Digital Camera News and Reviews

Updates from the camera world



Category: Olympus

DxOMark releases Raw data analyzes for Olympus SP-570 UZ bridge camera

2 April, 2009 (10:31) | Compact Camera, Olympus, Review | By: Camera News

Olympus SP-570 UZ
Olympus SP-570 UZ

DXO Labs has updated their website dxomark.com with their latest test results of Raw data for the Olympus SP-570 UZ bridge camera.

Some key features for the Olympus SP-570 UZ:
-10 megapixel sensor
-20x optical zoom lens (26-520mm equivalent, f2.8-4.5)
-image stabilization
-2.7″ LCD screen

Read all the Raw data analyzes Olympus SP-570 UZ camera here.

Press release:
Analyses of Additional Olympus Cameras Now Available on DxOMark.com

DxOMark.com publishes Raw performance data on the Olympus E-410 dSLR and the Olympus SP-570 UZ bridge camera

PARIS, France — March 31 — DxO Labs announces today the publication of detailed Raw-based image quality data and DxOMark Sensor rankings on its popular http://www.DxOMark.com Web site for two additional cameras, the Olympus E-410 dSLR and a bridge model, the Olympus SP-570 UZ.

“Serious photographers can now factor in the data on these cameras when considering which models best fit their needs and budgets,” said Nicolas Touchard, Vice President of Marketing, DxO Labs Image Quality Evaluation. “We are pleased to continue to provide data on as many currently-available digital cameras as possible.”

DxOMark.com continues to grow and now furnishes image quality data on 66 digital cameras with pixel pitches ranging from 1.7 microns to 9.5 microns and with resolutions ranging from 4 Mp to 39 Mp. The DxOMark.com database is the only Raw sensor-based comparison resource on the web that covers such a broad range of sensor sizes and formats, thereby providing a unique resource to all advanced photographers who are looking for in-depth image quality evaluation tools.

DxOMark releases Raw data analyzes for Olympus E-410 DSLR camera

2 April, 2009 (10:12) | DSLR, Olympus, Review | By: Camera News

Olympus E-410
Olympus E-410

DXO Labs has updated their website dxomark.com with their latest test results of Raw data for an older DSLR camera from Olympus, the Olympus E-410. It is interesting to see how the older sensor performs against the newer DSLR cameras from different brands such as Canon, Nikon and Sony.

Read all the Raw data analyzes for the Olympus E-410 here.

Press release:
Analyses of Additional Olympus Cameras Now Available on DxOMark.com

DxOMark.com publishes Raw performance data on the Olympus E-410 dSLR and the Olympus SP-570 UZ bridge camera

PARIS, France — March 31 — DxO Labs announces today the publication of detailed Raw-based image quality data and DxOMark Sensor rankings on its popular http://www.DxOMark.com Web site for two additional cameras, the Olympus E-410 dSLR and a bridge model, the Olympus SP-570 UZ.

“Serious photographers can now factor in the data on these cameras when considering which models best fit their needs and budgets,” said Nicolas Touchard, Vice President of Marketing, DxO Labs Image Quality Evaluation. “We are pleased to continue to provide data on as many currently-available digital cameras as possible.”

DxOMark.com continues to grow and now furnishes image quality data on 66 digital cameras with pixel pitches ranging from 1.7 microns to 9.5 microns and with resolutions ranging from 4 Mp to 39 Mp. The DxOMark.com database is the only Raw sensor-based comparison resource on the web that covers such a broad range of sensor sizes and formats, thereby providing a unique resource to all advanced photographers who are looking for in-depth image quality evaluation tools.

Olympus announces compact DSLR camera – Olympus E-450

31 March, 2009 (09:23) | DSLR, Olympus | By: Camera News

Olympus E-450
Olympus E-450

Today Olympus announced a new compact DSLR called Olympus E-450. The E-450 is very similar to the E-420, but has a few improvements including 3 new art filters, a new TruePic III+ processor, improved continuous shooting buffer (8 RAW-files instead of 6) and an improved LCD screen.
Some key features for the Olympus E-450:
-3 art filters (Pop Art, Soft Focus and Pin Hole)
-TruePic III+ processor
-improved continuous shooting buffer (8 RAW-files instead of 6)
-improved bulb mode to 30 minutes
-better LCD screen

The Olympus E-450 will be available in May 2009 and cost about $700 which include the kit lenses Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 and ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko.

