The Camedia C-4040 sports a large aperture that can be set to F1.8 for low light photography, according to Olympus. The unit also incorporates an integrated flash, rubberized lens barrel and grip, and new ergonomic controls. The camera sports auto and manual white balance, multiple exposure settings, a two frame per second Burst Mode, the ability to record QuickTime movies, black and white and sepia shooting modes, Auto Exposure Bracketing, and several image compression settings.
The C-4040 also sports a noise reduction system that provides for a +/- 5 step sharpness and contrast control. Olympus said that the camera compares similar images and uses that info to minimize background noise in pictures.
The camera also features an “optimum image enlargement mode” that enlarges images up to 3200 x 2400 pixels in SHQ or HQ mode. The camera utilizes a bicubic algorithm and a new ASIC chip for maximum image quality.
The C-4040 also features USB auto-connect — you can connect it to a USB-equipped Mac running Mac OS 8.6 or later and download images directly, without needing any additional software.
And, unlike some Olympus Camedia digital cameras of the past, the C-4040 features a tethered lens cap.
Other features include Spot AutoFocus; automatic white balancing with +/- 3 step correction for minor adjustments; multi-patterned metering, spot metering and multi-spot metering; and multiple sharpness and contrast settings.
The C-4040 can also record up to 120 seconds of video and sound using its integrated QuickTime Movie feature. The camera also enables users to record up to 4 seconds of attached audio to narrate still images or to create voice memos.
The C-4040 will ship in August with an estimated street price of US$1,099. The camera will ship with a 16MB SmartMedia memory card, USB cable, AV cable, two 3V lithium battery packs, lens cap and retainer cord, remote control, utility software, and documentation.