Olympus μ [mju:] 830: Review

Product Details We clicked with: Easy to use Splashproof body Useful macro mode Shadow adjustment is useful Image stabilisation a bonus Shots in the dark: Weak flash Noise/contrast issues at higher ISO Simplicity at expense of user control

Olympus is changing its compact range fast. The Olympus μ [mju:] 830 has barely hit the streets and already there's a new generation coming to fill in the gaps. It's perhaps understandable though; a camera at the price launched a year ago might lack the face detection and image stabilisation found on current models and would be effectively dead on the shelves. Fortunately, this model ticks all the right boxes specwise.

It's a slim, eight megapixel compact, with a 6.3-32mm f/3.3-5 zoom lens (that's equivalent to 36-180mm from the 35mm film days), a 2.5” LCD rear screen and a squared off look to the rear controls - all of which glow green when activated. Battery life is good, and the camera lives up to its 300 images per charge claim, although this drops rapidly if you use a lot of flash or take lots of VGA video clips (curiously, the zoom function is disabled when taking video, although you can preset the zoom before pressing record). It even comes with a built-in alarm clock, and a chirpy little melody when you play an in-camera slideshow - well, at least the alarm clock is useful. Face detection, sensitivity up to ISO 1600, 26 different shooting modes and true sensor shifting image stabilisation are all on tap. The Olympus μ [mju:] 830 also features a useful shadow adjustment feature, basically prioritising the metering to compensate for nearby subjects - sort of like fill flash, only without the flash.

Caption: Without shadow adjustment

Caption: With shadow adjustment

Like most Olympus compacts, the camera only supports xD cards, so downloading is often through the internal USB port instead of a card reader (not all readers speak xD). The USB port doubles up as an AV connector and power adaptor socket, which is fiddly to get to due to the rubberised cover sealing the port from the ingress of moisture. No, the Olympus μ [mju:] 830 is not another one of the company's 'unbreakacams' (like the μ [mju:] 790 SW we tested recently), but it is splashproof. It will survive a mild moistening, but not a thorough drenching - so if you routinely dip your camera into beer glasses full of lager, look elsewhere. If you get the camera wet then dry it off before pressing the buttons, as that can circumvent the series of O-rings that protect it.

One of the key features on all current Olympus compacts is the 'guide' setting on the rear mode dial. This runs through a series of scenarios and shows key options as a series of thumbnail options on the LCD. This is not a good plan for someone attempting to photograph an action sequence or sports day (you'll be fiddling with the guide when you should be taking pictures), but for out-of-the-ordinary shots, it's like having a photographic bigger brother built into the Olympus μ [mju:] 830, willing to dole out friendly advice. These thumbnails even extend to the exposure compensation settings, so that you can check whether two stops underexposure will nail the image better than one stop or even the 'correct' exposure, for example.

__ __ Caption: Rollover thumbs for exposure compensation examples

The flash is geared for providing fill and it does a good job with close subjects in relatively strong lighting. Don't expect miracles, though; the Olympus μ [mju:] 830 has a flash that falls off quickly and seems very anaemic if you intend using it to overpower interior night lighting. Even close subjects can be underexposed in such a context. The camera also includes two close-up modes, the most extreme of which - Super Macro - gets within 3cm to the subject; far too close for the flash, despite its relatively low power.

Caption: Super Macro mode

Racking through the ISO sensitivity range puts the camera in the better than average class. Images taken from ISO 80-200 were clean, ISO 400-800 increasingly noisy and ISO 1600 loses a lot of detail and subtlety of shade. The Olympus μ [mju:] 830 does have an ace up its sleeve, though - the sensor shaking image stabilisation really does help drive the sensitivity down in auto ISO and surprisingly difficult subject matter can be captured without problems.

Okay, this is not a camera geared for the enthusiast, as the lack of easy-to-access basic aperture priority, shutter priority and manual modes are a limitation. But for the point and click user, the Olympus μ [mju:] 830 has a lot to offer. It's quick to start, easy to operate and has a built-in guide to walk you through the problems. In short, it's close to a no-brainer.

Our Verdict

Share this article:

Del.icio.us this

Megapixels	8
Screen	2.5" HyperCrystal™ LCD (230,000 pixels & 5 Steps Brightness Adjustment)
Zoom	5x Optical Zoom (36-180mm 35mm equiv.), 5.6x digital zoom
Picture Modes	26 modes AVI movie
Stabilisation	Yes
Sensitivity	ISO80-1600
White balance	Auto Presets (Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, and 3 Fluorescents)
Storage	xD 14.8MB Internal memory
Battery	Li-ion Rechargeable Battery (LI-42B)
Other / Key features	Noise reduction Face detection Panorama mode (stitches images)