Gadget Info

Various Gadgets | Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 | The Stylus TOUGH 8000 is Olympuss latest top-end entry into the growing weather- and shock-proof compact camera segment. These cameras are built to endure drops and water exposure that would cripple or kill lesser cameras. The TOUGH 8000 is rated to withstand drops of up to 6.6 feet and to go underwater to depths of 33 feet. Moreover, its freezeproof to 17 degrees Fahrenheit and crushproof to 220 pounds per foot.

 

Finished entirely in bright and shiny chrome, with visible screws and a very sturdy and dense feel, the TOUGH 8000 has a heft and build quality that live up to its name. The rear LCD is large, if not particularly high-res (at 2.7 inches and 230,000 pixels), and the button layout on the rear makes good ergonomic sense. At the top of the rear of the camera, paired buttons control the zoom setting. Below these, a mode selection wheel allows the user to choose between "regular" shooting, Intelligent Automatic, Beauty, Video, Scene, and Playback modes. A four-way directional pad with buttons that double as function selectors surround a central OK/Function menu button. The directional pads four buttons bring up controls for Exposure Compensation, Flash, Self-Timer, and Macro settings. Along the top edge of the camera there are only two buttons—a small power toggle and the shutter release button.

Operation of the TOUGH 8000 is about as painless as it gets. Both the regular shooting and Intelligent Auto modes are fully automatic, with the regular mode allowing you to adjust a few parameters including ISO, White Balance, and metering mode in addition to the image size and quality.