunlight is VERY true but that is true of most digital cameras with or without viewfinders. I could see it underwater but not great. None-the-less I could aim it approximately and got some really nice shots. Posted one of a giant turtle and a pelican, which landed on my head thinking I was a rock. The interesting thing is that one doesn't have to change the settings if one shoots underwater mode (far) as it also takes great above water shots. Once you dive below the sun level or greater than 20 ft, the pictures get bluer and bluer as one expects. For scuba I use a Nikonis with a slave strobe, which is really necessary for good shots when one gets 30 or 40 feet. BUT for snorkeling, this camera worked great. In salt water, I can't go as deep anyway without weights, so had no problem with enough sunlight. Using the flash underwater would be OK if the water was perfectly clear, but the water was rather rough in many places and had many particles, so the flash would have bounced off all those particles and produced photos with spots anyway, unless you were trying to get that special effect. Actually had enough light for good shots as the ISO the camera sets itself to when set for underwater far. I suspect that is 400 or 800 since I didn't see much movement in the photos AND the current was strong as May is winter in the Galapagos.

I would suggest purchasing the H-chips (i.e. xD cards) rather than the M-chips as the H-chips are faster which means you can shoot faster to have more chances to get that GREAT shot. I used the 1GB xD cards.

To minimize or eliminate the sand problem, after use on the beach or snorkeling, I repeatedly washed the camera in fresh water while I continually opened and closed the lens (by turning the camera on and off).

I did not have the problem that some people talked about of the mode changing when the camera was turned off. Mine doesn't do that.

I was concerned about a couple of reviews that I read that the images were soft. NONE of my images are soft. They are very sharp and have blown them up to 11 x 14 without problems.

I personally feel that one should throw away the wrist strap immediately and buy an inexpensive lightweight neck strap and put it through the same hole. It cost me $9 at my local camera store. I lost an Olympus C-50 as I was getting off a sightseeing bus with it around my wrist, and the person behind me in a GREAT hurry pushed me, the camera slid off my wrist onto the cement 6 ft below and that was the end of that. Thankfully Olympus had a policy that if you send in a camera and $150 (as of 2005), they will repair it regardless what the problem is. Believe me that C50 had LOTS of problems which they repaired to make it like new. Anyway, a neck strap is a MUST as far as I am concerned.

Can't judge the panorama function as for the most part I take overlapping photos and stitch them together in Photoshop, which works great.

For indoor flash photos, one must be within 8 ft or so and not have high ceilings, then it is fine. I also increase the ISO to 400 or 800 for inside shots if there is a great distance. Obviously one introduces some noise, but many times useable if I don't have another camera around to use. It would be nice to have more flash power, but guess one can't have everything especially for the price and size.

If it is reasonably bright inside or outside, the photos are of good exposure, and sharp for blowups. I haven't noticed the white balance issue that one reviewer referred to, altho I think that was on inside pictures. When I do take photos when it is dark inside, I do use the Photoshop filter "highlight and shadows" more.

I was surprised at the battery life I got. Expected to go through many batteries in a day so bought a few to take along on my trip. Never used more than two and usually only one battery with all day shooting and 2 snorkeling trips. They do sell two types of batteries and suggest getting the one with the longer shooting time.

I now carry this camera EVERYWHERE. Buy one of the skins, which go around the camera to protect it from scratches. It was only $11 at a local camera shop. No it doesn't replace my Canon Rebel XT, but it takes great photos especially in bright situations and does underwater and you can even drop it (haven't tried that one out). It is so small, fits in my vest pocket and barely know I am carrying it.

Definitely as far as I am concerned, this is a MUST HAVE camera.


->Deal

After using this camera (Olympus 770SW) for a few weeks I can say it suits my needs perfectly. The places I've wanted to have a camera haven't always been the best places to take a camera like boating, fishing, kayaking and most anywhere else outdoors in anything less than perfect weather. Most of the time I just left my cameras at home for fear of damaging them. I considered getting a waterproof housing for my Canon A85 but couldn't justify the cost for an aging lower resolution camera not to mention it would then be the size and weight of a brick. I don't know why anyone would consider any other point and shoot camera since this one will do everything any other camera will do but definitely not vice versa! It's VERY small, makes great photos, features high resolution, has a huge LCD screen, has great battery life, is waterproof, shock resistant and crushproof...why WOULDN'T you buy it??


