PMA 2009

Olympus' concept model of a svelte compact camera using the Micro Four Thirds standard.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

LAS VEGAS--Olympus has set a ship date, albeit one with a lot of wiggle room, for its first high-end compact camera using the Micro Four Thirds technology.

The camera maker first showed a nonworking "concept model" of the camera at the Photokina show last September, and the same model is on display here at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show. Now, though it sports a label, "launching this summer."

Nikon's D3X is now supported by Adobe Lightroom.

(Credit: Nikon)

LAS VEGAS--Adobe Systems has released the final version of Lightroom 2.3, its photo-editing and cataloging software, along with its close relative, the Camera Raw 5.3 plug-in to let Photoshop CS4 edit raw images from higher-end cameras.

The new software (available as a download for Windows and Mac OS X) supports Nikon's top-end D3X, an $8,000, 24.5-megapixel machine whose owners likely will usually prefer raw files for their flexibility and quality advantages over JPEG. Also supported is Olympus' new midrange E-30.

The Lightroom 2.3 update also fixed a number of bugs and adds support for eight new languages: Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Korean, and simplified and traditional Chinese. Adobe made the announcement Monday just as the Photo Marketing Show (PMA) was getting under way here.

The Camera Raw software works with Adobe's flagship CS4 version of Photoshop, but also with the consumer-oriented Photoshop Elements 7, Premiere Elements 7 for video editing, and Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac OS X.

(Credit: Olympus America)

Update: Now with preview video after the jump.

Filling another hole in its dSLR product line, Olympus takes on the Canon EOS Rebel XSi and Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 with the new E-620 (Nikon's D80 and D90 are cheaper and more expensive than these models, respectively.)

Let's take a look at the basic specs:

Olympus cameras are shown here frozen in a block of ice.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET Networks)

An Olympus Stylus 830 SW splashes into water after banging down a pegboard.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET Networks)

Correction 7:50 a.m. PST: The lower-end model is the Stylus 850 SW.

LAS VEGAS--I can't speak for their optical quality or performance, but I like the idea behind Olympus' shockproof and waterproof compact cameras--and I liked the publicity stunts the Japanese camera maker used to show them off at the Photo Marketing Association trade show here.

In one demonstration, the camera drops down a pegboard, banging off several on the way down before splashing into a tray of water.

On another, a handful of cameras were frozen in a large block of ice.

And several cameras were positioned in a number of aquariums decorating the company's booth.

Olympus announced the two waterproof models, the Stylus 850 SW and 1030 SW, earlier in January.

Both are dustproof and can withstand temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The 10-megapixel 1030 SW has a 28-102mm equivalent zoom, can be dropped from 6.5 feet up, and will work as deep as 33 feet underwater, and the 8-megapixel 850 SW has a more stylish design, is equipped with a 38-114mm lens, can be dropped from 5 feet up, and will work as deep as 10 feet underwater.

The 850 SW should be on sale now for about $300, and the 1030 SW in March for about $400.

Olympus SP-570 UZ

(Credit: Olympus America)

From its inception, Olympus' Ultra Zoom series--simply referred to as "UZ" in recent years--has always led the telephoto field for sheer reach. Once again, the company jumps ahead of the paused-at-18x pack with its 20x lens-equipped SP-570 UZ.

Olympus SP-570 UZ (top)

(Credit: Olympus America)

Size matters most in this update to the SP-560 UZ: it's got a higher-resolution CCD, longer (and slightly wider-angle) lens, and slightly larger LCD display. In a nice design tweak, the lens now has a manual zoom ring; on the preproduction unit we toyed with briefly, it still had that odd servo feel that similar controls on camcorders have, but it did give a bit more control than with the zoom switches common on digital point-and-shoot cameras. The new model also supplies a hot shoe for use with external flashes and a built-in wireless flash controller (a capability that was enabled in the SP-560 UZ via a firmware upgrade).

Olympus SP-570 UZ (back)

(Credit: Olympus America)

Key features:

• f/2.8-4.5 26mm-520mm-equivalent (20X) lens
• 10-megapixel CCD (1/2.33-inch)
• ISO 50 - ISO 6400
• Mechanical stabilization (sensor shift)
• TruePic III image processor
• 1.2 fps/7-frame continuous shooting (full resolution, best quality available)
• LCD size: 2.7 inches/230,000 pixels, 140-degree viewing angle

The SP-570 UZ is slated to ship in March for $499.99

The Stylus 1020 is among the first Olympus compacts to include sensor-shift image stabilization.

(Credit: Olympus)

In addition to the two new waterproof models announced today, Olympus has shared plans to sell three new Stylus compact cameras, all of which include sensor-shift image stabilization. Like some of their competitors, Olympus offers their IS in conjunction with an ISO-boosting mode, which they call Digital Image Stabilization. Together they somewhat predictably call the combo Dual Image Stabilization. Like Fujifilm models, Olympus compact cameras record their images to xD Picture Cards. Last year Fuji transitioned to xD/SD combo slots in all of their compact cameras. Olympus has chosen to stick with xD slots, but will include adapters with all of their new compact cameras so that you can use MicroSD cards if you want to.

