Olympus E-620 Digital SLR 'Smallest DSLR with In-Built Image Stabilization'

Olympus have officially announced their new 12.3 megapixel E-620 digital
SLR which packs in many of the features seen on Olympus's E-30 and
which, according to Olympus, is the 'smallest DSLR with In-Built Image
Stabilization' and which will set you back around $700 (body only) or
just shy of $800 with an ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens
when released this May.

Official Olympus Press Release:

As children, our imaginations run wild and finger-painted artistic
creations are proudly displayed on our family refrigerators. But as we
grow older, we learn to color inside the lines, and have less and less
time for art. We often lose touch with how satisfying it is to create
something uniquely our own. Olympus delivers the new E-620 digital
single lens reflex (DSLR) camera to bring back that free-style
experimenting and the magical feeling of being inspired by our own art.

The new camera's easy-to-use Art Filters and Multiple Exposures (built
right into the camera) are fun for consumers - whether you've been
shooting for years or picked up your first digital camera today. Enjoy
capturing creative images on the go - without being tethered to a
computer and editing software! Now it is possible to easily customize
your images so they're worthy of posting on the gallery wall (or at
least the family fridge).
Experimenting and creating your own unique masterpieces has never been
easier or more fun, said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital
SLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. Pop Art, Grainy Black White, and
Pin Hole are just a few creative options that can be effortlessly found
on the camera's mode dial. The access is easy, and the results are fun
and limitless.

The new camera's freedom of expression is matched by its freedom of
mobility. First, the camera travels with you to more places, thanks to
its compact size and light 18.9-ounce body. Second, as the world's
smallest DSLR with in-body Image Stabilization, the E-620 adjusts when
your body moves to remove blur caused by camera shake (with any lens
attached). Finally, add Live View shooting with a swivel 2.7-inch
HyperCrystalTM LCD that frees you to cover subjects from a range of
angles, and this 12.3-megapixel DSLR seamlessly combines motions with
emotions - proof that Olympus lets you capture it all.

Make Your Vision Come to Life with Art Filters

If you're hoping to get more out of your camera than simply capturing
and documenting a scene, and enjoy enhancing or customizing an image to
make it your own, then you will value the camera's Art Filters. The
filters, which are built into the camera, provide incredible individual
artistic control over an image, and remove the need to spend time
altering images on the computer with editing software.

This camera was made for free-style shooting, experimenting and engaging
with events and subjects. Enjoy the freedom of Autofocus Live View and
dramatic effects to transform your day-to-day shots into compositions
that you can be proud of with the following in-camera Art Filters:

Pop Art: Enhances colors, making them more saturated and vivid, creating
high-impact pictures that express the joyful, lighthearted feeling of
the Pop Art style of the 1960s;
Soft Focus: Creates an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere that renders
subjects in a heavenly light without obscuring details;
*Pale Light Color: Encloses the foreground of an image in flat gentle
light and pastel colors reminiscent of a flashback scene in a movie;
Light Tone: Renders shade and highlight areas softly to lend an elegant
air to the subject;
Grainy Film: Evokes the feeling of documentary footage shot in
monochrome with grainy, high-contrast film; and
Pin Hole: Reduces the peripheral brightness of an image as though it
were shot through a pin hole, connecting the viewer intimately with the
subject at the center of the picture.
Art Filters are easily activated with the mode dial on the left side of
the camera body. The effects are viewable right on the new camera's 100
percent accurate swivel 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystalTM III LCD when
using the E-620 in Live View mode or when reviewing the captured image.
Express Your Inner Artist's Multiple Personalities

With the new camera's Multiple Exposure function you are free to tell a
visual story your way, whether in a portrait, a landscape or a
combination of both. For instance, capture an image of the spring leaves
on a new tree and then overlay an image of your child's face into the
leaves for a stunning image that expresses the newness of the season.
The image capture options allow you to shoot one shot, then another, or
to capture both shots separately and combine them in the camera later.
Or superimpose your own portrait with a starry night sky to create a
photo with the impact you desire. Let your imagination lead you to new
creative discoveries.

Ready, Steady, Go with In-Body Image Stabilization

The E-620 travels with you to more places, thanks to its compact size
and light 18.9-ounce body. Capture sharp images on the go with the
camera's in-body Image Stabilization, which virtually eliminates blur
with any lens attached. Three IS modes handle any situation. The IS-1
mode is for general shooting and adjusts the sensor on both the
horizontal and vertical planes to compensate for movement by the
photographer so images stay sharp in low light even at slow shutter
speeds. To capture the motion of moving subjects, the E-620 offers two
specialized modes: IS-2 mode is ideal for capturing a runner or cyclist
traveling by in the horizontal mode, preserving the sense of motion
while panning; IS-3 mode achieves the same effect when the camera is
held vertically. In either mode, the artistic effects of panning enhance
the shot and render the subject in sharp detail with blurred background.
Moreover, the E-620 is the world's smallest DSLR with built-in Image
Stabilization, so you'll feel comfortable taking it on the road with you
to capture the action.

