Olympus Stylus Tough-8000: Review

Posted to Digital Cameras 2010-01-19

Olympus STYLUS TOUGH-8000 review:

The Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 camera is a new 12 megapixel ruggedized camera from Olympus. It is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof, drop-proof and shakeproof. In other words, it's built to take a beating. The camera is waterproof to a depth of 33 ft., can withstand crushing pressure up to 220 pounds and can operate down to 14 degrees F (-10 degrees C).

The TOUGH-8000 also features dual image stabilization for shake-free operation, tap touch controls which allow you to operate the camera even while wearing gloves, and a 3.6X zoom wide angle lens. The camera include a 2.7 inch Advanced HyperCrystal III LCD display, is compatible with xD and microSD picture cards and built to withstand a 6.6 ft. drop. The lens features a 28-102mm (35mm equivalent) focal length.

Rating:

4.0 out of 5

Quality

There's no question about the fact that the TOUGH-8000 is built to high quality standards, given its specs. Any camera that can withstand this amount of abuse should last for a while. It's designed for rugged outdoor use, and the build quality meets this goal. The camera's feel is heftier than its small size would indicate. And the dustproofing and waterproofing mean that dust, sand, grit, rain, or underwater use is not going to foul the works on this camera.

Value

The TOUGH-8000 is a bit pricey for a 12MP point-and-shoot, but if you need a rugged outdoor camera, it's a bargain at its street price. It has most of the same features of its point-and shoot-competition, but is priced just a bit higher. And it's priced competitively with its ruggedized competition, yet is the most rugged point-and shoot camera on the market. If you need a camera that can take most any environment, the TOUGH-8000 deserves a hard look.

Summary

The Olympus Stylus TOUGH-8000 wins the ruggedized camera competition hands-down. It's usable at a greater depth than the competition, it's drop-proof, dustproof, and weatherproof specs meet the competition, and it's crushproof to boot. If you're looking for the most rugged point-and-shoot camera you can buy, the TOUGH-8000 is it. An excellent offering from Olympus.

Pros

12 megapixel resolution
3.6X (28-102mm 35mm equivalent) zoom
2.7 inch color LCD display
Tap control feature
Dustproof, waterproof, drop-proof, freezeproof, shakeproof and crushproof

Cons

There are no cons for this product