Olympus Announces New PEN E-PL2 Interchangeable Lens Camera
Powerfully Simple Olympus Pen® System Grows With Intelligent Enhancements And Bluetooth® Capability: The Olympus PEN E-PL2 Camera
Enhance Your High Definition Videos and Stills with Movie and Still Compatible Lens Technology, New Live Guide II, More Robust Art Filter Effects and a New Range of Accessories
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., January 5, 2011 – Today Olympus announces the new powerfully simple PEN E-PL2, the fourth
generation of the award-winning and pioneering Olympus PEN family of
compact interchangeable lens digital cameras. Known for pro quality,
point-and-shoot simplicity and high-definition video, the PEN E-PL2
continues the PEN family’s legacy of simple design, intuitive interface
and Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) image quality. The new camera also
expands your creative potential with Live Guide II, new in-camera
creative features, new auxiliary lenses, a new Close-Up Spotlight
accessory (MAL-1) and the new Olympus PENPal™ Bluetooth accessory.
Capturing amazing still images and HD video just got a lot more fun.
Further proof that Olympus lets you capture it all.
Outstanding Features:
- MSC Lens - the new Movie
& Still Compatible (MSC) ED m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 zoom lens (28mm-84mm
equivalent) features a high-speed, silent autofocus during still
shooting and high definition (HD) video capture;
- New 3” 460,000 dot LCD - for bright and easy image composition;
- Live Guide II - preview HD video and still image effects on the E-PL2’s high-resolution LCD screen to achieve the perfect result effortlessly;
- Art Filter Variations and Enhancements - choose from
different art filter looks to expand your creative horizons or overlay
different art filters to create something new, now with full manual
control;
- ISO 6400 - take great low-light photos with the camera’s increased ISO sensitivity;
- New Ergonomic Body Design - shoot stills and videos
comfortably with a more ergonomic grip and updated button placement and
functionality for ease of use; and
- Face Detection with iDetect - an amazing new function
makes it easier to capture the spirit of your subject, automatically
making a person’s eye the focus point of the image. The E-PL2 further
reduces the chance of blurred subjects in images by recognizing up to
eight faces, tracking them within the image area, and automatically
focusing and optimizing exposure for sharp portraits.
At an affordable $599.99 with the new MSC
ED m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 zoom lens (28mm-84mm equiv.), the 12.3 megapixel
ergonomically-designed E-PL2 is perfect for everyone from beginners, who
want to expand their creative horizons, to experienced photographers
who desire high-quality results without the size and weight of a
traditional DSLR.
“The innovative PEN E-PL2 is designed
to go with you and grow with you – it’s the total compact multimedia
package,” said Katie Roseman, product manager, Olympus Imaging America
Inc. “We’ve expanded everything but the size of the camera. Live Guide
II, new art filter variations and enhancements for instant
gratification, three converter lenses and MAL-1 close-up spotlight will
all help grow your creative potential, while the Olympus PENPal lets you
send images straight from the camera to your smart phone for social
sharing.”
New Lens Optimized for Video and Image Stabilization for Every Lens
The E-PL2 comes with the new Movie & Still Compatible (MSC) ED
m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 zoom lens. This new kit lens has a smooth, silent and
uses a quick inner focus mechanism to make it exceptionally fast and
nearly silent when recording high-definition movie. The M.Zuiko Digital
MICRO Four Thirds® lenses are designed to be more compact and portable,
just like the E-PL2 itself. In addition to the kit lens, choose from the
ED m17mm f2.8 lens (34mm equivalent), the super wide-angle zoom ED
m9-18mm f4.0-5.6 lens (18-36mm equivalent), the high-power wide to
telephoto zoom ED m14-150mm f4.0-5.6 lens (28-300mm equivalent), the
wide zoom ED m40-150mm F4.0-5.6, or the super telephoto ED m75-300mm
f4.8-5.6 (35mm equivalent 150–600mm).
If you’re looking for even more options,
the MMF-2 Four Thirds™ System Lens Adapter makes the E-PL2 compatible
with all Olympus Zuiko® Digital Specific lenses and other Four Thirds
System lenses from Sigma, Panasonic and Leica. Olympus OM film-based
lenses can be attached to the E-PL2 with the MF-2 OM Lens Adapter, and
third-party adapters have been developed for lenses from most other
manufacturers.
New Live Guide II for Stills and Movies
The PEN E-PL2’s Live Guide II takes the E-PL1’s popular Live Guide
interface for stills and expands it to preview effects for HD videos.
