Perfect for family fun (and good quality pictures)

Author's Rating:

Pros: Shockproof, waterproof, compact, takes good-quality pictures.

Cons: Shutter delay (as you would expect).

The Bottom Line: 
Two words: waterproof and shockproof. When you consider how much we worry about dropping cameras or getting them wet, this camera is the solution.

Author's Review
We wanted to buy our son a camera for his eleventh birthday, and even though he is pretty responsible, he does have two little sisters, so we knew that we had to buy something that he wouldn't be anxious about sharing. We looked at the "kids" cameras, but they weren't cheap, and the reviews said they were terrible, so we went looking for a shockproof, waterproof "real" camera. Surprisingly, there weren't a lot of choices, and we went with the Olympus Stylus Tough in blue. Our son was thrilled. What kid DOESN'T want to take underwater pictures? And he doesn't worry about letting friends or younger kids take pictures with it. The camera's metal construction is solid and sturdy, as promised. But the camera doesn't look bulky, as you might expect a shockproof, waterproof camera would. The camera is very compact -- can fit in a pocket. What's more, it takes lovely pictures. There are lots of settings -- my son is more adept at them than I am. This has become our whole family's default vacation camera -- I leave my big SLR at home, because I hate worrying about it getting damaged or stolen. We've had the camera for 18 months (we bought a refurbished model) and have no regrets.