I took the plunge (pun intended) and purchased on of these beasties and also
got the underwater housing that comes with it. Price was good!

First impressions :

1) Its tiny - which is what I wanted (for non diving pics it fits in a shirt
pocket) and the screen fills almost all of the camera on the back which is
great.

2) It seems very solid (as per the adverts)

3) The pic quality is ....
Well here lies the first problem. The silly sods at Olympus seem to have
comitted the following terrible sins.

a) The PC needs Olympus software installed to download pics - instead of
just seeing the camera as storage device and letting you copy files from
it!!! I HATE installing software I neither want or need. This is SO
backwards in this day and age. The XD card also seems to have a non-standard
format so my PC won't seem to read this from the card reader.

b) Perhaps a worse sin is that they using a mini USB socket for the camera
(great as I already have several mini USB deviced including my phone and big
Sony camera. Problem is, Olympus chose a propriatary socket for the camera.
So I have to use YET ANOTHER USB port for this particular camera. I have to
carry ANOTHER USB cable with me and it also charges from this same
propriatary socket so I have to carry round another charger!

Wake up Olypus, its 2007 and you are making 1995 design descisions. There
are some FANTASTIC standards out there now which make everyones lives easier
and you are missing every one! When I finally download the pics, I will
probably find they are non-standard JPG's or something.

Anyway, when I get some pics downloaded I will post them. I have a pool
session planned in 1 weeks time. I will use the camera both in the housing
and out and post the results to the group (when I have calmed down a
little).

JJ