Home > Consumer Reviews > Olympus Mju 1030SW Digital Camera - Midnight Black (10.1MP, 3.6x Digital Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD
Olympus Mju 1030SW Digital Camera - Midnight Black (10.1MP, 3.6x Digital Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD
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(3.5 out of 5)
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Olympus 1030SW - WOW
(5 out of 5) by J. M. Parry on Mar 21, 2008WOW!
This camera completely exceeded my expectations. I have previously used Sony T series cameras (T3,T9,T200). Lost one, and the others broke, and kept having fault messages after six months of use. But the pictures I took were fantastic, and I thought they would be hard to beat, so when I saw this camera - drop proof, water proof and crush proof, well this had to be for me! I am a little clumsy at times and into outdoor pursuits, not a good mixture for delicate electronics!
I managed to pick one up else where (obviously a tad more expensive than here on Amazon) because I desperatly wanted to take one on holiday. The fact it is water proof is great, you can use it around the pool, for snorkeling on the beach, and as it is waterproof to 10 metres (I took it with us when my missus had her first try dive).
The camera itself is a good size to fit in your pocket, not bulky at all. When I first took it out of the box it really did feel solid and has a solid look to it as well.
The photos have come out really well. I am a total amateur when it come to photography, my ethos is snap away and hopefully there will be some werth keeping. There are 24 scene modes, auto and high ISO to choose from which seems a bit overwhelming, but worry not, the is a guide function which sets the camera up for you, just choose the options you want and it then puts the camera in the correct mode for the effect you want to achieve, or the conditions etc.
An excellent feature I liked was the panoramic feature, its brilliant! Basically you select the option in the menu, take the first picture then move the camera to the left or right (the camera automatically sensors which way you have gone), then a diamond appears on the screen and you move the diamond into the box it it automatically takes the next picture, do this again so you have total of three pictures and wait a couple of seconds and it joins them together to make a great panoramic picture, really impressive, and great if your into nice views. However you need the Olympus 'M' series XD memory card to use this funtion (and as I lernt the hard way you also need to format the card from new to use this function which is done in the settings), but they are only a few quid more than other brands.
In summary I have been really impressed with this camera.
This camera completely exceeded my expectations. I have previously used Sony T series cameras (T3,T9,T200). Lost one, and the others broke, and kept having fault messages after six months of use. But the pictures I took were fantastic, and I thought they would be hard to beat, so when I saw this camera - drop proof, water proof and crush proof, well this had to be for me! I am a little clumsy at times and into outdoor pursuits, not a good mixture for delicate electronics!
I managed to pick one up else where (obviously a tad more expensive than here on Amazon) because I desperatly wanted to take one on holiday. The fact it is water proof is great, you can use it around the pool, for snorkeling on the beach, and as it is waterproof to 10 metres (I took it with us when my missus had her first try dive).
The camera itself is a good size to fit in your pocket, not bulky at all. When I first took it out of the box it really did feel solid and has a solid look to it as well.
The photos have come out really well. I am a total amateur when it come to photography, my ethos is snap away and hopefully there will be some werth keeping. There are 24 scene modes, auto and high ISO to choose from which seems a bit overwhelming, but worry not, the is a guide function which sets the camera up for you, just choose the options you want and it then puts the camera in the correct mode for the effect you want to achieve, or the conditions etc.
An excellent feature I liked was the panoramic feature, its brilliant! Basically you select the option in the menu, take the first picture then move the camera to the left or right (the camera automatically sensors which way you have gone), then a diamond appears on the screen and you move the diamond into the box it it automatically takes the next picture, do this again so you have total of three pictures and wait a couple of seconds and it joins them together to make a great panoramic picture, really impressive, and great if your into nice views. However you need the Olympus 'M' series XD memory card to use this funtion (and as I lernt the hard way you also need to format the card from new to use this function which is done in the settings), but they are only a few quid more than other brands.