Press release:
OLYMPUS BRINGS CREATIVE FREEDOM TO THE E-450 DSLR

New Entry-Level Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera Debuts Mother’s Day Weekend

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., March 31, 2009 – Olympus announces its new entry-level digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, which is small in size and powerful in creativity. The new E-450 continues the E-400 series’ heritage of a small and portable design, powerful features, and ease of use for any skill level, including first time digital camera users. Thanks to Art Filters pioneered with the E-30 and E-620, the E-450 provides consumers with the creative freedom to capture their images in new fun and exciting ways.

The three Art Filters – Pop Art, Pin Hole and Soft Focus – bring greater creativity and freestyle experimentation to the new E-450. The creative filters were first introduced in Olympus’ E-30 prosumer DSLR earlier this year, and now enable consumers to express themselves and capture it all – limited only by their imagination. The E-450 offers the 10-megapixel imager and other features from the E-420.

The new camera also provides heavyweight technologies, including a bigger, more viewable 2.7-inch LCD and fast consumer-friendly On-Screen Autofocus, Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology and Perfect Shot Preview to get the most out of the Live View experience. Additionally, when it comes to Live View, not all LCDs are created equal. At 2.7-inches, the portable E-450 LCD is large enough for users to compose and review images without squinting. The small camera’s LCD is part of a camera with technologies intelligent enough to take advantage of the Live View photography experience. These innovative technologies include:

On-Screen Autofocus works as seamlessly as a point-and-shoot to display subjects in focus on the LCD the instant the shutter is pressed half way;

Face Detection Technology targets and locks on up to eight faces to ensure they are in focus and crystal clear for amazing portraits;

New and Improved HyperCrystal II™ Technology delivers twice the contrast and better viewing in extreme lighting conditions, a broader range of color detail, and a wider angle of view on the LCD so you and your friends can see it up to 176 degrees off-center;

Shadow Adjustment Technology captures detail in the bright areas of a frame and opens up detail in the shadows that other cameras would render too dark or underexposed; and

Perfect Shot Preview enables you to view and select your favorite effect right on the LCD, and see how the image will look before you even capture it, so you know that what you see is what you get.

Olympus is scheduled to launch the E-450 DSLR on leading multimedia retailer QVC® Saturday, May 9.

“We are thrilled to debut the much-anticipated Olympus E-450,” said Rob Ellerstein, director of electronics merchandising for QVC. “Thanks to our strong relationship with Olympus, we are not only offering the most innovative new products but we are also giving our customers the opportunity to order them before they hit stores.”

The product will be widely available in the U.S. and Canada in July.

Make Your Vision Come to Life with Art Filters
If you’re hoping to get more out of your camera than simply capturing and documenting a scene, and enjoy enhancing or customizing an image to make it your own, then you will value the camera’s Art Filters. The filters, which are built into the camera, provide incredible individual artistic control over an image, and remove the need to spend time altering images on the computer with editing software.

This camera was made for free-style shooting, experimenting and engaging with events and subjects. Enjoy the freedom of Autofocus Live View and dramatic effects to transform your day-to-day shots into compositions that you can be proud of with the following in-camera Art Filters:

Pop Art: Enhances colors, making them more saturated and vivid, creating high-impact pictures that express the joyful, lighthearted feeling of the Pop Art style of the 1960s;

Soft Focus: Creates an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere that renders subjects in a heavenly light without obscuring details; and

Pin Hole: Reduces the peripheral brightness of an image as though it were shot through a pin hole, connecting the viewer intimately with the subject at the center of the picture.

Art Filters are easily activated with the mode dial on the right side of the camera body. The effects are viewable right on the new camera’s 100 percent accurate 2.7-inch Live View LCD when using the E-450 in Live View mode or when reviewing the captured image.

The Live View Experience
Olympus was the first to bring Live View to a consumer DSLR (the E-330 in 2006), and Live View has revolutionized DSLR photography. Anyone who has photographed young children knows that you get the best reactions when you hold the camera away from your face and maintain eye contact and an engaging smile. If you have tried to take photos high above the heads in a crowd or low near the ground, you will appreciate that it is easier to use the LCD screen than to climb a ladder or lie on the ground.

