CES 2003: Olympus has announced the first digital cameras to carry their famous Mju (Europe) and Stylus (North America) names. The 300 Digital and 400 Digital have an all metal 'weather proof' body, a three times optical zoom lens, three and four megapixel sensors respectively. Both cameras are powered by a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery and store images on the new xD-Picture Card.

Note that these cameras will carry the following names:

• Olympus Mju 300 Digital (Europe / Asia) = Olympus Stylus 300 Digital (North America)
• Olympus Mju 400 Digital (Europe / Asia) = Olympus Stylus 400 Digital (North America)

Press Release (Olympus UK):

Introducing the world's first weather proof metal body digital cameras - The Olympus Mju 300 Digital and Mju 400 Digital

Olympus launches the latest style icons, the weather proof metal body Mju 300 Digital and the Mju 400 Digital. Based on the unforgettable and hugely popular 35mm Mju Series, the new digital range brings the classic design into the 21st century. The 3 Megapixel Mju 300 Digital (£349.99 inc VAT) and 4 Megapixel Mju 400 Digital (£429.99 inc VAT) are available from March and April respectively. For stockist information please visit www.olympus.co.uk or call 0800 072 0072.

The first weather proof metal body digital cameras in the world allow users to enjoy the camera whatever the weather throws at them. Both cameras use the new xD-Picture Card format and have a 3x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 35 - 105mm on a 35mm camera), giving the user the flexibility to get closer to the subject or draw back for the big picture.

Both models have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and re-charger that gives you the opportunity to keep snapping even longer. The small, high precision f3.1/5.2 lenses are constructed especially to suit the CCD. These cameras also have a 1.5", 134,000 pixel LCD monitor which is ideal for framing your chosen shot or immediately sharing the results with others.

A range of automatic functions such as TTL autofocus and Digital ESP (Electro Selective Pattern) light metering help ensure best results with the minimum of fuss. Using the five scene programs (portrait, self-portrait, night scene, landscape, landscape plus portrait), even first-time digital photographers are able to obtain impressive photos.

The camera supports full auto white balance, four pre-set white balance modes, allowing users to manually optimise the camera for shooting in light from sources such as tungsten or fluorescent bulbs. The camera also features a host of other functions and features including macro and panorama modes, 2 in 1 shooting, the recording of short movie sequences and a built in flash with red-eye reduction.

After taking a picture, users have the option to change the colour photos into black and white or sepia. The Mju 300 Digital and Mju 400 Digital also support the EXIF 2.2 and Print Image Matching II (P.I.M II) standards enabling compatible printers to produce optimised image printouts using data saved by the camera.

Features

Mju 300 Digital - £349.99 Inc VAT

• Waterproof casing (weather-proof equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4)
• 3.2 million pixels
• 3x Optical Zoom
• 16 MB xD-Picture Card
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (Li-10B)
• 1.5 inch colour TFT LCD monitor with 134,000 pixels
• Five pre-set modes
• 6/99 images over 6 resolution settings

Mju 400 Digital - £429.99 Inc VAT

• Waterproof casing (weather-proof equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4)
• 4.0 million pixels
• 3x Optical Zoom
• 16 MB xD-Picture Card
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (Li-10B)
• 1.5 inch colour TFT LCD monitor with 134,000 pixels.
• Five pre-set modes
• 5/99 images over 7 resolution settings

Press Release (Olympus USA):

America's Best-Selling Film Camera Series Enters The Digital Age

Olympus Announces 'Stylus Digital' Line of Premium, Sleek, Metal, All-Weather, Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras

Melville, New York, January 9, 2003 - More than a decade of design evolution has resulted in the creation of a new line of Olympus digital cameras that adapts the DNA of America's best-selling 35mm point-and-shoot film camera series into a modern digital form. Known as the 'Stylus Digital', these new digital cameras are the culmination of years of refinement and embody the highest level of style and performance in a package that looks as great as the pictures it produces.

The first members of the Stylus Digital family include the 3.2 megapixel Stylus 300 Digital and the 4.0 megapixel Stylus 400 Digital cameras. Carrying on the heritage of their film predecessors, the Stylus Digital cameras incorporate premium features and design elements that are trademarks of the Stylus name. The Stylus Digital cameras are ultra-compact, all-weather and easy-to-use cameras designed for the digital photography enthusiast looking for the best performance in a stylish and portable body.

"The best-selling film camera series in America is now digital," said Martin Lee, vice president of marketing, Olympus America Inc. "The Stylus Digital model is our most important digital product introduction to date. We believe we have created a product worthy of carrying the premium name of the Stylus, and we are confident that the Stylus Digital will fulfill the promise of its predecessor and become our most popular digital camera series."

Stylish

Since the introduction of the Stylus film camera line in March 1991, 22-million award-winning Stylus cameras have been sold in the United States. With a clamshell lens barrier (pioneered by Olympus) and an artistic design inspired by the beauty of ocean waves, the Stylus has won numerous awards and accolades such as being displayed at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Olympus plans to continue producing Stylus film cameras alongside the new digital line.

