The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, a name synonymous with durability and compact design, invites us to explore the world of rugged point-and-shoot cameras. This camera, distinguished by its “SW” designation, signifying its water and shock resistance, was a game-changer for outdoor enthusiasts and those seeking a reliable companion for their adventures.
Released in the early 2000s, the Olympus Stylus 850 SW carved a niche for itself by offering a blend of portability, weatherproofing, and surprisingly capable image quality. Its compact size, combined with its ability to withstand the elements, made it an ideal choice for capturing memories on hikes, trips to the beach, or even underwater adventures.
Olympus Stylus 850 SW Overview
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW is a compact digital camera renowned for its rugged design and waterproof capabilities, making it an ideal choice for adventure enthusiasts and those seeking a reliable camera for various outdoor activities. The “SW” designation signifies its “Shockproof and Waterproof” nature, a testament to its robust construction and ability to withstand challenging environments.
Target Audience and Intended Use Cases
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW caters to a diverse audience, including:
- Travelers:Its compact size and waterproof features make it a perfect companion for capturing memories while exploring diverse landscapes and water-based activities.
- Outdoor Enthusiasts:Hikers, campers, and water sports enthusiasts can rely on the Stylus 850 SW’s durability to withstand the rigors of their adventures.
- Families:Its user-friendly interface and versatile features make it suitable for capturing family moments, both indoors and outdoors.
- Photographers Seeking a Reliable Backup Camera:The Stylus 850 SW serves as a dependable backup camera for professionals and enthusiasts who need a rugged and waterproof option for unforeseen situations.
Key Features and Specifications
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW boasts a range of features designed to enhance its functionality and performance:
- Waterproof and Shockproof Design:The camera is waterproof to a depth of 10 meters (33 feet) and can withstand drops from a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet), ensuring its durability in various environments.
- 7.1 Megapixel CCD Sensor:The Stylus 850 SW captures images with a resolution of 3072 x 2304 pixels, providing sufficient detail for prints and digital viewing.
- 3x Optical Zoom Lens:The lens offers a versatile zoom range, enabling users to capture subjects at varying distances without sacrificing image quality.
- 2.5-inch LCD Screen:The large LCD screen provides a clear view of captured images and menu options, facilitating easy navigation and image review.
- Built-in Flash:The camera’s built-in flash helps illuminate subjects in low-light conditions, ensuring well-lit images even in challenging environments.
- SD Card Storage:The Stylus 850 SW utilizes SD memory cards for image storage, providing ample space for capturing numerous photos and videos.
- Video Recording Capability:The camera allows users to capture video footage in various resolutions, including 640 x 480 pixels and 320 x 240 pixels.
- Compact and Lightweight Design:The Stylus 850 SW’s compact size and lightweight construction make it easy to carry and use on the go.
Design and Aesthetics
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW was designed to be a rugged and reliable camera, ready to capture adventures in any environment. Its compact size and thoughtful design features make it a practical choice for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers.
Ergonomics and Physical Design
The Stylus 850 SW boasts a compact and lightweight design, measuring just 98 x 62 x 36 mm and weighing only 180 grams. Its ergonomic grip provides a secure hold, ensuring stability during shooting, even with one hand. The camera features a prominent lens barrel, a large, well-positioned shutter button, and a mode dial that’s easily accessible with the thumb.
Materials and Build Quality
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW is constructed with a tough, impact-resistant polycarbonate body, making it capable of withstanding drops and bumps. Its waterproof and shockproof design, rated to a depth of 3 meters and a drop height of 1.5 meters, ensures durability in harsh conditions.
The camera’s seals and construction are meticulously engineered to prevent water and dust ingress, making it suitable for use in challenging environments.
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, a compact digital camera renowned for its waterproof and shockproof design, captured images with a resolution of 8.0 megapixels. This might seem impressive for its time, but capturing a screenshot of your computer screen often involves a different calculation, as the resolution depends on your monitor’s size and pixel density.
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Color Options and Available Accessories
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW was available in a range of colors, including black, silver, blue, and red, allowing users to choose a camera that matches their personal style. Olympus also offered a variety of accessories for the camera, including a waterproof case for greater depth protection, a wide-angle lens attachment, and a dedicated underwater housing for diving enthusiasts.
