The Olympus µ1040 is on its way

The latest addition to the µ family (it's pronounced 'mew') , the Olympus µ1040 is different to its brothers and sisters.  It combines good looks with the performance made popular by this line of waterproof cameras.  Another way of looking at it is that it’s a cheaper version of the µ 1050 SW without the waterproofing.

Considered that way, this camera is in fact the descdendant of the µ 730, brought to market in September 2006.

With a 10 Megapixel sensor, a 38-114 mm periscopic zoom built into the case and a 2.7 inch screen, it matches up to the standards of the µ 1040 and the µ 1050 SW.

It’s also blessed with the latest electronics: automatic modes, face detection for up to 16 people, shadow adjustment.

Nevertheless, this new camera is still lacking two key features: there’s no wide-angle option, and the ‘digital stabalization’ touted by Olympus isn’t really up to the job.

The fact that it only uses xD cards might also hold this camera back – it’s a memory format that remains less common and more expensive than SD, even if it is becoming more affordable.

These gripes notwithstanding, the 1040 promises to be a very small camera, and in particular a thin model, at around 2 cm front to back.  It comes in a range of metallic colors, including a deep red and a golden yellow.

For the time being, the price remains uncertain, but we imagine that it will be judiciously placed on the right side of the 200€ psychological barrier.

> Our survey of digital compact cameras