In summary I have been really impressed with this camera.
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
To Boldy take pictures where no pictures have been taken before...
(4 out of 5) by Adamn_Fish on Jul 14, 2008 (England, UK)The Olympus Mju 1030SW 10.3 mega pixel camera is designed for use underwater to 10m and in temperatures down to -10 celsius up to 40 celcius and, can be dropped from 2m, and crucially (unlike other cameras which can pass that part of the test!!!).. can still continue to operate.
I bought the camera with the intention of using on mountains in any condition I might be in and also for occasional snorkelling. Normally on a mountain, given a moderate cloud or some light drizzle, and my camera has to beat a retreat into the rucksack. Not so with the 1030SW. Its a solidly constructed metal camera with small protruding buttons. I will not describe the full feature set, which is already available in more detail in the manufacturers description, but here are a few points of advantages and disadvantages of the camera...
Positive Points...
- Very robust.
- Good for quick underwater shots. It has 4 underwater scenes set up to choose from, including an underwater macro feature. I have used it underwater already and the shots are reasonable and were very easy to take.
- It has a built in depth indicator. Useful if you are snorkelling and getting a little carried away with your depth while holding your beloved camera!
- Large screen. Good clear on screen features and instructions.
- Excellent macro feature with a dedicated LED light which helps to provide close up illumination of subjects which are otherwise 'blitttted' into star-dust by conventional flash devices.
- Fantastic intelligent panorama feature. Take one picture.. and then just move the camera Left or Right. A small diamond appears on one edge of the the screen and by getting this into a small square frame at the other end of the screen... the camera will automatically take the next picture and repeat the process. There are options for you to choose from if you want to regain more control for panorama shots, but for really quick simple panorama pictures, its just a breeze and a party piece for the camera.
- Really solid construction.
- Fast access to menu settings.
- Good prints.
- Small size.
Negative Points
- The Power On button does not have any sort of a safety guard mechanism. If I were to accidently hit it when its my pocket or bag, it would come on.
- I would like clearer more easily distinguishable icons on the little cursor buttons. They are icons engraved into the silver metal casing. Even some colour coding of the buttons might be some help. You would have to learn these button positions before you went out for an evening really. It would be unrealistic to think you could stare at the silver engravings on the silver metal case in a dark party situation or soft lit restaurant or walking in the night. Not a big problem, and it is a camera designed to be used in more testing situations than most, so we can forgive that.
- The need to have an Olympus XD card to be able to use the Panorama feature... isnt being very 'open community friendly is it' really. Not a big problem, but if you have any other manufacturer's XD cards, you might now want to buy some more, only this time, Olympus.
- The need to have an Olympus USB cable to be able to connect the camera directly to your computer... isnt being very 'open community friendly again is it' really!!?? NOT a big problem, but, if like me you travel a bit and you have 30 other 'normal' USB cables lying about.., its likely you are going to mislay this dedicated Olympus cable one day, so buying another one might be a shrewd investment!
- I do not like devices which use dedicated batteries. Where I can, I prefer to have AA or AAA batteries. Just makes things easier to deal with if you are travelling for long times away.
- I am not too keen on manufacturers always supplying their comprehensive manuals in PDF formats. I like to browse a real manual. I do not know about you, but I always find that a little irritating having paid so much to own their device to only be hindered from using it by having to work through the limitations of an on screen PDF document. OR, yes, print it out.
Other Considerations...
If you end up buying one of these, I would recommend the Olympus XD card just because you 'apparently' cannot use the panorama feature without it.
And...
Recommend the little neoprene Mju case. Fits the camera well, the sort of case I could slip on to my ruck sack belt, or shoulder strap and have very quick access to. And, because the camera is waterproof, the case does not need to seal it from the elements. Its designed for the elements!
Conclusion.
