Reviews for Olympus Stylus 300 3.2 Megapixel Compact Camera

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Product Reviews (38)

I spent a long time looking for a...

Strengths: lightweight, easy to use, nice pictures, long battery life, very user-friendly interface,

Weakness: buttons seem like they might wear out over time though they haven't yet; time will tell. Pictures are often best without flash which has to be turned off every time you start camera up.

I spent a long time looking for a good combination of ergonomics, ease of use, lightweight, weather-resistant camera that was still affordable. I found exactly what I was looking for in this camera. It's user-friendly and fun to use. I got a 256Mb card for my week-long inaugural hiking trip - plenty of rain to test the weather-resistance which was fine - and filled the entire thing with great pictures of a memorable vacation. I really love my camera. It's best for portraits and landscapes, which is what I prefer to do anyway, but not so much for action shots. Also my friends with the expensive 5MP cannons were taking superior pix; but I didn't want to spend over $400 for a camera. I felt this camera was worth what I paid.
Mostly picture quality was what I had hoped or better but I did notice the pictures got a little grainy in low lighting. I took everything on the default setting which was fine - and this was not even the highest resolution. When set to auto, the flash comes on more than is necessary and I found most of my pix were better without it so I began routinely turning it off. This was my only real complaint - there's no way I know to turn off the flash except every time you power up the camera. My other potential concern, though it hasn't been a problem yet, is that the key buttons seem small and since you use them for EVERYTHING, might wear out over time. Note that nothing bad has happened yet and I hope they last longer than I expect.

By hkemp - Oct 13, 2004

this camera is very user friendly...

Strengths: size:fits in a pocket,easy instructions for beginner digital camera users

Weakness: buttons are small (but so is the camera!!)

this camera is very user friendly (it is our first experience with digital) and is appropriate for a user that wants to take vacation pictures and family type pictures. it comes with a charger for the battery so it is easy to keep charged. it only comes with a 16mb picture card so you do need to purchase a bigger one. my husband likes it because it fits in a pocket or small purse and you don't have to lug it around.

By estrada2 - Dec 1, 2003

I have been both pleased and...

Strengths: very small, good zoom, long batt life, clear screen, menus easy, excellent qual. in bright light, many accessories included, easy file xfer, water-resistant, durable metal casing, center-mount tripod

Weakness: Difficult to autofocus in low light; shutter is open long time in low light (results in blurry pictures); xD media is more expensive than SD or CF

I have been both pleased and displeased with this camera. The biggest complaint is that it ends up with a lot of blurry pitcures because I can't hold it steady enough to "point and shoot" unless it is very bright outside. It works much better with a tripod.

The flash works well, but flash pictures are always washed out with any camera.

The biggest plus is its size--I can bring it anywhere and it fits in my pocket with room to spare! Buy a $3 drawstring sunglasses pouch for it at Target and you're good to go.

By PSzalapski - Nov 19, 2004

I purchased this camera to take...

Strengths: Small size, very portable and durable.

Weakness: None so far. This is a great camera for a compact digital.

I purchased this camera to take with me on a trip to Haiti. I was looking for a small digital camera that would be easy to slip into a bag or pocket. It was important that the camera be fairly rugged, as I wanted to take it everywhere with me, and didn't want to have to "baby it". Of course, decent picture quality was also a consideration. This camera really filled the bill on all counts. It held up well, in all types of conditions and I never experienced any problems with it. I'm also very satisfied with my photos. Of course, picture quality isn't going to be as excellent as that of larger, more full-featured cameras. I've done quite a bit of photography, both film and digital, and I also own a high-end Olympus digital camera. I'm very satisfied with this little Stylus 300's performance!

By sbitney - Aug 24, 2004

We did alot of research before...

Strengths: Weatherproof, small size, battery life, etc.

Weakness: Some trouble when in bad lighting.

