The digicam that I am going to review on is the Olympus Stylus 790SW. The digicam is also known as the Olympus mju 790SW Digital. They are one and the same. The digicam is a very stylish model that comes in silver. The design is unique and there is no way you would mistake this digicam for another model. The digicam measures 92 x 59 x 21mm and weighs around 160g. The good thing about this digicam is it’s durablity. It can withstand up to 10m underwater, drops from up to 1.5m and can operate well in temperatures of up to -10 degrees Celsius. Excellent for underwater and winter usage. The camera is also said to withstand up to 100kgs of pressure. Well, I don’t weigh that much but the digicam certainly did not crack even when I sat on it.
The Olympus Stylus 790SW comes with a 2.5″ LCD screen capable of displaying 230,000 dots. The screen, though small, displays images and videos properly. However, being used to larger screens, I found myself unable to determine if a media file is good enough or not just by looking at it via the digicam’s screen. I found it better if I transferred files onto a PC for previewing. Just like the digicam’s body, the screen is extra durable and can be used in all lighting conditions.
To store data you can use xD Picture Cards. The cards can be easily obtained at the store where you buy the digicam. Make sure you get a card because the internal memory of the digicam is not enough. Storing stuff there tends to slow down the digicam slightly. The controls as well as interface are easy to learn and master. The buttons are quite durable and do not wear out quickly.
Unfortunately, Olympus has increased the digicams durability and decreased it’s picture resolution. The maximum picture resolution of the Olympus Stylus 790SW is 7.1 megapixels. That is slightly below average. However, if you plan on not editing images, this resolution is quite good enough. The pictures have very little image noise in them. Pictures aren’t too bright but are clear. The digicam’s white balance works perfectly well too. Videos are recorded in the usual 640 x 480 pixel resolution. Videos are clear and bright. They can be played on medium-sized screens. There is no pixelization in the videos.
The best part about the Olympus Stylus 790SW is that it is cheaper than most similar digicams. I think it definitely is worth buying.