Live Guide takes the guesswork out of great photography and videography
by previewing effects at the touch of a button. Want more vivid or muted
color in your shot? Want warmer or cooler color? Want a brighter or
darker subject, or a sharper or softer background? Or maybe you want to
capture the fast-moving action of your subject with a little artistic
blur, or perhaps freeze the action? Simply select Live Guide and turn
the wheel on the back of the camera to slide through numerous
photographic and videographic effects. Make adjustments and watch the
LCD as the effects are made live – before the image is captured! Don’t
worry about learning technical things like f-stops, shutter speed and
white balance; jump right in by composing, adjusting exposure and more
before the shot is taken.
Seeing the results before snapping the
image or shooting a video ensures you are getting the results you want,
and it will change the way you use your camera. Shooting Tips are also
available with Live Guide, so you can leave the manual at home.
Limitless Creativity with New Art Filter Variations and Enhancements
Olympus pioneered easy-to-use in-camera art filters for still images
captured inside its E-System DSLRs and was the first company to offer
the ability to apply art filters to HD video recordings captured with
the PEN E-P1 camera. The E-PL2 features six art filters: Pop Art, Soft
Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, and Dramatic Tone. For the first
time, the E-PL2 also features art filter variations and enhancements to
maximize your creativity and expand the potential results. Give your
images a different look by choosing from six art filters. Overlay an art
effect over an original image with or without an art filter. Shoot a
sunset with Pop Art and then add the Pin Hole Effect. Take a portrait in
Grainy Film and then add a funky art frame. The possibilities are
limitless.
Whatever you create, it will be easy to
display on the big screen. When you’re ready to share your work, just
plug the E-PL2’s camera into any high definition television (HDTV) using
the camera’s HDMI output with an optional HDMI cable (sold separately)
and show it off from the comfort of your living room.
HD Videos and HDMI Control for a Home Theater Experience
The E-PL2 shoots gorgeous 720p HD video, so you’ll always capture
the moments you cherish in clear, crisp high-definition at the touch of a
button. With HDMI Control, playback is also a breeze. You’ll be the hit
of the party or any family event when you proudly display your
brilliant images and movies on HDTVs. Simply connect the camera to an
HDTV with an optional HDMI cable. With HDMI Control, you can use your
HDTV’s remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera’s
menus from the comfort of your couch.
New Optional Accessories for Every Shooting Challenge
Along with the E-PL2, Olympus unveils five new accessories to further expand what you can do with PEN cameras.
- Add-on Conversion Lenses -
Olympus has three new affordable and compact conversion lenses that
mount on the new MSC ED m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 zoom lens to further expand
what you can do with the E-PL2:
- Fish-eye Lens Converter (FCON-37): captures a distorted
hemispherical image covering 120° - to generate dramatic shots and edges
that wrap around the frame of your image;
- Wide-angle Lens Converter (WCON-37): enables the user to
capture a broader shot, for example, to include more people in a
photograph. It dramatically alters the proportions of close and distant
subjects. Subjects close to the lens appear much larger, while subjects
in the background appear smaller – creating a dynamic sense of depth;
and
- Macro Lens Converter (MCON-58): Enables the user to
capture fascinating close-ups from as little as 24cm. away from the
subject (depending upon the lens in use). The MCON-58 is also compatible
with the ED m14-150mm f4.0-5.6 lens (28-300mm equivalent), ED m40-150mm
F4.0-5.6, and ED m75-300mm f4.8-5.6 (35mm equivalent 150–600mm) for
close focusing shots.
- Macro Arm Light (MAL-1) - Not one, but two bright LED
lights – each on the end of its own fully flexible metal arm and powered
by the camera. Both arms extend up to 17cm. from a sleek and slender
unit mounted on the camera’s Accessory Port. For macro shots or
attractive close-ups of small items or for online auctions, the MAL-1 is
ideal for getting the lighting just right.
- PENPal - A sleek communication unit for storing up to
2600 images and transferring them via wireless Bluetooth to other
Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone, PC or even another
PENPal-equipped camera. From there it’s easy to share them with friends
in online communities or via e-mail.
In addition to these accessories, the
E-PL2 is compatible with the optional VF-2 detachable electronic
viewfinder, which provides 1.15x magnification and a 100 percent field
of view with sharp resolution, brightness and contrast, and the optional
SEMA-1 external microphone adapter set for those who want to capture
enhanced audio with any microphone that has a 3.5mm plug. These optional
accessories easily slide into the camera’s accessory port and hot shoe.
