Olympus Stylus 820 Review

The Olympus Stylus 820 came out together with Stylus 830 and 1200 to add to Stylus’ weather-resistant digital camera line. There are several features included in the digital camera which promises state-of-art image quality, easy-to-use controls and modes as well as modernized and sleek design. Playbacks for the camera just got easier a notch since movies and photos can be viewed directly via a TV screen.

The Olympus Stylus 820 has a HyperCrystal LCD screen measuring 2.7 inches. The screen features 230,000 effective pixels which are capable of clarifying images at different angles. The LCD is also coated to prevent glare when viewing under the sun. In addition, there are also the digital image stabilization and digital image stabilization edit function which allow users to improve picture quality directly via the screen. The extra inch fractions of the LCD provide wide range of view as well as easy image editing and sharing.

One of the main attractions of the Olympus Stylus 820 is its weather-resistance. The frame and structure of the digital camera is made of lightweight metal seal with rubber gaskets all over the insides which can tolerate moisture, rain and snow. Dust is also kept at bay with the extra protection. To top it all off, the weather-resistant design still maintained the full thickness of the body below 1 inch. The Stylus 820 is available in a variety of colors like red, black, silver and blue. The entire camera is made of metal and weighs only under 5 ounces even with the battery and xD memory card installed.

The Stylus 820 has 8 mega pixels of high resolution and 5X zoom lens with the focal range in 35mm format having an angle of view ranging from 36 to 180mm. The powerful zoom lens can cover longer distances compared to other models in the series. The aperture range is more disappointing measuring only f/3.3 to 5.0. It also does not have the image stabilizing sensor shift which is virtually important to support the 5X zoom lens. The compensating features are the ISO sensitivity reaching up to 3200 as well as the shutter-quickening response in digital stabilization.

As or the features, the Olympus Stylus 820 has a Perfect Shot Preview option which presents the various settings that can be applied to images. Four frames will appear on the display showing the effects of each setting. These settings are further differentiated at different equivalent values and degrees of effects. Other comparison options are also included for white balance, metering and zoom. The main idea is to show the user how the picture will appear even before the shot is taken. The multi-frame display is a first in digital cameras.

Delay was one problem about the Stylus 820. It took 1.7 seconds from turning the digital camera on before the first shot can be taken. It also took 4.2 seconds to take one shot after another excluding the flash still having to be turn on. Flash activation took 4.4 seconds. The shutter speed is decent at 1.3 seconds. The digital camera does feature a burst mode but lowers image resolution at 3 mega pixels which resulted to very poor quality images.

The Olympus Stylus 820 has the TruePic™ III image processor similar to other Stylus models. The processor promises very vivid and clear images together with the pixel information. High ISO settings were not supposed to affect image quality. However, image output was totally soft and there was evident noise and color distortion. Fine details were invisible and there were purple and green discolorations on the edges of light-colored subjects. Small prints do not tend to have a problem but it is not a good idea to increase picture size. The range is a good advantage which allows fine photos in dark areas. White balance also controls colors despite unfavorable surroundings. The Shadow Adjustment Technology of the Stylus 820 helped a lot in capturing great shots in dark and shadowed areas. Extreme contrast was well-managed by the digital camera.

Pros: The weather-resistant feature, powerful 5X zoom lens and 8 mega pixels are the biggest features of the Olympus Stylus 820. In addition, there are also great modes and functions that control clarity under various situations and settings including the four-frame preview option.

Cons: Image output was very soft and color distortion makes it a weak competitor compared to others in its class.

Overall: With several other digital cameras in the same class, the Olympus Stylus 820 may have lost a lot because of its poor performance in terms of image quality. It did have some compensatory features but still were not enough to show that it was an overall great camera.

Attached Images

Olympus_Stylus_820.jpg (35.4 KB, 0 views)