->Price

When my daughter lost my first Olympus SW I had to replace it within a couple weeks. I carry it everywhere and put it through the wringer. In my line of work it is exposed to dirt, water, and the occassional concussion. I use it to take super macro close up shots of plants, landscape photos and of course the action kid pics. I also use the movie feature and the sound is fairly decent. My photos are almost always clear. It does a great job focusing on what I want it to focus on. I send it on field trips with my 10 year old, worry free that it will get ruined and knowing he'll be able to take good shots with it. Also, the battery lasts forever, which is nice but I have an extra since you can't charge it when it is in the camera. That can be a bit of a pain.

The one thing I'd say with all digital cameras is to invest in the high speed cards. It makes all the difference.


->Comparison

When I opened the packaging, I was surprised how little this camera is. It easily fits in a pocket and it takes fantastic pictures. The macro and super-marco functions work quite well, especially compared with other cameras I've used. Taking movies is easy and they're of decent quality. Highly recommend a 1GB memory card. Overall it's a great camera, even if you don't plan on dunking it in the water.


->Compare

It is water proof, shock proof, freez proof... but olympus still forget one thing. They should make it sand proof. when I take pictures while snorkeling, some sands get into the lens cover and jam it. so I can not turn on it anymore. Thanks to amazon's excellent replacement service, I got new one soon.
Since the lens will not extend out of body and it is anti-scratch, I do not think it is much use to have the metal cover. There should be better design.
As to the operation, although there is a 'Save Setting' option, if I set it to one of preset shooting mode, and turn off then on, it went to the mode selection screen, I still have to click OK button once. Besides that, the operation is straightforward and easy for me (maybe because I used olympus before)
photo quality is ok, for this class pocket camara. start time is much shorter, compare with my previous one. the lag time is also shorter, but still a little long.
the mini-usb is not standard, so i have to put another cable on my usb harber. I think olympus should put a lanyard intead of wrist strip in package. the internal memory can not be used togather with xd Card. Maybe it is used as a buffer?
On general, it is ok, it deliever as described. Of course there can be improvement


->Deals

This is my 7th digital camera purchase in the past 4 years. I have taken over 16,000 pictures in those 4 years. I am an active young person and my cameras go with me anytime I am out on the town or the beach or anywhere with friends and family. I started with the C-50 and went through 4 of those. The C-50 was a great camera in its time, but the slide mechanism wore easily after use and the the camera was in general very fragile. I lost one and broke the others.

I owned 2 of the C-60's. The C-60 was a much improved camera, but the slide mechanism still weakend with use and it was also very suspect to dust and debris with its style of zoom out lens. The picture quality of the C-60 was much better overall than the C-50.

This 770SW is tremendously better than the C-60 or any other camera. It is thinner, there is no pop out lens to break or catch debris. The overall picture is just slightly better than the C-60 but I thought both had a great picture. The 770SW excells in close up and fast moving pictures. I rarely see a blurry image anymore and anything up to 5 inches away produces a perfect picture in the right mode. Purchase the XD high speed card with this camera and take pictures faster than with any other olympus.

Where this camera blows past every other point and shoot is in its duarability. It blew my mind last week that I could jump in my pool with this camera and take under water or just out of water pictures without hurting the camera. I purchased the skin with this camera and it keeps the camera completely scratch proof even after dropping it or losing it to the bottom of the pool...with the exception of the part right above the lens hole. The only minor negative is that the skin is somewhat sticky and makes it hard to store in a pocket and pull out quickly. Again, very minor and far outweighed by the protection.

If you are an active picture taker, buy this camera right now...you will be impressed!


->Buy

I just picked this camera up as I plan on doing a lot of snorkeling this summer. I just wanted something I could take underwater and this certainly fits the bill.

It's acceptable as far as digital cameras go, but I don't know if I would use it as my main camera.

A couple of things I've noticed when using it -

1) The white balance seems a bit off a lot of times - especially when used with the flash indoors.

2) The screen is pretty much impossible to see underwater and in bright sunlight at the beach.

I took it snorkeling this weekend and took a lot pictures, but most of the time I just had to guess that the picture was framed at what I wanted to take a picture of. I am going to try playing around with the screen settings a bit to see if that helps the next time I go snorkeling. Oddly enough, I bumped into a lady from Australia who had the exact same camera and she also couldn't see the screen underwater, so I know it isn't just me.

The panorama function seemed a little weird for me or maybe I am just spoiled by my old digital camera. Olympus says that you can only use the panorama function if you use an Olympus xD card. I have another brand xD card coming,so I'll test that out then. But, when you set it to panorama, a couple of guide lines pop up on the sides of the screens to help you line up the next shot. However, I guess I am just used to my old camera that would bring up a ghost image of the last shot you took so you could line it up better. That function does not exist on the Olympus, so I kind of had to guess where to line it up for the next shot.