Having written all that and listed so many negative points, you might think I hate this camera. In fact, I love it. I think its excellent. I carry it everywhere and would recommend it to anyone who likes to live a little outdoors in situations all other 'normal' cameras shy away from.
Unlike other waterproof cameras, you have not got a big plastic box to carry around as well and the camera is small enough to fit into a shirt and smart enough for any social occasion and tough enough for any very unsocial occasion. Good range of features, quick response times from start up. Very happy with it as it is now a single camera I can take anywhere and use everywhere. And buy the extra under water housing and you can take it to 40m.
If you want one good reliable camera that can be used in any situation, this looks like it.
I bought the camera with the intention of using on mountains in any condition I might be in and also for occasional snorkelling. Normally on a mountain, given a moderate cloud or some light drizzle, and my camera has to beat a retreat into the rucksack. Not so with the 1030SW. Its a solidly constructed metal camera with small protruding buttons. I will not describe the full feature set, which is already available in more detail in the manufacturers description, but here are a few points of advantages and disadvantages of the camera...
Positive Points...
- Very robust.
- Good for quick underwater shots. It has 4 underwater scenes set up to choose from, including an underwater macro feature. I have used it underwater already and the shots are reasonable and were very easy to take.
- It has a built in depth indicator. Useful if you are snorkelling and getting a little carried away with your depth while holding your beloved camera!
- Large screen. Good clear on screen features and instructions.
- Excellent macro feature with a dedicated LED light which helps to provide close up illumination of subjects which are otherwise 'blitttted' into star-dust by conventional flash devices.
- Fantastic intelligent panorama feature. Take one picture.. and then just move the camera Left or Right. A small diamond appears on one edge of the the screen and by getting this into a small square frame at the other end of the screen... the camera will automatically take the next picture and repeat the process. There are options for you to choose from if you want to regain more control for panorama shots, but for really quick simple panorama pictures, its just a breeze and a party piece for the camera.
- Really solid construction.
- Fast access to menu settings.
- Good prints.
- Small size.
Negative Points
- The Power On button does not have any sort of a safety guard mechanism. If I were to accidently hit it when its my pocket or bag, it would come on.
- I would like clearer more easily distinguishable icons on the little cursor buttons. They are icons engraved into the silver metal casing. Even some colour coding of the buttons might be some help. You would have to learn these button positions before you went out for an evening really. It would be unrealistic to think you could stare at the silver engravings on the silver metal case in a dark party situation or soft lit restaurant or walking in the night. Not a big problem, and it is a camera designed to be used in more testing situations than most, so we can forgive that.
- The need to have an Olympus XD card to be able to use the Panorama feature... isnt being very 'open community friendly is it' really. Not a big problem, but if you have any other manufacturer's XD cards, you might now want to buy some more, only this time, Olympus.
- The need to have an Olympus USB cable to be able to connect the camera directly to your computer... isnt being very 'open community friendly again is it' really!!?? NOT a big problem, but, if like me you travel a bit and you have 30 other 'normal' USB cables lying about.., its likely you are going to mislay this dedicated Olympus cable one day, so buying another one might be a shrewd investment!
- I do not like devices which use dedicated batteries. Where I can, I prefer to have AA or AAA batteries. Just makes things easier to deal with if you are travelling for long times away.
- I am not too keen on manufacturers always supplying their comprehensive manuals in PDF formats. I like to browse a real manual. I do not know about you, but I always find that a little irritating having paid so much to own their device to only be hindered from using it by having to work through the limitations of an on screen PDF document. OR, yes, print it out.
Other Considerations...
If you end up buying one of these, I would recommend the Olympus XD card just because you 'apparently' cannot use the panorama feature without it.
And...
Recommend the little neoprene Mju case. Fits the camera well, the sort of case I could slip on to my ruck sack belt, or shoulder strap and have very quick access to. And, because the camera is waterproof, the case does not need to seal it from the elements. Its designed for the elements!
Conclusion.