We did alot of research before buying this camera. We used several websites including dcresource to look for that camera that was just right (not too expensive yet not shy on features). When we found this one and saw that it was weatherproof that's what did it for us. We often go canoeing up north and do alot of outside stuff so the thought of not having to worry so much if a speck of water get's on it was great. This last summer up north we were getting out of the canoes and I tripped and actually dropped it in about 4 feet of river water. I quickly scooped it out of the water and toweled it off. I know that "weatherproof" does not mean "waterproof" so I was estatic when I saw that not only did it still work, but upon inspection of all the little doors I saw that no water had entered any of them! The little rubber gaskets on all the openings did their job and I was saved from having to get a new camera and/or having the old one fixed.

The only problem I have had is some of the indoor pictures look too bright with the flash on and too dark with the flash off. Although, most of these pictures are of a moving subject (my dog or my friends kids) so that doesn't help either. With the flash off they are a bit blury as well.

I would suggest getting an extra battery and a bigger card to go with the camera. We have the 128 card and it holds quite a lot of pictures. The battery life is pretty good if you remember to turn it off when you are done taking pictures and even better if you turn off the LCD (although I never do because I like seeing what I am taking a picture of on it). I have taken thousands of pictures with this camera and would never be without it again.

I would totally buy this camera again although now I would probably buy the 4MP one instead of this 3MP one since the price has gone down a bit since I got it when they were basically new to the market.

Katie

By ZitoConstruction - Nov 11, 2004

I have had one Olympus Stylus 80...

Strengths: small, good picture quality, sturdy, and three plus megapixels,All Weather

Weakness: The card type is xD. Proprietary and expensive.

I have had one Olympus Stylus 80 film camera for several years and it still works great. This brings me confidence in Olympus product.The One,Olympus stylus 300 digital camera which i brought few monthes ago again proves me its quality.Small, ready to be put in your pocket anywhere,All weather,this camera is compact with a metal casing,even in the pouring rain, it's held up great.what' more, the 3.2 mega pixel Stylus 300 unit is very similar to the 4.0 according to your settings.It's compact size and user friendly interface makes it a breeze to use, even for first time digital camera owners.
But what disappointed me is that the battery cannot be charged inside the camera. I suppose that the lithium battery is to be expected with a small camera, however. The battery life of this camera is good, and I bought an extra battery just in case. I don't expect that I will have to bring a charger and adapter unless I am going on an extended trip. Also,the XD card is much more expensive than CF,SD card, if you want to buy a backup, you have to spend a lot.

By liuspring1 - Nov 4, 2004

It takes great pictures and has...

Strengths: Compact Construction

Weakness: xd card is a little expensive

It takes great pictures and has some specieal features like the night shot.
The 16 mb XD card that it comes with is very small. I would recommend getting at least a 128 mb card.

By fireworks1972 - Nov 15, 2004

The 16 mb XD card that it comes...

Strengths: Good Use, Pretty Small

Weakness: slow shutter speed

The 16 mb XD card that it comes with is very small. I would recommend getting atleast a 128 mb card.
It can be difficult getting clear pictures if you don't have a steady hand.

By catbottle - Nov 17, 2004

My pictures look incredible with...

My pictures look incredible with this Olympus Stylus! I can go out in the rain and shoot some different looking images and not worry about my camera getting wet. Its small, so I can slide it into my pocket and it is metal so it feels more durable. In doors, I find if I turn on all of my lights when shooting I get better lighting (but I had to do this with my small film camera too). I would HIGHLY recommend this Olympus Stylus to anyone looking to purchase a digital camera.

By wtt1979 - Nov 2, 2004

This tiny camera from Olympus is...

Strengths: Small, stylish, weather proof.

Weakness: Poor low light focusing, images are a little bit noisy

This tiny camera from Olympus is perfect for taking pictures outdoors. It's small enough to fit in your pocket, and according to Olympus it is weatherproof. Image quality on well lit days is mostly good, although there is a bit more noise and aliasing then I'd like to see.

The main flaw of this camera, is that it lacks an AF assist light. The autofocus, which works perfectly during the day, struggles to accurately focus at night or in dark locations. This is a common problem with many Olympus cameras.