All in all, I still like it - because I can take it underwater!



->Wholesale

This camera is truly wonderful. I finally have something that is rugged enough to go diving, in the air and in the ocean, I don't worry about taking it out on rugged event, and it's small enough to fit into a pocket for when I go out with friends. This a very versatile product. My only complaint is that to get to the shooting and movie modes you have to go through a menu and select one, but I suppose that's the price you pay for waterproofing.


->Affordable

This camera looks too good to be true... right? Every time I tell someone about the camera's shock and waterproof abilities I get the same response... "Are you sure? Are you really going to take it in the water?" Heck Yah! And the pictures are fantastic!


->Deals

This camera is wonderful for underwater snapshots!! The underwater video option is very cool too. The only thing that it's not great with is indoor photos, but I guess I'm spoiled because I usually use a digital SLR. It's slim and compact, durable, and fun to use.


->Wholesale

I purchased this camera a week ago because it had wonderful reviews surrounding it. The camera operates well, and produces great shots as long as you keep the iso speed at 100, which is difficult to do indoors, making low-light shots look terrible. I have been doing comparison shots with my old 3.2 megapixel sony cybershot and although this camera is a bit better in image quality, it isnt by much. You would expect a 7.1 megapixel to have a far greater quality than a 3.2 megapixel, but that just isnt the case here. My advice, although the waterproof and shockproof features are a plus, stay away from this camera until the image quality is improved on the next model.


->Prices

I bought this camera for a recent trip to Cancun Mexico. I also have a Nikon D200, but wanted something that I could carry around in my pocket. I ended up going scuba diving - and, this camera took amazingly clear photos at 30 foot depths. I know that it says it will, but I was a little hesitant to jump into the ocean with it and without some kind of waterproof casing. Well, everything worked out even better than expected. I have no complaints...excellent point and shoot camera, great for sporting events, families with kids, etc.


->Discount

This camera deserves 5 stars if you need a camera that easily fits in your pocket or purse and is ready to use whenever that picture or movie moment arrives, even under water. Considering the varied picture taking situations, action, and lighting conditions, the performance was beyond my expectations. The only significant limitation is seeing the display in bright sunlight or under water, even when the screen is set at its brightest. However, aiming was intuitive enough that I never missed a shot and I was able to change modes even under water (but I did practice switching between underwater wide 2 and movie ahead of time). One feature that would be an improvement would be the ability to zoom while taking a movie.

I received this camera just a couple days before leaving on a cruise so I didn't have any time to practice with it. Be careful not to have your finger in front of the lens, especially under water where you may not be watching the screen. Also be aware that when you zoom in for movies that the image movement is also magnified. The wide angle underwater movies are much better than at full optical zoom (digital zoom is off). After a couple days the controls were easy to use to change modes and review pictures and movies.

I used 1 gig cards and the highest resolution which provided about 240 pictures or about 40 minutes of movies. Switching back and forth was easy. Movie recording will continue until the card is full or the battery runs out, not just short clips. My clips were too short until I was comfortable that I would not quickly fill up the memory card or run out of battery. Under water pictures were superb with a natural shift in color toward green. I recharged the battery every other night. The battery was able to take about 100 pictures and 15 minutes of movie between recharges. I recommend a spare battery as it did indicate it was getting low a couple times and ran out once.

The camera was also used in daylight, inside, with and without flash, even night shots (the auto setting was better than Night Scene for harbor lights at night. The camera was steadied on the railing).

I purchased a lanyard with metal clasp at Sports Authority for a dollar which provides a very secure leash. With the lanyard around my neck I could tuck the camera in my shirt pocket. I was always ready for the next picture opportunity without worrying about dropping it.

I'm very pleased with the picture quality although it may not match a camera with a much larger lens system, but it was great to be able to take pictures and movies when I would not have had my larger camera available. The 15 fps movies do not match a 3CCD digital video camera, but they are acceptable. I even recorded short clips during live theater performances (with the screen brightness set at its minimum) and I was pleased with the quality from this tiny camera.