The E-450 solves these problems with its Live View LCD, which enables photographers to easily and comfortably hold the camera at angles that could not be reached by using the optical viewfinder alone. The E-450’s Live View autofocus functionality now simplifies the process by working just like a point and shoot. By simply pressing the shutter button halfway, your subjects come into focus on the LCD, so when the perfect moment occurs it is easy to capture sharp images.

Always Find a Face in the Crowd
A camera this consumer-friendly is perfect for taking portraits of friends and family while out and about. The E-450’s Face Detection feature distinguishes between people’s faces and the background. It tracks up to eight faces within the image area and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures. Even if your subjects are moving, the camera continuously tracks their faces.

Bright Day or Deep Shadow, Never Miss a Detail
Shooting scenes with shadows can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-450 addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that compensates for extreme contrast when shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. Now users can preview and capture images with the same fine contrast they see with their own eyes.

Preview All the Possibilities
With 18 pre-set scene-select modes for every imaginable shooting scenario and full manual controls, the E-450 offers a world of possibilities to photographers. Additionally, Perfect Shot Preview enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-window screen on the LCD before snapping the shot. This feature shows photographers what their images will look like beforehand under various settings, ensuring that they capture exactly what they want. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

Enlarge Your Photos
Capturing, enlarging and displaying amazing images on your wall is a snap thanks to the E-450’s 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives users the flexibility to enlarge prints to the sizes supported by many of today’s printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-450 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity and a state-of-the-art image processor dramatically reduces noise and captures fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Improved Auto White Balance
Many digital SLR users want to focus their attention on things other than white balance while they are on the move. As a result, the E-450 features an improved automatic white balance performance with a new algorithm for more accurate color.

TruePic III+ for Image Clarity & Speed
Olympus’ TruePic III+ Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III+ also lowers image noise by one step to reduce graininess in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Worried about missing the winning goal at the soccer game? The image processor on the E-450 enables it to shoot up to 3.5 frames per second in sequential shooting mode, which means that photographers will be able to capture fast-paced action as it happens.

Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
Life moves too fast to spend time worrying about dust ruining your images. Olympus’ proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter™. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. This results in beautiful images free from dust spots, which could ruin or be distracting on an image.

Media Versatility
Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the E-450 provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Wireless Flash Capability
If you decide to venture into the arena of advanced lighting, the E-450 is ready to meet the challenge. The E-450 is compatible with the Olympus FL-50R and FL-36R wireless electronic flashes that are designed exclusively for digital photography. When these flashes are used in combination with the E-450, wireless multi-flash photography is possible. The E-450 can control up to three wireless flash groups independently, with several flash units per group.

Availability
The Olympus E-450 DSLR will be available in July 2009. It includes E-450 Body, ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens, ED 40-150mm f4.0/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Warranty Card.

U.S. Pricing
E-450 Two-Lens Kit Estimated Street Price: $699.99

Olympus SP-565 UZ ultrazoom camera review / test by Digital Camera Review

30 March, 2009 (10:42) | Compact Camera, Olympus, Review | By: Camera News

Olympus SP-565 UZ
Olympus SP-565 UZ

Digitalcamerareview.com has reviewed an ultrazoom compact camera from Olympus, the Olympus SP-565 UZ. This camera features a 20x optical zoom lens and a 10 megapixel sensor.

Some key features for the Olympus SP-565 UZ:
-20x optical zoom lens (26-520mm, f/2.8-4.5)
-10 megapixel sensor (1/2.33″ CCD)
-2.5″ LCD screen
-image stabilization
-33 shooting modes including manual controls

Digitalcamerareview.com ends up giving the Olympus superzoom camera a pretty good rating as the camera is able to take pretty good pictures and the camera has a nice price. Since the SP-565 UZ has manual controls it is suitable for more experienced photographers too.
The only downsides are some distortion at the longest focal lengths, some high light clipping and some purple fringing at high contrast edges.
Read the full review of the Olympus SP-565 UZ camera here.


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