Olympus blew the doors off the camera announcing train with six cameras released at CES this week: the STYLUS SH-50 IHS, two new STYLUS TOUGH IHS cameras, the TOUGH TG-2,the STYLUS SZ-16 iHS and the STYLUS SZ-15. There is kind of a lot to take in, so let's go one by one and so we can cover what these are all about.
STYLUS SH-50 IHS
Olympus is saying this is the first point and shoot camera with 5-axis video stabilization. A first for point-and-shoot cameras, its 24x optical zoom lens (25-600mm equivalent on a 35mm camera) combines with an advanced image stabilization mechanism, originally developed for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 flagship interchangeable lens camera, to compensate for image blur in all situations regardless of the scene. The result is brilliant still images and beautiful movies, even while using zoom.
The STYLUS SH-50 iHS is a true hybrid optimized for anyone looking to record virtually blur-free memories of any important milestone frozen in time or full of vivid motion. The SH-50 iHS is equipped with an Advanced Movie mode for powerful video recording functions including Photo-In-Movie that captures a full 16-megapixel still image while simultaneously shooting Full HD movies and High Speed Movies for 120 frame per second shooting in 720p HD and 240 frames per second in HVGA. The STYLUS SH-50 iHS includes 60i Movie--60 frames per second HD recording--for smoother images of moving subjects.
Its 16-megapixel Backlit CMOS sensor combines with the TruePic™ VI image processor to command an assortment of Olympus’s advanced iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) technologies to capture beautiful, sharp images of subjects even in challenging low-light situations and backlit scenes. The 3-axis Photo Image Stabilization mechanically compensates for rotary shift as well as horizontal and vertical angular shift to further enhance still images and eliminate blur.
An easy-to-use, touch-sensitive, 3.0-inch high resolution LCD screen is powered by the touch of a finger to focus on subjects and activate the shutter. Live Guide, a graphic user interface that provides simple assistance to control settings to capture the perfect image, adjusts color and tone at the swipe of a finger. Advanced photographers will appreciate onboard fully manual controls that customize settings to their comfort and shooting style.
Advanced Shadow Adjustment Technology adjusts dark areas within an image shot under backlit conditions so that a subject’s face can be revealed even under strong lighting, and Hand-Held Starlight mode, which helps users at night by capturing multiple images and stitching them together into a single, crisp photo, can now be used with a flash. With the flash on, the camera automatically merges an image of the subject illuminated with the flash in the foreground with a separate image of the background nightscape, to produce a single, clear night photo. In low-light, HDR Backlight Adjustment takes a collage of images at various exposure levels and blends them into one perfectly exposed photo. Eleven Magic Filters add a range of spectacular effects to both stills and video, and Beauty Mode with Make-up lets users easily apply everything from eyeliner to eye shadow and blush to subjects.
Users can easily share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone application (via optional Toshiba FlashAir™ SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).
The Olympus STYLUS SH-50 will be available in March at an estimated street price of $299.99
STYLUS SZ-16 iHS AND STYLUS SZ-15
The STYLUS SZ-16 iHS and STYLUS SZ-15 are both equipped with a 24x optical wide-angle zoom lens. Both long zooms have similar features, but the STYLUS SZ-16 iHS is optimized for moviemaking with 1080p Full HD video and Multi-Motion Movie Image Stabilization to record virtually blur-free videos even when the camera is moving. Its 16-megapixel CMOS sensor combined with the TruePic™ VI image processor, first developed for the Olympus PEN®, captures beautiful, sharp images of subjects even in challenging low-light situations and backlit scenes.
Olympus’ iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) Technology powers a number of features on the STYLUS SZ-16 iHS including Hand-Held Starlight mode which helps users at night, where image blur is more likely to occur, by capturing multiple images and stitching them together into a single, crisp, breathtaking photo without the use of a tripod. The STYLUS SZ-16 iHS’s blazing fast autofocus and HDR Backlight Adjustment combine to take a collage of images at various exposure levels and blend them into one perfectly exposed photo regardless of difficult lighting.
Built-in Dual Image Stabilization on both models, combined with ergonomically designed grips, allow for firm and comfortable support to help cut out blur caused by camera shake. These features are particularly useful for getting up close with a Super-Resolution Zoom of up to 48x zoom magnification at full resolution, capturing a series of images of a fast-moving subject with high-speed sequential shooting, or in Telephoto Macro mode when users are shooting the rich detail of small subjects like insects from inches away. Beyond their zoom power, the cameras’ impressive 25mm wide-angle lens takes in sweeping vistas, group shots and up-close macro images.
Both cameras are also equipped with eleven Magic Filters that add a range of spectacular effects to all of life’s adventures, both with stills and in video mode. Additional features include Beauty Make-up mode, which allows users to easily apply everything from eyeliner to eye shadow and blush to subjects as well as Smart Panorama which lets users take a dynamic panorama of up to 360-degrees, simply by moving the camera from side to side or up and down.
Users can easily share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone application (via optional Toshiba FlashAir™ SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).
The Olympus SZ-16 iHS and SZ-15 will both be available in March. SZ-16 iHS Estimated Street Price: $229.99 (Available in silver, white), SZ-15 Estimated Street Price: $199.99 (Available in silver, black and red).
Two New STYLUS TOUGH® IHS Cameras
Active photographers who want an action-packed camera to help them capture brilliant stills and high-speed full 1080p HD video as proof of their rugged adventures will gravitate to the STYLUS TOUGH TG-830 iHS. The rugged TG-830 iHS is perfect for a mountain adventure where a waterproof (down to 33 feet), shockproof (from 6.6-foot drops), crushproof (up to 220 pounds), freezeproof (down to 14°F) and dustproof body can withstand the elements. As intelligent as it is durable, it captures worry-free images in the most challenging environments with a 16-megapixel Back-Side Illuminated CMOS sensor and TruPic VI™ image processor.