Image Quality and Performance
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, despite its compact size, boasts impressive image quality and performance, making it a versatile camera for various shooting situations. Its image sensor, lens system, and image processing capabilities work together to deliver sharp, vibrant images, especially considering its price point.
Image Sensor and Resolution
The heart of the Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s image quality lies in its 8-megapixel CCD sensor. While not the highest resolution available in its era, it still provides sufficient detail for prints up to A4 size and for sharing on social media.
The sensor’s size, however, is relatively small, which can impact low-light performance and dynamic range.
Lens System and Aperture
The camera features a 7.1-10.7mm zoom lens, equivalent to 35-52mm in 35mm terms. This versatile range covers wide-angle to standard focal lengths, suitable for landscapes, portraits, and everyday snapshots. The maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.6 is typical for compact cameras, providing adequate depth of field control and allowing for reasonable low-light performance.
Image Processing
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW employs a sophisticated image processing engine that helps enhance image quality and create pleasing results. It features various picture modes, including vivid, natural, and monochrome, allowing users to tailor their images to their preferences. The camera also incorporates features like noise reduction and sharpening algorithms to optimize image clarity and minimize artifacts.
Image Quality Compared to Competitors
Compared to other compact cameras in its price range, the Olympus Stylus 850 SW delivers competitive image quality. While it may not match the performance of higher-end models with larger sensors, it consistently produces sharp, well-exposed images in good lighting conditions.
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, a compact point-and-shoot camera, boasts a weather-sealed design, making it ideal for capturing memories in diverse environments. While its fixed lens provides a versatile focal length, photographers seeking a wider field of view might consider pairing it with an external lens like the Vivitar MC 24 f2 , a manual focus lens known for its sharp image quality and wide aperture, which allows for creative depth-of-field control.
Back to the Stylus 850 SW, its compact size and reliable performance make it a popular choice for travel and everyday photography.
The camera’s compact size and water-resistant design make it an attractive option for travelers and those seeking a reliable point-and-shoot camera.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, despite its age, remains a compelling camera with a unique blend of features and capabilities. It shines in specific areas but also faces limitations compared to modern compact cameras. Analyzing its strengths and weaknesses allows for a comprehensive understanding of its position in the photographic landscape.
Strengths, Olympus stylus 850 sw
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW excels in several key areas:
- Ruggedness and Durability:The camera’s waterproof and shockproof design makes it an ideal choice for adventurous photographers. It can withstand drops, splashes, and even submersion, ensuring peace of mind in challenging environments. The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s robust construction allows it to handle outdoor activities with ease, whether it’s a hiking trip or a beach vacation.
- Compact Size and Portability:Its small size and lightweight design make it easy to carry in a pocket or bag, making it an excellent companion for everyday photography. The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s compact form factor makes it a convenient option for those who want to capture moments without the bulk of a larger camera.
- Ease of Use:The camera’s intuitive controls and straightforward menu system make it user-friendly for both beginners and experienced photographers. The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s simplicity allows users to focus on capturing images rather than navigating complex settings.
- Image Quality:While not the highest resolution camera, the Olympus Stylus 850 SW produces decent image quality for its class, especially in good lighting conditions. The camera’s lens delivers sharp images with accurate colors, making it suitable for various photographic needs.
- Macro Capabilities:The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s macro mode allows for close-up photography, capturing intricate details of small objects. This feature is particularly useful for nature photography, capturing the beauty of flowers, insects, and other small subjects.
Weaknesses
While the Olympus Stylus 850 SW offers several advantages, it also has some limitations:
- Limited Resolution:The camera’s 8-megapixel sensor, while adequate for its time, falls short of modern standards. This can be a drawback for photographers who require high-resolution images for printing or cropping.
- Slow Autofocus:The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s autofocus system can be slow, particularly in low-light conditions. This can lead to missed shots, especially when capturing fast-moving subjects.
- Limited Manual Control:The camera offers limited manual controls, which may not satisfy photographers who prefer greater creative freedom. The lack of extensive manual settings can be a limitation for those who want to fine-tune their images.
