Olympus Stylus 1010 10.1MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)
July 17, 2009 by Digital Master
Filed under Digital Camera Reviews
Manufacturer Description Olympus takes the Stylus series to new heights with the 10-megapixel Stylus 1010, which boasts an ultra-compact 7x optical zoom lens that brings the red carpet celebrity or homeplate slugger seven times closer! A 7x lens (37mm-260mm equivalent in 35mm photography) that fits in camera bodies less than one inch thick is a marvel of modern design. Moreover, the Stylus 1010 features Dual Image Stabilization to prevent blurry images caused by a shaky hand or moving (more…)
Updated on December 16, 2008
I upgraded to the Stylus 1010 from the Stylus 830. Though it is arguable whether it is a true upgrade.
Besides the obvious improvements such as the better zoom, higher MP’s, and a beefed up lens it is essentially the same camera. It does have a better battery (up to 70 more shots per charge), simpler controls, and improved software on the camera, but it is not weatherproof, which used to be a standard feature on Stylus models. Olympus deruggedized the 1010 by taking out the rubber gaskets on the access doors and by replacing the anodized aluminum body that the 830 has with a plastic one.
The one major improvement the 1010 has is its ability to accept SD micro cards (with an adapter) which have a considerably larger maximum capacity (up to 16 GB), and are much cheaper than their larger alternative the XD whose capacity is limited to 2GB’s (a quick price check on amazon shows that a 4GB Micro SD costs around $6, and a standard 2GB XD card cost around $20.)
The SHQ movie feature seems to be a reoccurring problem with Olympus though. The Stylus 830 was only able to record 20 second clips at VGA 640×480/30fps. The Stylus 1010 can only record 10 second clips at that setting. However the 1010 does give you the option of recording VGA 640×480/15fps with longer clips.
*A new development on this is a fix from Olympus. First of all you have to have a camera that currently has the 1.1 version firmware. If you don’t, you’ll have to go to their website to update it. Be aware though, that website carries the following warning.
“Please note that if the firmware upgrade is not performed properly your camera will need to be serviced to have the camera returned to an operational state.”
Once you have the 1.1 you will be able to record movies with 4gb and higher SD Micro cards as well as record movies with VGA quality 640 x 480/30 fps up to the full capacity of the card (no longer limited to 10 second) But this is only with XD Type M+ cardsor the XD Type H cards. This seems to be a complicated and expensive fix considering the price of buying high speed cards (a 2GB XD Type M+ cost around $30), but it is a fix none the less *
Overall I am happy with the purchase and am impressed with the picture quality, and the expanded options in the software. However Olympus could have spent a little extra time developing a true upgrade for the stylus series instead of throwing in a few improvements, (and retrogrades in my opinion) and calling it two different cameras (the 1010 and 1020 whose only difference is the LCD screen, and flash option on during high speed sequential shooting.)
Having been a professional photographer and even teaching a couple of college photography classes, I’ve shied away from anything “automatic”
in cameras, and have clung to more old-fashioned methods when taking pictures.
I purchased an Olympus Stylus 1010 as a gift for my wife.
I’m now stunned and amazed.
This camera is virtually foolproof. It simply won’t take a picture that’s out-of-focus, and worry that the camera might not be steady is no longer a concern. Period.
The pictures are crystal clear and I’ve enlarged them to 16×20 with no loss in quality.
My wife even snapped a landscape from inside a car traveling 60 mph, and the resulting shot showed no motion blur at all.
I believe.
I have used Olympus cameras for about 15 years and have always been happy with them. Unfortunately, I have used this camera for six months and am getting a new one. There are several good things about this camera, but there is one huge flaw: poor image quality. I have been doing some research and discovered that the megapixels are the culprit. While the camera has 10MP, the image sensor was not made to accommodate 10MP’s worth of detail. Because the image sensor is small, it produces grainy photos. You will get better quality images with a camera that has fewer megapixels and/or a larger image sensor.
Some things I DO like about this camera: 1. Good close-up/macro shots; 2. “Scene” settings, such as “Available Light;” 3. Image name includes the date the picture was taken; 4. Portability/size of camera; 5. You can take panoramic photos (if using xD card); 6. Built-in lens cap; 7. Large LCD screen.
Some things I DO NOT like about this camera: 1. Grainy pictures, especially indoors; 2. Flash is too bright and frequently washes out my subject; 3. Lens is easily smudged and can be tricky to clean because it is so small; 4. Can’t make the image be 4×6 ratio, so I have to manually crop all of my photos before printing them.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice.
Overall great camera so far, no complaints. Taking video at highest quality is no problem even with the cheap 4gb sd micro card I have, the firmware update fixed the problem with…
3.0 out of 5 stars
Its ok but i expected better.
Hi, After reading all the reviews, I decided to give this camera a try. Its a very beautiful cam. I love the color and all the features on it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Camera, Compact
Very useful camera and compact. Upgraded from a 5MP 3X zoom to this camera, no comparison. So far the pictures have turned out really good.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful camera
This is my fourth Olympus camera. I started out with a film version and have purhcased Olympus every since. I purchased this camera for use with my consulting business.
4.0 out of 5 stars
it was better than I thought
I bought this camera a few weeks ago. Before I bought it, I read many reviews. I was concerned about some of the negative reviews. However, I was relieved after I got it.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great picture quality!!
This camera was a steal…. I decided what camera I wanted based on the features, and then checked around for the best price, and the Amazon price was about 40% cheaper than any…
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this Camera!
We purchased this camera back in the spring of 2008, we have had a blast with it ever since! It takes wonderful pictures even on “Auto” mode and it is very easy to use all the…
5.0 out of 5 stars
Olympus Stylus 1010 110MP Digital Camera 7X
Very nice camera. Easy to operate; long lasting battery; 7X Zoom take Great pictures!
2 GB SD card lets me take hundreds of sharp & clear pictures
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Price Great Camera
Versatile and light weight, great camera for the amateur. Battery life is phenomenal on a single charge – don’t miss carrying a bag of AA spares with em.
4.0 out of 5 stars
No complaints at all
I bought this camera as something simple and easy to keep in my bag for everyday pictures of my kids.