Olympus -mini Digital review

With its -mini Digital, Olympus has attempted to combine style and functionality with a solid technological base.

The design of the -mini departs from that of previous cameras in the range. The old boxy look has been replaced by a slick, rounded, coloured metallic body.

As with all the cameras in the series, the mini is 'weather-proof', which means it will withstand a modest splashing. Don't expect it to survive a dunk in the bath, though. The camera sits comfortably in the hand, although its petite size makes it a little fiddly for the hamfisted.

An automatic retracting cover protects the lens, and there's no viewfinder, so you have to rely on the rear-mounted screen to frame your pictures. Thankfully, the screen is bright and vivid and seems larger than its 1.8" because the camera is so small.

Switching between Play, Movie and Still modes is achieved using the cigarette lighter-like metal barrel selector. A zoom rocker sits comfortably under the thumb and a four-way direction pad provides easy access to the 13 pre-programmed scene modes, flash and macro settings and the self-timer mode. There is a quick view mode should you need to review your photos on the fly between shots.

A camera can look fantastic, but unless it takes great pictures it's nothing more than costume jewellery. Up front the 2x optical lens is functional, but 3x would be more useful. A 4-megapixel CCD records images at a maximum of 2,272x1,704 pixels, which carries enough detail for 10x8" prints.

The onboard image processor turns out sharp, well-balanced pictures in a wide range of shooting conditions. Colours tend to be realistic rather than vibrant and there is almost no purple fringing, even in high-contrast images. Low-light photographs are particularly good, with little noise and true colours.

As the -mini is a fun camera, it's free of the manual modes found in enthusiasts' models. There is no shutter, aperture or manual focus control, but you can use either spot metering or ESP to gauge the light levels in a scene, so you have a little control over your camera's output. ISO ratings - a measure of a camera's sensitivity - range from 64 to 400, which is typical for a camera of this price.

You can print pictures direct from the camera or transfer them to a computer through its USB interface. Effects can be applied to the images before they are transferred. Sepia, black and white, fish-eye and soft focus alter the character of a photo but are useful only if you are printing direct. Olympus provides a useful image management and editing suite. Although it lacks a comprehensive set of editing tools, it is perfectly suited to this type of camera.

Thankfully, in this highly styled product, Olympus hasn't lost sight of the fundamentals of camera design. It takes great pictures and is easy to use. At £195 it's not the cheapest 4-megapixel camera, but style always comes at a high price.