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Dr Gadget - Gadget Shop - Olympus Mju Tough 790 SW Digital Compact Camera - Starry Silver (7.1MP, 3 x Optical Zoom) 2.5"LCD

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List Price:
Our Price: £149.99
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Manufacturer: Olympus
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Average Customer Rating:     

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Batteries Included: 1 Binding: Electronics Brand: Olympus EAN: 4545350012113 Feature: Olympus mju790sw 7.1 MP digital camera waterproof to 3m Features face detection, 6.4cm LCD, high ISO setting, 3X optical zoom, BrightCapture technology, 23 scene modes and movie recording with sound Colour: Silver." Is Fragile: 0 Label: Olympus Manufacturer: Olympus Model: Mju 790SW Publisher: Olympus Release Date: 2007-08-23 Studio: Olympus
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Features
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Olympus mju790sw 7.1 MP digital camera waterproof to 3m Features face detection, 6.4cm LCD, high ISO setting, 3X optical zoom, BrightCapture technology, 23 scene modes and movie recording with sound Colour: Silver."
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:      Summary: mixed Comment: Positives:
I love the fact that you can take this camera anywhere. Snowboarding, Beaching etc. I can happily give this camera to my 5 year old to take pics without being intensly worried he will break it. Its a great little family camera.
Negatives:
At least half my pics are blury, the clarity I'm used to on a sony cybershot, just does not happen, though the close up setting is great. Inside images are better than the old sony's, but not as good as the cannon.
The most annoying thing about this camara, that can make me CRAZY, is the 3+ second delay between pics. I like to shoot loads of pics, my child moves alot, and the moment is over by the time this camera is ready to shoot.
If you just want an easy to use family camera, that you don't want to worry about, its great, but if you are looking for brilliant quality and fast shooting look elsewhere.
Customer Rating:      Summary: Greatest little camera in the world!! Comment: My camera had packed up while I was on a trip in California and I dropped into a local camera store to replace it. I looked at a couple of other top makes and then the assistant recommended this one! He offered to let me try it for a couple of days and bring it back if I wasn't happy.
I never needed to go back! This is the greatest little camera I have ever owned. It's waterproof and dust/sand proof. I have taken pictures underwater and on the beach, up mountains and on board sailing dingies. You can rinse it out under the water tap when you've had it in salt water!. It has a good movie mode and also takes bursts of frames. Quick start up time. A little shutter lag like most compacts but better than most in that area. I have had it for six months, carry it everywhere. It has no moving parts to jam and it takes great pictures. Too many features to mention but you'll not regret buying this one!
Customer Rating:      Summary: Great until you find the obvious flaw!! Comment: We bought one of these for the office. As engineers visiting site we regularly kill cameras through dirt, dust, water general bouncing incidents etc.
Now this is a preliminary review, and I'd give it 4 stars BUT there's a major flaw (IMHO) To charge the battery you need to open the cover, remove battery and charge in a separate charger. I'm used to Fuji cameras which you plug directly into an adaptor or USB socket. I find it incredible that Olympus have designed this camera with all the fancy rubber seals etc to keep it watertight, and then you have to regularly open/close the battery compartment so disturbing the seal. In addition the clip that holds the battery in seems quite weak.
This is poorly though out by Olympus. The USB socket will take an adaptor to power the camera, but I'm told by Olympus support that this socket cannot be used to recharge the battery. How silly is that?!?
The camera takes good pictures and seems to be solidly made for the price. It's been out in the field a couple of times and so far has survived. We have a cupboard with five (yes five!!) dead digital cameras, here's hoping this one doesn't join them!
Customer Rating:      Summary: Great camera for the beach or watersports Comment: When you first see this camera its hard to believe that it's shock and water resistant, the finish is very nice and it feels solid and well constructed. I purchased mine online and I was quite surprised at how small it is.
Start up is very fast and in general performance is good. Image quality is reasonable but not inspiring, this is not a low light camera, but for general use noise is well controlled, lens distortion and control of fringing is good considering the size of the lens assembly. The 3X zoom is a bit sluggish.
The card/battery and USB compartments are lined with small rubber seals, which must be kept clean if the waterproofing is to be maintained. I found the camera easy and good fun to use, although the controls on the rear are very small and rather fiddly at times. The LCD is clear but has a slow refresh rate... The case is not scratch resistant, it's a pity that the special silicon skin that you can get in the US does not seem to be available in Europe
You should consider this camera if ruggedness and water resistant features are high on your list of requirements, there are plenty of other cameras out there in this price range that will give you better looking images straight from the camera but not many you can take in a swimming pool with you !.
I have not tested the camera underwater yet, preferring to refer to it at this stage as water resistant, bear in mind its only waterproof to 9 feet so its not IMO and underwater camera as such.
There are some nice features for beginners such as the very comprehensive scene modes and a very useful "guide" mode which can be used to adjust many camera functions, the menu system in general is reasonably easy to follow.
If you need a strong and water resistant compact Camera that you can take out in a kayak or to the beach that's easy to use and you are happy to post process the images to get the best out of them, then this is the one to get.
Problems
Images are soft, and lack contrast although exposure is balanced and they respond well to post production. Check out some sample images on review sites before buying.
No way to control image parameters such as sharpness, contrast and saturation within the camera, which is disappointing.
30 fps movies are limited to 10 seconds! (I read somewhere that this is a Hardware limitation to prevent overheating)
No Paper Manual, I know Olympus have been doing this for years, but its annoying, especially for beginners. There is a quick start guide, who covers the basics, but most people want something they can slip in a bag and read at their leisure.
Customer Rating:      Summary: Buy this camera! Comment: I bought the Olympus 790SW as I was travelling to Egypt and wanted something that might capture underwater photos of all the beautiful fish in the Red Sea. I am staggered by the quality of the underwater photos as well as the live video underwater. Excellent value for money and a tough cookie of a camera...my friend dropped it when I'd just got it...not a mark on it.
Really easy to learn to use and navigate round the camera, with some really great features and loads of modes for shooting including night, portrait, landscapes, snow, water, through glass, portraits, night protraits..and an inbuild guide in case you forget how to use it when you've read the manual. Honestly, I cannot find anything to fault this camera, lovely size and weight...everyone who spots it wants to play around with it (especially when you're in water)...excellent quality pics (you can set the size image quality you want), with a fairly decent zoom for a small camera and fast reactions when using compared to some digital cameras I've used. I cannot recommend this camera highly enough.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Boasting a tough body, the 7.1 Megapixel µ[mju:] 790 SW has the ability to go where other cameras can?t. Whether at the beach, doing a round of snowboarding or navigating the hazards of a kids? party, this camera withstands it all. For shooting in up to 40m depth, the optional PT-041 Underwater Case provides additional waterproof protection.
The µ[mju:] 790 SW matches brawn with performance. For versatility in locating and framing subjects, it features a 3x optical zoom (equiv. to 38-114mm). The ability to recognise human faces as the main subject of a composition through implementation of Face Detection Technology ensures optimal focus and exposure in the areas you want. What?s more, the µ[mju:] 790 SW applies innovative technology to deliver stunningly realistic results through the lightening of shadowy areas such as shade under a tree or backlit subjects. And ensuring photographic settings are tailored for most shooting situations, multiple scene modes are available, including four specifically made for use underwater.
* According to Olympus test conditions
** According to IEC publication 529 IPX8
*** Equivalent to a 35mm camera
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