Digital Camera News and Reviews

Olympus has updated the firmware for the lenses Zukio Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 and Zukio Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6. The firmware will update the lenses so they will support the new contrast detection autofocus in live view in the upcoming Olympus E-420.

Olympus E-3 DSLR

DIWA Labs has tested five Olympus Zuiko Digital lenses on the Olympus E-3 camera body. Four of the lenses are from the Olympus’ Pro Series while the fifth lens, the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 18-180mm f/3.5-6.3, is from the standard series.
The Pro Series lenses tested are Zuiko Digital ED 50mm f/2.0 Macro, Zuiko Digital ED 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5, Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 and Zuiko Digital ED 150mm f/2 with the EC-14 teleconverter.
DIWA Labs states that the Zuiko Digital ED 150mm f/2 is the best lens they have ever tested.

Read the tests of the Olympus lenses here.
The tests done by DIWA Labs are very technical so you need to read their test guide to understand the test results.

Olympus Mju 1020 limited edition

LetsGoDigital reports that Olympus has made a limited edition of the white Mju 1020 in only 5,000 copies. The critically acclaimed artist Matei Apostolescu has made 3 artsy skins for the camera to make the Mju camera look very unique. I’m sure this look will draw a lot of attention from other parents when you take photos of your kid playing soccer 😉

The Olympus Mju 1020 limited edition is out on the marked now.

Olympus Mju 1020 limited edition main features:
• 7x optical zoom (37-260mm) for exciting close ups
• 10.1 Megapixels to make poster-size prints
• 6.9cm/2.7″ HyperCrystal II LCD with extra bright display even in direct sunlight
• 23 scene modes for the best results in different situations
• Slim, metallic body
• Underwater shooting up to 40m possible in combination with optional underwater case PT-042
• Avoids blur thanks to Dual Image Stabilisation
• Face Detection Technology for perfectly focused and exposed faces
• Correct exposure of other image areas
• Better low light shooting thanks to BrightCapture Technology
• New in-camera Panorama function
• Liven up your memories with movie recording with sound (up to VGA resolution at 30fps)
• TruePic III image processor for faster image handling and higher image quality

Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 pancake lens

In addition to the Olympus E-420 Olympus also announced a new lens. The Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 is a so called pancake lens and is very compact. The lens has an overall length of 23.5 mm and when combined with E-410 or E-420, the total length including the camera body and lens is only 76.5 mm.
With its relatively fast f2.8 and compact size it is a strong competitor to the Leica 25mm f1.4 prime lens that a considerably higher price tag.

Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 pancake lens will be released in mid April in Japan and early May in USA.


Press release:
Olympus Imaging Corporation (President: Masaharu Okubo) today announced the upcoming launch of the ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm f2.8, a thin, lightweight single-focus standard pancake-type lens fully compliant with the Four Thirds System standard for digital SLR cameras and scheduled for release in the middle of April, 2008.
Main Features

1. Thin, lightweight pancake-type lens with an overall length of 23.5 mm and weight of 95 grams
2. Digital-dedicated, high-image-quality design
3. Excellent close-up shooting capability
4. Screw-in aluminium lens cap, and lens hood (optional)

ZUIKO DIGITAL is a series of interchangeable lenses designed especially for use with digital SLR cameras. Featuring compliance with the Four Thirds System standard, these dedicated lenses maximize the potential of the high-performance image sensors used in digital SLRs.

The newly developed ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm f2.8 is a thin, lightweight single-focus standard pancake-type lens with a focal distance equivalent to 50 mm on a 35 mm camera lens. It offers both excellent portability thanks to the compact and lightweight advantages of the Four Thirds System and very sharp, clear imaging performance.

The lens has an overall length of 23.5 mm. When combined with the already released E-410 or the upcoming E-420 digital SLR camera, the total length including the camera body and lens is only 76.5 mm. The result is an easy-to-store, easy-to-carry camera system with go-anywhere portability. And when the lens with E-420 is used, “AF Live View” function, which makes Live View shooting easier and more convenient than ever, is available.

With a focal distance equivalent to 50 mm on a 35 mm film camera lens, this standard pancake-type lens provides an image angle very close to that of the naked eye. The result is a near-natural visual field that makes this an ideal standard lens for daily use, whether for simple snapshots or for more sophisticated portrait and landscape shooting.