Olympus America Inc. on Friday announced a new digital camera: the C-5000 Zoom, a 5.0-megapixel model with a 3x optical zoom lens (plus a 4x digital for total 12x zoom capability). Due in October, it will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$599.95.
The C-5000 Zoom has a hot shoe for adding an optional Olympus FL-50 or FL-20 Flash, an included Lithium-Ion battery and charger, and a wide range of optional lenses. Automatic and Scene Program modes were designed for amateur photographers, while the camera’s full manual control features are targeted to advanced photographers.
The Standard Program Auto mode offers six different Scene Program Modes, including settings for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene and Sports photography. The “My Mode” feature lets you create a separate user-customizable setting for more creative options when shooting under specific conditions. The menu also features three shortcut buttons to which you can assign the most frequently used menu categories.
The programmable “Custom Button” lets you assign one button on the back of the camera for Auto Exposure Lock, variable Drive settings, different ISO ratings and remote control operation. A dedicated “Quick View” button on the back of the C-5000Z lets you instantly review your photographs, then return to shooting by pressing the shutter button. You can also configure the camera to sleep after a set period of non-operation.
The camera features Olympus’ USB Auto-Connect capabilities, so images can be downloaded to Mac and Windows systems. The C-5000Z’s Noise Reduction mode is designed to facilitate noise-free photos during long exposures.
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