Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

539 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
usability (174)
durability (98)
portability (94)
image quality (79)
price (60)

Negative
performance (88)
shutter (32)
size (31)
battery (29)
reliability (29)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 539 reviews of Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. The average rating for this product is 3.8/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras for all reviews. Reviewers really like the price and durability. The image quality and portability also get good feedback. Views about the memory and size are mixed, and some have doubts about the lens and screen.

usability, portability, image quality, durability, price

reliability, battery, shutter, screen, lens

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 87/100 = Very good quality.

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Review analysis

(Based on 539 reviews)

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Showing 1 - 397 of 484 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (43)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

alaTest has collected and analyzed 5 user reviews of Olympus Stylus 1050 SW from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 3.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.co.uk. Reviewers really like the design and performance. The durability and price are also mentioned favorably. Many are less positive about the image quality, while comments are divided on the portability.

usability, price, durability, performance, design

image quality

80% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

alaTest has collected and analyzed 382 user reviews of Olympus Stylus 1050 SW from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.7/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.com. Reviews about the price and durability are on the whole positive. The portability and image quality also get good reviews. Reviews are divided on the performance, while many are negative about the screen and battery.

usability, image quality, portability, durability, price

size, reliability, shutter, battery, screen

81% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Expert review by : Joshua Goldman (cnet.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW review

The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW rolled out in October 2008 at a price of $299.99 and was the first to feature the company's Tap Control, letting you change certain camera functions simply by tapping on the sides, top, or back of the camera. Since then, the...

Rugged body; unique Tap Control; very good feature set.

Poor control layout; produces soft photos; sloooooow performance.

Despite its decent features and handy Tap Control, there's no getting past the slow performance of the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW.

Apr, 2009

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Expert review by : Roger Hibbert (wired.com)

Review: Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

Are you the schlemiel who's always dropping his cellphone or camera at parties? Or maybe you're the schlemazel who always gets the drink spilled on...

Shockproof to 5 feet and waterproof 10 means you can bang it on the edge of the pool as you fall in with no harm done. Tap feature lets you change settings without futzing with buttons, and the camera can handle alpine frigidity with aplomb. Comes with...

Lens cover slides more easily than Ricky Henderson. The battery is easily inserted backwards, making you think it’s dead or the camera is malfunctioning. Weak zoom and poor macro ability; this camera could use a bifocal upgrade

Jan, 2009

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Expert review by : Paul Jasper (pcworld.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

If you're an avid explorer (or a walking disaster), feast your eyes on the rugged charms of the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. This pocket-size camera can endure a torrent of abuse, whether it accompanies you on outdoor adventures, joins you on underwater...

Excellent image quality ; Waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof

Lacks many advanced features ; Screen is hard to see underwater

The 1050 SW offers mediocre specs, but this very rugged little camera shoots stunning photos.

Nov, 2008

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Expert review by : PJ Jacobowitz (pcmag.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

Innovative tap controls don't make up for subpar image quality and long shutter lag in the ruggedized Olympus 1050 SW.

Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof. Built-in accelerometer and "tap controls" let you activate some features by tapping. Descriptive menus and features are very intuitive and helpful for beginners.

Long shutter delay. Long wait time between shots. Sharpness weakens at image edges. Noticeable color fringing. ISO speeds 400 to 1600 are very noisy. LCD shows significant motion blur.

More Digital Camera reviews: Ricoh Theta SC Sony a9 SeaLife DC2000 Nikon Coolpix W100 Canon EOS M6 more

Nov, 2008

Partner Source

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Expert review by (steves-digicams.com)

Olympus Stylus Digital 1050 SW

Designed for adventurers users worldwide, Olympus has unleashed the 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1050 SW. Durable enough to stand up to an "on the go" lifestyle, the metal body and shock-absorbing construction allow the camera to withstand up to a 5 foot...

The Stylus 1050 SW performs as well underwater as it does on land because its lightweight, metal exterior is matched with interior rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal out the elements. It can be fully submerged to capture beautiful images down to 10...

May, 2008

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Expert review by (electronicsme.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

If you need a rugged, all-weather point-and-shoot camera, you probably should give the Stylus 1050 SW a try, but be sure and try it out in a store that will let you look at some test images you've taken, as image quality seems to be the number one...

Shockproof (to 5ft.)Waterproof (to 10ft.)Freezeproof (down to 10 degrees F)Face detect AF

Image quality is suspect

The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW is the latest in Olympus' line of Stylus...

Jun, 2009

Partner Source

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Expert review by (imaging-resource.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW features a shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof body designed to take whatever the elements can throw at it - or perhaps, whatever you might accidentally throw it at! Able to survive a drop from five feet, to capture photos...

A "Perfect Shot Preview" mode allows users to see what the effects of certain camera adjustments - for example, zoom, exposure compensation, white balance, or metering mode - will be before actually taking a photo. A generous 22 scene modes are offered...

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Expert review by (digitalcamerareview.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Review

After putting the go-anywhere Olympus Stylus 1050 SW to the test, the results are in: the camera is definitely rugged, but can the images keep up?

Nearly indestructible ; Great styling and compactness ; Images are vibrant, color-accurate ; Good macro shooting options

AF is slow, even in good light ; ISO 1600 shows more noise than most competitors ; Hit or miss battery life ; Some image quality concerns

The problem doesn't start appreciably taking detail off edges until around ISO 400, however, and even then the 1050 is in keeping with most of its competitors. ISO 800 is another step back in terms of softness/detail loss and noise, but it's still...

Dec, 2008

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Expert review by : Tim Barribeau (washingtonpost.com)

Olympus Stylus 1050 SW

Olympus has created an entire line of cameras designed to be used in inclement conditions, ranging from the $250 Stylus 850 SW to the $350 Stylus 1030 SW, which can survive depths up to 33 feet. The Stylus 1050 SW, on the other hand, can handle a bit...

The camera has a 3x zoom lens tucked away in the upper left corner, protected by a stylish drop-down lens cover that'll guard against any damage. While the tap system lets you control some of the camera's settings, you'll enter most commands using a...

Dec, 2008

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Expert review by : Gordon Laing (cameralabs.com)

Olympus µ 1050 SW / Stylus 1050 SW

The Olympus µ 1050 SW or Stylus 1050 SW as it's known in North America, is a 10.1 Megapixel compact with a 3x optical zoom and a body that's shockproof to 1.5m, freeze-proof to minus 10 degrees Celsius and waterproof to depths of 3m.

Fully waterproof to depths of 3m ; Shockproof and freeze-proof ; Live thumbnail previews of adjustments ; Unique tap-controls

Pedestrian 3x zoom range with no 28mm ; No optical or sensor-shift anti-shake ; Softness and fringing towards corners ; Grainy-looking footage in movie mode

Over the past few generations, Olympus has carved out a real name for itself in the tough, waterproof digital camera market, stealing the thunder from arch rival Pentax. The Olympus SW range – now rebranded as TOUGH – became the models to go for if you...

Dec, 2008

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