olympus

Olympus ups the Evoltage

Though Live Preview--LCD previewing on dSLRs--hasn't gained widespread popularity, this spring Olympus is betting two cameras that snapshooters trading up to dSLRs are unwilling to part with the ability to frame scenes using the LCD. The nearly identical and closely priced Evolt E-410 and Evolt E-510 come in an array of configurations ranging from $699 to $999, with body only, single lens, and two lens kits. (Click here for photos.)

The 10-megapixel cameras differ by one feature, sensor-shift image stabilization, which is incorporated into the higher-end E-510. Olympus claims up to a 4-stop latitude for its image stabilization, and … Read more

Olympus hints at new digital SLRs

Taking a page from Nikon's playbook, Olympus is offering glimpses of new digital SLRs it appears likely to announce in conjunction with the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show next week.

An image at Olympus' European Web site shows two dimly lit SLRs labeled March 5, 2007--three days before the PMA show begins--and a larger hulking silhouette with no date.

Olympus trails Nikon and Canon in the digital SLR market. The company has allied with newcomer Panasonic, though, and the same "four-thirds" system lenses can be used on either company's digital SLR cameras. Olympus also uses … Read more

Radio features 37GB hard drive

Years into the MP3 and podcasting revolution, it's interesting to note that some of the more interesting audio technologies of late involve radio.

Olympus Japan is the latest to play Marconi with its VJ-10 digital radio, which Newlaunches says has a computer-sized 37GB hard drive. The capacity is so large, in fact, that Olympus is marketing the device in Japan as a radio server that it says can record up to 2,500 hours of programming.

There's no satellite reception, though, which seems to make the $335 price a bit high for a AM-FM tuner. But at least … Read more

Olympus' spring camera offerings

Olympus has a handful of new digital cameras on the way, including two models with some interesting features we haven't seen before.

The 7-megapixel Olympus SP-550UZ replaces the SP-510UZ as the company's premier ultrazoom camera. While the SP-510UZ had a powerful 12x zoom lens, its replacement goes even further. The SP-550UZ uses the most powerful zoom lens we've seen in a midrange camera, a 28mm-to-504mm-equivalent telephoto lens that offers an 18x magnification factor. The zoom power is impressive enough, but the 28mm-equivalent wide-angle shot makes the camera seem even more appealing. The SP-550UZ features Olympus' dual image-stabilization … Read more

Camera made entirely of wood (almost)

The au naturel look in technology design has given us computer equipment, digital photo frames and even LCD TVs made of wood. But oddly enough we haven't seen too many wooden handheld devices, by comparison.

Olympus apparently wants to rectify this situation with a camera that sports a casing made entirely of wood. Gadgetizer even includes a YouTube video that explains part of the crafting process, though the camera isn't available for purchase yet.

We're not sure if we would buy this particular model anyway, but we do like the look of finished wood over other natural … Read more