Steve's Digicams - Breaking News - Olympus 09/16/04 Press Release

Olympus Introduces The World’s Smallest 7.1-Megapixel, 5X Optical Zoom Digital Camera: The C-7000 Zoom

Distinctive Titanium Colored Body is Smallest in Its Class; World-Class Optics, Fast Processing, Enhanced Auto Focus, Large Viewable LCD, and More Advanced Features

Melville, New York, September 16, 2004 – The new Olympus C-7000 Zoom is proof that good things do come in small packages. The world’s smallest 7.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom digital camera packs numerous advanced technologies for ultra-high image quality into an incredibly compact body with a convenient, easy-to-carry size. Its wealth of sophisticated features and intuitive operation allows users of all skill levels to achieve their precise creative goals. Just when one feature has been mastered, yet another facet awaits to be discovered inside this tiny gem of a camera.

"Olympus C-series cameras combine easy-to-use automatic functions with a high degree of manual, customizable control to obtain just the right effect for every image, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user." said Richard Campbell, product marketing director, Olympus America Inc. "With the C-7000, the smallest and lightest 7.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom digital camera in the world, Olympus has created a high performance imaging tool that’s portable enough to take virtually anywhere your creativity may lead you."

Designed to Do More

The C-7000 includes a newly developed 5x optical zoom lens (f2.8/f4.8 – f8.0, 38mm – 190mm equivalent) that is specifically designed to maximize the imaging potential of its high-definition 7.1-megapixel CCD sensor. United with Olympus’ exclusive TruePic TURBO™ Image Processor that suppresses noise and boosts image definition to ensure sharper, clearer images, the sensor and lens capture high-resolution images that deliver excellent color definition, clarity, and high contrast. With a fast startup of less than one second and a fast shutter release time, the C-7000 ensures high-speed response that allows users to enjoy high-quality imaging the instant they place the camera in their hands.

Delivering Style

Measuring just 4"(W) x 2.3"(H) x 1.7"(D), and weighing a mere 7.7 ounces, the C-7000 is the smallest and lightest 7.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom digital camera in the world. Destined to become an instant classic, the camera's metal body is finished in a sophisticated Premium Titanium color that has a retro look reminiscent of earlier Olympus digital cameras. While offering the high mobility of a compact camera, the body design assures a level of functional operating ease that is appropriate to a high-performance model.

Intelligent Design for the Most Realistic Digital Images

Incorporating two lens elements that are aspherical on both sides, the C-7000 captures images of such high quality that they produce beautiful prints in sizes as large as 16 x 20 inches. In addition, the 5x optical zoom lens can be combined with 6x digital zoom to achieve up to 30x total zoom capability that can beautifully capture distant subjects without sacrificing image clarity in the final result.

The camera’s Super Macro mode with an extremely shallow depth of field enables users to shoot from as close as 0.8, filling the frame with truly dramatic close-up images.

Designed for High Performance

Numerous professional SLR-type features are included to satisfy the needs of advanced users. For example, an Autofocus (AF) Target Selection function allows users to choose from 143 different AF target zones, enabling them to focus on virtually any area of their composition without reframing the shot. When AF Target Selection is active, users can choose the autofocus target zone they want to use from a 143-zone grid displayed on the camera's LCD monitor. Target zone selection is easily accomplished via the dedicated AE/AF button and keypad on the back of the camera. In addition, the camera is equipped with an AF illuminator to ensure greater focusing accuracy in low-light situations.

The manual focusing function makes it possible to focus accurately and override autofocus. The area that the user wants to focus on is shown enlarged in the center of the LCD monitor, making it easy to adjust focus via the keypad on the back of the camera. Thanks to the monitor's large screen, the enlarged area is clearly visible for easy focusing.

For the first time on an Olympus compact digital camera, users can directly confirm exposure even when shooting. In both shooting and playback modes, the camera can be set to indicate overexposed areas with red highlighting, and underexposed areas with blue highlighting. In addition, a histogram can be displayed on the LCD monitor, making it possible for users to more easily achieve their creative intentions by identifying overexposed or underexposed areas.

Designed to Be Seen

A large 2.0-inch LCD monitor with approximately 206,000 pixels allows images to be displayed beautifully in a large size during shooting and playback. Adopting Semi-Transmissive TFT Color LCD ensures that the monitor is easy to view in bright outdoor light, enabling it to be used as a viewfinder for shooting in virtually any location. In addition, the monitor's large size also enhances still image and movie viewing pleasure.