My only other complaint would be that xD media is expensive compared to Compactflash and Secure Digital. Overall though, a very nice camera.

By sellmen - Oct 29, 2004

A wonderful camera

Strengths: this camera has very nice qualities. It has the night view wich is great for taking pictures at night and also the red eye replacement option is a great feature.

Weakness: I would reccomend buying a larger mb card. The one that it comes with does not hold many pictures, but it is good to experiment with.

I have had this camera for three years and I would not consider buying a new one. It is still in good shape, and still takes excellent pictures. I recommend the name Olympus to all my friends looking to purchase a long lasting and worth the money camera. Enjoy!

By sespo; - Sep 11, 2006

The more I used the camera, the...

Strengths: Easy to Use, small,

Weakness: could not take wear and tear, the lens cover ( which also turns on and off the camera) stopped closing, short batter life

The more I used the camera, the less receptive it was to my commands. Takes better pictures in light,with out the use of flash. Don't try to blow up pics from this camera, the pixels aren't too great.

By tkaybo; - Apr 18, 2006

nice camera

Strengths: great pictures,small size is great for pocket,weather resistance is great when we go camping.

Weakness: none

had one for about 5years and wore it out.liked it so much we bought another one.nice size viewfinder-battery lasts long enough for a days worth of pictures

By schggs - Dec 10, 2005

Great camera. Low price now.

Strengths: Price and cute design.

Weakness: 3M is a little small. Not good at dark place.

I bought this camera two months ago. The design looks good and water resist is one advantage than others. The price of this camera is pretty low now. With this price, you will never regret. Also the quality of the photoes are wonderful. The memory card is a little expensive. In lower light, this camera does not work very well. Overall, I will recommand this camera to the beginner.

By pariahdu - Sep 1, 2005

I have researched digital cameras...

Strengths: Perfect for travel when you don't want a cumbersome camera. Easy to use.

Weakness: None yet.

I have researched digital cameras for a while and was waiting for a small, light one with a 3MP or higher, and reasonable pricing. I've loved the design of the Stylus cameras and when Olympus came out with a digital version, I was sold. While I have a 35mm for certain things, I was tired of carrying it around to take picutres of family events, etc. So far this camera has been great. I reviewd the instruction manual a couple of times, and figured most things out myself. Everything is pretty straight forward. The pictures I have taken of the kids are great and even printiting picutres on plain paper were good I have a color printer NOT a photo printer -still amazing. If for some reason I need to correct somthing in the picture such as color balance or whatever, I can alway use my photo editing software,I had to do that anyway with 35mm picutres. Downloading is a BREEZE. No compatability problems w/XP whatsoever! Gotta love that!

By itscrystal - May 16, 2003

I would recommend this camera to a...

Strengths: +Great Photos +Sturdy +Waterpoof +Versitile options +Battery Life +3xOptical zoom

Weakness: -Battery Door design -Some trouble with Darkness

I would recommend this camera to a wide variety of people looking for a digital camera. It's quality is great enough for photo quality prints and just overall great shots. its price is nice enough that it is a great option for those who want a lesser cost.

I am very happy with this camera and the pictures it takes. Not only do the photos come out with higher quality, but printed out they hold the same.

A little small, which is a good thing, but I just have a preference for larger ones.
Its even water proof!

The downside I noticed is if you hold the camera with your thumb on the bottom, you will accidentaly open the battery door. it only closes, does not lock. But, the camera is NOT designed to be held that way, so is more of an issue than a flaw.
That, and it gets a little iffy with trying to capture pitch black areas. not a big issue.


Overall, I -highly- recommend this camera. Hard not to be happy with it.

By mooc0w - Sep 26, 2004

Great little camera that takes...

Strengths: Size and features

Weakness: Picture quality

Great little camera that takes terrible pictures. I was not at all satisfied with the flash pictures taken with the camera. Many were washed out and several severly out of focus. However, most anoying was the software that came with the camera which I paid an additional amount for, for the upgraded version. Whenever I rotated a picture 90 degrees the picture became distorted. If I held the camera tilted 90 degrees to get a full legnth shot and then ratated the picture in the computer the picture became distorted most notably with portraits of people. I'm going to return the camera.