- No Video Recording:The Olympus Stylus 850 SW lacks video recording capabilities, which is a significant limitation in today’s multimedia world. This feature is crucial for capturing memories and events beyond still images.
Comparison with Other Cameras
Compared to modern compact cameras, the Olympus Stylus 850 SW falls behind in terms of resolution, autofocus speed, and video recording capabilities. However, its ruggedness, compact size, and ease of use make it a compelling option for specific users.
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, with its rugged design and waterproof capabilities, was a popular choice for adventurers seeking to capture memories in challenging environments. However, for those seeking a compact camera with a powerful zoom lens, the Minolta Freedom Zoom 90EX offered a compelling alternative.
This Minolta model, equipped with a 9x optical zoom, provided flexibility for capturing distant subjects while maintaining a sleek and portable form factor, a feature that resonated with many photographers seeking a balance between functionality and portability. The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, though lacking the zoom capabilities of the Minolta, remained a reliable choice for its water-resistant and shockproof design, making it a suitable option for outdoor enthusiasts.
- Modern Compact Cameras:Cameras like the Sony RX100 series offer superior image quality, autofocus performance, and video recording capabilities. However, they lack the ruggedness and affordability of the Olympus Stylus 850 SW.
- Action Cameras:Action cameras like the GoPro Hero series offer excellent video recording and durability, but they lack the image quality and versatility of the Olympus Stylus 850 SW.
Potential Limitations and Areas for Improvement
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, being a product of its time, has limitations that could be improved upon in a modern iteration:
- Higher Resolution Sensor:A higher resolution sensor would significantly improve image quality, allowing for larger prints and more cropping flexibility.
- Faster Autofocus System:A faster autofocus system would improve the camera’s ability to capture fast-moving subjects, making it more versatile for a wider range of photographic scenarios.
- Enhanced Manual Controls:Expanded manual controls would give photographers greater creative freedom, allowing them to fine-tune their images according to their preferences.
- Video Recording Capability:Adding video recording capabilities would significantly enhance the camera’s versatility, allowing users to capture memories and events in a more dynamic format.
Current Market Value and Availability
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW, a rugged and reliable point-and-shoot camera, has carved its niche in the world of photography enthusiasts and collectors. Its unique combination of durability and imaging capabilities has made it a sought-after model, influencing its current market value and availability.The camera’s value is determined by several factors, including its condition, rarity, and demand in the market.
The demand for this camera has remained consistent over time, particularly among collectors and enthusiasts seeking a reliable and robust camera for outdoor adventures or daily use.
Pricing Trends and Factors Influencing Value
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW’s pricing trends reflect its popularity and desirability in the market. Generally, the camera can be found for prices ranging from $50 to $200, depending on its condition and accessories.
- Condition:A pristine, fully functional camera with original accessories commands the highest price. Cameras with cosmetic blemishes or missing accessories will typically fetch lower prices.
- Rarity:Special editions or cameras with unique features, such as limited-edition colors, may be more valuable due to their rarity.
- Demand:The demand for the camera can fluctuate depending on factors such as the availability of other models, current trends, and the overall health of the vintage camera market.
Relevance to Collectors and Enthusiasts
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW holds a special place in the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts for several reasons:
- Durability:The camera’s rugged construction, waterproof and shockproof design, makes it an ideal choice for photographers seeking a reliable camera for outdoor adventures.
- Image Quality:The camera’s 8-megapixel sensor and f/2.8 lens produce sharp and vibrant images, particularly in good lighting conditions.
- Nostalgia:For many, the Olympus Stylus 850 SW evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding them of a simpler time in photography.
- Accessibility:The camera’s affordability and availability make it an attractive option for collectors and enthusiasts seeking a vintage camera to add to their collection.
Last Word
The Olympus Stylus 850 SW stands as a testament to Olympus’s commitment to crafting cameras that are both robust and capable. While technology has advanced significantly since its release, the 850 SW continues to hold a special place in the hearts of photographers who appreciate its legacy of reliability and its ability to capture moments in any environment.