Superior Image Quality

The new camera's high-performance 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor
delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a
state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to reduce noise and capture fine
image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

Its Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus' TruePic III+ Image
Processor, which produces clear and colorful photos using all the pixel
information for each image to provide the best digital images possible.
The new image processor is noted for accurate natural color,
true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies, and precise tonal
expression; it also lowers image noise in photos shot at higher ISO
settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Swivel Live View LCD: Freedom to Move You

The new camera's 100 percent accurate 270 degree swivel 2.7-inch Live
View HyperCrystal III LCD can be rotated freely so photographers can
compose at any angle, including overhead and down low, without getting
bent out of shape. This enables an E-620 photographer to compose a
subject in the Live View LCD and see the results of the various creative
features - live as they're happening.

When viewing the LCD in Live View, settings like white balance and
exposure can also be selected, and their impact is seen instantly on the
display. Real-time monitoring offers amazing versatility and creative
control. The LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes
HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of
conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and
playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees, which
ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles.

The 2.7-inch LCD makes icons and text on the camera's menu easy to view.
Beyond the camera's bright viewable LCD, the E-620 is equipped with
illuminated buttons on its body that are easily viewable in low light to
quickly find the settings you want.
Two Fast Autofocus Systems

Consumers accustomed to composing and focusing using a point-and-shoot
camera's LCD will appreciate that the E-620 offers the same easy,
seamless experience (what you see on its LCD is what you get!). The
E-620 delivers two fast autofocus options to quickly focus and capture
the image in any situation:

Fast Imager Autofocus in Live View:When it comes to measuring camera
speed, autofocus is a key factor. If a camera's AF system does not meet
photographers' demands and lock focus accurately and quickly, it's
possible to miss a shot. AF Live View on the E-620 allows you to
compose, focus, and capture the shot quickly and easily without ever
taking your eye off the large 2.7-inch full color LCD.
Phase Detection AF: When using the optical viewfinder, the technology
behind the new 7-point twin cross AF system provides world-class fast
and accurate focusing based on the speed of the E-3. Super sensitive
Twin and Twin Cross AF target points can measure focus both vertically
and horizontally, so regardless of the subject, focusing is super-simple
and fast. With a dedicated Phase Detection AF sensor in the camera body,
shooting moving subjects, like a runner crossing the finish line, is
lightning fast. In low-light situations, this is the AF option of choice
to quickly lock focus, so that a loved one's face illuminated only by
candlelight is in sharp focus.
Multi-Aspect Shooting

Since photography is a form of expression that is essentially based on
clipping a scene, framing is an important component of style. The E-620
provides four aspect ratios that serve as masks to frame your image to
the desired proportions, including: the standard 4:3 aspect ratio that
is perfectly suited for an 8 x 10-inch enlargement; the 16:9 aspect
ratio that will display your images beautifully on a widescreen
television; and other popular aspect ratios such as 3:2 and 6:6. By
enabling you to select the aspect ratio before shooting and easily
viewing it on the LCD throughout the shoot, the Multi-Aspect function
offers a new way to control your photography and express yourself.

Always Find a Face in the Crowd

The new camera's Face Detection reduces the chance of blurred subjects
in photography by distinguishing between people's faces and the
background. It tracks up to eight faces within the image area, even if
people are moving, and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for
sharp, brilliant portrait pictures (ideal for large family or party
group photos).

In Sunshine or the Shadows, Never Miss a Detail

Shooting scenes with both highlights and shadows can be tricky because
of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-620
addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that adjusts
for extreme light variations and maintains visible detail in both the
shadow and highlight areas of the scene. Now users can see and preview
the gradation on the Live View LCD and capture images showing the shadow
detail they saw. This feature is also accessible in the Edit menu after
the shot has been taken.

Preview a Multitude of Possibilities

Perfect Shot Preview enables users to easily preview and select from a
variety of thumbnail previews of the photographic effects of white
balance and exposure compensation adjustments live on the LCD before
taking the photograph. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn
about the effects of different photography techniques, visually, without
having to scroll through menu options. With 28 preset scene-select modes
for every imaginable shooting scenario, automatic modes and full manual
controls, the E-620 offers a world of possibilities to photographers.

Wireless Flash Capability

Wireless flashes help you cast the best light on your subjects and
capture great images. For this reason, the E-620 is compatible with the
Olympus FL-36R and FL-50R wireless electronic flashes that are designed
exclusively for digital photography. When these flashes are used in
combination with the E-620, multiple-wireless flash photography is both
easy and reliable. The E-620 can control up to three wireless flash
groups independently, with multiple flash units in each group for
dramatic flash effects.

Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images

Life moves too fast to spend time worrying about dust ruining the
perfect image. Olympus' proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free
photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave FilterTM. The patented
ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from
the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive
membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos
liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer
or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped
inside. With Dust Reduction and the new creative features, Olympus
continues to liberate users from the computer and editing software, and
enables them to have fun capturing it all while on the go.

Accessories for Shooting on Land and in the Water

The new HLD-5 Power Battery Holder can hold up to two Lithium Ion BLS-1
batteries to extend the performance life of the E-620 and its existing
BLS-1 battery. It also enables effortless vertical shooting with its own
separate shutter button and control dial. Olympus will also offer the
PT-E06 optional underwater housing for the E-620. Capable of reaching
depths of 130 feet underwater, the housing will ensure that divers will
not miss an image during their journeys to the abyss.