Olympus unveils new point-and-shoot digital cameras

Olympus America Inc. today rolled out two new digital cameras — the Camedia D-510 Zoom and the Camedia Brio Zoom D-150. Each camera offers some unique capabilities and functionality.

Camedia D-510 Zoom

The Camedia D-510 Zoom is a digital point-and-shoot camera which features a 3X optical/9X digital zoom and a 1.8-inch color LCD display. It replaces Olympus’ D-490 model. The 2.1 megapixel camera provides a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels, QuickTime movie mode, and USB “AutoConnect” technology that enables the camera to be connected to a Mac or PC for image downloading without the need to install any additional drivers.

The D-510 Zoom features an f2.8 – f4.4 lens, which Olympus says provides the equivalent of a 35mm – 105mm lens in a conventional 35mm camera. It sports “seamless” switching between optical and digital zoom — unlike some older Olympus models, the D-510 doesn’t require users to fumble with menu settings to activate the digital zoom.

The camera also sports four preset resolution levels — 1600×1200, 1280×960, 1024×768, and 640×480. The D-510 Zoom also has the ability to record up to 66 seconds of full motion video using QuickTime, at 15 frames per second, on a standard 8MB SmartMedia card (you can record more with higher capacity SmartMedia cards).

The D-510 Zoom supports CDF file naming format and DPOF, or Digital Print Order Format, standards used to add data to images, which can also be used for tagging photos for output to DPOF-compatible printers. The camera’s 1.8 inch LCD can view stored images in 4, 9 and 16 frame index display modes, provides the ability to do single frame display with zoom inspection up to 3x, and sequential image scrolling.

Other features include TTL digital ESP metering, plus spot metering; automatic ISO setting plus user-selectable modes up to 400 ISO; built-in pop up flash; auto white balance; programmed auto exposure; and sequential shooting at up to 1.8 frames per second.

The D-510 is expected to be released in June with a street price of around $450. It ships with an 8MB SmartMedia card, USB cable, video out cable, software, strap, and batteries. It’s compatible with Mac OS 8.6 and higher (Olympus doesn’t note Mac OS X compatibility, however).

Camedia Brio Zoom D-150

Like the D-510, the D-150 is a digital point and shoot camera, but it’s considerably smaller. The 1.3 megapixel D-150 features a 3x optical zoom and 6x digital telephoto zoom, and sports the same black and gold finish as the D-100, which was introduced this past February.

The D-150 sports an f2.4 – f4.3 autofocus lens; pop-up flash; and USB AutoConnect technology, as well. It also sports a 1.5 inch LCD display on the back which acts as a viewfinder, playback screen and menu control panel.

Other features include adjustable resolution of 1280×960 or 640×480, the ability to store images on SmartMedia cards. And like the D-510, the D-150 supports DCF file naming and DPOF, for output to DPOF-compatible printers.

Olympus says the Camedia Brio Zoom D-150 will hit store shelves in June. The camera should retail for around $400, and ships with an 8MB SmartMedia card, USB cable, video out cable, software, strap, and batteries.