By Alexandra Savvides
21/10/2008
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39005881,43933047p,00.htm

If you think pressing buttons and/or tapping on touchscreens are the only ways to control a camera, think again. Olympus has come up with an innovative method to navigate camera menus and change settings on its latest tough camera, the Mju 1050 SW. Tapping the sides of the shooter will call up various functions and menus, so skiers with gloved hands will find this extremely useful. However, it is not as rugged as its sibling, the Mju 1030 SW, though those looking for something stylish that can survive more than the usual knocks and falls should give the Mju 1050 SW a second glance.

Design

While it may not be as garish as the previous tough models in the series (notably the 850 SW), the 1050 SW probably won't turn many heads with its boxy exterior. This Olympus is custom-built for surf and snow first and foremost, encased in a tough, brushed metal finish on the front, with silver chrome accents on either side--an unfortunate magnet for fingerprints.

It's top heavy, given the hefty sliding flap that covers the lens and flash. Shutter and power-on buttons are at the top of the unit, whereas menu controls are located on the back of the camera, next to the 2.7-inch LCD screen.

Shooting modes are all accessed from a rotating dial on the back. It's a little fiddly, especially when we tried to operate the camera underwater, but it did the job nonetheless. All the buttons are finished in silver, a classy look that tries to bridge the gap between an adventure camera and a standard point-and-shoot. However, they are very small and large fingers will probably have trouble pressing a single button.

Features

Although the 1050 SW was designed more for the action-lover than the couch potato, it still has the same functions that any other point-and-shoot on the market should have today. Face detection is there (but not for underwater), and so is digital image stabilization with 3x optical zoom. Things are a little different if you consider that the 1050 SW is waterproof up to a depth of 3m, shockproof for drops up to 1.5m, and functions at temperatures up to -10 degrees Celsius. It seems 10.1 megapixels is the standard resolution number on compact cameras, and the 1050 SW doesn't stray from this imperative.

Don't expect to take the 1050 SW on long-haul scuba trips because it's waterproof to only a depth of 3m, unlike the 1030 SW which is usable up to 10m. The 1050 SW also falls short of the older model on zoom and skimps on the widest length of the lens, which is capable of retracting to only 38mm as opposed to the 1030 SW's 28mm. While this isn't a big difference, it puzzled us as to why Olympus downgraded these features on a newer model. Another thing to be wary about if you do use the camera underwater or in a beach environment is that the seals need to be replaced on a yearly basis to maintain their waterproof properties. Olympus does tell you this, but it is buried deep within the instruction manual.

The real trump card of the shooter is the tap control. Designed for skiers who don't want to remove their gloves to operate the camera, the 1050 SW lets them tap the camera on the sides of the body to activate different controls. Tapping the top of the unit twice activates this mode, and whacking either side allows you to flick through photos and select menu options.

In theory it's a great idea, and in practice it does work--in most situations that is. While we couldn't head down to the ski slopes to test it in its true environment, it's still a novel function that's sure to start a conversation when you whip out the camera.

Panorama mode is intuitive, with the camera piecing together the images for you based on the first shot you took. Simply move the Olympus along the same axis and match the dot to the box that appears on the side of the screen. Three frames later, you have a panorama picture, automatically stitched in-camera. Unfortunately, it's available only if you use Olympus' proprietary xD-Picture Card, and not with the microSD card adapter provided with the package.

Performance

For all the whiz-bang features that set it apart from other cameras in its class, the 1050 SW is really let down by its standard performance. Turning on the point-and-shoot takes an acceptable time of around 2 seconds, but shot-to-shot time is grindingly slow. Pressing the shutter button again immediately after taking the first shot will result in a long wait time.

Image Quality

Most pictures came out with accurate colors and image quality was generally fine. At higher ISO sensitivity of 400 and 800, noise was kept under control but noticeable. The onboard flash did tend to be very bright, washing out details and colors in dim-lighting conditions, or when used close to a subject. The spot meter was accurate in measuring exposure when we pointed it at a subject, but it did struggle in scenes where multiple areas needed to be exposed correctly.

Underwater images do tend to have a bluish tinge to them, but that said, the 1050 SW coped well underwater, producing clear images with a long-reaching flash.

Conclusion

While the 1050 SW has some excellent features for casual swimmers, skiers and action lovers, the older 1030 SW is a more robust and tough camera for dedicated divers and enthusiasts. However, the shooter is also capable in normal settings, looking and feeling like a standard point-and-shoot. For a camera that can be thrown about casually in a bag, in the water and at a party, the 1050 SW is a good package.