Olympus Imaging Australia has released two new additions to its lineup of splashproof (all-weather) Mju series digital compact cameras, the Mju 750 and Mju 740.

Mju 750 key features: 7.1 MP, 5x optical zoom, ERP $599

Featuring a 7.1-megapixel CCD, a CCD-shift camera-shake correction system, and a 5x optical zoom lens that offers the equivalent of 180mm telephoto power, the two new Mjus are scheduled to go on sale in Australia in September 2006, in time for Christmas.

Slim, compact models have come to dominate the digital compact camera market, but the difficulty of equipping such models with high-powered zoom lenses has limited most entries in the category to a maximum of 3x optical zoom.

The Mju 750 and Mju 740, however, both feature a 5x optical zoom that was developed using advanced,
proprietary Olympus lens technology. They both have a compact, stylish body and according to Olympus are currently the smallest and lightest digital cameras in the world to offer 5x optical zoom.

Thanks to the lens’ higher telephoto power, consumers can obtain impressive close-ups of subjects that ordinarily appear quite small when photographed with a 3x optical zoom lens and they can enjoy dynamic shooting capabilities not previously available in a slim, compact, easily carried cameras of this type.

Bear in mind that while the new Mju cameras are quite slim, they have a sloping design so that on side the camera is just 16 mm thick, but on the other side it is 25 mm thick. While Olympus has managed to squeeze a 5x optical zoom lense into a relatively small body, it doesn’t quite match the typical slimline camera which is around 17 mm along its full length.  

The Mju 740 and Mju 750 in particular, incorporate a number of features to reduce blurring and allow shooting in low light. In the Mju 750, the CCD-shift camera-shake correction and ISO1600 high-sensitivity shooting provide protection against blurring caused by camera shake and subject motion. In addition, both the Mju 740 and Mju 750 offer improved screen resolution and a ‘Nightproof’ function making it possible to frame subjects easily on the LCD monitor even when shooting in low light.

To allow consumers to take full advantage of camera functions without referring to a printed instruction manual, the Mju 750 and Mju 740 feature a built-in Shooting Guide, Menu Guide, and Scene Guide.

The pictures we took with the Mju-750 were great, and the 5x optical zoom really made a difference when it came to framing shots. We also like dthe large LCD monitor, which was quite easy to use, even when shooting in bright conditions. The only thing you really have to consider is whether the 5x optical zoom is worth the additional bulk.

The Mju-750 has an ERP of $599, while the Mju-740 has an ERP of $499.

Entry was posted on Thursday, October 5th, 2006 at 8:38 pm under .  Print This Post