By Martin Vedris
BRISBANE: Olympus has shown what it is claiming is the world’s thinnest and smallest digital SLR —the E-420. The company also showed off its 9-19 mm wide-angle lens and its fast SWD lenses.
The E-420 features the Live View function so users can see the images on the LCD as they are shooting. This model also has face detection and a shadow adjust technology.
Also on display at the PMA show was the Olympus ZUIKO Digital ED 9-18 mm lens in f4.0 – 5.6 — the equivalent of an 18-36 mm lens in the 35 mm standard, it is compliant with the four thirds standard. The entire lens is compact at 73 mm long and it weighs 280 grams.
When used in conjunction with the new Olympus DSLR models, the E-3, the E-510 and the E-520, this lens also offers image stabilisation. Olympus claims that no other manufacturer has yet released a super-wide zoom lens with a focal distance less than 20 mm (on 35 mm lens standard) as well as image stabilisation.
The E-520 is a new DSLR from Olympus, it features an image stabiliser at magnifications of up to 33 times, a 10 megapixel Live MOS sensor and live shooting, face detection and shadow adjust.
Meanwhile Olympus was showing its range of ‘ultra-fast’ Zuiko Digital ED SWD (Supersonic Wave Drive) lenses are for use with the E-3 flagship DSLR launched in November 2007 at RRP$2,499.
There are three new fast SWD Zuiko Digital ED lenses from Olympus — the 12-60 mm f2.8-4.0 (RRP $1,499); the 50-200 mm f2.8-3.5 (RRP $1,599) and the 14-35 mm f2.0 (RRP $3,499).
Olympus claims the new lenses are the world’s fastest based on tests using the E-3 and the 12-60 mm f2.8-4.0 SWD lens at a focal length of 60 mm (equivalent to 120 mm in the 35 mm standard).