Two New Micro-Four Thirds Lenses In Development for 2010

Also from Olympus today, two new lenses for the micro-four-thirds format are being developed. A 9-18mm super wide and a 14-150mm telezoom.

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., November 5, 2009 – Olympus announces today that it will introduce two new Micro Four Thirds System lenses in the first half of 2010. The new super wide-angle zoom M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 lens (18-36mm equivalent) and high-power wide to telephoto zoom M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-150mm f4.0-5.6 lens (28-300mm equivalent) offer amazing optical performance in an extraordinarily compact and lightweight design that translates into taking your PEN camera anywhere for DSLR-quality images and unmatched freedom and creativity.

The Micro Four Thirds System standard meets the telecentric requirements of the 100 percent dedicated digital design, where light rays must strike the imaging sensor nearly head-on for optimum edge-to-edge image reproduction. This is achieved using a much smaller design than the Four Thirds System standard by reducing the outer diameter of the lens mount by 6mm, and the distance from the lens mount to the focal plane (the flange back distance) by approximately half.

The super wide-angle zoom lens currently in development will maximize the advantages of compact Micro Four Thirds System design with a length of only about 50mm (less than two inches), making it significantly smaller than the Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 (designed for the Four Thirds standard), which has an identical zoom range. In the same manner, the high-power wide to telephoto zoom lens currently in development will be extremely compact, with an exceptionally small lens barrel diameter of only about 65mm (2.5 inches). Offering a zoom range that covers the most commonly used focal lengths, the lens will be compact enough to conveniently leave mounted on the camera all the time.

Both lenses will use ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to suppress the color aberration that can degrade image quality, particularly at wide-angle focal lengths. As a result, they will offer truly uncompromising image quality and brightness in an extremely compact package.

The two new lenses are being designed for use with the Olympus PEN E-P1, which was introduced in June to an overwhelmingly positive response, and the E-P2, which was also announced today, as well as any other current and future cameras that comply with the Micro Four Thirds System standard. When mounting the lenses on any Olympus PEN camera, users also can take advantage of the camera’s in-body Image Stabilization system, which offers effective camera shake compensation at all focal lengths.

The Olympus E-System, based on the Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds standards, is designed with revolutionary features that expand the frontiers of digital photography. The ZUIKO and M. ZUIKO lenses offer a 100 percent digital design for edge-to-edge sharpness in a durable yet portable system. Olympus pioneered Full-Time Live View, Dust Reduction and other innovative technologies, leading where others have followed. Proof that Olympus enables consumers to capture it all.