Olympus Press Release, - January 5th,, 2005 -The new C-7070 Wide Zoom from Olympus unites high-performance features and an incredible wide-angle lens in a rugged, magnesium body. The camera’s wide-angle zoom lens lets photographers frame more of a subject into their composition, and with the high-resolution 7.1-megapixel CCD, photographers can produce larger than life prints with amazing vividness. Two new Autofocus (AF) modes enable photographers to shoot fast, sharp photos of subjects in motion, so no fleeting photo opportunities get missed.

"The C-7070 Wide Zoom will be valued by photographers of all levels for its compact size, rugged construction and ease of use," said Glenn Schwartz, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "But the powerful wide-angle lens, 7.1-megapixel image sensor and two new AF modes are features that give this camera the extra edge required by high-end amateur and professional photographers."

Designed to Do More

Olympus photos are known for sharp, vibrant image quality. This is achieved through a number of advanced technologies, beginning with Olympus’ high-quality all-glass lens designed specifically for digital cameras to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity.

With its 4x optical zoom ultra-wide-angle lens (equivalent to 27 to 110mm, f2.8 – f.8.0), the C-7070 Wide Zoom enables photographers to capture more of their field of view. When combined with a high-resolution image sensor containing more than 7 million pixels, and Olympus’ exclusive TruePic TURBO Image Processor that suppresses noise and boosts image definition, the lens captures images of such high resolution that prints can be cropped and enlarged up to 16 x 20 inches.

For nature photographers, the C-7070 features a Super Macro mode that enables shooting from 1.18 inches to capture details as delicate and nuanced as the wings of a butterfly or the petals of a flower.

The camera’s 1.8-inch Semi-Transmissive swivel LCD makes it easy to take pictures at any angle – above the head, from the side, or with the camera placed on the ground. The LCD can even be swiveled 180° for taking self-portraits. And while conventional LCD screens appear dim against bright light, the Semi-Transmissive LCD technology provides excellent high-contrast visibility in any light condition.

Delivering Style & Durability

The C-7070 Wide Zoom embodies rugged style and durability. The camera body is constructed of magnesium alloy with a rubberized grip that fits snuggly in the photographer’s hand for ergonomic comfort during lengthy photo shoots. The camera is solid yet compact at a mere 124mm (W) x 84mm (H) x 99mm (D) and 434 grams.

Intelligent Design for High Performance

The C-7070 Wide Zoom features a number of professional SLR-type features to satisfy the artistic needs of advanced users, including two autofocus systems. A Predictive AF mode enables users to shoot subjects moving towards them via an external AF sensor that detects the distance the subject has moved and predicts its location at the moment of shutter release.

And an AF Target Selection function enables users to choose from 143 AF target zones to focus on virtually any area of their composition without reframing the shot. The C-7070 Wide Zoom also features a manual focusing mode, giving users full control over the accuracy of their focal range.

The camera’s Direct Histogram function provides real-time access to exposure information so users can confirm exposure before snapping the picture. A histogram displayed on the LCD makes detection of over- and under-exposed areas simple with red and blue highlighting so users can make adjustments.

The inclusion of a speaker and microphone in the camera’s body enables users to narrate images with personalized audio captions. In Movie Mode, the C-7070 Wide Zoom can record QuickTime^® television-quality movies of any length at 20 frames-per-second, limited only by the storage capacity of the memory card in the camera.

Designed to be Approachable

The C-7070 Wide Zoom is easy to use with controls placed strategically on the camera body for fast, intuitive manipulation. A mode dial on the top of the camera enables users to rapidly select from an assortment of settings.

In fully Programmed Auto mode, the camera provides basic point-and-shoot simplicity for flawless snapshots. The camera also features 12 Shooting Modes for optimal results in a variety of situations, such as Night, Portrait, Landscape, and Sports. Two new underwater settings – Underwater Wide and Underwater Macro – make the C-7070 an ideal camera for divers.

The camera accepts two types of memory media – the xD-Picture Card™ or Compact Flash™ Type I or II including microdrives – and can hold both media cards simultaneously for flexible storage options.