By ricksinet - Jan 14, 2004

This is a great all purpose...

Strengths: Well Build. Good Battery Life. Excellent picture quality. Size of Camera. Very fast memory.

Weakness: You'll need to purchase a bigger memory card.

This is a great all purpose camera! After a lot of research and looking; I brought it for my wife and I to use when we go places and don't want to be bothered thinking about what to do with the camera. This one is compact and light enough that you can fit in a pocket or a handbag w/o any problems. Yet, the picture quality is excelent, with very true color reproduction. The camera is all metal construction and is water resistant. It has a rechargeable lithium battery which is good for about 70 pictures using the flash and the LCD display. It comes with good generla purpose easy to use picture editing software. This is a keeper.

By its_wayne - Apr 3, 2003

I got this camera 3 days ago. It...

Strengths: I love the elegant design and its metal body,easy to learn for beginner with the quick start manual.In addition, it is fast to recharge the battery.

Weakness: I have not found anything bad up to now.

I got this camera 3 days ago. It came as a big surprise: the color and size are even better than my expectation. When I put Stylus 300 in my purse, I find it is so tiny and easy to carry around.I can not help carrying it with me all the time when I want to do some snapshots around my place.
The function is comprehensive and easy for a beginner to learn.The time for recharging the battery took half less than other brands of digital cameras and the battery's duration is good,too.

By rosywl - Nov 21, 2003

There are Stylus 400 and 410...

Strengths: Compact size, weatherproof, good quality optics & photos.

Weakness: MAJOR: Grossly out-of-focus pictures in dark or semi-dark conditions (w/ or w/o flash). Other: Poor service, poor human factors engineering

There are Stylus 400 and 410 models available with 4 megapixel resolution and all these comments would presumably apply to those models too.

I bought this camera for its small size and water resistance, and it doesn't disappoint with either. The pictures are very good in daylight (bright or cloudy), and noticeably grainy (but within expectations) in the dark.

Unless it's too dark! This was a pet peeve with my older Olympus Digital and to my surprise is still not fixed years later. The problem is this: When it's pretty dark (I am not talking pitch black, but a candlelit restaurant or a dance club ... the kind of places that people want to take pictures), the autofocus just doesn't work at all. That is because the autofocus mechanism needs some light to function since the algorithm needs to detect edges with sufficient light contrast.

Fair enough, BUT every other camera manufacturer seems to have solved this problem except Olympus! And the solution is so easy--here are two.

A. Use a "focus assist" lamp. This is a small lamp that illuminates nearby subjects in front of the camera that turns on in the dark. You've seen this--many manufacturers have this. It's not a substitute for a flash--it merely illuminates the subject enough for the auto-focus to work. If the subject is so far away that nothing is illuminated, the focus is set at infinity, which is exactly what is needed. Olympus unfortunately does not have this focus assist lamp.

B. Use common sense. Do the camera designers at Olympus ever take pictures?? Look, if it is too dark for the autofocus to "see" anything, you have 1 of 2 scenarios in 99% of the cases (at least where people tend to use "point-and-shoot" cameras):

1. In most cases, it's a snapshot of a small group of people, probably about 6 feet away. If the flash is on, the camera should fix the focus at 6 feet if the autofocus cannot lock. Yes, the useable flash range is perhaps 3-9 feet but the manual can document that in such cases just stand about 6 feet away, and you get a useful (i.e., in focus) picture.

2. Much less frequently, it could be a night shot (skyline at night or fireworks, or whatever) with a long exposure. In this case, the flash would be off and the camera could set the focus at infinity.

The camera never does (1) with the result that about 50% of pictures that you take with flash (other than fill-in flash or where there is good ambient indoor lighting) will be grossly out of focus--unuseably so. This is a major design defect with this camera. There is a workaround you can sometimes use. The orange focus light will flash when the camera cannot acquire focus. If you see this, you can find a nearby object that is better illuminated and at about the same distance as your subject, focus lock on that subject (shutter partway down), and then reposition the camera to your subject to complete the picture. No longer point and shoot, and it could mess up your exposure if the alternate subject is much brighter (focus lock is also exposure lock ...), but it often works.

