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7.0 out of 10

Olympus Stylus 790 SW / µ 790 SW / Mju 790 SW

7.1 megapixels

Information found in: from 84 sources in 20 countries

Great Deal: $349.99

  • User Score (348)
    8.3 8.3 from 348 reviewers
  • Expert Score (23)
    7.4 7.4 from 23 reviewers
  • Design (6)
    7.4 7.4 from 6 reviewers
  • Value for money (14)
    7.4 7.4 from 14 reviewers
  • Features (14)
    7.2 7.2 from 14 reviewers
  • Ease of use (16)
    7.3 7.3 from 16 reviewers
  • Performance (6)
    6.9 6.9 from 6 reviewers
  • Picture quality (18)
    7.2 7.2 from 18 reviewers
  • Reliability (2)
    6.1 6.1 from 2 reviewers
  • Overall quality (2)
    6.1 6.1 from 2 reviewers
  • Battery performance (3)
    6.8 6.8 from 3 reviewers
  • Display (4)
    7.8 7.8 from 4 reviewers
  • Video quality (3)
    6.3 6.3 from 3 reviewers
  • Ergonomics (4)
    8.2 8.2 from 4 reviewers
  • Equipment (2)
    6.9 6.9 from 2 reviewers
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  • Score Distribution

Experts:
9-10
(3)
7-8
(14)
5-6
(6)
3-4
(0)
1-2
(0)
Users:
9-10
(152)
7-8
(80)
5-6
(20)
3-4
(13)
1-2
(23)

  • Expert Reviews

  1. Imaging Resource

    Imaging Resource
    2 November 2011

    There's a lot to like in the Olympus Stylus 790SW, beginning with the fact that it has been specifically toughened to be taken everywhere: dropped on the ground, submerged in the water, left in the sand -- as the maxim goes, the camera that gets taken is the camera that gets used, and this camera is definitely designed to be taken. Read more

    • Shockproof, Waterproof, Freezeproof, Sand and dustproof, Face detection autofocus, LED Lamp super macro mode, Internal memory for up to eight favorite photos, A mode f...
    • Slightly confusing guided shooting mode, Hit-and-miss autofocus, No optical viewfinder, Soft corners, chromatic aberration, Heavy noise suppression at all ISOs, Soft i...

  2. Camera Labs

    Camera Labs
    8.2/10
    1 December 2007

    The Olympus µ / Stylus 790 SW is certainly a unique compact camera, being able to happily operate underwater at depths up to 3m without the need, bulk or expense of a specialist housing. You can literally just dive in and keep taking photos. It’s also tougher than the average compact, and so long as you don’t mind a few cosmetic dings, can survive drops onto hard surfaces from 1.5m. It’s additionally freeze-proof to minus 10 degrees Celsius. Read more

    • Works 3m underwater without accessories., Shock-proof at 1.5m & freeze-proof at -10c., Live preview of exposure compensation., LED lamp can provide super-macro lighting.
    • Soft images throughout ISO range., Pedestrian 38-114mm lens range., No optical or sensor shift stabilisation., Better models if you don’t need toughness.

  3. digitalcameraroundup.com

    30 November 2011

    The attractive ultra-compact water, shock and shockproof Stylus 790 SW is perfect for those who love to take their camera outdoors without having to baby it. The camera can take a beating and you can even use it underwater, down to a depth of ten feet. It has the same features as standard consumer models, which means it is useful anywhere and not just as a sports camera. We like the internal zoom, the excellent 2.5-inch LCD with its very wide viewing angle. Read more

    • Attractively styled sports and outdoor camera, Snorkeling possible with 10 feet depth limit, Inherent waterproofing provides peace of mind when handling in/around wate...
    • We had hoped for a higher res CCD and 33 foot water rating or more, Return to mode dial not an improvement for this type of camera, Strictly point & shoot, 640 x 480 m...

