Overview
The Olympus MJU 9010 is a relatively compact digital camera. The main attraction is likely to be the 10x, wide angle zoom lens. Coupled with the size of the camera the long lens makes this type of camera popular with people who travel or for anyone taking a holiday.
Compared to earlier Olympus digital cameras the MJU 9010 has been equipped with a number of newer features. These include the ability to recharge the camera by attaching it to a computer, High Definition movies, 2GB of internal storage and image stabilisation. It also offers picture tagging by event, person and location.
Picture quality is good and if you like the look of the features on offer then this camera is well worth considering.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
14
10x
2.7 inches
94.0 x 57.6 x 31.1mm
171g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
Yes
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD / SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
My outdoor test shots give you a feel for the flexibility offered by a lens with both wide angle and telephoto capabilities. Overall the quality of my outdoor shots is in line with the majority of cameras with longer lenses. In my first shot I can see some detail is lost as the camera cannot quite overcome the glare from the sun. On a more positive note all my outdoor photos are sharply focused and these levels are retained well as you move out towards the edges of the photos. The colours are well balanced, although in my second outdoor shot the blue of the sky looks overdone for my own personal taste.
Portraits
An outdoor portrait shot should be second nature to any digital camera. I am happy enough with this shot, but I feel the colours lack a little zip. One issue I have with the portrait taken indoors using flash is that there is not a great deal of colour in the shot. The colour the shot does have is predominantly pink with the skin tones being over done. I also felt more light would have helped with the shot being on the dark side.
By contrast with flash turned off I managed to take a shot with a much warmer feel to it. It will not always be possible to avoid using flash as the MJU 9010 needs a well lit room to produce photos without it.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The MJU 9010 can get right in to within 1cm of the subject for close up shots. The quality of the shots taken in macro mode is good, so if you are planning to use the camera for occasional close up work then you should have no problem taking some impressive shots.
I found the colours a bit hit and miss in places. For example I like the warmth of the indoor portrait without flash, but found the colour of the sky in my second outdoor shot to look unnatural.
A small amount of noise creeps into shady areas of a shot. I could also detect noise in cloudy areas.
Summary
Picture quality form digital cameras in this price bracket is becoming more standard and there is less to choose between the different makes and models. The MJU 9010 handles most situations well, although there is a question mark over shots taken using flash.
Style
The black version of the camera I have for review looks a little different to other digital cameras as it has silver strips at the top and bottom of the camera. The lens unit protrudes slightly from the body. You can also pick up a champagne gold version.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.49 seconds
24.76 seconds
1.55 seconds
26.1 seconds
2.65 seconds
Ease of Use
I had no problems finding my way around. There are very few buttons and controls on the back of the camera. There is also a built in camera manual.
Points I Like
Ease of use - USB battery charging - 2GB of built in memory - built in manual - picture tagging
Where it Could Improve
Shutter delay - pictures taken with flash
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Olympus MJU 9010 Review Olympus MJU 9010 Specification Olympus MJU 9010 Sample Images Olympus MJU 9010 Features
Review Date
March 2010