No design detail has been overlooked in creating the Stylus Digital cameras. The Stylus 300 Digital has a sliding lens barrier accented in silver and that of the Stylus 400 Digital is accented in gold. Measuring an ultra-compact 3.8" long x 2.2" high x 1.3" wide, and weighing just 5.8 ounces, the Stylus Digital delivers maximum portability and durability for an active, on-the-go lifestyle.

Innovative

Over the course of several years, Olympus designers have worked to make the new Stylus Digital cameras not only attractive and compact, but also weather resistant for great shots come rain or shine. The lightweight and ergonomic metal bodies of the Stylus 300 Digital and Stylus 400 Digital provide all-weather protection from the elements and can even endure a downpour.

Intelligent

This dynamic duo utilizes the new xD-Picture CardTM memory media. The card's small size, about the same as a postage stamp, and an Olympus dedicated miniature Li-Ion rechargeable battery help keep the camera size down. Both models ship with a 16MB xD-Picture CardTM and a Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger - an incredible value.

Easy to Use

The Stylus Digital cameras offer basic point-and-shoot simplicity for flawless picture taking. For photographers who want optimum results in a wide variety of settings, the easy-to-use Creative Scene Modes provide fully automatic exposure adjustments for Portrait, Self-Portrait, and Landscape-Portrait.

The cameras have an optical viewfinder as well as an easy-to-view 1.5" color LCD display on the back of the body for composing and reviewing shots. Menu navigation is easy to control with the push of arrow buttons. Transferring images to the computer has never been easier with the Auto-Connect USB (that does not require software drivers) for hassle-free image downloads. Images may also be viewed on a television with the video cable.

Features for the Most Realistic Digital Images

Both the Stylus 300 Digital and Stylus 400 digital offer a powerful seamless 12X zoom (3X optical zoom + 4X digital zoom) to capture amazingly sharp details and vibrant colors at distances near or far.

Olympus photos are known worldwide for vibrant, sharp and photo-realistic image quality. This is achieved with a host of key technologies including Olympus's high-quality all-glass lens (with aspherical lens elements) that's specially designed for digital cameras, and provides the equivalent of 35 to 105mm, f3.1/5.1 in 35mm photography. The Macro Mode allows users to take close up photographs to capture details like the wings of a butterfly.

The 3.2 megapixel CCD and 4.0 megapixel CCD of the cameras, and Olympus's TruePicTM technology, allows users to retain a realistic look to their photographs at all photo sizes e-mailed or printed. The cameras' CCD captures the detail needed for true crystal clear photo-quality printing even on large print sizes of 8" x 10" and larger.

Other controls include Digital ESP multi-pattern and spot metering; auto white balance; multiple flash settings and exposure compensation. The camera comes with a built-in flash that offers 4 settings to provide the widest range of options.

The cameras also capture QuickTime® video so users can create short movies that can be sent over the Internet to co-workers, friends and family.

Availability

The Stylus 300 Digital will be available in February 2003, and the Stylus 400 Digital will be available in April 2003.

U.S. Pricing

Stylus 300 Digital Street Price: $399.00 (U.S.)
Stylus 300 Digital SRP: $449.95 (U.S.)

Stylus 400 Digital Street Price: $499.00 (U.S.)
Stylus 400 Digital SRP: $599.95 (U.S.)

Olympus Mju / Stylus Digital specifications

Europe / Asia name	Olympus Mju 300 Digital	Olympus Mju 400 Digital
North America name	Olympus Stylus 300 Digital	Olympus Stylus 400 Digital
Sensor	1/2.5" 3.34 megapixel CCD	1/2.5" 4.23 megapixel CCD
Effective pixels	3.2 million	4.0 million
Image sizes	2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480	2272 x 1704, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
Image format	JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Lens	3x optical zoom, 35 - 105 mm equiv.
Lens aperture	F3.1 - F5.2
Digital zoom	Up to 4.0x, 5.0x in VGA
Focus modes	Auto focus
Focus range	Standard: 0.5m - Infinity, Macro: 0.2 m - Infinity
Metering	Digital ESP metering, Spot metering
Exposure mode	Program AE Scene: Portrait, Self-portrait, Night Scene, Landscape, Landscape portrait
Shutter speed	1/2 - 1/1000 sec
Compensation	+/-2.0 EV in 0.3 EV steps
Sensitivity	Auto (ISO 80 - 320)
White balance	Auto, Sunlight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Flash type	Fixed
Flash modes	Auto, Red-eye reduction, Fill-in, Off
Flash range	Wide: 0.2 - 4.0 m, Tele: 0.2 - 2.5 m
Continuous	1 fps, max 4 images in HQ mode
Remote	RM-2 remote control included
Processing	TruePic, Pixel mapping
Viewfinder	Optical
LCD monitor	1.5" TFT, 134,000 pixels
Movie clips	320 x 240 up to 16 sec, 160 x 120 up to 70 sec
Storage	xD-Picture Card (16 MB provided)
Power	Lithium-Ion battery (and charger provided)
Connectivity	DC-IN, USB 1.1, Video Out
Compliance	DPOF, EXIF 2.2, PIM II
Weather proof	Equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4 (splash proof)
Dimensions	99 x 56 x 34 mm (3.9 x 2.2 x 1.3 ii)
Weight (no batt)	165 g (5.8 oz)