• 01-25-2007, 12:11 PM
    aquadog
    2 Attachment(s)
    Olympus Stylus 770 SW Digital Camera - Press Release
    Olympus Stylus 770 SW Goes Where No Other Digital Point-And-Shoot Camera Has Gone Before
    Shockproof, Waterproof, Freezeproof and Crushproof Ultra-Compact Digital Camera is Designed to Capture Amazing Images Anywhere


    CENTER VALLEY, Pa, January 25, 2007 – Olympus today rolled out the toughest digital camera in the Stylus series: the Stylus 770 SW. Built for active lifestyles, the 7.1-megapixel ultra-compact camera is designed to take great photos in nearly any environment, including in water down to depths of 33 feet (10 meters) and in winter weather as frigid as 18 degrees below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius). It can also survive falls up to five feet and heavy loads up to 220 pounds of pressure. Within the camera's rugged exterior is an array of innovative technologies to ensure clear, sharp images in the roughest of shooting situations.

    The Stylus 770 SW boasts several signature features:

    • Shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof and crushproof, the Stylus 770 SW's rugged body design is strong enough to sustain life's adventures;
    • A large, bright 2.5-inch HyperCrystal™ LCD improves shooting and sharing pictures in bright-light and low-light situations; and
    • Digital Image Stabilization boosts ISO sensitivity and shutter speed to capture crisp, clear pictures when you or your subject is moving.


    "Olympus pioneered the shockproof and waterproof category in 2006 with the Stylus SW series, and in many ways has changed the face of digital photography," said Michael Barnett, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Today, we're unveiling the Stylus 770 SW, which offers extended waterproof capabilities, increased durability and enhanced LCD performance. It's perfect for the great outdoors or a night on the town, and it's truly the anytime, anywhere digital camera."

    Designed to Withstand Drops from Five Feet
    Built with durable materials and shock-absorption technology that minimizes the impact delivered to the lens and circuitry when dropped, the Stylus 770 SW delivers superior durability in a premium point-and-shoot digital camera.

    Offers Increased Waterproof Capabilities
    Take great photos down to 33 Feet (10 Meters)
    By combining a lightweight, stainless steel exterior with rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal the interior from the elements, Olympus delivers a slim body design that performs as well under water (down to 33 feet/10 meters below the surface) as it does on land. Also, the inclusion of four custom underwater scene modes make the Stylus 770 SW the perfect camera for the pool, snorkeling and scuba diving. For those who want to explore greater depths, the PT-035 underwater housing, designed specifically for the Stylus 770 SW, enables the camera to venture approximately 130 feet (40 meters) beneath the surface.

    Built-in Manometer Records Depth and Altitude
    The Stylus 770 SW offers the first built-in manometer, which measures water and air pressure, enabling you to accurately monitor the depth or altitude of your images. It's the perfect camera for adventure-seekers who want to snap shots while scuba diving, hiking and skiing. The depth and altitude are recorded when each image is taken, and the information is stored within each picture's digital file. Wow friends and family with the exact depth or altitude of your favorite underwater snapshot, mountain landscape or any other image!

    Water-Repellant Lens Coating
    The Stylus 770 SW features a water-repellant lens coating to prevent water droplets from forming on the lens so you get crystal clear shots no matter how wet the shooting environment.

    Freezeproof for Winter's Bitter Cold
    Harsh winter weather doesn't stop outdoor enthusiasts, athletes and sports fans. Don't let it stop you from capturing memorable moments. The Stylus 770 SW performs when mother nature dips below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius).

    Crushproof to 220 Pounds-Force
    Thin enough to fit in a back pocket, the camera also features a durable stainless steel body and reinforced LCD panel engineered to withstand loads of up to 220 pounds-force. So you do not have to worry about damaging your camera in a backpack, luggage or by simply sitting down.

    Large 2.5-Inch HyperCrystal™ LCD
    The Stylus 770 SW boasts a large, high-resolution HyperCrystal™ LCD, which enables clear, high-contrast images. It increases the brightness of the LCD for better visibility in low-light and bright-light situations — perfect for composing subjects underwater or in direct sunlight. Images are also viewable on the 2.5-inch LCD from 140-degrees, enabling photos to be composed from a wider range of angles and viewed by several people at once.

    Digital Image Stabilization
    The Stylus 770 SW features Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) for capturing crisp, clear pictures. By boosting the camera's ISO sensitivity and shutter speed, DIS freezes the action and provides blur-free images.

    Bright Capture Technology for Easy Low-Light Photography
    Low-light photography has never been easier thanks to Olympus' revolutionary Bright Capture Technology. A brightened preview on the LCD enables simple composition; and with specific scene modes for high sensitivity settings (up to ISO 1600) and rapid auto-focus, even fast-action photos can be captured under low levels of available light.

    LED Illuminator
    An LED Illuminator works like a mini-flashlight on the front of the camera to enhance focus during macro shooting — great for underwater close-ups where light is scarce. The LED also works in conjunction with Bright Capture to help illuminate your subject when taking low-light portraits.

    7.1-Megapixel Image Sensor for Superior Image Quality
    The 7.1-megapixel CCD image sensor inside the Stylus 770 SW delivers high-quality images that are consistently sharp and vivid even in large-format prints — up to poster sizes as large as 16 x 20 inches.