Connecting the C-7070 Wide Zoom to a computer is easy with the USB Auto Connect feature, which connects directly via USB 2.0 cable and requires no software. Or, If you prefer, forget the computer altogether. The power of PictBridge technology enables photos to be printed directly from the camera to any PictBridge-enabled printer, such as the Olympus P-10 Digital Photo Printer, without using a computer. Printing and sharing images has never been easier, and the P-10’s photo lab-quality dye-sublimation printing produces archival-quality prints in rich colour.

OLYMPUS Master software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to a computer quick and simple, and images are searchable by date or keyword in the Calendar View. And with one-click editing tools, such as red-eye reduction, images can be touched up before printing or emailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away.

Power Battery Holder Delivers Performance

For photographers who want to extend their shooting sessions, the C-7070 Wide Zoom can accommodate the new B-HLD20 Power Battery Holder. It holds a maximum of two Lithium ion BLM-1 rechargeable batteries to turn the camera into a powerhouse that has the energy to keep shooting for hours (one BLM-1 battery is included with the C-7070). The BLM-1 Lithium ion rechargeable battery delivers an impressive performance of 7.2V, 1500 mAh and can be charged overnight with the included BCM-2 battery charger.

For further convenience, the holder features an additional shutter release button and zoom lever for added ease of use when composing vertical shots. The battery holder even has a space to store an additional xD-Picture Card to replace the one in use when it becomes full.

Envisioning More Possibilities with Accessory Lenses

For added versatility, photographers can select from three new conversion lenses specially designed to extend the focal range of the C-7070 Wide Zoom. The lenses feature a bayonet mount for quick and easy attachment to the CLA-7 conversion lens adapter, which screws directly into the body of the camera. The Olympus conversion lenses deliver the high optical quality required in digital image capture and have been designed to suit the imaging system of the C-7070 Wide Zoom to ensure optimal results without sacrificing quality.

The WCON-17c is a 0.7x wide-angle converter lens that reduces the focal length by a factor of 0.7x (35mm conversion of 19mm) when fitted to the C-7070 Wide Zoom, providing greater wide-angle coverage without altering the aperture setting.

To get even closer to the action, the TCON-17C, a 1.7x teleconverter lens, increases the focal length by a factor of 1.7x (35mm conversion of 187mm), and the TCON-30C increases the focal length by a factor of 3.0x (35mm conversion of 330).

The CLA-7 conversion lens adapter is required to attach the TCON-17C, TCON-30C or WCON-17C.

Flexible Flash to See More

In addition to the camera’s internal pop-up flash, powerful external flash units have been developed for use with the C-7070 Wide Zoom and other Olympus digital cameras. These include the FL-50, compact FL-20 and new FL-36, all specifically designed for digital with accurate step illumination control to provide the precision required by digital cameras.

Exploring New Depths with Underwater Housing

With the new PT-027 Underwater Housing a digital photographer can take the C-7070 Wide Zoom 40 metres below the surface for capturing vivid wide-angle images of the underwater landscape. The stylish and durable housing is for anyone looking to pursue underwater digital photography when diving, snorkeling or surfing, or for other activities that require ultimate protection from the elements such as skiing, fishing, sailing, as well as certain industrial situations. Underwater housings for the accessory lenses and flashes are also available.

Availability

The C-7070 Wide Zoom will be available in February 2005. It includes an Auto-Connect USB cable, Audio/Video Out cable, carrying strap, lens cap with retainer cord, Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, a 32MB xD-Picture Card™, OLYMPUS Master Software, user manual and Quick Start guide.

Canadian Pricing:

C-7070 Wide Zoom Estimated Street Price: $899.95

WCON-17C Estimated Street Price: TBD

TCON-17C Estimated Street Price: $299.95

TCON-30C Estimated Street Price: $379.95

B-HLD20 Estimated Street Price: TBD

FL-50 Estimated Street Price: $599.95

FL-36 Estimated Street Price: $299.95

FL-20 Estimated Street Price: $199.95