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Ever dropped your digital camera and felt your heart stop just as the hardware hit the ground? The result could've been anything from a scratched screen to a complete write-off, depending on the model and circumstances.
But let's assume that the camera was able to absorb a significant deal of punishment and even submerge itself in water as deep as 10 feet. Instead of dropping it by accident, you might even consider letting it slip through your fingers purposely and watch with glee as it bounces loudly off the ground no worse for the wear.
This sort of scenario probably best describes the Olympus 720 SW, a shock-and-waterproof model that looks sleek but can take a real licking as well. It can survive a fall of up to five feet and submersion in shallow water. The stainless steel finish also means that scratches aren't as noticeable while the protective layer over the 2.5-inch LCD screen shields it from cracking or breaking after taking a tumble.
A 7.1 megapixels camera with 3x optical zoom and 24 shooting modes, the 720 SW also features a technology called "BrightCapture" which optimizes the amount of light that can enter the lens, and even brighten the LCD screen for viewing under sunshine--good thing, too, since there's no viewfinder on the unit; LCD only, but very viewable.
Maximizing natural light capture in order to minimize the use of or need for a flash is an increasingly popular feature that digital camera manufacturers are offering these days--and it's about time. Despite options available to control a flash's output, point-and-shoot digital cameras just don't usually feature much flash control. However, new CCD sensors--like the one in the 720 SW--can augment available lighting, and you end up using the flash less and less, which makes for better, more natural pictures and saves battery, big time.
The system works pretty well on the 720 SW, although it's very prone to camera shake. Thankfully, there's an option to help you with that, too, which you can turn on easily with the push of one button. This anti-shake feature is decent but not perfect, so you'll have to remember to keep your hands as steady as possible regardless.
Since one of the key hallmarks of the 720 SW is its shock- and water-proof body, putting it through the rigors of dropping it to the ground and drowning it under a few feet of water was unusually fun. Of course, a five-foot drop isn't quite enough to reach terminal velocity, but it is probably the maximum height from which such oopses happen, and it took the fall like a hero, no worse for wear.
When it comes to all the 24 shooting modes available to you, a majority of them work well. There are some nice ones - like a portrait/landscape mode for those classic shots of a subject standing in front of a landmark - along with the candle mode, which is specifically suited for candlelight settings. The available light mode is also a staple of the 720 SW and, as mentioned, it does an excellent job of using the natural light in the setting to capture an image without a flash.
There are even modes for shooting in museums, shooting cuisine and capturing fireworks or a sunset. Of all the modes, the most disappointing are the night and fireworks ones. Both are meant to capture and freeze an image by taking in all the light possible and magnifying it so that it comes out vibrant and in focus. The problem with these two modes is that they're virtually impossible to use without a tripod.
Worse, while most digital cameras have a night shooting mode that can still net decent results if you improvise by leaning it on top of a flat surface, that's just not the case with the 720 SW. The CCD sensor seems to be so sensitive that the slightest movement throws the focus off balance and blurs the image completely.
The saving grace here is that the other modes perform very well and yield results that exceed what many competitive products can muster.
Though the 3x optical zoom is a bit below what you might expect in a modern, 7.1 megapixels camera, but you can cheat a bit with digital zoom, which can push the range from 3x to 8x. Just bear in mind that digital zoom on any camera sacrifices quality for range (it's basically pre-cropping the pict, dumping all those pixels on the periphery), and hey, you're probably shooting something that's too far for a point-and-shoot camera anyway, so don't bother. Or go ahead and bother, but you know better, now.
Like any digital camera in the sub-$500 range, the 720 SW has a few issues, but none are a detriment to its general use and reliability. The shock and waterproof body are definitely good selling points, particularly for those who have been victims of damaging a camera or who tend to use a camera in more demanding settings (i.e. boating, hiking, biking, boarding, skiing, babysitting, etc.)
If you want something that will last and give you a decent level of control for a point and shoot, the 720 SW will be good to you. Just drop it a few times and see.
Reviewed: Sep. 15, 2006
Type: Cameras
From: Olympus
Pictures
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