Name: Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80 Compact 35mm Film Camera - Silver
Brand: Olympus
Price: 229.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

Question 1

Why Choose the Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80?

Accepted Answer

The Olympus Mju-II Zoom 80 is a good choice for photographers who want the compact styling and easy operation of the Olympus Mju family but prefer a zoom lens rather than a fixed focal length.

Its 38–80mm zoom range is especially practical for everyday photography. At 38mm, it provides a useful general-purpose field of view for holidays, groups and street scenes. At 80mm, it provides tighter framing that works particularly well for portraits and details.

The three-point active autofocus system was designed to identify subjects across a wider area than a basic single-point AF system. Focus lock also allows you to focus first and then recompose the photograph.

Automatic exposure, automatic film handling and built-in flash make the camera easy for beginners, while its compact size and splash-resistant construction make it particularly attractive for travel.

At around 185g without the battery, it is light enough to carry regularly without the bulk of an SLR or larger zoom compact.

Question 2

Different Olympus Mju Series and Models

Accepted Answer

The Olympus Mju family includes numerous fixed-lens and zoom cameras. Although they share similar names and styling, their lenses and features can be quite different.

Olympus µ[mju:] / Mju I
The original Mju compact introduced in 1991, featuring a fixed 35mm f/3.5 lens. It is smaller and simpler than the later zoom models.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom / Zoom 70
An early Mju zoom camera with a 35–70mm f/4.5–6.9 lens, providing a short general-purpose zoom range.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom 105
The model described here, featuring a 38–105mm f/4.5–8.9 lens and introduced in 1995. It provides considerably more telephoto reach than the original Zoom.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom 115
A later model extending the telephoto range to 115mm, aimed at photographers wanting additional reach.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom 130
Offers a longer 38–130mm zoom, making it useful for portraits and more distant subjects.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom 140
Extends the telephoto range further to 140mm, making it one of the more versatile early Mju zoom cameras.

Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom Wide 80
Designed around a wider 28mm starting focal length, making it particularly useful for travel, architecture and group photography.

Olympus µ[mju:]-II
A different and especially well-known model featuring a fixed 35mm f/2.8 prime lens rather than a zoom. It should not be confused with the Mju Zoom 105.

Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom Models
Later cameras included versions such as the Mju-II Zoom 80, Zoom 115, Zoom 140 and Zoom 170, providing different zoom ranges in increasingly compact bodies.

Olympus µ[mju:]-III Series
Later-generation models included cameras such as the Mju-III Wide 100, Mju-III 120 and Mju-III 150, offering updated styling and broader zoom choices.

The Mju Zoom 105 therefore sits in an attractive middle position within the family: compact enough for everyday use while providing significantly more zoom flexibility than the original fixed-lens Mju cameras.

Question 3

Which Film Does the Olympus Mju Take?

Accepted Answer

The Olympus µ[mju:] takes standard 35mm / 135 film.

It automatically reads DX-coded film at:

ISO 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200.

For most users, ISO 400 film is an excellent all-round choice, especially for changing UK weather, cloudy conditions and general travel photography.

For bright outdoor photography, ISO 100 or ISO 200 film can provide finer grain.

Suitable colour films include:

Kodak Gold 200 – excellent for holidays, daylight and warm colours.

Kodak ColorPlus 200 – a practical everyday colour film.

Kodak UltraMax 400 – versatile for changing lighting conditions.

Kodak Portra 400 – particularly good for portraits and natural skin tones.

For black & white photography:

Ilford HP5 Plus 400 – excellent for street and documentary photography.

Kentmere Pan 400 – affordable and versatile.

Ilford FP4 Plus 125 – useful for bright conditions and finer grain.

Using DX-coded film is recommended because the camera automatically sets the appropriate film speed.

Question 4

Special Features

Accepted Answer

38–80mm Optical Zoom:
Covers everyday wide-to-short-telephoto photography without requiring interchangeable lenses.

Three-Point Multi Autofocus:
Uses multiple focusing areas to improve subject detection compared with basic single-point systems.

Up to 600 AF Steps:
Provides precise automatic focusing from approximately 0.6m to infinity.

Aspherical Lens Technology:
Helps maintain optical quality while allowing the zoom lens to remain compact.

Intelligent Flash System:
Uses information from several sensors to determine when flash is useful.

Automatic Flash:
Fires automatically in low light, backlit situations and under certain artificial lighting conditions.

Red-Eye Reduction:
Uses pre-flashes to help reduce red-eye in portraits.

Fill-In Flash:
Useful for brightening subjects in shadow or strong backlighting.

Flash-Off Mode:
Allows available-light photography where flash use is undesirable or prohibited.

Night Scene Flash:
Combines flash with a slower shutter speed to retain more background illumination.

Red-Eye Reduction Night Scene:
Combines night-scene exposure with red-eye reduction for evening portraits.

Splash-Resistant Construction:
Designed to withstand everyday rain and splashes. The camera is not intended for underwater use or submersion.

Automatic Film Handling:
Automatically loads, advances and rewinds 35mm film.

Sliding Lens Barrier:
Protects the lens when closed and gives the Mju-II Zoom 80 its smooth, pocket-friendly shape.

Question 5

Performance

Accepted Answer

The 38–80mm f/4.5–8.9 Olympus zoom lens gives the Mju-II Zoom 80 useful flexibility without making the camera excessively large.

At 38mm, the lens works well for everyday photography, holidays, groups, city scenes and environmental portraits.

At 80mm, it provides tighter framing for portraits and details while remaining easy to handhold in good light.

The lens incorporates a high-precision aspherical element, helping Olympus maintain good optical performance while keeping the lens assembly compact.

Its three-point active autofocus system provides up to approximately 600 focusing steps and operates from around 0.6 metres to infinity.

The programmed exposure system automatically balances aperture and shutter speed. At wide angle, exposure can range from approximately 4 seconds to 1/610 second, while at telephoto it extends from approximately 4 seconds to 1/500 second.

This makes the camera well suited to daylight and general-purpose photography, while the built-in flash assists when available light is insufficient.

Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80 Compact 35mm Film Camera - Silver

Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80 Compact 35mm Film Camera – Silver

Released Date

Key Features & Specifications

Key features

Watch this camera

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer reviews

More 35mm point & shoot cameras

Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80 Compact 35mm Film Camera - Silver

Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80 Compact 35mm Film Camera – Silver

Released Date

Key Features & Specifications

Key features

Watch this camera

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Choose the Olympus µ[mju:]-II Zoom 80?+

Different Olympus Mju Series and Models+

Which Film Does the Olympus Mju Take?+

Special Features+

Performance+

Customer reviews

More 35mm point & shoot cameras