Olympus mju Stylus Epic

Olympus ∞ Stylus image by Martin Taylor (Image rights)

Olympus µ[mju:]-II image by Daniel Mouton (Image rights)

µ[mju:]-II LIMITED image by Romuald Swieconek (Image rights)

Olympus µ[mju:]-III 80 image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 105 image by Bernard Faure (Image rights)

Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM WIDE 80 image by Raúl Sá Dantas (Image rights)

Olympus µ[mju:]-III 120 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

An Epic Series of mju Cameras

The Olympus µ[mju:] series of cameras were fully automatic compact cameras made by Olympus, starting in 1991. It was an immensely successful range, with 20 million models sold in the first ten years of production. The key selling points of mju cameras were the small size, accurate focussing, well-balanced flash exposures, and (starting with the mju-II) weatherproof finish. Most of the models could fit inside a soap dish. µ is a Greek letter that is used in science to mean "micro". "Mju" is pronounced to rhyme with "pew".

Most mju camera bodies have a characteristic convex frontside, evolved from the Olympus XA which was a revolutionary design for its era, but all mjus have autofocus. The cameras (which have won numerous awards for design and functionality) are switched on by shifting the lens cover aside. The mju range was extended in the digital era, so that Olympus can continue to use its well-known brand for its digital compacts.

In the US, the mju range was originally called ∞ Stylus (∞ representing "Infinity", a name previously used by Olympus in the US), with later models denoted ∞ Stylus Epic. Below is a chronological list of all known 35mm mju models, with their Stylus/Epic equivalents and lens specifications included where known.

Notes:

• DELUXE or DLX usually, but not always, indicates a Quartzdate version was available.
• VF indicates a model with an extra bright "visual finder" that blacks out (like an SLR) to indicate the shot has been taken. This was supposed to be useful for noisy locations.
• The mju II series ran concurrently with the original mju range from 1997 and did not necessarily replace it.

Original mju series (∞ Stylus)

• Olympus µ[mju:] (aka Stylus, 35mm/3.5, 1991)
• Olympus µ[mju:] LIMITED (metallic silver, 50,000 produced, 1991)
• Olympus µ[mju:] PANORAMA (35mm/3.5, 1992)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM (PANORAMA) (aka Stylus Zoom, 35-70mm, 1993)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 70 DELUXE (35-70mm)
• Olympus Stylus 80 (38-80mm) (flash doesn't pop up, no apparent mju version)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 105 (DELUXE) (aka Stylus ZOOM 105, 38-105mm, with aspherical and ED glass elements, 1995)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 115 (DELUXE) (aka Stylus ZOOM 115 (DLX), 38-115mm, 1997)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 130 (38-130mm, 1997)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM WIDE 80 (DELUXE) (28-80mm, 1998)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 140 (aka Stylus Zoom 140, 38-140mm, 1998)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 140 DELUXE (38-140mm, colour-balanced flash, 1999)
• Olympus µ[mju:] ZOOM 140 VF (2000) (38-140mm, like Deluxe, but with temp VF blackout, 2000)

mju II series (∞ Stylus Epic)

• Olympus µ[mju:]-II (aka Stylus Epic (DLX), 35mm/2.8, 1997) (Regarded as a modern classic. 3.8 million sold.)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II LIMITED (35mm/2.8, marked 10 million µ Series cameras sold, 65,000 produced, burgundy colour, 1998)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II ZOOM (38-80mm, 1998)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II ZOOM 80 (PANORAMA) (aka Stylus Epic ZOOM 80 (38-80mm)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II ZOOM 115 (aka Stylus Epic ZOOM 115, 38-115mm)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II ZOOM VF (aka Stylus Epic ZOOM 80 DLX/DELUXE, 38-80mm, 1999)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II 115 VF (38-115mm, bright viewfinder, 2000)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II 170 (VF) (aka Stylus Epic ZOOM 170 (DELUXE), 38-170mm, switches between passive and active AF, "Visual Finder" for noisy environments, 2001)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-II 110 (38-110mm, bright viewfinder, 2001)

Flagship Metal model

• Olympus µ [mju:]-V (aka Stylus Select 105, 38-105mm, world's smallest 3x zoom, smooth metal body, 2002)

mju III series (∞ Stylus Epic)

• Olympus µ[mju:]-III WIDE 100 (aka Stylus 100 WIDE, 28-100mm, three types of exposure sensor, 2002)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 110 (38-110mm)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 115 (38-115mm, 2003)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 120 (aka Stylus 120, 38-120mm, f/5.6-12.6, 8 elements in 7 groups, 2003)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 135 (37.5mm-135mm, f/5.1-12.6, 2004)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 150 (aka Stylus 150, 37.5-150mm, f/5.1-f13.3, 8 elements in 7 groups, featured "skin tone" mode, last mju sold in Japan, 2003)
• Olympus µ[mju:]-III 80 (aka Stylus 80, 38mm-80mm, f/4.5-8.9, 5 elements in 4 groups, final 35mm mju, 2004)

Links

• Partial chronicle of the mju series (archived) in Official Olympus History on Olympus Global.
• Final mju III models (archived) on Olympus Imaging Japan.