Olympus Unveils New Point-and-Shoots

Olympus has announced the release of two new cameras, the SZ-30MR, an ultrazoom with advanced movie recording functionality, and the TG-810, a rugged camera with some very interesting features.

Olympus SZ-30MR

The 16 megapixel SZ-30MR has a 24x optical zoom lens with a range of from 25-600mm (35mm equivalent). It is equipped with a back-lit CMOS sensor designed to provide better low light capability and faster performance. The SZ-30MR includes an innovative multi-recording function which allows you to record simultaneously in more than one mode and in a variety of combinations, for instance one movie in wide-angle and the other in close-up. In addition, with the Photo with Movie Clip setting you can capture moving footage before and after taking a single photo.

The SZ-30MR contains many other advanced functions, including:

• Full HD 1080p video
• A continuous shooting rate of 9 frames per second at full 16 megapixel resolution
• A 3D photo mode, which combines two shots from slightly different angles to give a 3D look to still photos
• Eye-Fi card compatibility, which enables wireless uploading of images to the website or PC of your choice
• A Smart Panorama mode allowing the creation of a panorama image by sweeping the camera
• A Handheld Starlight mode, enabling you to shoot night scenes without the need for a tripod
• Magic art filters for stills and HD videos including pop art, pin hole, fish eye, soft focus, drawing, watercolor, sparkle and punk
• Shadow adjustment technology for coping with underexposure

The 14 megapixel TG-810 is a compact camera designed for extreme conditions. It is waterproof (down to 33 feet), shockproof (can withstand a 6.6 foot drop or 220 pounds of pressure) and freezeproof (as low as 14 degrees F, -10 degrees C).

Olympus TG-810

It has a 5x optical zoom, wide-angle lens with a lens range of 28-140mm (35mm equivalent). The TG-810 contains very useful built-in functions including a GPS, allowing you to tag images with landmark information, a nanometer, which determines your altitude or depth in water, and a compass.

Other advanced functions of the TG-810 include:

• An LED illuminator at the front of the camera for enhancing visibility and focus while underwater
• An extremely high resolution LCD for better visibility underwater
• 720p HD video
• A 3D photo mode, which combines two shots from slightly different angles to give a 3D look to still photos
• Eye-Fi card compatibility, which enables wireless uploading of images to the website or PC of your choice
• An in-camera panorama mode allowing the easy capture and stitching together of three images to form a panorama simply by sweeping the camera
• Magic art filters for stills and HD videos including pop art, pin hole, fish eye, soft focus, drawing, watercolor, sparkle and punk

Pricing and availability
The SZ-30MR and TG-810 will be available in April 2011 and each will have an estimated price of $399.99. For additional information about these two cameras, see the Olympus website.