Stylus 770SW Camera

While this camera takes good pictures, the screen is hard to see in bright sunny conditions. I attached a float to the strap and it is water tight. I have put it through it's paces on the water. Dropped it on the concrete and in the sand and it still works great. I always take it home and rinse it off in the sink. I wish changing between photo and video was easier without having to go thru the whole menu.

This camera is a workhorse and does as advertised, but could be simpler to use and have a better screen.

I have used the 770 for 8 months and agree that it is indestructible. I have used backpacking in Alaska (very wet), Utah (hot and lots of dust), climbing in New Hampshire and Nevada (banging it on rocks), kayaking in South Carolina (heat, salt water, and lots of humidity), and a vacation in Europe. It has come through with flying colors. The anti-shake feature is incredibly useful when shooting with one hand.

What don't I like? Battery life could be better, as could the quality of the color. The plastic on the rear screen is easily scratched. However, these are minor issues considering everything this camera can do and survive. Great camera.

This is a camera you can take anywhere. It is drop-proof to 5 feet (though I've seen a display model get thrown across the room and still work,) crush proof to 220 pounds (I cringed when observing a display model getting stepped on with stiletto heels, but was delighted when there was no damage,) water proof to 10 meters, and freeze proof to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (most LCD screens freeze or become distorted in cold weathers.) This camera looks and feels robust in your hands due to its stainless steel frame, but is not heavy. It takes good pictures, and has internal picture editing features built into the software. The camera contains a manometer to measure your depth when you take it into the water. The controls are very user friendly, with the ability to change settings at your fingertips (ISO, flash, timer, brightness, anti-shake, etc) without need to scroll through a menu. This camera can be used in virtually any environment in which a paddler would subject him/herself. It takes xD cards, which gives the camera a capacity for 2GB of memory, or roughly 600, or at least 1.5 hours of video (I'm taking an educated guess) on its highest quality setting.

The downside of this camera is that besides its indestructible construction, it is basically just like any other "point and shoot" camera. Battery life is average (editing pictures uses up a lot of battery life, because the camera makes copies instead of altering the original shot.) Video is not bad, and records at a scant 10 frames per second (I think.) The flash is not spectacular (compared to my Casio Exilim point and shoot, which has an amazingly overpowered flash,) and it occasionally takes awhile for the camera to decide what it's trying to focus in on.

All in all, the durability of this camera really makes up for its average performance (which is why it gets an 8) as a "point and shoot." I would recommend this camera to anyone who abuses their equipment (I certainly do) and wants to take photos anywhere one would take any other camera in, and walk out with a novelty paperweight and a sad story.