Steve's Digicams - Breaking News - Olympus 12/22/03 Press Release

Olympus To Introduce Digital Macro Flashes For 100% Digital E-System In January

See our Olympus E-1 First Look

Melville, NY, December 22, 2003 – Olympus America Inc. will introduce two new macro photography flash units for its award-winning E-1 professional digital SLR in late January 2004. The Olympus STF-22 Twin Flash Set and SRF-11 Ring Flash Set are designed specifically for digital capture, as are all the product offerings in the innovative Olympus E-System, the world’s first 100% all-digital interchangeable lens SLR system.

"These new flashes deliver the consistent, even distribution of light necessary for digital capture," explains John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Olympus America Inc. "With film photography, you can have drop-off of the light at the edges and still get a decent image. For digital photography, the light illumination from the center to the edge needs to be more consistent with less drop-off, and that’s what our flashes deliver."

The SRF-11 Ring Flash Set (MSRP .00 USD) delivers soft, even illumination ideal for seeing inside crevices and revealing detail. The STF-22 Twin Flash Set (MSRP .00 USD) delivers light from the sides instead of directly from the front, casting shadows that reveal surface texture as well as detail.

The new macro flash units can be attached to the Olympus E-System’s 50mm f2.0 Zuiko Digital Macro lens with the additional FS-FR1 flash adapter ring for true macro photography. The Ring and Twin macro flashes can also be used on the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm and 50-200mm lenses via their 67mm filter threads. The FS-FC1 macro flash controller can be used with the FP-1 Power Flash Grip or attaches to the hot shoe of the E-1, and powered by CR-3V lithium batteries or, for the fastest recycle times, the SHV-1 High Voltage Battery Pack. The macro flash controller FS-FC1 can be used to control either the SRF-11 or STF-22 macro flash heads.

Historically, Olympus has been known for superb product offerings in the photomicography (macro photography) area, with many hospitals having used Olympus equipment for medical photography over the years. The two new flashes for the E-System continue this legacy into the digital realm.

The Olympus E-System: Digital From the Ground Up

The Olympus Digital SLR System with Digital Specific Lenses™, based on the new Four Thirds open standard for digital SLR cameras and interchangeable lenses, is the world’s first 100 percent all-digital interchangeable SLR System. The Olympus system provides professional photographers with powerful advantages in terms of edge-to-edge image quality, camera and lens size, durability, and speed.

The first camera in the Olympus E-System, the E-1 digital SLR, has won a succession of recent awards for its innovative design and superior performance from Popular Science, Professional Photographer, Electronic Publishing and the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA).

The E-System currently includes the E-1 digital SLR and five Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses: 14-54mm f2.8-3.5; 50-200mm f2.8-3.5; 50mm f2.0 1:2 Macro; 300mm f2.8 Super Telephoto; and TC14 1.4X Teleconverter. Also available are the FL-50 Flash and Accessories and the Power Battery Holder Set. The 11-22mm F2.8-3.5 wide-angle zoom lens, the latest Zuiko Digital Specific Lens designed for the Olympus E-System, will be available in early February 2004.

The Four Thirds System

The new Four Thirds System is an open standard for digital SLR cameras and interchangeable lens systems that utilize a 4/3-type image sensor. Adopted by a consortium of leading manufacturers including Olympus, Kodak and Fuji, the Four Thirds System is designed to achieve an optimal balance between image quality, camera size, and system expandability. The system maximizes the performance of image sensors and lenses, and establishes a common standard for lens mounts, allowing photographers greater flexibility with a choice of bodies and lenses from different manufacturers using the Four Thirds System.

About Olympus

Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a global leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing optical-digital product solutions for health care and consumer segments. The company leverages R& D investment in technology and manufacturing processes across diverse business lines that include:

• digital and film cameras, and digital voice recorders;
• minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical endoscopes;
• advanced clinical and research microscopes;
• chemistry-immuno analyzers and lab automation systems.

For more information about the Olympus Digital SLR System including detailed specs for the E-1, lenses and accessories, please visit www.olympusamerica.com.