    Stylish, Compact, Rugged Design
    The Stylus 770 SW combines light, durable body construction and shock-absorbing materials throughout the interior with the sealant technology used in Olympus underwater housings. In addition to the shockproof, waterproof and crushproof construction, the Stylus 770 SW features the stainless steel body and clean, smooth lines that make it the ideal pocket camera. At a thickness of less than 0.8 inch, the camera easily slips into a pocket, handbag or backpack.

    High Quality Olympus Lens Elements
    Olympus lenses are known worldwide for producing sharp, vibrant image quality. This is achieved through a number of key technologies, such as Olympus ED and high-refractive lens elements, designed specifically for digital cameras. The 3x lens provides the equivalent of 38 to 114mm focal length in 35mm photography to bring the action closer, and a Super Macro Mode that captures details as nuanced as the iridescent petals of a flower, from as close as 2.8 inches.

    TruePic TURBO™ for High-Speed Response
    Olympus' exclusive TruePic TURBO™ Image Processor enhances image quality and delivers faster overall processing speeds for rapid startup, shutter release and playback. TruePic TURBOTM enables the Stylus 770 SW to capture information from all 7.1 million pixels with pixel "micro-smoothing" that delivers clearer and more color-accurate photos. The fast startup of less than one second and nearly instant shutter release time ensures a high-speed response so your camera is always ready to take great pictures.

    27 Selectable Shooting Modes
    With 24 pre-programmed scene modes, such as Beach & Snow, Available Light Portrait, Sunset, and Under Water Snapshot, the Stylus 770 SW makes it easy to capture beautiful images in a variety of lighting and shooting situations. Also, with its Movie Mode, the Stylus 770 SW can record VGA-quality videos with sound — above and below the water's surface - limited only by the size of the internal memory or xD-Picture Card™ in the camera.

    In-camera Editing
    With in-camera editing features such as red-eye fix, resizing, adding frames or text, and color brightness or saturation adjustments, users can edit photos anywhere with ease — touch up or embellish your photos without your computer.

    OLYMPUS Master™ Software
    OLYMPUS Master™ software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to your computer quick and simple, and images are easily organized by folders or albums. And with one-click editing tools, such as red-eye removal, images can be touched up before printing or e-mailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away. Use the optional muvee™ Theater Pack to create professional quality slide shows and DVDs from your pictures using any of several built-in templates.

    Olympus Premium and Sporty Carrying Cases
    Olympus offers premium cases in six colors, including chocolate suede and red leather. A sporty neoprene case is also available for the Stylus 770 SW and is perfect for active or outdoor situations.

    Availability
    The Stylus 770 SW will be available in March 2007. It includes: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, LI-42B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, manual, warranty card and OLYMPUS Master software (CD-ROM).

    U.S. Pricing
    Stylus 770 SW Estimated Street Price: $379.99 (U.S.)

    Olympus Web site: http://www.olympusamerica.com.
  • 01-25-2007, 04:37 PM
    Photo-John
    Re: Olympus Stylus 770 SW Digital Camera - Press Release
    They've come out swinging with this one. Actually, they were already out and swinging with the Stylus 720 SW. I don't believe Olympus has any competition in this class. I wish they'd included real image stabilization in the new camera. And the press release doesn't say whether the 770 SW has a histogram display. I really missed that in the 720 SW. in any case, it's good to see that Olympus isn't resting on their laurels with this camera. I gave the 720 SW a Photo John's Pick Choice Award last year because I thought it was one of the more exciting cameras of the year. I can't wait to see if this one is a worthy follow-up.

    Olympus Stylus 720 SW Digital Camera Pro Review >>
    2006 Choice Awards >>
    Olympus Cameras Resource Page >>
    All Olympus Stylus Digital Camera Reviews >>
  • 01-29-2007, 08:41 AM
    another view
    Re: Olympus Stylus 770 SW Digital Camera - Press Release
    Same here - been very happy with the 720SW but I miss the same things, as well as exposure compensation. I guess I really haven't spent much time figuring out the modes with it and they don't go over much of it in the manual. It's definitely in a class by itself though!
  • 01-29-2007, 10:11 AM
    Photo-John
    720 SW Exposure Compensation
    Steve-
    It's been a while since I used the 720 SW, but I'm sure it's got exposure compensation. There's no way I could have made the photos I did without it. I just checked the photos of the camera in my 720 SW review and the exposure compensation is accessed by pressing the top part of the 4-way control on the back of the camera. That should make the camera work a lot better for you.
  • 02-12-2007, 02:06 PM
    debi1016
    Re: Olympus Stylus 770 SW Digital Camera - Press Release
    Does anyone know anything else about this camera. i tried contacting olympus but they have never been helpful to me. is there a time limit to this camera for keeping it underwater? and what does the maintenance look like on this camera? and it comes with a year warranty from olympus right? i really like the idea of this camera, but the customer service makes me want to look else where for a camera.
  • 03-09-2007, 04:06 PM
    kyubi_fox
    Re: Olympus Stylus 770 SW Digital Camera - Press Release
    The Olympus 770SW is rated JIS class 8 water proof. The camera can be continuously immersed in water (up to 5 meters in this case). Basically that means you can take it for diving in shallow water. With the underwater case you can do 40m! This is different from JIS class 7, in which case the camera is only protected against temporary immersion in water. Be careful though, the testing is done by Olympus itself, so you kinda have to take their word for it...

    See this link for photos of a test for JIS class 4.