We went to Hawaii in May and were planning on going snorkeling.  We had gone snorkeling in the past, but the pictures we captured turned out awful.  On our first snorkeling adventure we used a disposable underwater camera, as well as a waterproof case for our regular camera.  They just did not take the best pictures and we had nothing to show for our snorkeling experience.  This time we were going out to the middle of the ocean with promises of seeing schools of fish and turtles and we had to take better pictures this time.  So, we were on the hunt.  We saw a camera on sale at Costco for $199.99, so we went for it.  We bought the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera.

The main reason we bought this camera was because it was waterproof.  However, it is also shockproof and freezeproof.  This camera is durable and has taken a few long drops when I've clumsily dropped it on the ground.  It still continues to work perfectly.  In addition, the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera has a great design.  It does not look like your regular waterproof camera.  The camera is thin and has a wonderful viewfinder on the back just like any other "regular" camera.  The only way that someone would know it is waterproof is because it is printed small on the front.  Something that I love about the design is that the lens is completely secure.  Many cameras just move the lens back into the camera and has a thin protective cover on top of the lens.  The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera has a thick lens protecting component that slides in front of the camera lens.  As soon as you slide the cover down, the camera automatically turns on and is ready to take pictures.  And, the camera does not come in just one boring color; the camera is available in black, silver, blue and champagne.  We chose the black version just because we thought it looked the best with the chrome color for all of the buttons, writing and trim.

The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera has 10.1 megapixels.  The camera only has capability for 3x zoom.  I usually like something that is bigger, but it has worked for us.  Although we mainly bought this camera for the underwater capabilities, it also takes great pictures outside of the water.  We take this camera with us everywhere because it is compact and very easy to use.  The one downfall to using this camera is that the shutter speed is a little slow.  In addition, after taking one photo, it will take a few seconds for the camera to be ready to take another photo. 

Inside the water, the camera took wonderful pictures.  The camera instructions say that the camera can be submerged to approximately 10 feet, but we actually went a little deeper and the pictures were great.  Even with a little shaking our hands while taking pictures because we were swimming, the pictures came out great and were not blurry at all.  Something that some of our friends experienced with their waterproof cameras were water droplets on the lens which ruined some of their photos.  We never had that problem because the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera  features a water-repellent lens coating that will prevent water droplets from forming.   While we were trying to swim and needed to make changes to the settings of the camera, it was very easy!  The controls and features of this camera are very user friendly and even a person that is not electronically savvy could easily figure things out.  The only thing you have to worry about when using this camera in the water is not letting it go and falling to the bottom of the ocean!  The camera does come with a sturdy wrist band.  

The battery life on the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera is great and lasts for a very long time.  The only problem is that you cannot pop regular lithium batteries into the camera.  The camera comes with one specialty battery that is not very common and runs approximately $50.  You will definitely not find a replacement battery at discount stores like Target or Wal-mart, but you can find them at camera stores, as well as at online stores.  The battery for this camera does recharge pretty fast.  The camera also comes with a 1GB XD memory card.  XD memory cards are not as common as the SD memory cards that are found in many other cameras.  Just like the battery, replacement XD memory cards are more expensive than SD memory cards. 

Overall, the pictures that this camera takes are great.  The colors are vivid and there are not many blurry pictures, no matter how shaky your hands are.  The camera comes with Digital Image Stabilization and that was also very important to me because I tend to have shaky hands while trying to take pictures.  We have used the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Digital Camera numerous times in the water, as well as on a regular basis for our "regular" pictures and the pictures always come out great!  Plus, as I always admit, I am very clumsy and have dropped this camera on multiple occasions.  I will say that this camera still does not show any sides of cosmetic damages like other items I drop.  It's a great little camera I would definitely recommend it!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 199.99
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use