Olympus Stylus vs. Pentax Optio
Hey ya'll,
Looking for some advice on narrowing down between 3 cameras. I'm looking to buy a durable all environments camera that I can take snorkling here in Tonga, snowboarding in New Zealand and every other radical environment I can get into. I've been seriously wanting to buy the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW or 770 SW, with such a high mpx and the ability to go to 33ft. I plan to have the pictures developed on canvas to decorate a home, so quality is key. Any advice on narrowing it down? I'm worried about bad reviews I've read on the Stylus series, many people have returned them due to leaking? Was that a prototype problem? Would the Pentax Optio W30 with 7mpx cover my needs? It seems to be more reliable on the water.
thanks in advance for your help!
Re: Olympus Stylus vs. Pentax Optio
I recently wrote a couple of articles you should read:
Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Preview >>
Outdoor And Waterproof Digital Cameras >>
I'm in the process of writing the final Olympus Stylus 1030 SW review right now. Although I've used it extensively, I haven't really tested it underwater. I did dunk it in a hot tub and take a few pictures. But so far, that's it. It is still working fine, though. And as far as specs go, it is the current king of point-and-shoot underwater and outdoor photography. I've also seen user reviews about the camera leaking. Olympus is careful to include instructions on checking the gaskets before taking it underwater. And it's possible people weren't careful and it was user error. But it's also possible that the Pentax Optio W30 has a better gasket design. I have taken taken the Pentax swimming and it didn't give me any problems. I like the feel and image quality of the Olympus better, though. And you mentioned snowboarding. If you're concerned about overall durability, the Olympus has no competition. I've taken it skiing and mountain biking a bunch. I don't worry about hurting it at all. When I was reviewing the first model, (Stylus 720 SW) I dropped it on pavement and it didn't affect it one bit. So personally, I would go for the Olympus.