The other major problem is Olympus Repair in the US (Hauppauge, NJ). 1 week after I shipped them my camera, they could not even tell me if they received it ("takes 7-10 days to log it, but I can't guarantee anything"). I am just talking about opening the box and logging it. They blamed "the new computer system" but we are not talking about anything more sophisticated than basic data entry here. Pray that nothing goes wrong, I guess, or that you won't need the camera for about a month if something does. In my case, the plastic latch on the access door to the memory card snapped off so the access door wouldn't stay shut. Fortunately, this was (barely) within warranty.

Other minor quibbles that's just poor human factors engineering: When you turn the camera on, there is an annoying Olympus logo that is EXTREMELY bright--blindingly and indiscreetly so if you are in a dark place. Also, the LEDs in the viewfinder that indicate focus and flash status are much too bright. If you are using the viewfinder (as opposed to the LCD screen), which you have to do in dark conditions just to see the subject, the LEDs will blind you and you won't be able to see anything anyway. At least they should have been made to dim significantly when the LCD display is turned off. Another case where one wonders if anyone actually used a prototype before it was put into production.

Would I buy it again or recommend it? I'm not sure. Olympus still has a good quality-of-picture/camera-size ratio, and is the only mainstream manufacturer to make weather-resistant cameras, and has many years of experience in doing so.

For me, I find that I have many more lost opportunities or lost photos owing to the focus problem, than I gain from the weather-resistance. If you are a real sportsman-type or water-type person (ski, beach, sailing, etc.), the water resistance may outweight the defects. I am not, so I will switch to another manufacturer for my next.

By shahrukh8 - Jul 14, 2004

I'm a professional flyfishing...

Strengths: Compact, easy to use.

I'm a professional flyfishing guide who needed a small, durable, digital camera to photograph client success. The Stylus 300 holds up to the job under demanding conditions.
If you're an outdoor person who needs a camera for any weather, this camera will become essential gear.
I buy the best for special purposes and I enjoy shopping at PriceGrabber because it's easy. You know I've got better things to do.

By aanglers - Aug 19, 2004

My family have three OLYMPUS...

Strengths: Low price. Nice design. Easy to use. Many different photo taking options. Water proof. Take short Quicktime videos.

Weakness: Battery goes really fast. Can't preview within the camera. No sound support in the short videos.

My family have three OLYMPUS digital cameras, we all love it. One day my dad says he wants a camera that takes house photos very clear. So I went to the store, moment I went in, I saw OLYMPUS 410 AND 300, 410 Was so expensive at that time and didn;t like the gold cover design, so got this camera, and it was on sale, I love the design, beautiful silver, and It's so easy to use, I bet even a person who never touched a digital camera can learn how to handle this beauty, the pictures taken is really clear, different light option lets take pictures at almost any weather, EVEN IN THE RAIN, WATER PROOF. Sad part is that battery goes really fast, and I dont know why OLYMPUS 300 still dont allow people to preview pictures in the camera and no sound support for short videos. But overall it's a really good digital camera, would definately recommand this camera to anyone out there.

By miaolinwei - Nov 18, 2004

A terrific little camera that you...

Strengths: Weather Resistant

Weakness: Like all other cameras it is shipped with a small chip. Size does matter.

A terrific little camera that you can keep in your pocket with less worry of damage. Easy to use and understand... all in all a good product for the money and the casual user.

By intlpvti - Nov 11, 2003

Poor Vent/Link (off/on mechanism) Design

Strengths: Great Pictures. Easy to use.