In-camera Image Stabilization that Supports a Wide Range of Lenses
Olympus has Image Stabilization built right into the body of the
E-PL2. This means that any lens (MICRO Four Thirds, Four Thirds and any
third-party lens) attached to the E-PL2 will deliver blur-free images
thanks to three modes of in-body Image Stabilization that automatically
compensate for camera shake, including in low-light situations or when
shooting without a tripod.
Achieve More with Automatic Features Including New iDetect
The E-PL2 features Face Detection with a new Eye Detection function
called iDetect to make it easier to capture the spirit of your subject.
This feature automatically makes a person’s eye the focus point of the
image. The E-PL2 further reduces the chance of blurred subjects in
images by recognizing up to eight faces, tracking them within the image
area, and automatically focusing and optimizing exposure for sharp
portraits. In addition, the E-PL2 has a variety of automated
technologies to free you up to focus on your subject instead of the
camera settings.
- 22 Scene-Select Modes - from
portraits to sunset shots, the E-PL2 is equipped with 22 Scene-Select
modes for effortless picture taking, including Fireworks, Sunset,
Children, Macro and Panorama, to name a few. Capturing beautiful
portraits is easy with the ePortrait mode that enables you to smooth
your subject’s complexion. There are even three scene modes that are
specific to shooting with the new conversion lenses to optimize the
performance of those lenses;
- Intelligent Auto (iAuto) Mode - when you don’t want to
use the scene-select modes, the iAuto mode automatically identifies what
you’re shooting and adjusts settings to ensure you capture the best
result for each situation you encounter;
- In-Camera Panorama - capture three images and stitch
them together to create one amazing, seamless panoramic picture. Or use
the included OLYMPUS [ib] software to stitch up to 10 images together
for the ultimate panorama; and
- iEnhance - with this mode the warm yellow and orange
colors of a sunset are heightened to a dramatically lifelike color
that’s truer to what you see with the naked eye. iEnhance is available
in any mode, and automatically engages when using iAuto to enrich color
in any subject.
Large Sensor for Excellent Image Quality
The E-PL2 features a large image sensor similar to the one inside
the top of the line Olympus E-System cameras. The only difference
between this sensor and what the pros use is that this big sensor is
inside the much smaller body of the E-PL2. This high-performance
12.3-megapixel Live MOS Sensor (eight times larger than the average
point-and-shoot camera sensor) delivers excellent dynamic range,
accurate color fidelity, and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to
reduce noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow
areas.
True-to-Life Color
The E-PL2’s Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus’ TruePic™ V
Image Processor, which produces clear and colorful photos using all the
pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images
possible. The image processor is noted for accurate natural color,
true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal
expression; it also offers a maximum ISO sensitivity of 6400, to reduce
image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great
results in low-light situations.
World-renowned Dust Reduction System
The Olympus dust reduction system is an industry first and a proven
technology. You don’t have to worry about dust spots on your sensor
ruining the perfect image every time you change lenses. Spend more time
shooting with the E-PL2 and less time worrying about dust with the
superior dust reduction system producing spot-free photos with the
exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter, a patented ultrasonic technology that
silently vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of
the image sensor. Dust will no longer get between you and a great shot.
Flash Alternatives for Everyone
For low-light shooting situations photographers can select the
built-in flash or choose an optional external unit. Wireless flash
control is also possible with the E-PL2, making customized lighting
set-ups an easy reality.
Underwater Housing for Aquatic Adventures
The new camera’s compact design makes it the perfect companion for
all of your dive trips. Olympus has designed a custom underwater case
for the PEN E-PL2, the PT-EP03, which is waterproof to a depth of 40
meters (approximately 130 feet). With its durable, high-quality
polycarbonate construction, this Olympus housing protects the camera
from water while also cushioning it from knocks and bumps on land. The
housing enables viewing from either the camera’s LCD screen or an
optional electronic viewfinder. Use up to two UFL-2 underwater flash
units via fiber optic cable with the case’s flash connectors. A
non-removable front lens port accommodates multiple MICRO Four Thirds
lenses.
Availability
The Olympus E-PL2 Kit will be available in January 2011. It includes the
E-PL2 Body, M. ZUIKO MSC DIGITAL ED m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zoom, USB Cable,
Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-5), Li-Ion Battery Charger
(BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS [ib] software CD-ROM, Manuals and
Registration card.
U.S. Pricing / Product Configurations
E-PL2 Body with MSC M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED m14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zoom Lens
Estimated Street Price: $599.99
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