Olympus mju ZOOM 70

Olympus mju ZOOM 70 DELUXE by the other Martin Taylor (Image rights).

Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM series

Variants:

• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM (marketed as Olympus ∞ Stylus ZOOM in North America, standard version)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM PANORAMA (Olympus ∞ Stylus ZOOM PANORAMA in North America)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM DELUXE (With Quartz Date function and PANORAMA switch)

The µ[mju:] ZOOM was a fully automatic 35mm compact camera introduced by Olympus in 1993. It was very small and curvy for a zoom camera and was the lightest in its class back in '93. with an integrated lens cover. It is switched on by shifting the lens cover to one side. It was part of the hugely successful Olympus mju/Stylus series. Advertised as 'weatherproof', that is, able to operate and flash in rain and snow. Unlike the basic mju/Stylus, the auto-flash popped-up at an angle when used, and when the flash is pressed down by hand, the camera will enter a 'standby' state, and can be reactivated by sliding the zoom lever. Several variations were available with different optional functions: panorama model with a switchable panorama mask and Deluxe with Quartzdate imprinting. DLX models could be controlled remotely. Body color was available in Silver and Raven Black.

Most Mju Zoom cameras were made in Japan, while some later production units are assembled in China with Japanese components.

Specifications

• Lens: 35-70mm zoom, f/4.5-6.9
• Active autofocus with 200 steps, closest focus: 60cm. Pre-focus lock enabled.
• Film format: 35mm DX-coded film, ISO 50-3200.
• Automatic exposure with programmed shutter speeds, thought to be 1/5-1/400s on some models and up to 2 seconds or even B (bulb) on others.
• Self-timer.
• Autowind and rewind.
• Integrated flash with multiple modes. (On the Stylus Zoom DLX, night-flash mode has a shutter speed of 2 seconds and rear-curtain synch).
• LCD display with battery check and frame counter.
• Power: 3V lithium CR123A.
• Dimensions: 124x64x45mm.

Awards

Zoom model:

• Top Products 1993 (Lens Shutter Cameras), "Photographic Trade News" magazine, 1993
• People's Choice Awards: Best Compact of the Year, "Photography" magazine (United Kingdom), 1994.
• Top Products 1995 (Lens Shutter/Zoom), "Photo Trade News" magazine, 1995.

Zoom Panorama model:

• G-Mark for Good Design, Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry, 1993.
• Camera Grand Prix, Camera Industry Press Club, 1994.

Links

• Mju ZOOM PANORAMA in the official Olympus Global History.
• Olympus Mju Zoom 35-70 in Sylvain Halgand's collection.