We were able to get a private demo of Olympus’ new cameras at CES, and the manufacturer hit all the hyped features of the year while also bringing some professional quality cameras to the table. Here’s a first look at Olympus’ new X-series as well as additions its made to current models.
Olympus showed us the latest member of the EPL family with the EPL2, as well as a larger-bodied any more professional DSLR SP610. The EPL2, like its predecessor, comes in a stylish package, but the body design is better suited for hand held use. It features larger front grip as well as an updated back paneling for easier one-hand shooting. The power and shoot buttons have also been modified to prevent accidental photos or unintentionally turning the camera off. Keeping up with its competitors, Olympus has also introduced a 3-inch LCD display screen.
The camera’s built-in filters have also been updated, included a more dramatic HDR imaging editor. You are also able to alter the degree of each filter, offering a more thorough in-camera editing process. It will retail for $599.99 and hits shelves at the end of the month.
We’re pretty excited about the PEN series update, but an entirely new addition for Olympus is its new X-series. It’s flagship camera, the XZ-1, is meant to appeal to professional shooters who wants a handheld device without sacrificing quality. And Olympus might be able to pull that off by including an iZUIKO lens (which is remarkably bright and fast) in the XZ-1, the first and thus far only compact digital camera with one. The XZ-1 also includes various auto-settings and filters for various skill levels. Higher-end digital camera developers have really delivered on the compact professional and DSLR end this year, and no doubt will continue with coming releases. It’s a great middle ground between beginner’s pocket cams and big-bodied DSLRs, and will cost you $499.99 and is also available at the end of the month.
Olympus hits just about every gimmicky camera trend we’ve seen this year with its TG-310 and TG-610). Still, they fill that niche and throw out a competitor model for other digital action cams. Olympus has added a 3D mode to the camera, which uses the two-shot technology to produce the images, new in-camera effects and filters, auto-focus tracking, and eye-Fi card compatibility for immediate, wireless uploading. The TG-310 and TG-610 are also now 14 megapixel cameras and can withstand more rough-housing than the previous generation. Our exhibitor also mentioned the cameras can shoot 3D underwater, something many rival 3D digital cameras haven’t offered yet. The TG-310 retails for $199.99 and the TG-610 for $299.99 in February.
Introducing the S-series
Olympus also introduced a lightweight, full-featured DSLR, the SP-610UZ. We’d best describe this as a highly capable family camera: intermediary photographers looking for the next step might want to reach a little higher, but it’s still a quality machine that doesn’t have a steep learning curve or require a giant bag to lug its bits around. It also includes the previously mentioned built-in filters, an HDMI port, and 3D mode. All useful and fun options, but it’s really the SP-610UZ’s 22x optical zoom and 14 megapixels image sensor that will give you high caliber photos without being a huge investment: it’s only $229.99 and will be available in February.
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