Weakness: Poor Design (Lens Slider and Vent Assembly)

Under the lens cover there is a Vent/Link Assembly that eventually breaks because of the spring tension tot he sliding cover.
the assembly presses into the camera, Once the assembly is out of alignment sufficiently a small tab breaks off of the Link assembly and the camera will either stay on or stay off.
The repair is about $119.00 US to have them look at it.
The broken plastic part is not available elsewhere. so the only option is to send it back to the factory. They have solved the defect
by replacing the complete cover with a new designed assembly, but no recall for older cameras. A very poorly Designed "off/on" system to an otherwise excellent camera. Most all of the ones on Ebay for 15 - 20 dollars are broken this way....Shame on Olympus for not recalling the 300 and 400 stylus models.

By anonymous; - Dec 24, 2009

stylus 300

Strengths: light weight small

Weakness: hard to figure out

i like the camera it's small and lightweight but the one thing i didnt like was that i still havent figured out how to see my pictures on the camera

By anonymous; - Dec 1, 2005

Stylus 300 Digital Camera

Strengths: Sleek design, make very good pictures, long battery life

Weakness: takes xD card

This is a very good camera with its price. Stylus look, very easy to operate, yet make greate pictures.
If only it doesn't take xD card though, which is the most expensive memory card in the market.


By mhuo - Jul 24, 2005

I loved the price and size. Photos...

Strengths: attractive looking , All-weather exterior , remote control, great battery life

Weakness: xD Card is expensive

I loved the price and size. Photos are as good as it ought to be . And it delivers good color with generally great results. It is compact,small,well protected,and a treat to use. A great general camera.

By cqlhh - Jun 18, 2005

My wife borrowed this camera from...

Strengths: compact , cute , light, portable, long battery life

Weakness: expensive memory card compared to SD or CF, no chinese language support

My wife borrowed this camera from her friends, and we took a lot of photos. She like it because its beautiful shape and nice picture. In my opinion, the quality of picture is not so clear as nikon 4500/5700, but still good enough for family use. Though detail of photo maybe not so good as those taken by expensive camera, photos printed out is good enough. BUT the stupid XD card is very expensive.

By cqlq - Jun 17, 2005

So far a good camera for the price...

Strengths: Small enough to fit in pocket comfortably, convenient remote control, decent quality pics

Weakness: Not as good in dark conditions, no microphone for video

So far a good camera for the price ($100 after rebate). It feels well built (all metal) and is supposedly water resistant for use in most weather. The picture on the Olympus web site shows this thing covered in splashes of water, so hopefully it won't break if I use it in the rain (it doesn't feel like it's durable enough to be submerged in water though).

It takes excellent quality pictures. Some of the pics in darker settings have a slight pixelated/grainy look to them, but outdoor pics and indoor pics in decent lighting are superb.

One feature I haven't had occasion to use yet is the remote. It works so that you can take a self-portrait without having to run around pushing timer buttons, etc. It's just a little one button thing, but seems like it could be very convenient if one has a tripod and nobody to take their picture.

The Stylus 300 Digital is very tiny and comfortably fit in my pant pocket when I was sightseeing yesterday. It powers up quickly. The battery life was 2 days, and the and is great for travel.

Good camera for the price.

By ediez79 - Jun 16, 2005

The Olympus Stylus 300 digital...

Strengths: Well made for all weather use. Quick start up and short wait time between pictures.

Weakness: The movie mode do not have sound.

The Olympus Stylus 300 digital camera is very well made, and can be used all weather due to its all-metal, weatherproof exterior. It is small and portable, and has a quick start up and short wait time between pictures. The camera can be used to record QuickTime videos, although the movies will turn out silent as there is no microphone.

By eelum - Jun 15, 2005

It's simply GORGEOUS! It's called...

Strengths: small, beautiful

Weakness: wondering whether it really is water resistant or not.

It's simply GORGEOUS! It's called the STYLUS for a reason! It's hands down the most attractive looking camera You're bound to get compliments any time you whip it out among company. The shiny aluminum case is no just very classy looking, but also makes for a durable and sturdy frame.

By vivids - Jun 15, 2005

The Olympus Stylus 300 Digital is...

