In time for autumn showers comes Olympus’ latest weatherproof compact, available in silver or black and boasting a 7.1-megapixel resolution plus 5x optical zoom.

The Mju 750 is lightweight, at 120g, yet feels solid and rests comfortably in the palm.

A tapered curve to the body means it narrows to 2.4cm at one edge, while the lens barrel stands slightly proud, even when not in use.

A longer zoom means the camera is susceptible to camera shake, so Olympus has introduced a Dual Image Stabilisation feature, whereby a sensor detects hand wobble and mechanically shifts the chip (or CCD) to compensate, while providing the ‘belt and braces’ of a higher shutter speed.

Low-light shooting is further aided by Bright Capture technology, which increases the 2.5in screen’s visibility four-fold (handy, as there’s no optical alternative to fall back on), while boosting sensitivity to light up to ISO 1600.

This feature has been added for Quicktime movie clips too.

The camera would appear just about perfect for the party set, and 23 scene modes add to the impression that this is very much a beginners’ camera. If help is needed, a Guide Function explains its features on screen and implements them with a touch of the four-way control dial at the rear. It’s a nice touch.

There’s a two-second wait while the 750 powers up, the lens extending to maximum wide-angle setting. Once it has predetermined the focus and exposure with a half press of the shutter button, there’s no noticeable delay. Processing speed is reasonable, though fingertip operation of the miniature controls is required.

The camera’s metering is occasionally confused by a mixture of light and shade; over compensating for the latter so that highlights burn out. At other times shadows reveal image noise (grain-like specks).

Colours err on the side of pleasingly natural rather than vivid, but there are signs of purple fringin between areas of high contrast.

Photos are stored on the 17MB internal memory, which allows for just five top-quality shots, so a supplementary XD-Picture Card is a must.

All things considered, the Olympus Mju 750 is an attractive camera, but has a hit and miss performance.

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Rating: 4
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