  4. What Digital Camera

    What Digital Camera
    8.7/10
    28 November 2007

    The Olympus mju 790 SW (Olympus Stylus 790 SW) features a waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof shell, a TruePic III processor, as well as Shadow Adjustment and Face Detection Read more

    • Design, Noise control
    • Auto white balance

  5. Wired

    Wired
    1 April 2008

    We’re no strangers to gadget beat downs – in fact, we think they build character. But Olympus only fed the flame when they shipped us the 790 SW. This update of the ultra-rugged 770 SW we reviewed back in June has a lot in common with its predecessor. Namely, waterproofing, dustproofing, freeezeproofing, and chassis-rattling shock resistance. But while we were busy finding new ways to physically abuse the shooter, it was the little upgrades that impressed us. Read more

    • Slick design and tight frame. Built to military and industrial spec for dust, and liquid immersion. 5 foot drops onto concrete don’t even begin to phase the device. 2....
    • Paltry 3x optical zoom. Picture quality is lacking compared to others in its class. 10 second max of 640 x 480 video is neither long, nor visually compelling. 14.7 MB ...

  6. Digital Camera Review

    Digital Camera Review
    19 October 2007

    The first Olympus Stylus was a tough, elegant, and very popular compact 35mm (film) point & shoot camera that produced dependably first-rate snapshots. The earliest digital Stylus models retained the panache of that original “clamshell” Stylus and added twenty-first century imaging technology.  The third generation super-light, ultra-compact, and very thin Olympus Stylus 790 SW shrinks the mystique to shirt-pocket size.  Not only is the 790 SW tiny, it also... Read more

  7. DigitalCameraInfo.com

    DigitalCameraInfo.com
    5 October 2007

    - Swanky colors - Noise low through ISO 400 - Lots of Scene modes - Guide mode - Effects preview - Incredibly durable - Compact Dislikes - Inaccurate colors - Poor white balance - Awful in low light - Choppy or short movies - Poor resolution - Weak and spotty flash - Slow autofocus - Unimpressive 1 fps burst Conclusion The Olympus Stylus 790SW has a lot of interesting features packed into an extremely durable body. It can survive falls, water, sandstorms, and toddlers. Read more

  8. CNET

    CNET
    6.0/10
    27 September 2007

    If you need a camera that you can take snorkeling or skiing, then the Stylus 790 SW might be just the ticket, but you can find better image quality elsewhere for the same price. Read more

    • Camera is waterproof to 10 feet, shock resistant to short drops and mild impact, and freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit; also, has nifty Perfect Shot Preview fu...
    • No manual exposure controls; slightly soft images.

  9. DigitalVersus

    DigitalVersus
    6.0/10
    3 January 2008

    Without being perfect, this Olympus camera is robust, submersible and even offers entirely satisfactory photo quality. Read more

    • Waterproof and shock resistant, Good precision in the center of images, Relatively reactive, Nice colors
    • Only records on xD cards, No manual white balance, Limited duration of video recording in 640 x 480, Weak burst mode

  10. TechRadar UK

    TechRadar UK
    8.0/10
    5 January 2008

    For the everyday demands of the great outdoors, this is a great option. A slightly more rugged and more scratch-resistant finish would be nice, but in most other respects the µ790SW fits the bill. Read more

    • Ease of use, Picture quality
    • Fiddly buttons, Could do with a more rugged finish

  • User Reviews

  1. Years later review

    Amazon
    10/10
    Reviewer: Daddyg, Amazon
    27 December 2011

    I have owned the camera for years now and just now writing a review. Battery life is great and picture quality is super. This camera has been everywhere with me and in some very rough places I might add and has held its own very well. For the price I paid for it on here you can't bet it. Read more

  2. Love this Camera!

    Ebay
    10/10
    Reviewer: buddybijou, Ebay
    10 January 2011

    This is the 4th Olympus Stylus SW camera we have purchased. It takes great pictures, is waterproof and dustproof which makes is a great camera to take on your various outdoor adventures. We recommend this camera to everyone we know. Very durable and has many settings to enable you to get just the right shot. Read more

  3. LetsGoDigital

    5.0/10
    Reviewer: Bob - The Netherlands, LetsGoDigital
    22 November 2011

    The Olympus Mju 790 SW is my first digital camera. But I have to say I am a bit dissapointed about the image quality. The colours are not always correct. I used to borrow cameras from friends, so I do know a bit about different camera models. The price of a Olympus 790 is not high, but by spending a little more money, I think you can definitely buy a better digital camera. Read more