Having written all that and listed so many negative points, you might think I hate this camera. In fact, I love it. I think its excellent. I carry it everywhere and would recommend it to anyone who likes to live a little outdoors in situations all other 'normal' cameras shy away from.
Unlike other waterproof cameras, you have not got a big plastic box to carry around as well and the camera is small enough to fit into a shirt and smart enough for any social occasion and tough enough for any very unsocial occasion. Good range of features, quick response times from start up. Very happy with it as it is now a single camera I can take anywhere and use everywhere. And buy the extra under water housing and you can take it to 40m.
If you want one good reliable camera that can be used in any situation, this looks like it.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Photo Freedom
(5 out of 5) by Kris on May 8, 2008 (Edinburgh, UK)This is the best compact camera I have ever owned. When I bought it I thought I would be making a compromise on image quality, features, size or something for the tough camera. But it is amazing! lots of photo options (light metering mode, white balance, focus, drive, etc). I am really happy with the quality of the 10 mega pixel images. And it has 3.6 optical zoom! Because the zoom is internal it is very fast too. much faster than my old olympus C5060WZ, Sony Cybershot, Cannon IXUS 910TI. I haven't deliberitly dropped or crushed it yet but I do regularly dunk it in the nearest river or lock and see what the pictures are like it works really well. I will be taking it trecking and diving in a few weeks so I will be able to give it the ultimate test.
I only have three we minor niggles with it:
- The full auto setting keeps turning on flash (the semi-manual mode is fine so I mostly use it)
- I can't change the zoom while videoing (Same with my C5060WS...very odd)
- It doesn't have a view finder, so even though it does have a fantastic screen that works fine most of the time, it is not as bright as the sun so sometimes I don't have any idea what the framing is like (I think this is the same problem with most compacts though).
Because it won't break, I bring it everywhere and take millions of photes, even dark pictures in the pub turn out well. You know you want one :)
I only have three we minor niggles with it:
- The full auto setting keeps turning on flash (the semi-manual mode is fine so I mostly use it)
- I can't change the zoom while videoing (Same with my C5060WS...very odd)
- It doesn't have a view finder, so even though it does have a fantastic screen that works fine most of the time, it is not as bright as the sun so sometimes I don't have any idea what the framing is like (I think this is the same problem with most compacts though).
Because it won't break, I bring it everywhere and take millions of photes, even dark pictures in the pub turn out well. You know you want one :)
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
underwater heaven
(5 out of 5) by A. Peebles on May 6, 2008as an avid snorkeller I was looking for a small camera suitable for taking underwater photos without having to take extra housing. this Olympus is compact and tough with 3 underwater settings alongside 21 other settings yet easy to use. Well done Olympus! make sure you treat yourself to the xD M card and their equally brilliant neoprene case with arm strap and get out there.they also produce a floating strap in case you knock the camera overboard.
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
Loved it at first, until it went wrong
(3 out of 5) by Mrs. D. Barber on Sep 12, 2008 (UK)I bought this camera to take on honeymoon to the Maldives, and at first was totally blown away by it, the number of different functions it has (different light settings etc) are great for holiday photos, and we got some brilliant underwater shots. After 10 days though I started getting error messages saying that there was water in the card slot, and that the cover wasn't closed, although it was. About 3 hours later the camera died totally, despite having only been used to depths of about 1 metre while snorkelling.
I have returned it for repair, but the company I bought it from (Simply Electronics) have now had it for 2 months so I have no idea if it is just a faulty model or isn't fit for purpose. I'd like another one, but buy from a good retailer incase you have a problem... (and definitely avoid Simply Electronics - shocking customer service).
I have returned it for repair, but the company I bought it from (Simply Electronics) have now had it for 2 months so I have no idea if it is just a faulty model or isn't fit for purpose. I'd like another one, but buy from a good retailer incase you have a problem... (and definitely avoid Simply Electronics - shocking customer service).