With its oft-used wedge-shaped design, the Olympus mju series has won many admirers. The mju 1020 is the latest to feature the wedge design, and with its 10MP sensor, 7x optical zoom and 2.7in LCD, it’s bound to gain optical technology admirers as well.

Owing to the wedge design, the mju 1020 has a natural handgrip, and as such is comfortable in handling and use. Buttons are sensibly laid out, with d-pad designed buttons handling both focus and exposure controls and menu navigation. Not only that, but said buttons are also backlit by a radiant green light, making use in low-light conditions simple.

Focusing is brisk, though shot-to-shot speed leaves a little to be desired. Images are often overexposed and lacking contrast, while highlights blow easily. At low ISO images are OK, but towards high ISOs they really suffer.n

Verdict

A well-designed compact that performs well in use but is let down by poor image quality.