July 22, 2009

Olympus MJU Tough 8000 Review

The Olympus MJU Tough 8000 is freezeproof, waterproof, drop proof and crush proof. This makes it a good choice of camera to use around the pool and on ski slopes. It is also a good choice for anyone with a young family who like to get in on the picture taking. Drop most digital cameras and you are looking at an expensive repair bill or the replacement of the camera. The MJU Tough 8000 on the other hand will take the odd knock and bump in its stride.
Looking more closely at the figures the camera is waterproof up to 10m or the equivalent water pressure. This means it is not really suitable for diving to any real depth, but is fine for messing about with in the swimming pool. It is freezeproof to temperatures of -10 degrees centigrade. This should cover most situations you find yourself in. It is drop proof up to 2m, so roughly head height or a little higher. It is crush proof to 100kg.
For a while now Olympus has had the robust digital camera market to itself with just the occasional offering from Pentax and Fuji to contend with. As of spring 2009 this part of the camera market has started to hot up with new cameras being introduced by Canon, Fuji and Panasonic. These companies have now identified just how popular this type of camera can be. I am not surprised as I often get asked for recommendations of r digital cameras that can also be used by younger children.
Other key features worth mentioning include a 12 megapixel sensor and a 3.6x, wide angle lens. That is more than enough pixels for most requirements. In fact if all you are planning to do is make smaller, snapshot sized prints then it is well worth considering shooting at lower resolutions. This will help to conserve space on your memory card. The wide angle lens comes in handy if you enjoy taking photographs of wide scenes such as landscapes, groups of people or wide buildings. Olympus has also built image stabilisation into the MJU Tough 8000 to help you create sharper photos.
When it comes to ease of use there are no major issues. There are not that many features to get to know within the menu system. On the back of the camera you will find all the standard buttons, plus one that gives you access to a shadow adjustment feature. The menu system also has a handy help guide too. To speed up changing settings Olympus has given the camera tap control. This means you simply tap the camera to change a feature. I am not sure just how useful this is likely to be, but it might help you here and there.
The design of the camera is a little different to most. The front is highly reflective and the lens has been placed in the top corner. There is a small box around the lens giving the MJU Tough 8000 quite a distinctive look. It comes in three different colours. You can choose from black, silver and blue versions.
Picture quality is good enough in my view. The Olympus MJU Tough 8000 handles most snapshot situations well. Detail can be lost from the lightest areas of a shot and you may also notice a slight softness from time to time if you are planning to make large sized prints. All in all though there is not a great deal to worry about.
Andy writes and reviews digital cameras for Cameras.co.uk. See his test shots and ratings for the Olympus MJU Tough 8000
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Needham

The Olympus MJU Tough 8000 is One Pretty Cool Camera

If your one of those Indian Jones types, that has a streak of Fran Lebowitz running through your veins, then I've go the perfect camera for you. It's virtually indestructible, and ideal for the rough and tumble crowd. It's The Olympus MJU Tough 8000 digital camera.
The Olympus Stylus line of cameras, has already set the bar in showing just how tough a digital camera can be. There's no reason to treat these cameras with kid gloves. Or no reason not to let your unruly kids have their way with this camera. Like the Stylus lineup, the MJU 8000 is waterproof, shockproof, drop-proof, freeze-proof and dust-proof. All digital cameras should be built this way, in my estimation.
One of the nice things that Olympus has done with this camera, is upgraded the the control buttons to be more tactile sensitive. This is a great improvement, and is a sensible addition for a camera that is meant to be used underwater, or in the cold where gloves or mittens may be worn.
Olympus pretty much owned this market for indestructible cameras, and was the only player for a while. These cameras have been so wildly successful, that others have now joined the fray. Canon, Panasonic, and even Fuji have joined the fray with waterproof digital cameras you may want to check out as well.
Don't make the assumption that this is just a gimmick to sell you another digital camera, the Tough 8000, and competitors really do live up to their claims. While it may seem a little strange to submerge an expensive piece of electronics, trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about. I've done it plenty of times with the Olympus Stylus line of cameras, and they continue to function brilliantly.
In fact, the one Olympus Stylus we bought for my youngest daughter, has become the camera of choice for the rest of the family. Even though everyone else has their own Canon, Fuji, and Kodak digital cameras, they can't seem to get enough of the cool underwater one.
These cameras do a remarkable job of taking good pictures and video as well. They sport pretty much all of the features we come to expect in a digital camera, for large LCD screens, to zoom lenses, to image stabilization, to face detection, and even built in flash.
If you have a friend that owns one of these, try and borrow one for a bit. A weekend with one of these babies, is all you'll need to convince you to get one of your own.
Getting the perfect waterproof camera, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the camera with all the features important to you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell

May 7, 2009

Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 Detail


-12-megapixel resolution for photo-quality, poster-size prints
-Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof and shakeproof
-3.6x wide-angle optical dual image stabilized zoom
-2.7-inch Advanced HyperCrystal III LCD screen
-Compatible with xD Picture Cards and microSD memory cards (not included)
-Waterproof: Equivalent to IEC60529 IPX8/JISC0920 (33 feet/10 meters)
-Shockproof: MIL-STD-810F Shock Equivalent (6.6 feet/2 meters)
-Freezeproof: MIL-STD-810F Low Temp Equivalent (minus 10 degrees C/14 degrees F)
-Crushproof: 220 pounds of force
-Aperture: f3.5 (W) / f5.1 (T)
-Display: 2.7 inch HyperCrystalTM II LCD with Backlight Boost
-Power Source: Li-ion Rechargeable Battery (LI-50B), AC Adapter (D-7AC) with the optional DC Coupler (CB-MA1)
-Storage Media: 45MB Internal Memory, xD-Picture Card (1GB, 2GB), microSD (MASD-1 is required)
-Minimum Focal Length: 0.8 inches
-Maximum Focal Length: infinity
-Focus Modes: iESP Auto, Spot Auto Focus, Face Detection Auto Focus
-Focus Type: CCD Contrast Detection
-Focus Range: 5 to 18.2 millimeters
-Exposure Metering: Digital ESP Metering, Spot Metering, Face Detection AE (when Face Detection AF is selected)
-Exposure Compensation: Plus or minus EV steps in 1/3 EV steps
-Picture Quality: 12 megapixels
-Shooting Modes: Intelligent Auto, Program Auto, Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization, Beauty Mode, 14 Scene Modes, Movie
-Shutter Speed: 1/2000 second to 1/4 second; Up to 4 seconds in Night Scene mode
-White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten and 3 Fluorescents
-Light Sensitivity: Auto, High Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
-Minimum Flash Range: 0.33 feet
-Maximum Flash Range: 13.1 feet
-Included Flash Types: Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-in, Off
-File Formats: Still Image: JPEG Movie: AVI Motion JPEG
-Width: 3.7 inches
-Depth: 0.85 inch
-Height: 2.4 inches
-Weight: 6.4 ounces