Introducing the Stylus 600 Digital: Olympus has long history with cameras. Offering one of the more popular lines of point-and-shoot film cameras, they have now carried over this popularity into the digital arena. Olympus makes a large array of digital cameras from compact to point-and-shoot to DSLR.

Introducing the latest Olympus Stylus 600 Digital

Soon to be released is an all-new 6-megapixel, compact, digital camera, the Stylus 600 Digital. This is feature packed camera allowing anglers to use it in all outdoor weather conditions and includes the necessary high-tech software and hardware enabling fishermen to take better pictures.

Design: This pocket-sized 6-megapixel camera comes in a compact size of 3.8”W x 2.2”H x 1.0”D and weighs in at only 4.52 ounces without batteries and media card. Though slim, the Stylus 600 Digital produces a 3x zoom which is equivalent to having a 35 to 105 mm lens in 35mm film cameras. In addition, though we do not recommend you use it, the camera also allows a 5x digital zoom for those who don’t like to crop and edit pictures on their computer.

The slim design will fit nicely into your pocket or tackle bag

What’s really nice today are the sharp LCD displays on digital cameras. The Olympus Stylus 600 has a big 2.5 inch color LCD display that enables easy viewing when taking previewing photos – a feature that is particularly helpful when you’re on a boat is rocking back and forth where viewing through a viewfinder or a small monitor can be challenging.

What really makes this camera is the powerful high resolution 1/2.5” CCD that translates the image into clear and sharp pictures. This CCD gives a maximum of 6.4 million pixels with 6.0 million effective pixels. With this sensor you’re able to achieve ISO from 64 to as high as1600, and shutter speeds ranging from 4 seconds for night scenes to 1/1000 seconds for fish-jumping, fast action photography.

Compact yet full of features including a 3x optical and 5x digital zoom

Features: Though not fully waterproof, the Stylus 600 Digital was designed to be used in All-Weather conditions. The splash-proof design protects the camera so anglers don’t have to worry about damaging it when taking pictures of their prized fish. The protective seals keep water, rain, snow, and dust out! If you want to use the camera to take underwater pictures, Olympus make an aftermarket underwater housing you can purchase separately that was designed specifically for this camera and offers protection for depths to 131 feet.

Stylus 600 Digital is All-Weather. Its chassis is well sealed to keep water and other foreign particles out

For anglers who fish during dusk, dawn, and at night, taking pictures in these low light situations can be a big problem. But fear not with Olympus’ Bright Capture Technology. What this handy feature does is it automatically lightens the preview on the LCD, allowing you to see the shot before you photograph the subject. This feature can be applied in any low light condition either indoors or outdoors.

Many modes to choose from, there will be one that will ensure quality fishing pictures even in low light conditions

Within the Bright Capture Technology you have different modes that you can set that will make you a better photographer, but we’ll cover the ones that all anglers should be aware of because it’ll help with the picture quality when taking fish pictures in low light conditions. Available Light Portrait mode allows you to capture images without the use of a flash, something very important when taking pictures of fish because a powerful flash will likely whitewash your picture. The next mode is Image Blur. This setting allows you to take clear shots of moving subjects in low light and keep them in focus. Being able to capture your buddy fighting the fish of the lifetime is precious, and coming home with a blurred picture can be very disappointing. Use this mode and capture something cherish able and in focus. If you opt to purchase the underwater housing, the Stylus 600 Digital also features three underwater modes that will help you take better pictures underwater where light is very limited.

This crisp lens is capable of normal, macro, and super-macro modes

The Olympus All-Weather camera has a QuickTime movie mode that can capture video and audio in three resolutions; 640x480, 320x240, and 160x120. Now you can capture still images of your catch, or take video clips of those moments you’re on the water with your fishing buddy either fighting a fish or goofing around.

How many times have you pressed the shutter release button during an action photo only to capture the aftermath? Now there’s a new feature to improve your accuracy and reduce shutter lag times. The Olympus TruePic TURBO Image Processor will make your pictures come out in truer and smoother colors, and more accurately with a faster startup and shutter release time.

A protective cover ensures the lens will not get damaged when not in use

It’s amazing how much you get in a single digital camera today. There seems to be an endless amount of features packed into the smallest electronics. Integrated into this camera is software that helps you fix, modify, and enhance your pictures. There is a function on the Stylus that you can activate to fix any red-eye effect before you download it from the media storage to your computer. Also, for those who like to spice up pictures, you can also add decorative frames or text on the pictures right from the camera.

In addition to those photo editing features you have a built-in help guide. If you’re not sure what mode to choose for what type of condition, consult the help guide on your camera for tips and what each modes are good for. This is great especially since there are 26 total modes one can choose from.

Easy to access buttons and quick keys are logically placed on the back of the Stylus

 
Conclusion: Being an avid photography buff, I’ve watched, with keen interest, the evolution from traditional film cameras to today’s digital age. It was only a few years ago when digital cameras were not quite up to snuff and viewed as a novelty rather than a true photographer’s tool. The change in landscape over the last two or three years has been dramatic. Today, digital cameras offer extremely high resolution along with much more flexibility in taking pictures, retaking pictures, previewing, editing, printing, and much more. To ensure the capture, not only of their chosen prey, but evidence of their experiences and trophies, anglers should always carry a camera to record these precious moments. Today, there are many compact digital cameras in the market, but not many with features anglers covet like water resistance or water proofing. Olympus is due to release their All-Weather Stylus 600 Digital this month. A camera packed with loads of features anglers will enjoy. Offered at a suggested retail price of $299, this camera promises to make a big splash with outdoor enthusiasts and stay dry and operational in the process.