Designed for You

Simply select a scene mode and the camera is ready to photograph the situation at hand with the optimum aperture, shutter speed, white balance, color saturation and flash setting. With 10 scene program modes including Program Auto, Aperture, Shutter and Manual plus Night Scene, Sport, Landscape, Black & White, Landscape + Portrait, Portrait, and QuickTime Movie mode there’s a mode for every occasion.

Other advanced features on the C-7000 allow greater customization. These features include four user-definable My Mode settings to allow users to create original combinations of white balance, sharpness, contrast, and other settings, and an easy-to-view histogram function. In addition, a user-definable custom button on the back of the camera can be programmed to activate the setting that the user applies most frequently.

Digital image management has never been easier than with OLYMPUS Master™ software that enables users of Olympus digital cameras to get the most out of their digital experience. With a logical and intuitive user interface, OLYMPUS Master allows users to instantly store and manage images, by keyword or by shooting date, in an easily-searchable Calendar View database so they never misplace digital photos again. Powerful, one-click editing tools – including improved red-eye reduction – enable users to optimize their images prior to printing on a postcard, index card, calendar, or via online services. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other services are just a mouse-click away.

For those shots so memorable that they simply must be printed, the C-7000 features PictBridge technology to make printing quality photos a breeze. Just connect the camera via the included USB 2.0 cable directly to any PictBridge-enabled printer – such as the Olympus P-10 Digital Photo Printer – and start printing. In addition, transferring images to the computer has never been easier with the Auto-Connect USB 2.0 that does not require software drivers (for most computers/operating systems) for hassle-free and high-speed image downloads. The C-7000 also comes with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery and charger.

Designed with More Features For More Excitement

• Time-Lapse Interval Shooting - Included on an Olympus compact camera for the first time, interval shooting can be set to take photos at 1- to 60-minute intervals, making it ideal for time-lapse photography.

• RAW Data Recording for PC-Based Post-Processing - RAW data recording allows totally unprocessed image data to be stored in the camera so it can undergo high-level post-processing later for printing or other applications.

• 30 Frames-Per-Second VGA Movie Shooting for Smooth Playback - 30fps VGA (Size: 640 x 480 pixels; Frame rate: 30 frames per second, 25fps for PAL format) provides television-quality movie recording, so instead of only being able to view movies in a small size on a computer monitor, they can be enjoyed in a large size on TV screen. In any mode, movie recording length is only limited by the available memory on the xD-Picture Card. With a microphone and speaker in the camera body, movies can be heard as well as seen.

• Automatic Red-Eye Fix Function - For the first time on an Olympus digital camera, a Red-Eye Fix function is built right into the camera, allowing photos that exhibit red-eye to be corrected with one-touch ease.

• Calendar Function - The Calendar function organizes photos according to the date they were taken, displaying the first photo taken on each date in a calendar format on the LCD monitor. Because it makes it easy to manage images by date, users can have fun creating their own photo album diary.

• Panorama Photography - Panorama images can be created using the included Olympus Master editing software and an Olympus xD-Picture Card.

• Slideshows - A slideshow function allows users to display their favorite images as an automatic slideshow. A choice of "Normal, "Slide, "Fade, and "Zoom" slide transitions is offered to further increase viewing enjoyment. In Zoom playback, slides appear from the center of the screen and expand outward until they cover the previous slide.

• In-Camera Recharging - The optional D-7AC adapter (.99 MSRP) allows the batteries to be recharged while still inside the camera body. The camera comes with a Li-ion rechargeable battery and charger.

Availability

The C-7000 Zoom will be available beginning October 2004. It includes a 32MB xD-Picture Card, Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, an Auto-Connect USB 2.0 cable, Audio/Video Out cable, wrist strap, OLYMPUS Master Software, user manual and Quick Start Guide.

U.S. Pricing
C-7000 Zoom Estimated Street Price: .99 (U.S.)

ABOUT OLYMPUS

Olympus is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering innovative solutions in healthcare and consumer electronics worldwide.

Olympus works collaboratively with its customers and its parent company, Tokyo-based Olympus Corporation, to leverage R&D investment in precision technology and manufacturing processes across diverse business lines. These include:

• Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products;

• Advanced clinical and research microscopes;

• Lab automation systems, chemistry-immuno and blood bank analyzers and reagents; and

• Digital and film cameras, and digital voice recorders.

In the U. S. and Canada, Olympus serves healthcare, scientific and commercial laboratory markets with integrated product solutions and financial, educational and consulting services that help customers efficiently, reliably, safely, and easily achieve superior results. Olympus is the leader in gastrointestinal endoscopy and clinical and educational microscopes. The company's market-leading consumer electronics business spans North and South America. For more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com.