  4. Bulletproof!

    10/10
    Reviewer: Geovanie, expotv.com
    5 August 2008

    This camera went through extreme experiments where it was dropped 5 ft. to solid ground, drowned in running water, stuck in freezer for 5 minutes, and dumped in sand. Overall it is shatterproof, waterproof, freezeproof, sand/dustproof, and probably bulletproof! Just kidding but it still past every test the manufacturer claims. I give it 5 stars. Excellent product. Happy shopping and take care. Thank you. Read more

    • Great clarity in photos, Optimum zoom capability, Damageproof
    • Nothing!, Nothing!, Nothing!

  5. "Nothing comes close"

    CNET
    9.0/10
    Reviewer: nicklopez6, CNET
    3 April 2008

    Nothing in the market comes close to what the camera offers. The shots are awesome for a point and shoot camera. Plus the fact that you can almost take it anywhere.. I'll be using it in Boracay this April 05 to 07. Read more

    • waterproof.... shockproof....freezeproof
    • noisy auto focus adjustment mechanism

  6. great deal

    B&H Photo
    10/10
    Reviewer: MaryRe, B&H Photo
    5 June 2008

    my friend bougth this camera last year and we've been using it a lot!!! on the beach, when it's raining...it already feel down and it's still all in one peace!!! that´s why i decieded to buy me one!!! it´s small an the pictures are great, my other camera is very nice, bu a little too big...so far, i'm loving it! Read more

    • Easy to Keep Clean, Strong Construction
    • Small optical zoom

  7. Great Camera for those who have accidents

    Newegg
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: Newegg
    3 April 2008

    A little disappointed at Newegg, this is twice that this has happened. I just bought it on Monday for XXX and 3 days later is dropped in price. Happened before when I bought a CPU, it dropped in price by half in under 5 days. Read more

    • Its waterproof and shockproof. Price tho I have my quibble about that. Its a good basic point an shoot cam. Replacing a Sony T1 that I got a few years ago. (Took a div...
    • None that I can find so far. Shiny black case = lots of finger prints and smugges.

  8. Olympus Stylus 790 SW

    ReviewView
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: Anonymous, ReviewView
    16 March 2008

    If you need a camera that you can take snorkeling or skiing, then the Stylus 790 SW might be just the ticket, but you can find better image quality elsewhere for the same price. it's one of the few cameras on the market, especially in this price range, that can take a beating and actually operate well under water or at the top of a ski resort. If you need a camera that can face up to those challenges, then the 790 SW makes sense. Read more

    • Camera is waterproof to 10 feet, shock resistant to short drops and mild impact, and freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit; also, has nifty Perfect Shot Preview fu...
    • No manual exposure controls; slightly soft images.

  9. Best Travel Camera EVER

    CameraWorld.com
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: Della, CameraWorld.com
    13 September 2007

    I love this camera.. I love to travel but I hate to travel with expensive gear, this camera takes amazing pictures ANYWHERE. I have taken it skiing, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, rock climbing, and to my friends wedding and have always been able to capture the moment. I decided I needed a ruff camera like this when I was in Mazatlan Mexico last year and we got stuck in a horrible hurricane, it was raining so hard and street signs where down and all I could think about is... Read more

    • Easy to Use, Good Battery Life, Good sized screen, Great Resolution, Nice Features and Settings, Rugged

  10. Disappointed

    Amazon
    4.0/10
    Reviewer: Chesterchunky, Amazon
    22 August 2009

    overall this camera is exactly what I wanted for taking photos on various holidays including the odd video. I'm very happy with the picture quality and the camera has some very clever innovations such as editing pictures including getting rid of red eye whilst reviewing the pictures on the screen of the camera. however one of the main reasons I bought this camera is that it is for use underwater up to 3m deep! Read more

