How water resistant is an Olympus Stylus?

[malkmata]

I just picked up and Olympus MJU-1 (Stylus) in a yard sale.
After testing it, everything is working fine.
We are planning to go to Niagara falls next week and I was wondering if the camera is water resistant enough to take on the Lady of the Mist boat ride. People wear raincoats while on the boat due to the spray from the falls.
I know the camera is suppose to be weather resistant.

 

[HoodedOne]

When I visited Niagara Falls a few years ago. I used part of the rain coat they handed out to protect my Canon 10D. It's still working perfectly (although i don't use it that much any more). So a Olympus Mju shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Rob-F]

My wife's Olympus Stylus went overboard during a canoe incident.

She fished it out of the water. We opened it up and let the water drain out. Dried it in the sun for a few minutes.

(Some hours later) back home, I dried it some more, then put it in a ziplock bag with an awful lot of silicon desiccant. Within a few days I took it to the local camera repair joint. They refused to work on it. Back into the bag, with even more silica gel.

(Some weeks later) Getting ready to go on a trip. I put in a fresh battery. The camera came alive. Put in a test roll and shot it. Results OK. She took it on the trip and used it.

How did it turn out? Well, she set it, unbeknownst to me, on top of our rented car. She forgot she put it there. I drove off.

Back in St. Louis, I bought her a new Stylus with a wide-angle zoom. For Paris, later. But she wanted to zoom in tight. So I bought her one with a long zoom. So far, she still has them both.

Conclusions: 1.) they are perhaps water resistant, but not water proof. Do not dunk one in the river. Unless: 2.) You want a new Oly Stylus. Then, by dunking it in the river, you may even get two of them.

 

[dmr]

My wife's Olympus Stylus went overboard during a canoe incident.

Well, ya got me beat! 🙂

I was going to say that I've used mine in the rain and mist with no problems, but ... I've never had one get totally drenched.

 

[JeffL]

I have an Olympus Stylus Wide DLX. I got turned upside down and submerged in a wavepool with the camera. Underwater for maybe five seconds. Shook it off and kept going. No water inside anywhere and no issues at all. That was about a year ago. I was pleasantly surprised. Great camera (for a P&S).

 

[Gary Sandhu]

I've washed mine in the sink.

 

[malkmata]

Thanks, guys.
While I don't intend to submerge it into water, I guess it will survive some spray from the falls.
I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[Frank Petronio]

The Maid of the Mist isn't drenching.

Get the older Stylus w the f/3.5 lens - they are just as good and cost only $10 even on eBay.

 

[btgc]

Film Mju is splash proof, though weren't designed to be submerged. I'm lazy to look up now figures in specification, though once I did and that is what they say.

 

[rbiemer]

I have used mine in fairly steady rain and haven't had any problems after.
Worst case, you could look at it like this: If you can find one in a retail store, the one time use waterproof cameras are $10 or $12(or a bit more) these days. The Epic should work at least long enough for the Maid of The Mist tour. You got yours from a yard sale so hopefully didn't pay a lot and maybe got a battery with it? So, for about the same cost, you have an excellent lensed, AF, spot meter capable camera. With the bonus of being reloadable and most likely reusable.
Keep it under the raincoat/poncho they give you for the ride when not shooting and it should be fine.
I'm not certain, but I think I used a Konica Wai-Wai the last time I did The Maid of The Mist.
Rob