Five New Olympus Cameras

Olympus has introduced a quintet of new point-and-shoot digital cameras, at CES 2012, that include simple snappy-shoots, a new Tough series camera and a couple of pocket-sized super zooms.

Olympus VG-160

The baby of the bunch is the Olympus VG-160, a smooth-featured pocket camera with a 14MP CCD, a 5x 26 to 130mm equivalent zoom lens, and a 3.0-inch 230k-dot LCD.

In addition to sharp stills, the Olympus VG-160 can also capture 720p HD video with one-touch simplicity, and the VG-160’s Intelligent Auto exposure mode takes all of the guesswork out of setting proper exposures when shooting in both still and video modes. To add a touch of spunk to your pictures, the VG-160 offers a choice of a dozen special effects Magic Art Filters and 30 dedicated scene modes that can be applied to both stills and video. Other neat imaging features include a digital image stabilization system, AF Tracking and Face Detection. The Olympus VG-160 is available in a choice of black, silver, red and orange and accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

Olympus VR-340

Considering the number of imaging features found in the Olympus VR-340, which includes a 16MP CCD, a 10x 24 to 240mm equivalent zoom and a 460k-dot, 3.0-inch LCD, the term “entry-level” sounds like an understatement. Available in a choice of black, white, silver, purple and red, the Olympus VR-340 can capture stills as well as one-touch 720p HD video, and if the camera’s 24mm equivalent wide-angle lens isn’t wide enough for you, the VR-340’s PC Panorama mode can stitch up to 10 consecutively captured frames together into a single ultra wide-field panoramic image.

In addition to a choice of super-simple iAuto and Program Auto modes, the Olympus VR-340 features 15 scene modes (including 3D capture) and 12 Magic Art Filters for stills and video, a Beauty and Makeup Mode for buffing up portraits, a top ISO of 1600 and a Dual Image Stabilization system that combines Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization with a boosted ISO and shutter-speed range for sharp, low-light shooting. The Olympus VR-340 records stills and video onto SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

Olympus TG-320

For those who prefer a camera that can handle bumps, dunks and extreme climes, Olympus offers its newest Tough series camera, the Olympus TG-320. Waterproof down to 10' (3m), shockproof to falls from up to 5' (1.5m) and able to withstand temperatures down to 14°F (-10°C), the compact profile of the TG-320 (3.8 x 2.5 x 0.9" / 96.3 x 63.4 x 22.7mm) makes it a no brainer take-along camera for hiking, biking, skiing and waterborne activities.

On the technical front, the Olympus TG-320 features a 14MP CCD, a 3.6x 28 to 102mm equivalent zoom lens, a 2.7-inch 230k-dot LCD, a top ISO of 1600 and 720p HD video capture with HDMI output and control. The camera also features a Dual Image Stabilization System, an Intelligent Auto Mode that includes 30 scene modes, a Beauty Mode and a dozen Magic Art Filters that include, among other neat stylistic twists: Pop Art, Pin Hole, Drawing, Fish Eye, Soft Focus, Punk, Watercolor and Miniature.

The Olympus TG-320, which is available in a choice of blue and red, can also capture wide-field panoramic images as well as 3D image capture.

Olympus SP-620UZ

For those who prefer a bit more optical flexibility Olympus has introduced the SP-620UZ, which complements its 16MP CCD with a 21x 25 to 525mm equivalent zoom lens. The SP-620OZ has a 3.0-inch 230k-dot LCD for composing and reviewing stills and video clips (720p HD) and has a DSLR-like profile that features a beefy grip, giving you an extra measure of security when you go strapless.

Other noteworthy image-improving features found on the Olympus SP-620UZ include in-camera panoramas, HDMI output, simple-as-can-be iAuto and Program Auto modes, 3D image capture, Dual Image Stabilization, a Beauty Mode, a dozen Magic Art Filters and 30 scene modes designed to capture optimal imagery regardless of the weather and lighting conditions. The SP-620UZ is available in a choice of silver and black, and records imagery onto SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

Olympus SZ-12

Need a longer optical range in a camera that you can still slip into your coat pocket? Look no further than the Olympus SZ-12, which sports a 24x 25 to 600mm equivalent zoom lens in a camera body that measures a mere 1.6" (39.5mm) thick.

Attractive in a choice of black, silver or red, the Olympus SZ-12 features a 14MP CCD, a 3.0-inch 460k-dot LCD, a top ISO of 1600, Wi-Fi compatibility for fast and easy image transfer, HDMI compatibility, 3D image capture, Dual Image Stabilization and a host of imaging features including Magic Art Filters for stills and video, an image-enhancing Beauty Mode, an Intelligent Auto Mode and a choice of 30 scene modes. The Olympus SZ-12 records stills and video to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.