Olympus Stylus 1010 Camera: Stylish Performance

Every camera manufacturer has a stylish line of cameras, and Olympus is no different with the Stylus 1010. This sleek point-and-shoot features an impressive 7x optical zoom with 10.1 megapixels housed in a metallic two-tone body.

Similar cameras from other companies typically range from 3x to 10x zoom and possess anywhere from 8 to 12 megapixels. What sets the Stylus 1010 apart from the competition is that it possess high zoom in a small package. It also features two forms of stabilization, digital and optical. The digital stabilization only attempts to eliminate blurriness by increasing shutter speed and ISO sensitivity, but the optical stabilization actually "shifts" the sensor to compensate for blurriness. The optical stabilization is preferred to the digital, as it does a better job at eliminating camera shake. Image quality is good, with outdoor lighting providing low-noise pictures. When shooting indoors, image quality is about the same or slightly worse depending on lighting conditions. Auto white balance is decent, and is relatively accurate.

There is no custom white balance setting, however. ISO speed is adjustable up to ISO 1600, but keep in mind pictures will be noisier above ISO 400. You can also adjust image quality in terms of file size, but it is recommended to keep this camera at 10MP with fine quality for best picture quality for printing. There is slight barrel distortion when at full zoom, but this is typical on cameras with 3x or more zoom. Most of the preset scene settings provide correct camera setup for specific shooting conditions, and Olympus again has included their trademark onboard shooting guide to help new photographers use the camera to the best of its abilities. The camera flash is sufficient, but should be used only when necessary (such as fill in lighting or very dark lighting). There are also two types of macro modes, regular macro and super macro. Super macro mode provides excellent close up shots of your subject, and is one of the best macro capabilities I have seen on a digital point and shoot.

Playback and menu settings are plentiful, and you can even customize some of these settings. For instance, you can change the menu theme, or even set a different background to one of your favorite pictures. You can also set up an alarm clock (why you would need this on a camera I have no idea) and dual time stamps (one for vacation spot, and one for home time zone perhaps). Editing options are numerous, and include the following:

Shadow Adjustment and Redeye fix: removes redeye, and adjusts exposure on picture selected to help eliminate shadows.

Crop and resize: in-camera editing that allows for picture cropping and resizing.

Color Edit: adjusts color tone, such as making a picture warmer or cooler in terms of color temperature.

Frame: sets a creative frame border around the picture for postcards and such.

Label: Adds a label onto the picture, such as "Happy Holidays" for example.

Calendar: Adds a picture to a calendar template, which shows up to four months on one page.

Although some of these options would be handy, picture editing software on a computer would probably be better. There are also some options missing that are found on other Olympus cameras, such as face detect and emotion editing.

This camera has few negatives, but they are not deal breakers. As with all Olympus cameras, the Stylus 1010 uses the xD memory card format. Recently however the 1010 and a few other Olympus cameras include a MicroSD adapter to allow the camera to use MicroSD memory cards. Battery life can be short, but enabling the power save option can help preserve the batteries. In average use, the battery lasts about 300 shots, which is normal for most digital point and shoots that use rechargeable batteries. The LCD screen is sharp when the camera is steady, but when moving around the screen has quite a bit of 'action blur'. There are also some focusing problems when fully zoomed in or out, but that is affected by lighting more than anything else. There are not as many manual controls as compared to other cameras, but this is a moot point if you plan to take pictures with as little hassle as possible.

Aside from a few flaws, the Stylus 1010 is a good camera that is perfect for those willing to spend a little more to get a little more. As a slim pocket camera packed with good features, it is handy for weekend excursions or week-long vacations. If the xD memory card is no issue, then the Stylus 1010 is a stylish camera to have.

Sources:

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1361
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olympus/oly_stylus1010.asp