Tough 8000 Diving Shot
A diving expedition shot using the Olympus Tough 8000 Read More »
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Waterproof Depth: 33ft
Shock Proof: 6.6ft
Crush Proof: 100kg
Freeze Proof: Yes
Resolution: 12MP
Zoom: 3.6x
Focal length: 28-102mm
Shock Proof: 6.6ft
Crush Proof: 100kg
Freeze Proof: Yes
Resolution: 12MP
Zoom: 3.6x
Focal length: 28-102mm
Olympus Tough 8000
Site Score
3.2 Good: Crushproof. Has tap function
Bad: Under average picture and video quality
Retail
$380
If you look at the specifications, this Olympus camera will stand out as the best waterproof camera in the market. The features are impressive and the numbers churned out by the brochures are amazing. But in reality, you’re trading picture and movie qualities for ruggedness.
The Good
- Crushproof. If you weigh less than 100kg, you could put the camera on your backpocket and sit on it. Or toss it into your crammed backpack without any worry.
- 28mm wideangle lens. You can squeeze in more friends in your shot or capture the full breadth of a landscape during your vacation.
- Tapping function. You operate the camera by tapping the body instead of using the buttons.
The Bad
- Underwhelming pictures.
- No HD video. Poor audio.
- Still uses xD memory instead of SD. SD memory cards supported by other brands are cheaper, can store more photos and are easier to find anywhere in the world.
- Annoying battery charger. You either charge the battery for over 2 hours while it’s in the camera or while it’s connected to a computer.
The Verdict: How Good Is This Camera ?
| We Review | We Found | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Picture Quality | The colors are accurate and the picture quality is reasonable for daylight pictures. But they aren't as sharp as you'd expect from a 12 Mp camera. If you mostly print your photos in the size of a paperback novel, you'll be okay. But for indoor and night shots, the pictures are grainy. Use the preset scenes as much as possible because pictures from the auto mode are generally unsatisfactory. | B |
| Video Quality | Sometimes it's jerky. And the sound is barely recognizable (probably being muffled by the metal casing). And if you use the wrong card, your movie is limited to only 10 seconds per clip. | B |
| Ease of Use | The Olympus menu system is clear and well organized. The buttons are also laid out nicely and easy to use. But because they are tiny, we suggest you use the Tap functions when underwater. | A |
| Battery Life | A single charge lasts for 250 shots - which is better than many waterproof models. But we hate the 5 ft. long power cable and the fact that we can't recharge a backup at our hotel room while shooting the sunset at the beach. To do that we need a backup battery and a different backup charger. | B+ |
| Built Quality | The build quality is superb. Clad in shiny chrome and locked by visible rivets, this camera looks strong and feels very solid. The buttons are resilient although a little bit small. Although it can itself be a problem, the camera has a lens cover - a feature missing from most waterproof cameras. | A |
| Speed | The Tough 8000 is not a fast camera. It boots around 3 seconds and can only autofocus in 1 second. To combat this, we suggest you pre-focus as much as possible - or risk missing plenty of action shots. | B |
| Toughness | If tough is what you need, the mju Tough 8000 delivers it in spades. As of 2009, no other rugged camera can handle as much pressure and abuse as this one. | A |
| Number of Functions | With 19 preset scene modes (4 of it for underwater use) you have plenty settings to play with. And there's also a beauty setting that smoothes out the skin of your subjects. Another cool function is the built in manometer - which will tell you the depth at which your pictures are taken. | B+ |
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Olympus Tough 8000 Spec
Toughness
Water Proof Depth: 33feet
Shock Proof: 6.6feet
Freeze Proof: -10degrees Celcius
Crush Proof: 220pound
Picture Taking Ability
Resolution: 12MegaPixel
Zoom:
3.6x
Focal length:
28-102mm
LCD Size: 2.7inch
Picture Taking Assistance
Image Stabilizer:
yesDigital, Optical
Face Detection:
yes16 Faces
Scene Modes:
yes19 Options
Viewfinder:
no
Video Taking Ability
Type: VGA
Zoom:
noonly digital zoom
Max Shooting Duration
Photos: 250photos per charge
Video: 10seconds per clip (unless you use M+ card)
Memory & Battery
Memory Type:
xD, microSD, microSDHC
Battery Type:
925 mAh Lithium-ion
Tough 800 Pictures
Tough 8000 Test Vid
A video around the house shot by the Tough 8000 Read More »
Tough 8000 Tips
To get the most out of this camera:
- Buy a Type M+ xD card. The Standard card or the Type M card only allows you to record movies for only 10 seconds per clip. The same applies to microSD/microSDHC cards.
- Change the picture and video settings to Fine. By default, your video and photos are set to the lowest quality.
We suggest you :
- Buy a separate charger (the LI 50C model) when you buy a backup battery. This way you can charge the battery while shooting around the town.
- Get a floating strap if you plan to take it to the sea.
Note 1: xD cards are 3x more expensive than SD. And maxed out at 2Gb (as of Jan 2009)
Note 2: Only Olympus and Fuji use xD cards. But Olympus latest E-P camera and Fuji’s latest Finepix no longer use these cards in their cameras. So, with these 2 companies ditching their own card format, we’re pessimistic about the future of xD memory cards.
Note 3: You can use microSD card in this camera but you can’t use certain features – like the in-camera Panorama function.
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