Chief among the three new cameras is the 10-megapixel Stylus 1020, which sports a 7x optical zoom lens that covers an equivalent of 37-260mm with a maximum aperture range of f/3.3-5.3. The 1020 also has a new type of screen for Olympus, which they're calling HyperCrystal II. The company says that it provides an increased contrast ratio and better color reproduction when compared to their older HyperCrystal LCDs. The 1020 includes a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD, as well as illuminated buttons and a continuous shooting mode that lets you shoot successive images with the flash turned on-- many continuous shooting modes won't allow flash, or only use it for the first shot. Olympus expects the Stylus 1020 to hit stores this March for about $350 with blue, pink, black, or silver glossy finishes.

Next in the line comes the 10-megapixel Stylus 1010. It doesn't boast the 1020's continuous shooting with flash, and has a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal LCD instead of the newer HyperCrystal II, but other than that it has all the same features as the 1020. The Stylus 1010 is also expected in stores this March and should sell for about $300 in a choice of silver, black, blue, and purple colors.

The Stylus 840 steps down to an 8-megapixel sensor and 5X optical, 36-180mm f/3.3-5.0 zoom lens. Like the 1010, the 840 as a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal LCD. In addition to the features mentioned above, all three of these new cameras also include a handful of other convenient features including face detection auto exposure and autofocus, shadow adjustment technology to help preserve details in shadows when trying to capture a high contrast scene, and in-camera editing to help remove red-eye, resize images, adjust saturation, or even bring out shadow detail in photos that have already been captured.

They also include Olympus' Perfect Shot Preview, which lets you see the effects of certain adjustments, such as exposure compensation, in a multi-window screen before capturing the image. Finally, they all include in-camera panoramic stitching of up to three images. If you're willing to wait to stitch, the Olympus Master software that comes with the cameras allows panoramas of up to ten images. Olympus plans to start shipping the Stylus 840 to stores this month where you should be able to buy it for about $250 in a choice of silver, blue, black, and pink finishes.

Olympus' new Stylus 1030 SW can withstand a drop from 6.6 feet.

(Credit: Olympus)

Among the coolest of Olympus' compact cameras are their rugged, waterproof, dustproof, Stylus models. This year, the company is updating both of their go-anywhere cameras, offering the all-metal chassis 10.1-megapixel Stylus 1030 SW and the slightly more stylish 8-megapixel Stylus 850 SW. Both models include face detection for autofocus and auto exposure, ISO-boost Digital Image Stabilization instead of the more-effective mechanical stabilization found in some of Olympus' other Stylus models, and a handful of in-camera editing functions, including red-eye removal, panorama stitching of up to three shots and more. Like all of their compact cameras this year, these two will come with adapters so you can use MicroSD cards with the cameras' xD Picture Card slots.

The more hard-core of the two tough cameras is the Stylus 1030 SW. It can bounce right back from a drop of 6.6 feet and withstand up to 220 pounds of pressure. You can take pictures with it down to 33 feet underwater and it's made to operate at temperatures as cold as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (that's -10 degrees Celsius for you metric folk). Conveniently, the 1030 SW has a 3.6X optical 28-102mm f/3.5-5.0 zoom lens. While I always like a wide zoom on a compact camera, it's especially helpful when shooting underwater, so it makes even more sense to include it here. As you might expect, Olympus includes multiple underwater scene modes in the 1030 SW, as well as scene modes for use in snow and beach conditions. The 1030 SW also includes a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD screen. Olympus says that this new update to their old HyperCrystal LCDs can yield a higher contrast ratio and more accurate color reproduction. The Stylus 1030 SW will be available in March for about $400.

If you're wiling to trade a little bit of ruggedness for a splash of style, the Stylus 850 SW offers the ability to withstand a drop of up to 5 feet, can shoot submerged down to almost 10 feet in water, and can operate in cold down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Since the 850 SW's casing isn't all metal, it made it easier for Olympus to make it available in blue, pink, yellow, black, and silver colors. The camera also sports a 2.5-inch HyperCrystal LCD instead of the fancier newer-version LCD found on the 1030 SW, as well as a not-as-wide 3X optical 38-114mm f/3.5-5.0 zoom lens. The Stylus 850 SW will hit stores this month for about $300.

(Credit: Olympus America)

Olympus just announced four new additions to its FE-series of simple, budget-priced digital cameras. All four new models are 8-megapixel cameras and, with one exception, are priced at $200 or lower.

The FE-310 sits at the bottom of the pack as the series' least expensive camera. It sports a 5x optical zoom, but otherwise has no unique features to make it stand out. The FE-320 seems even less impressive on paper, until you consider its ultraslim size. At 0.65 inch, the FE-320 will be one of the slimmest FE-series cameras yet, and a full seven-hundredths of an inch thinner than the MacBook Air. With five different colors (silver, black, red, blue, and pink), the FE-340 stands as the most style-minded member of the line. It sports a 5x optical zoom lens, and features Smile Shot for automatically snapping subjects when they smile. Finally, the FE-350 presents the high end of the new FE cameras. It features a 28 to 112mm-equivalent, f/2.8-5.4 5x zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD screen, giving it the most impressive physical attributes of the four new cameras.

All four cameras include face-detection, in-camera help guides, and Olympus' Perfect Shot Preview feature. Perfect Shot Preview shows on one screen how shots will look under several different conditions (white balance, exposure compensation). The FE-320 and FE-340 also use Olympus' TruePic III image processor. If history serves, this means that the FE-320 and FE-340 will probably offer faster performance than the other two models.

The Olympus FE-310, FE-320, FE-340, and FE-350 will ship by the end of the month, and will retail for about $150, $180, $200, and $250 respectively.