*Weatherproof equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4
** In 3 million pixel mode

The Olympus µ (mju) 1000, the tiny 10 million pixel camera

They say that good things come in small packages, and this couldn’t be truer of the Olympus µ [mju:] 1000. Photos taken using it are packed with 10.0 million pixels worth of detail, and yet the camera itself can be simply slipped into a pocket or handbag. The Olympus µ [mju:] range is well known for cameras that push the very boundaries of technical achievement, without skimping on the style. The µ [mju:] 1000 retains the hallmark weatherproof* metal body of its predecessors, with a sophisticated silver finish, beneath which lies a 10.0 million pixel CCD and a 3x zoom lens, that together deliver razor-sharp results. The µ [mju:] 1000 is ideally suited to low light photography, as it can boost its light sensitivity to an amazing 6400 ISO **. This brightens the picture without having to use flash, thereby retaining all of the atmosphere of the sunset or candle-lit dinner.

At 10.0 million pixels, the ergonomically-designed µ [mju:] 1000 has more power than any of its predecessors, enough power to satisfy even the most demanding photographer. The classic elegance of its weatherproof* body is finished in high-quality stainless steel, giving an immediate and unmistakable feeling of durability and performance. Framing photos is easy with the large 6.4cm LCD screen, and a 3x zoom lens (equivalent to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera), the power of which can be increased to 5x (at 3.0 million pixel resolution) using the camera’s unique Fine Zoom feature.

Should light start to fail, photographers with the µ [mju:] 1000 can continue shooting, as this camera uses BrightCapture Technology to cleverly increase the contrast of its LCD screen by up to 4x, making it easy to frame shots even when it gets quite dark. This same technology is also used to boost the sensitivity of the camera’s CCD in low light, and reduce the need to use a flash, making scenes appear more true-to-life, with naturally reproduced colour. For movie clips to be as atmospheric as the photos taken on the µ [mju:] 1000, BrightCapture is even brought into play in the camera’s Movie mode.

There are times when we all like to keep things simple, so the µ [mju:] 1000 offers 20 pre-defined scene modes for fuss-free photography in a wide variety of situations, such as Landscapes, Sports, even Candlelight. And should the photographer ever need reminding which settings to use, help is at hand in the shape of a built-in Guide Function that explains what camera functions do directly on the LCD screen – a bit like having the instruction book built in!

Of course even the most experienced photographer slips up some times, though luckily with the µ [mju:] 1000 a number of quick-fixes are built in. Using the Perfect Fix Button, users can correct image blur and backlighting, as well as red-eye, on the camera after a shot has been taken, with more than one correction being performed at the same time if necessary.

The Olympus µ [mju:] 1000 is a great choice for photographers who want exceptionally high quality photos from a camera compact enough to carry it with them at all times. With the µ [mju:] 1000 they really can have the best of both worlds. In stores from October 2006.