  • WikiFreak Description

Olympus Stylus 790 SW

The Olympus Stylus 790 SW is a MIL-STD-810F Shock Compliant (5ft.) shockproof, JIS Level 8 (10ft.) waterproof, MIL-STD-810F Lo Temp Compliant (14oF) freeze proof digital camera that utilizes a 7.1 Megapixels (effective), 1/2.33” CCD (1.1cm) image sensor with a lens that has 6.7 – 20.1 mm (38 – 114 mm equivalent in 35mm photography) focal length. It has 10 Lenses in 8 Groups with 3 Aspherical Lenses that has 3x Optical Zoom + 5x Digital Zoom (Seamless to 15x) and a maximum apert…

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Olympus Stylus 790 SW

The Olympus Stylus 790 SW is a MIL-STD-810F Shock Compliant (5ft.) shockproof, JIS Level 8 (10ft.) waterproof, MIL-STD-810F Lo Temp Compliant (14oF) freeze proof digital camera that utilizes a 7.1 Megapixels (effective), 1/2.33” CCD (1.1cm) image sensor with a lens that has 6.7 – 20.1 mm (38 – 114 mm equivalent in 35mm photography) focal length. It has 10 Lenses in 8 Groups with 3 Aspherical Lenses that has 3x Optical Zoom + 5x Digital Zoom (Seamless to 15x) and a maximum aperture of F3.5 - F5.0. The focus range is 19.7"-infinity (0.5m-infinity) for normal mode and 7.9-nfinity (0.2m-nfinity) wide/11.8”-nfinity (0.3m-nfinity) tele for macro mode. It has a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec.-/2 sec. (up to 4 sec. in Night Scene mode) with up to 1600 ISO sensitivity. The camera has various selections for Exposure Metering, White Balance Control, Exposure Compensation and supports JPEG and AVI Motion JPEG (movie) file formats with up to 3,072 x 2,304 (SHQ / HQ) recorded pixel resolution. It has 27 shooting modes, Movie Panorama function for up to 10 frames automatically stitchable with OLYMPUS Master software when using Olympus brand xD-Picture Card™, Continuous Shooting up to 3.5 frames per second (11 frames in SQ1), and Shooting Assist Functions. The camera is powered by a Li-ion Rechargeable Battery (LI-42B), measures 93.6 x 60.9 x 21.3mm and weighs 136g

Features

The Stylus 790 SW’s shockproof feature with floating circuit board and shock-absorbing construction protects the Stylus 790 SW camera and images from drops up to 5 feet. It also features waterproof seals and gaskets that allow users to take amazing underwater pictures and movies in the pool or even in the ocean. It is winterized to perform at below-freezing temperatures as well. The camera features Face Detection Technology that automatically focuses on subjects’ faces and optimizes exposure. It also features a high-resolution, 7.1-megapixel image sensor that allows for larger prints without sacrificing detail, 3x optical zoom Olympus lens that brings users closer to the action without taking a step, 2.5" HyperCrystal™ LCD provides an extra-wide viewing angle and anti-glare technology to compose, shoot and share photos with family and friends even in bright, direct sunlight. Other features are Digital Image Stabilization that combines high ISO sensitivity and shutter speeds that allows user to take fast-motion photos without the blurriness, and is an Olympus Eco-product. The camera also features Shadow Adjustment Technology, TruePic™ III Image Processor and Perfect Shot Preview.

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  • Manufacturer's Description

No manufacturer description available.

Specifications

  • Format
    Rugged Compact
  • Also known as
    Olympus mju 790 SW Digital
  • Max resolution
    3072 x 2304
  • Low resolution
    2560 x 1920, 2304 x 1728, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
  • Image ratio w:h
    4:3, 16:9
  • Effective pixels
    7.1 million
  • Sensor photo detectors
    7.4 million
  • Sensor size
    1/2.3 " (6.16 x 4.62 mm, 0.28 cm²)
  • Pixel density
    25 MP/cm²
  • Sensor type
    CCD

Release Date

  • First seen
    23 August 2007

Ask the community

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Questions asked: 1 Answers: 0

Previous questions about this product

  • picture distortion

    olympus stylus 790 sw 7.1 camera has worked great for 2 years and has now started distorting whites and skin tones. A person's teeth look like fangs, eyes look watery, noses elongated. More fit as circus pics than portraits!

    (No answers yet. Write an answer!) 2010-05-15

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