Strengths: all weather and small

Weakness: problems with the focus and the dynamic range

The Olympus Stylus 300 Digital is a compact point-and-shoot camera that's both stylish and flexible. Not only is it small enough to bring just about anywhere, it's also built to withstand the elements, so you won't have to put it away when the rain starts to fall. It has a 3.2-megapixel CCD and a 3X optical zoom lens (35mm to 105mm in 35mm-camera terms), so we can't complain about the specs, either.

By FG - Jun 5, 2005

It is a very good camera with...

Strengths: Compact size, Metal body, All weather design, Sharp picture, ease to use, long battery life.

Weakness: NA

It is a very good camera with pocket-size, water-resistant design. The easy-to-use function is good for all beginners. Although xD card is a little bit expensive compared to other memory card, the 3 M pixel resolution with sharp picture is still an economy choice, since you can holding more pictures in given memory size. Besides using xD card is helping to keep the camera size compact. Both camera and xD card are built in solid quality. Highly recommended.

By jerrykw - May 8, 2005

Before this digital camera, i had...

Strengths: small in size, portable,waterproof,light

Weakness: xd card is expensive, this is the only thing i am not satisfied

Before this digital camera, i had a point and shoot film camera in this brand and with very similar design. Good in use through all these years since i bought it in 2001, i thus put my trust in Olympus cameras. And this one, Olympus Stylus 300 Digital Camera, i got it as a present on Thanks Giving day, did not disapointed me either.It is very light and small in size, not very bigger than a credit card, and you can well hold it in one hand when shooting pictures. Its waterproof feature also gives me confident in outdoor shootings in various whether conditions. As for the picture quality, i can say that i am so far so happy with it not only due to my experience with digital camera using (i have a Canon S400)but also Olympus own quality.Some blame that they get many blurry pictures while i might say they need to learn how to do focus.
Only thing i feel this camera is not competative with my Canon S400 is its expensive Xd card.

By maynardflower - May 3, 2005

Impressed with this camera mainly...

Strengths: ruggedness, reliability, it's there for you when you need it, inspite of very little care. Long battery life.

Weakness: flash is very weak, especially when background is dark. Every now and then it will take blurry pictures, especially with unsteady hands.

Impressed with this camera mainly on its ruggedness. I'm a cyclist and this camera has been with me in my camel pack (water pack), which at times pack mostly with ice, virtually in every ride. Mostly my riding was in southern Oregon, so it has been exposed to pouring rain, cold, and extreme heat. Recently came back from Cancun, Mx., and have dragged it with me everywhere, hiking in the woods and aboard on both small and large boats snorkling in fresh and salt water. Came back with some beautiful pictures, which my wife and I will treasure for the rest of our lives. To me it has proven its realibilty and would highly recommend it to anyone who's into outdoor activities.

By vzttor - Jan 27, 2005

Overall, this camera is great at...

Strengths: Small, light weight, weatherproof.

Weakness: Use special battery, XD card is expensive

Overall, this camera is great at its size and style. It is easy to be handled by one hand and provides enough modes for normail useage. It's a ideal daily camera that you can carry with you and shoot anytime you want.

The downsides,

1. XD card is more expensive than other flash media and you can't use it on other devices.

2. Date/Time will be lost if you don't change your battery quick enough. If you have only one battery, you need to reset the time every time after you charge it.

By Liumangtuzi - Jan 26, 2005

Stylus 300

Canon PowerShot A70, PowerShot S400 Digital Elph, PowerShot S50; Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P8, DSC-P72; Olympus Stylus 300; Nikon Coolpix 3100; Minolta Dimage F300; Kyocera's Finecam S5
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By Macworld.com - Jul 1, 2003

Olympus Stylus 300 Digital

The Olympus Stylus series of point & shoot cameras bears one of the most powerful brand names in the film-based photographic world. Consistently among the top-selling film camera lines, Olympus has so far jealously guarded the Stylus brand name, declining to apply it to any digital models. No more though, as with the introduce of the Digital Stylus 300 and 400 models, Olympus has finally let the...
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By Imaging Resource - Mar 31, 2003