Olympus Unleashes Six New Compact Cameras

The new STYLUS TOUGH-3000 is the first in the Stylus Tough series to offer HD video. It also features a new GUI for intuitive operation as well as Geotagging and Face Recognition functionalities. This 12-megapixel camera features a 3.6x wide-angle optical zoom and Dual Image Stabilization. The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 will be available in February for an estimated price of $229.99.


Touted as smart entry-level cameras, the new FE-4020 and FE-47 offer a 14 megapixel sensor and many simple to use in-camera features. Key features in this line include Intelligent Auto, Shadow Adjustment, and AF Tracking. The FE-4020 has a 4x (26mm – 105mm equivalent in 35mm photography) lens while the FE-47 features a 5x (36mm – 180mm equivalent) zoom lens. Both cameras can capture AVI movies with sound. The FE-47 ($119.99) will be available in January and the FE-4020 ($149.99) will be available in February.


The new STYLUS-7040, STYLUS-7030, and STYLUS-5010 offer 14 megapixel sensors. These cameras offer features such as a Magic Filter, AF tracking, a new GUI, Dual Image Stabilization, Geotagging, and Face Recognition. The STYLUS-7040 and STYLUS-7030 offer a 7x (28mm – 196mm equivalent) lens. For users who want a slimmer body with a shorter zoom, the STYLUS-5010 has a wide-angle 5x (26mm – 130mm equivalent) zoom. The STYLUS-7040 and STYLUS-5010 are capable of capturing 720p HD videos and offer HDMI output for showing off your images and videos. These three new cameras will be available in February. The STYLUS-7040 will cost $249.99; the STYLUS-7030 and STYLUS-5010 will run $199.99.

Another interesting note – Olympus says its new Spring 2010 digital compact cameras offer SD capability for up to 32 gigabytes of capacity. This signals a move away from the more proprietary XD memory card format that the company has supported in the past. This will certainly help remove a few roadblocks for users who have already invested in SD cards but like the new Olympus offerings.