->

I RECENTLY RECIEVED MY NEW CAMERA, AND I AM THRILLED. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING WHICH CAMERA TO BUY SINCE DECEMBER (WHEN OUR LAST CAMERA WENT CAPOOT). THERE HAVE BEEN MIXED REVIEWS FOR THE OLYMPUS SW SERIES, BUT COULD NOT RESIST THE APPEAL OF THIS CAMERA'S UNIQUE FEATURES. I CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE IT INTO THE POOL THIS SUMMER WITH THE KIDS. SO FAR, THE POINT AND SHOOT OPTIONS AND PICTURES HAVE BEEN LOVELY. ANY PERSON CAN SCREW UP PICTURES WITH ANY CAMERA, BUT THIS CAMERA HAS SO MANY FEATURES TO AVOID THAT. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME TAKING EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOTS OF OUR GARDEN. I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT QUALITY, AND HAD THAT MUCH SATISFACTION FROM A CAMERA SINCE WE FIRST SWITCHED OVER TO DIGITAL. I AM VERY PLEASED, TO SAY THE LEAST, WITH THIS PURCHASE.


->Sale

This is a good camera for outside shots. It's a great looking small and very solid package. However, indoor flash photos have been a consistent disappointment. A "bloom" of haze consistently appears on the right side of the image... Eventhough there is nothing blocking the flash or the lens.


->Deals

The new Olympus Stylus 770SW is the nicest camera to date I've purchased. It takes great pictures and is extremely durable. The picture quality is awesome in all types of weather conditions and lighting. I stronly suggest to purchase this if the price is right.


->Wholesale

I have an Olympus 770 SW (NOT the 720 SW), for sure...and I like it. I have had five digital cameras before, and this one is terrific. Considering that it's a sub-compact pocket camera, image quality is fine (not equal to that of a digital SLR, but I don't want to carry around a big box like a DSLR). Shadow detail is especially impressive. Operation is smooth and intuitive. The screen is fine, even outdoors. Shutter lag, a big concern of mine as I like to photograph my kids at sports, is minimal and can be zero if you prefocus. The number of custom scene settings is impressive. I bought it because of the waterproofing and shockproofing, and because of prior good experience with Olympus over the years, but I'm just as happy with the pictures it takes under normal circumstances too.

A few gripes that stop me from giving the camera 5 stars:

1. The battery cannot be recharged when it's in the camera. For a total of $80 or so, you can get an external power source and a cable, and together they let the camera run a long time without draining the battery, but they don't charge the battery. Battery life is fine for a day of normal shooting, but if you use the camera actively, every single night you pretty much have to unlock the case, take out the battery and charge it, then remember to put the battery back in the next day. Each charge takes 5 hours. I'm going to take the same $80 and instead buy two extra batteries to be comfortable--One in the camera, one reserve along with me, and another charging at home. Even so, it will take some planning and thinking to keep batteries ready all the time on a vacation. It would have been much nicer to have a holster or a charging socket on the case.

2. The case is actually smaller than it needs to be. It could be significantly bigger and still fit in my shirt pocket, which is my standard size requirement. As it is, the advanced engineering is impressive to pack all the features in a tiny box, but the camera is more expensive than need be, the lens is smaller than it should be (depending on zoom position, the lens is between f/3.5 to f/5.0, which is pretty weak), it's harder to hold the camera than need be, and if the case were bigger, there would be room for a nice little charging socket too.

3. There is indeed a background, almost mechanical noise introduced when filming videos. It probably can be filtered out, as it's very constant and very low pitched, but it's mildly annoying.

4. Time between shots is too long--it takes several seconds to save each shot at full resolution.

5. You can use the internal memory only if there's no memory card in the slot. Given the slow transfer speed to the card, it sure would be nice to be able to save a dozen or so shots very quickly to the internal memory and then transfer them to the memory when you have time.

For all that, though, I'm really looking forward to using this camera on a forthcoming sea kayaking and snorkeling trip this summer. With one camera, I'll be able to take snapshots above and below water, also modest videos underwater (there's a special scene selection to do just that)!


->Purchase

The fact that you can use this camera as a hammer, BUT, one of the most important features of the camera is Image Quality. Outdoor the images are OK, just OK, as my 5 year old CANON G3 takes 10 times better images in terms of sharpness and color saturation. The images that this camera take lack in quality simply becase the lens is tiny and therefore can't pass enough light, ESPECIALLY in low light conditions.

Overall, not a bad camera, but the screen is just SO-SO for outdoors and the image quality is just ok. Also it only shoots 15fps movies and not 30 as most other cameras. You can hear NOISE in the movies as if something mechanical is moving. Very strange, but it's true.

Hopefully the next version of camera will have these things improved.