Posts Tagged ‘Olympus’
December 14th, 2011 by Allison Gibson Posted in Blog, News
Olympus announced today the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ (35mm equivalent 24–100mm) lens, which, as a new addition to the PEN lineup, is the first “fully-compatible interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens to incorporate an electronic motorized zoom.” The announcement comes at a time of great instability for the manufacturer in the wake of financial scandal. As longtime fans of the brand and its equipment, we’re glad to see the launch of an innovative piece of gear.
The new lens has three zoom speeds, achieved by turning the barrel slowly, quickly, or at an intermediate rate, with each speed producing a different effect. Additionally, you have the option to takeover full manual control. Focusing is possible between 8 and 20 inches for close-up shooting in macro mode (there is a macro button on the side of the lens). The lens also features a smooth and quiet motor, which is a bonus for shooting video, combating camera shake and unwanted zzzzzzzz noises in that background of your footage.
The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ will be available in mid-January for an estimated $499.99. More from Olympus below.
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November 8th, 2011 by Allison Gibson Posted in Blog, News
Olympus—considered one of the top camera companies in the world—announced today that three of its top executives have been been hiding investment losses for the past two decades. Bloomberg reports that in the wake of the brewing scandal, which included an FBI investigation last month, “The Japanese camera maker’s shares slumped 29 percent yesterday after it reversed weeks of denials that there was any wrongdoing in past acquisitions. The company fired Executive Vice President Hisashi Mori over his role in covering up the losses with former Chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, who resigned last week, and said auditor Hideo Yamada would step down.”
So what does this mean for the future of the 92-year-old brand? Reuters quotes ITC Investment Partners chief investment officer Ryosuke Okazaki as saying, “The future of the company is extremely dark,” and reports that Josh Shores—the biggest non-Japanese Olympus shareholder, who owns 5 percent of the company—is calling for a replacement of the entire board.
(via Bloomberg, Reuters)
July 27th, 2011 by Allison Gibson Posted in Blog, Cameras, News
Olympus has announced the compact new SP-810UZ digital camera, which they’re billing as a perfect travel camera because of its compact size and powerful zoom range. With a wide 42-864mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens and a 36x optical zoom, the SP-810UZ has “the best zoom performance Olympus has ever delivered,” according to the company’s product manager. It is also “one of the smallest compact cameras currently on the market with a zoom of 36x.” The SP-810UZ will be available in September for an estimated $329.99. See the press release below for more details.
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July 5th, 2011 by Allison Gibson Posted in Blog, Cameras, News
Olympus has announced two next generation cameras in their PEN lineup—the E-P3 and E-PL3 interchangeable lens digital cameras—as well as a new compact PEN: the E-PM1. The E-PL3 comes right on the heels of its predecessor, the E-PL2 (reviewed here), which was only announced at CES in January. The EP3 (pictured above) takes the helm as the new flagship PEN camera, following last year’s EP2, with upgrades that include: a 614,000 pixel, high-resolution OLED touchscreen, a reengineered “world’s fastest” auto focus with 35 separate focus points, and a new Truepic VI image processor for faster shot-to-shot times. See the full press release, with more info on all three cameras, below.
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April 5th, 2011 by Allison Gibson Posted in Camera Reviews, E.V.I.L. Cameras, Olympus PEN E-PL2
Olympus PEN E-PL2: Creative and Compact Interchangeable Lens Camera
Text and Images by Allison Gibson
I first got a hands-on look at the Olympus PEN E-PL2 when it was announced at CES Las Vegas earlier this year. Even at first glance, I was impressed by the fourth generation compact, interchangeable lens PEN camera. The new exaggerated rubber hand grip and slightly smaller body (than that of its predecessor–the PEN E-PL1) make the camera more efficient, and updates like the new Live Guide feature for still and video preview, take this travel-friendly camera to a more professional level.
Operating on the Micro Four Thirds standard (read about mirrorless technology, and how it differs from single lens reflex, here), the PEN E-PL2 boasts a 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor—the same size sensor as the one inside the Olympus E-30 and E-620 DSLRs. The most obvious advantage to the Micro Four Thirds camera is that it packs that large image sensor—with its enhanced low-light performance and image quality—into a more svelte and manageable body, while still allowing for interchangeable lenses.
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