Olympus' New Stylus-7010 Features 7x Wide Angle Zoom

Olympus announced today their newest in the Stylus series: the 12MP, 7x optical zoom Stylus-7010. The lens ranges from 28mm to 196mm (35mm eq.) and is pocket-ready at only one inch thick when the lens is retracted. Due for release next month, this camera will retail for $199 US.

New Super-Thin Olympus Stylus-7010 Packs A Powerful 7X Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

12 Megapixels, Dual Image Stabilization, Auto-Focus Tracking and In-Camera Magic Filters Offer Unparalleled Creative Expression in a Point-and-Shoot Camera

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., July 22, 2009 – Today Olympus is proud to announce the tantalizingly stylish STYLUS-7010 that is thin in body but bursting with features. An extremely slim body houses an amazing wide-angle 7x optical zoom, making this camera one of the most powerful Stylus cameras ever. Sitting in the upper levels at your favorite concert? Your friends will never know the truth when they see the images you shot with the STYLUS-7010!

Style meets substance with 12 megapixels for detailed images, Dual Image Stabilization to reduce blur, AF Tracking to keep subjects sharp when in motion, Intelligent Auto to make all the decisions for you, In-Camera Panorama to create a super-wide composition, and the creative freedom of in-camera Magic Filters that turn a basic shot into something worthy of hanging on the wall.

The STYLUS-7010 is available in dark gray, silver and pink. The new camera offers a unique set of features, including the following:

Its ultra-compact 7x optical wide-angle zoom (28mm-196mm equivalent in 35mm photography) retracts to less than one inch thick to keep the STYLUS-7010 thin;
A big and bright 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD screen makes it easy to view images even in bright sunlight;
The TruePic™ III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to deliver superior picture quality with more accurate colors, true-to-life flesh tones and faster processing speeds; and
A 12-Megapixel image sensor enables consumers to achieve consistently sharp and vivid images when producing large-format prints or enlarging a portion of an image.
Dual Image Stabilization
The STYLUS-7010 combines two technologies – mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization – to provide one powerful anti-blur solution for capturing great images whether the photographer or the subject is moving. Olympus’ mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization keeps images sharp by adjusting the image sensor to compensate for camera movement, which often occurs in low-light conditions when shutter speeds are slower. Digital Image Stabilization freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds that prevent blurry images often caused by a moving subject.

Always Stay Focused
The new AF Tracking technology locks your subject in focus, and continuously adjusts focus and brightness whether you or your subject are moving. This mode can remember the subject if it moves out of the frame. This enables you to keep fast-moving and unpredictable subjects like small children in focus for the perfect shot. There’s even a specially designed AF Tracking “Pet Mode” for animal lovers.

Express Your Inner Artist with Magic Filters
In-camera Creative Features recently debuted on Olympus E-System DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras. Similar in-camera Magic Filters have been developed for the new STYLUS-7010. The new Magic Filters enable the user to enhance and customize images as they’re being captured. This translates into more fun and flexibility as customization is no longer limited to using expensive and time-consuming computer software. The new Magic Filters include:

Pop Art – Enhance and saturate colors to create vivid, high-impact pictures that express the joyful, lighthearted feeling of the Pop Art style of the 1960s;
Pin Hole – Reduce the peripheral brightness of an image as though it were shot through a pin hole, connecting the viewer intimately with the subject at the center; and
Fish-Eye – Emulate the wide-angle of a fish-eye lens by taking extremely wide, hemispherical images and magnifying the center of the frame.
Capture More of the Photo You Want
Shooting in small spaces where you’re unable to back away from your subject has always been a challenge. Now, thanks to the camera’s new wide-angle zoom lens, it’s easy to capture everything and everyone – including group shots at weddings, family reunions and dinner parties. The new wide-angle lens almost seems to defy the laws of physics as it fits into the STYLUS-7010’s slim, ultra-compact body. Of course, you’ll love how it easily fits into a pocket or evening clutch.

Intelligent Auto Mode
Tired of changing the settings on your camera every time you’re shooting something different? The new camera’s Intelligent Auto Mode automatically identifies what you are shooting (Portrait, Landscape, Night + Portrait, Macro, Sports) and adjusts settings to capture the best quality results depending on the situation. First-time users will enjoy this quick and hassle-free feature, which does the thinking for them and produces incredible images like a pro.

In Sunshine or Shadows, Never Miss a Detail
Shooting outdoors in bright daylight can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark shadowed areas and bright sunlight areas. While the human eye is capable of detecting the nuances between dark and light and all the details in between, image sensors traditionally have not been quite as sensitive. The STYLUS-7010 addresses this challenge head-on with Shadow Adjustment Technology, which compensates for extreme contrast where the shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. With the new technology, users can preview and capture images that have the same contrast as seen with the naked eye.

In-Camera Panorama
In-Camera Panorama mode captures three images and stitches them together to create one amazing panoramic picture. Simply press the shutter button and slowly pan across a panoramic scene. The second and third images will be captured automatically and stitched together with the first image – resulting in one seamless panorama. To create the ultimate panoramic picture, consumers can use the Olympus Master™ Software 2 to stitch together up to 10 images.

Olympus Recommended Button
The new “OR” button makes it easy to activate the camera’s unique features, including Magic Filters, In-Camera Panorama, Shadow Adjustment or Perfect Shot Preview. Simply press the new OR button to easily access these commonly used features.

Beauty Mode
Taking beautiful portraits is easy with the STYLUS-7010’s Beauty Mode. It enables you to soften shadows and smooth wrinkles or blemishes on your subject’s face – all in the camera and before capture! Additionally, subtle edits can be made post-capture using the Beauty Fix mode. Choose “Clear Skin” to smooth a person’s complexion, “Dramatic Eye” to slightly emphasize the eyes, and “Sparkle Eye” to brighten and enhance the contrast of the iris and pupils. You can also apply all three edits at once. Have fun customizing your brilliant images without a PC and costly image editing software.

Perfect Shot Preview
The new camera features Perfect Shot Preview, which enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-window screen before snapping the shot. Seeing the results before capturing the image ensures users are getting the shots they want. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as zoom, exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

OLYMPUS Master 2 Software
Use the included OLYMPUS Master™ 2 software (Mac and PC) to easily download images from the camera or other external device, such as a USB drive, and automatically organize them into albums, edit and print. Update camera and lens firmware through the software and download additional menu languages. A direct link makes uploading your images and videos to YouTube™ easier than ever.

Availability
The STYLUS-7010 will be available in August 2009. It will also include: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, MASD-1 (microSD Adapter), CD-ROM manual, warranty card and OLYMPUS Master 2 software (CD-ROM).

U.S. Pricing
Stylus-7010 Estimated Street Price: $199.99