Head to head
Olympus mju-II (Stylus Epic) vs Yashica T4
Two premium point-and-shoots from the 90s that show up on the same shortlist constantly, and for good reason: both are small, both have a fast sharp prime, both got swept up in the same hype wave that made used prices silly. The single biggest split is the lens. The Olympus runs a 35mm f/2.8 four-element design that is contrasty and clinical, while the Yashica wears a Carl Zeiss Tessar 35mm f/3.5 that renders a touch warmer and gentler. One is faster glass, the other is the famous name.
How they differ
In hand they feel different. The mju-II is the smaller, lighter body with a sliding clamshell cover that powers it on, and it is genuinely pocketable in a way the chunkier T4 is not. Autofocus on the Olympus is quick and the f/2.8 lens buys you an extra third of a stop, which matters in low light when you are already pushing the meter. The T4 focuses a little more deliberately and the f/3.5 maximum aperture asks for slightly more light, but the Tessar is a celebrated optic and the files have a smooth, slightly muted character that a lot of people specifically chase.
Practical stuff: the T4 (specifically the T4 Super, sold as the T5 in some markets) adds a waist-level "Super Scope" finder for shooting from the hip, which the Olympus has no answer to. The mju-II is splash-resistant; the T4 is weather-sealed and feels a bit more rugged. Both are flash-forward by default and you have to re-disable flash every power cycle, a shared annoyance. On price and availability, both have climbed hard, but clean working mju-II bodies tend to turn up more often and usually cost a little less than a tested T4, which has become a collector trophy.
Choose Olympus mju-II (Stylus Epic)
Pick the mju-II if you want the smallest, lightest thing that still has a fast lens. The f/2.8 and snappy autofocus make it the better grab-and-go for street, travel, and dim interiors where you cannot use flash. It also tends to be easier to find in working condition and a bit cheaper, so it is the saner buy if you just want to shoot and not baby a collectible.
Full Olympus mju-II (Stylus Epic) guide →Choose Yashica T4
Go for the T4 if the Zeiss Tessar look is the point, that slightly softer, warmer rendering people buy these for, and you do not mind the larger body or the slower f/3.5. The Super Scope hip-level finder on the T4 Super is a real creative tool for candid work. Choose it if you value the optic's reputation and build, and accept paying more for a tested copy.
Full Yashica T4 guide →The verdict
Honestly close. The mju-II is the more practical camera (smaller, faster, cheaper, easier to find), while the T4 wins on lens character and that hip-shot finder. If budget and availability drive you, the Olympus. If the Zeiss signature is what you are after, the Yashica. Either one will outlast the hype that priced them up.