Action photography is all about speed. Olympus iHS technology delivers with new high-speed shooting technology on the TG-830 iHS that captures High Speed video at 120 frames per second in 720p and 240 frames per second in HVGA along with High-Speed Sequential shooting of still images at the push of a button. Show off snowboarding stunts and other fast-moving action with slow-motion playback for that special touch. The TG-830 iHS, along with the STYLUS SH-50® iHS, another Olympus compact announced today, includes 60-frames-per-second HD recording, 60i Movie, for smoother images of moving subjects.
Adventurers may not have to leave one peak to capture the action on another thanks to a 5x optical zoom and 10x super-resolution zoom. Never decide between a still image and a movie with Multi- Recording that captures full HD video and images simultaneously. Camera shake caused by trembling hands is counteracted by dual image stabilization that moves the CMOS sensor via a shift-type image stabilization mechanism to reduce image blur. Built-in GPS records and displays locations and landmark information with every image so remembering that special location for birding, hunting, fishing or going downhill is simple.
Also announced today, the Olympus STYLUS TOUGH TG-630 iHS combines much of the technology of the TG-830 iHS in a new design at a budget-friendly price of under $200. The STYLUS TOUGH TG-630 iHS combines spectacular iHS-driven image quality with Olympus’ tried-and-true waterproof (16ft), shockproof (5.5ft), freezeproof (14°F) and dustproof durability. Driven by a powerful TruePic VI™ image processor and Backlit-CMOS sensor, the TG-630 iHS captures vibrant stills even in tough lighting conditions, while the High-Speed Sequential Shooting provides frame-by-frame replay of all the action. 1080p Full HD Video, Dual Image Stabilization and advanced features like Backlit HDR, Multi-Motion Movie Image Stabilization and Hand-Held Starlight mean that this little guy is packed full of technology to deliver uncompromising image quality regardless of your surroundings.
Enhanced iAuto in both models automatically detects 34 different scenes like portrait, landscape, macro, and even Snow & Beach. Eleven Magic Art filters capture scenes with creative flair, and beauty make-up mode adds that extra hint of blush when needed.
Users can easily share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone application (via optional Toshiba FlashAir™ SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).
The Olympus STYLUS TOUGH TG-830 iHS will be available in March with an Estimated Street Price: $279.99 (Available in Silver, Black, Red, and Blue)
The Olympus STYLUS TOUGH TG-630 iHS will also be available in March at an Estimated Street Price: $199.99 (Available in White, Red, Black, and Blue)
STYLUS TOUGH TG-2
the TG-2 can survive up to 50 feet under water for macro photography on the bottom of the ocean. That's 10 feet deeper than its predecessor. It also withstands the rigors of other extreme conditions with its advanced ruggedized body construction that is shockproof up to 6.6 feet, freezeproof to 14°F, crushproof to a weight of 220 pounds and dustproof.
This high-speed performer delivers brilliant images courtesy of its high-sensitivity, high-speed 12-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor combined with a blazing fast, DSLR-quality TruePic™ VI image processor. The iHS family of technologies unite for unmatched image quality in challenging shooting conditions with improved lighting, less noise and response times twice as fast as traditional point-and-shoot cameras.
The new Microscopic Macro function boosts zoom magnification from 4x to 14x with no noticeable loss of image quality from one centimeter away for true macro results. When the doubly powerful Super Resolution zoom is used, aspects of the natural world usually invisible to the naked eye, such as veins on a leaf and the details of an insect’s eye, are revealed. High-speed autofocus, enhanced Intelligent Auto for spectacular scene and subject recognition, and 8x Super-resolution zoom (4x optical zoom) produce incredible images in any location. The STYLUS TOUGH TG-2 iHS lens adapter converter ring expands system capability by enabling the addition of a waterproof Fisheye Converter Lens or Teleconverter Lens for use on land or under water.
With five frames-per-second high-speed burst shooting or 60 frames-per-second at 3-megapixel resolution, Movie enthusiasts can shoot 1080p Full HD videos (1920x1080 pixels) while Multi-Motion Movie Image Stabilization compensates for movement during recording to create smoother videos.
A 1:2.0-4.9 wide-aperture high-speed lens enables the user to capture dramatic shots with low depth of field or reduced blur in low light. The Manual aperture priority mode allows the user to set the aperture to give pictures different expressions, or for professional-looking effects like background blur.
In low-light conditions, HDR Backlight Adjustment takes a collage of images at various exposure levels and blends them into one perfectly exposed photo. The camera’s LED Illuminator perfectly captures the mood of low-light indoor scenes, beautiful sunsets or late-night outdoor festivities without a bright flash. Shadow Adjustment Technology adjusts shadows within an image shot under backlit conditions so that a subject’s face can be revealed even under harsh lighting. Eleven Magic Filters add a range of spectacular effects to both stills and video.
The camera’s three-inch, high-resolution OLED display (610K dots) provides excellent visibility in bright situations, enabling composition of the perfect shot in direct sunlight. Mark a special spot on the map with the GPS and e-compass functions that display and record location and landmark information with every shot. The built-in manometer records elevation and water depth and even displays a warning when the user approaches a depth of 50 feet.
Users can easily share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone application (via optional Toshiba FlashAir™ SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).
Two bundled lens rings, one in red and one in black, and a premium wrist strap customize the camera’s look. The Olympus® PT-053 underwater housing takes the STYLUS TOUGH TG-2 iHS down to depths of 135 feet (45m).
The Olympus STYLUS TOUGH TG-2 iHS will be available in March for an estimated $379.99 (Available in Black and Red).
