Mju-Mju
Monday, August 30, 2004
  Pre-focus for best results
Some of the reviews on the Mju complain about blurry photos. I've hardly ever had this problem. The answer is to pre-focus. While you can whip your Mju out of your pocket or its little belt-holster (very James Bond) and start shooting instantly, you do need to pre-focus.

To do this, point the Mju at your subject. Wait for the focus light in the viewfinder to go green; then shoot. You can also lock the focus in place: press the shutter button down half way, wait for the focus light to go green, then shoot.

Locking the focus is an acquired skill. Playing with the shutter button can take the photo unexpectedly, until you're used to how much play there is in the button. You can get the feel of the shutter buttonmost easily when the camera's closed. Mine was quite firm when I bought it first, but it's a little looser now.
 
Sunday, August 29, 2004
  Travel with a camera
Just been reading a great article on travel with cameras on Dante Stella's site. While most of the article is relevant to people who travel with more serious cameras than Mjus, there are things in there for compact camera users too. Well worth reading, especially if you use more than a compact.

Tomorrow - Monday - is a holiday in the UK. And I have Tuesday off as a leave. Yee-haw.
 
Saturday, August 28, 2004
  Great tips for compact cameras
Every so often I re-read Philip Greenwood's tutorial on using a compact. It's on photo.net. Some great ideas in there, especially on the creative use and non-use of flash.

Reading the comments following the tutorial, you can see that many people become obsessive about the camera, not photography. Many of the threads on photo.net deteriorate into a "My lens is better than your lens because the manual says so" monologue (a problem that's not limited to photo.net either). I love my Mju, but mostly because it fits in my pocket. Most of my other cameras don't.

As I'm on the subject of compact camera tips, Photo Secrets is pretty good too. Searching Google for "compact camera tips" gets you lots of pages like these.
 
  Have it on you
I missed a photo the other day. I was walking through Waterloo Station in London. On the walkway leading to Waterloo East, I saw a woman standing in the path of three broad beams light coming through some windows, reading a newspaper. It was a lovely moment. The light was amazing. Where was my camera? At home...

Have it with you.

And see the other tips as well.
 
Thursday, August 26, 2004
  Mju-Mju
A blog in the making. I've always loved my little Olympus Mju-II compact camera. There's a lot of snobbery against compact cameras (you're nobody if you don't use a Leica - although even Leica make compacts), so I'm going to try to get some compact camera resources and other Mju sites together.
 
About Mju-Mju...
Mostly a blog about using an Olympus Mju-II (aka Stylus Epic). It's pronounced "Myu, myu" by the way. Site Feed.
Sister blog: 6cmx6cm - a medium format and toy camera blog.

ARCHIVES
August 2004 / September 2004 / December 2004 / April 2005 / June 2005 / November 2005 / January 2006 / February 2006 / May 2006 / September 2006 / June 2010 /


Tests / Reports


Other Mjusers and Mju Galleries



Sister blog: 6cmx6cm
A medium format and toy camera blog.


Mjuser Tips

Buy two: they're cheap.
Put 100iso in one and 800/1600iso in the other. Use the first by day and the other by night. It beats compromising on 400iso film everywhere.

Use extreme film.
The Mju can handle anything from 50iso - 3200iso.
Become a night owl.

There's a spotmeter.
Use it.

Switch the flash off.
Flash can turn your subject into a victim.
Sometimes the camera doesn't even need it.
Use fast film instead.

Try black and white.
You can now get b&w film that can be processed in colour labs.

Have it on you.
Keep chanting that one...

Take your time.
The Mju is so good that you can use it like an SLR.
So take your time and compose your shots properly.

It's behind you!
Remember to look behind you as you walk along.
You could be missing a great photo.

RTFM: read the f... ine manual.
There are things you won't find out if you don't.
See spotmeter above.


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