Overview
The Olympus MJU 9000 offers extra zoom power in a compact body. The lens has 10x zoom with wide angle capabilities. This is a 12 megapixel camera. Other features include image stabilisation, a 2.7 inch LCD screen, plus a few buzz features such as a beauty mode. The MJU 9000 has a metal body and is compatible with xD and Micro SD cards.
Why Buy The Olympus MJU 9000
The big attraction is the length of the lens in such a compact body.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
10x
2.7 inches
96 x 60 x 31mm
185g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
xD Micro SD
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
The bright sunlight washes out some of the detail from the shot. Most digital cameras can cope with glare from the sun better than the MJU 9000 does. Looking at the brickwork on the building focusing is another area where the MJU 9000 falls short of top class.
The sharpness of this shot is inline with levels I am used to seeing for cameras with wide angle lenses. The MJU 9000 does not find it easy to show detail in the darker areas of the shot. On large prints you may notice some purple fringing creeping in.
With the zoom fully extended the picture is sharp enough for snapshot sized prints. As you increase print size the picture starts to show signs of becoming softer. I like the brightness of the shot.
Sharpness is only average at best in this shot. The brickwork is not pin sharp. Although you will probably get away with this with snapshot sized prints it will become an issue with larger sized prints.
Portraits
There are no problems with this shot. Having moved closer in, the levels of sharpness show clear improvement. The colours have a natural look to them, while managing to give the shot some warmth.
This is a fairly standard result. In a perfect world the flash would have added more light to the darker areas of the hair, but the picture works well enough.
This is a good effort and an area where the MJU 9000 performs well against rival cameras. The level of definition in this shot is above average.
Macro, Colours and Noise
This is a good effort for a close up shot taken with such a compact digital camera. The only down side is that the photo has a purple tinge.
I have noticed that some shots tend to take on a purple tinge. This is most noticeable in either bright sunlight or under artificial lighting as used in my macro test shot. This is something I have noticed with Olympus digital cameras in this series.
Boost up the ISO setting and noise starts to kick in. This is especially true in darker areas of any photo.
Summary
If all you are after is a snapshot camera with a longer lens then the MJU 9000 will do a decent job. If you want to push print sizes up above snapshot size then you are likely to start to notice imperfections in your photos.
Style
This camera is on the large side to fit into a pocket comfortably. It has a metal body and is available in black and blue.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.33 seconds
10.35 seconds
0.45 seconds
17.48 seconds
3.83 seconds
Ease of Use
Olympus has not given the MJU 9000 all the bells and whistles that some cameras have. This helps to keep it relatively easy to use. Help text is also available.
Points I Like
Ease of use - smaller size for longer zoom
Where it Could Improve
Purple tinge to some photos - photos could be a degree sharper
Verdict
Picture quality is not perfect, but the flaws only become noticeable if you are planning to make larger prints. The Olympus MJU 9000 is certainly a very handy size for a camera offering this much zoom.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Olympus MJU 9000 Review Olympus MJU 9000 Specification Olympus MJU 9000 Sample Images Olympus MJU 9000 Features
Review Date
September 2009
