• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen minimizes glare
• 3x optical zoom; Face Detection technology
• Waterproof (down to 10 feet), freeze-proof, and crush-proof design
• 27 Shooting modes; in-camera editing options

The camera built for life's adventures. The Stylus 790 SW is packed with technology tailored for active people. The Shockproof, Waterproof, Freezeproof and Dustproof design means it's incredibly durable, but it's also sleek and stylish. The new Face Detection feature recognizes subjects' faces and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portraits. Whether you're playing volleyball at the beach, mountain biking or just hanging out at the pool, the Stylus 790 SW is a must-have vacation and party accessory.

I purchased this camera for vacations on the water and the ability to take shots in rainy weather. It is indeed waterproof and durable, however the shutter lag makes it very frustrating when photographing children. I have a lot of just missed shots because of the delay.
Once taken, the colors seem very vibrant. Once again it is Ok but not great.

This is a great camera for a kid. It looks good and is water resistant and shockproof. However, make sure to read the directions together to learn to use it well. They're easy to follow and have plenty of pictures. This camera is kid and user friendly.

I have purchase 7 of the Olympus Stylus 790SW cameras for the City in their Parks & Rec, Building & Zoning, Engineering, and Utilities departments. They are sturdy and easy to use. In addition, a screen protector has been purchased for each camera. There have been no complaints with this camera.

My wife and I are die-hard skiers and we want to photograph the beauty around us while we ski as well as each other. We've tried our other digital camera, a Fuju that we have loved, and our small digital video camera. Both freeze. And when I say freeze, I mean after only moments in the air on a mountain at 32 degrees... or even higher ... they freeze, even after carrying them in an inner pocket to keep them warm. SO, I was hunting for a camera specifically for outdoor photography in the winter on the slopes.

The Olympus Stylus 790SW is almost perfect for the job. First, when outfitted with an in-specification memory card and a fully charged battery, it works great in the cold! We demonstrated this many times this past winter, on mountains that were cold... 20 degrees at noon cold. Second, while we hadn't specifically been looking for it, the camera is shock-resistant. The specs say it will resist the shock of being dropped from a specific height. Well, we haven't dropped it. But we HAVE fallen while its in that inner pocket. I don't believe either of us has fallen directly on the camera, but I certainly worry a great deal less than I have with our other cameras during our winter photography attempts. Finally, it is waterproof to a certain depth in a body of water. This is perfect for those days when the snow is getting under the coat, or even on those occasional rain bursts. No fear of trashing the camera.

The only negative is the lack of a viewfinder. Only the large LCD provide feedback as to what the camera is pointing at. Indoors this is fine. Outdoors, in the bright with white snow reflecting light right at you, this makes it at times impossible to see any hint of what the camera is capturing. Add to this the effect of the polarized lense in most goggles, and its just plain hard to see the LCD while on the slopes. The good news in all of this is that I've taken many a blind photo only to find, when reviewing it that evening, that I got exactly what I was looking for... the only real challenge is holding the camera level.

The bottom line: This is almost the perfect camera to take to the ski slopes, and it would be perfect with a viewfinder that allowed you to see what you are capturing even in the brightest light conditions.

It's a handy little point and shoot, but my main reason for buying it was underwater capabilities.

Pros:
* underwater photography and video! AWESOME!
* big huge lcd screen
* multiple shooting modes
* compact, light, cheap

Cons:
* the menus are so "user friendly" it's almost confusing and childish. If you've NEVER used a camera before, I'm sure it'd be helpful, but for me it's too much extra junk to sift through.
* unnecessary "favorites" and "shakey" option on mode wheel (should be embedded as a menu option or playback option)
* alot of menu sifting to adjust white balance and other photo settings.
* TERRIBLE microphone/sound capture. I hope mine is not defective, because it is really bad. I have a 2 year old 6 megapixel Sony CyberShot thats sound quality is 10 times better. I would advise you not to capture any video where sound is an important factor.