Overview
The Olympus MJU 1060 is a 10 megapixel camera with a 7x optical zoom lens. It is compact in size and stylish in looks.
Why Buy The Olympus MJU 1060
The stand out feature is undoubtedly the longer then standard zoom lens. It is rare that such a small camera offers this much zoom. Aside from the zoom it is a clear step up form an entry level model with features such as a 3 inch LCD screen and image stabilisation.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
7x
3 inches
93.7 x 56.4 x 25.1 mm
128g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
2cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
xD Micro SD
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
We start off with a fairly standard shot. As long as you are not looking to blow up your photos above 8 x 11 inches then sharpness, definition and overall quality should all be perfectly acceptable. This shot looks good in an 8 x 11 print. If you blow it up larger than that you start to notice areas where the photo is not pin sharp and that sun glare cuts down on the level of detail in the lighter areas.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
This photo is average in terms of focusing. I can also see some jagged pixels in the sky area of the shot when the photo is blown up.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
Two thirds of this photo is in sharp focus, but the angle the photo was taken at appears to have fooled the MJU 1060. The right hand third of the shot is not so sharp. That is a shame as when you compare this photo with others taken by smaller compacts you can see the advantage the longer zoom lens can give you. I can see a small amount of purple fringing in the shot as well.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
The MJU 1060 produces more even focusing in this picture. Sharpness is again about average. Overall I would give the camera 8 out of 10 for focusing.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
This is a pleasant, natural looking portrait shot. With the subject being closer to the camera than for my previous tests the MJU 1060 has no problem focusing.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
As you can see by the strong shadow, the MJU 1060 produces quite a strong burst of flash light. This is good in so far as it lights the picture, but as well as shadow the light also reflects back off areas of the face.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
In this picture I have used natural window light. The MJU 1060 has outperformed many other cameras. There is less noise and more detail showing in this shot than I am used to seeing.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The macro shot is very good for a small compact. It is sharp, the colours are right and there is plenty if detail showing.
Colour is an area where I think digital cameras have improved over the last two years. It is now more difficult to spot photos taken by different brands. As with the majority of other brands Olympus Digital Cameras have subtler more natural looking colours. I liked the colours the MJU 1060 produced, especially for the scenic type shots.
As with other test shots the MJU 1060 performs at about the same level as most of the pack. Noise shows up in darker areas almost as soon as you start to increase ISO.
Summary
I'm happy with the picture quality. There is nothing that really sets the camera apart from the masses, but there is nothing in my test shots that would stop me buying the camera.
Style
The MJU 1060 will go into a larger pocket, but at 25mm wide it can be a squeeze. It has a sloping front and a high gloss finish. You can buy black, silver and blue versions.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.33 seconds
10.53 seconds
0.47 seconds
11.83 seconds
2.36 seconds
Ease of Use
This camera has a good balance between features and ease of use.
Points I Like
Style - ease of use - length of zoom
Where it Could Improve
The MJU 1060 does most things well enough. Perhaps focusing could be that bit sharper.
Verdict
The longer zoom in a smaller body is a big attraction. Aside from that I found very few points where I either strongly liked or disliked the Olympus MJU 1060. The quality of the photos it takes may not be the very best in class, but it takes a good snapshot and the length of the lens could make a big difference to your photos.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FS30 Rating 85/100
I really like this camera. It offers some extra zoom and takes excellent snaps. I found it easy to use and struggled to find anything I did not like about it. If you are looking for a smaller compact camera with some extra zoom then this one is a good choice.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS30 Review
Pentax Optio i-10 Rating 79/100
The Optio i-10 looks radically different to other digital cameras. It has a design based on vintage SLRs. In my tests I found more distant shots lacked sharpness. Aside from the design the features included in this camera are fairly standard.
Read Review: Pentax Optio i-10 Review
Related Pages
Olympus MJU 1060 Review Olympus MJU 1060 Specification Olympus MJU 1060 Sample Images Olympus MJU 1060 Features
Review Date
November 2008
