Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Review

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Features
Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Tap Control display Like the rest of the Olympus Stylus SW camera line (now called “Stylus Tough”), the 1050 SW is designed to be abused. It’s waterproof to 10 feet (3m), shockproof from 5 feet (1.5m) and freezeproof to 14°F/-10°C. It has a 10-megapixel sensor and a sensitivity range of ISO 80 to ISO 1600. But the feature that sets the 1050 SW apart from other compact cameras is Tap Control. By tapping on the top, sides and back of the camera you can access some camera controls and change settings.

For shooting, the 1050 SW has Auto, Program, Digital Image Stabilization, SCN (scene modes), and movie modes. There are 23 scene modes including Underwater Snapshot for photographers who take the camera snorkeling or in the pool. The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW also has a built-in panorama feature, Shadow Adjust, face detection, and a Digital Image Stabilization mode to help freeze action and minimize blur. Although the camera can capture video the 640×480 resolution movie mode isn’t very impressive compared to the current batch of HD-capable pocket cameras. Check out the video intro on the first page of this review for a sample of the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW’s video quality. We shot the intro of the 1050 SW with a 1050 SW.


Olympus Stylus 1050 SW exposure compensation display and scene mode example

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW FUNC menu and playback display

There are a couple of caveats with the Digital Image Stabilization mode and panorama feature. The panorama mode only works if you’re using an Olympus xD Picture Card. It will not work with other brands of memory. The in-camera stitching tools are really cool, but I found they produce reduced quality images. So I recommend doing without the instant gratification of in-camera pano assembly in favor of the better quality you get from stitching them on the computer. The Digital Image Stabilization mode also requires a little explanation. There are two kinds of image stabilization – mechanical and digital. Digital image stabilization increases the camera’s sensitivity for faster shutter speeds in order to freeze action. The tradeoff is the higher ISO settings increase noise and compromise image quality. So the Digital Image Stabilization mode will freeze action – but at a cost. For me, it’s like digital zoom – I won’t use it because of the decreased image quality. But it’s there for people who need it and it does work. (For more on image stabilization, see our Image Stabilization Guide)

The Olympus 1050 SW’s 3x f/3.5-5.0 optical zoom lens has a 38-114mm range (35mm equivalent). A wider zoom would be nice, but the 38mm wide end gets the job done in a conservative way. You aren’t going to be able to get a wide shot of everyone on the ski lift or in a small boat, though. The 1050 SW also has three macro focusing modes, allowing you to take pictures as close as 2.8 inches (7cm). The “S-Macro LED” mode lights the subject with an LED light on the front of the camera. This is surprisingly effective and although I haven’t tried it, the S-Macro LED mode should be good for underwater close-ups, too.

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Design
The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW has a very attractive metal body with a sliding metal lens cover. The camera comes in four colors – champagne, silver, black and blue. We got the tough-guy black model. It has a textured black metal finish with shiny stainless steel plates on either end of the camera. Controls are simple and basic with a recessed on/off button and shutter release on the top of the camera. On the back of the camera, a four-way control with four dedicated buttons and a mode dial are next to the 2.7-inch LCD. The zoom control is a rocker button at the top of the camera back. The buttons are all-metal and have a positive feel when you press them. But like most point-and-shoot cameras, the controls are too small to manage with gloves on, hence the Tap Control feature.