Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Review

Conclusion
The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is a handsome, practical camera that will serve hard-charging outdoor enthusiasts well. I happily took it with me on most of my trips to the ski resort this winter and have lots of great photos to show for it. It has a few faults, namely the too easy to open sliding lens cover, poor battery life in the cold and less than stellar image quality. Tap Control is neat but mostly hype until it can be used to access exposure compensation. If you want a wider lens you can step up to the 1030 SW, which has a 28mm equivalent. Even though you can buy point-and-shoot cameras with better image quality, you might be tempted to leave them at home when the going gets rough. Trading some image quality for the 1050 SW’s shockproof, waterproof build is a fair compromise in my book. In the end I’m pretty pleased with most of the photos I took with it. They take a little more work in Photoshop than another camera might, but they’re good once I’m done with them. The most important thing is I don’t worry about dropping the camera or getting it wet or snowy. Those things are non-issues with the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. And that’s really what it’s all about.

Who Should Buy It
The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is an good point-and-shoot camera for:

Skiers, snowboarders, cyclists, fishermen, and hunters who want to take pictures in all weather conditions.
People who want a vacation camera they can take to the beach and in the water.
People who drop things a lot and families who want a camera that won’t break.
Law enforcement, contractors, and other professionals who need a pocket camera they can trust in rough environments and bad weather.

Those who should pass on the TZ5 include: