Olympus America has released a new 4 megapixel camera and a new 3.2 megapixel model at this week’s PMA (Photo Marketing Association) Show in Las Vegas.
The Camedia C-750 Ultra Zoom, touted as “the world’s smallest 10X optical zoom, 4.0 megapixel digital camera,” is Olympus’s first 4.0 megapixel Ultra Zoom. Due in May at an estimated street price of US$599, it sports an aspherical ED (extra dispersion) glass lens to evenly distribute light across the camera’s CCD sensor to create an even exposure.
The camera’s 10X optical zoom is an equivalent zoom range of 38mm to 380mm; its additional digital zoom capabilities increase the lens range to a total 40X seamless zoom (10X optical zoom + 4X digital zoom) of about 1520mm equivalent. In addition, having this wide zoom range allows photographers to leave heavy lenses at home and cut down on the gear they have to lug about, according to Martin Lee, Olympus America’s vice president of marketing.
The C-750 Ultra Zoom is the first Olympus Ultra Zoom digital camera with a built-in hot-shoe that allows an external flash to be connected without cables. And it’s the first Olympus Ultra Zoom to have a metal body. Because it uses the miniature xD-Picture Card exclusively, the C-750 measures 4.2 x 2.6 x 2.8 inches and weighs 10.4 ounces.
Also new from Olympus is the C-740 Ultra Zoom, a 10X optical zoom, 3.2 megapixel digital camera targeted to the budget-conscious family photographer who wants the flexibility of a wide focal length range, automatic controls for basic point-and-shoot simplicity and manual controls. It has the same aspherical ED glass lens, Programmed Auto Mode, Scene Mode, My Mode, Auto-Connect USB, shutter speeds, QuickTime video capture, controls, and 10X optical zoom features as the C-750. The C-740’s additional seamless digital zoom capabilities increase the lens range to a total 30X seamless zoom (10X optical zoom + 3X digital zoom) of about 1050mm equivalent, somewhat less than that of C-750.
Also like the C-750, the C-740 uses the miniature xD-Picture Card exclusively. It measures 4.2 x 2.6 x 2.7 inches and weighs 10.4 ounces. The C-740’s Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) displays aperture, shutter speed, and image quality settings and can be used in playback in addition to the 1.5-inch color LCD display. The C-740 Ultra Zoom will be available next month at a street price of $499.