Olympus have today announced the C-5000 Zoom. We don't have much information, except the press release from Olympus Europe, but it seems that its a 5 megapixel, 3x zoom model with a fair degree of manual control and appears to be a similar transition as was made from the C-4040 Zoom to the C-4000 Zoom, the new C-5000 Zoom looks like a cut-down C-5050 Zoom. Sales of the camera are expected to commence in autumn 2003.

Press Release:

The Olympus C-5000ZOOM

Hamburg, 29 August 2003 – Creativity knows no bounds. That is why the photographer’s main tool – the camera – must not impede any impulse to compose even the most imaginative of motifs. The five megapixel CAMEDIA C-5000ZOOM is such an instrument. Whether the glistening ripples of water gently lapping on a shore at sunset or the interplay of light and shadow on a portrait shot, it lets you express your photographic ideas with confidence. With its silvery, ergonomically contoured body, the very attractively priced C-5000ZOOM also gets top marks for a distinctive design that underlines the user’s artistic flair.

The provision of features that support photographer’s creative impulses is central to the C-5000ZOOM concept. That’s why an emphasis has been placed on enabling a high degree of manual control options. Virtually all camera settings can be adjusted. Focus, exposure, white balance and ISO to name but a few. The result: complete freedom to create a composition limited virtually only by your imagination. Photos can be captured from as close as 4 cm in Super Macro mode and extended exposure times of up to 16 seconds guarantee superb versatility.

Sure, you can also utilise the multiple automatic shooting modes to take fast snapshots and play with the 3x optical zoom to enlarge a scene, which combined with the 4x digital zoom enables even 12x magnification. But for real lovers of photography the CAMEDIA-5000ZOOM allows for the necessary individuality which makes the difference between a good and a great composition.

While a built-in flash lets you get optimal illumination for most situations of low and challenging light conditions – and offers room for experimentation with 1st and 2nd curtain slow synchronisation – the C-5000ZOOM does not set its limits there. A hot shoe connection allows external flash units to be clipped on. In this way, photographers are not only provided with the possibility to obtain greater flash power. They are also bestowed with considerably more flexibility to create a wider range of moods by using bounce flash techniques, for example. And in a camera of this price segment, this feature is almost unheard of.
Several function shooting modes such as two-in-one, panorama, B&W and sepia enhance the creative potential of the new camera model. The precision optical system is comprised of seven glass lenses which are arranged in six groups. Power supply is ensured by an ultra-small rechargeable lithium-ion battery, for which a quick-charger with a maximum recharging time of two hours is supplied with the camera.

Its many adjustable photographic features and sensational ergonomic design make the C-5000ZOOM a true object of desire for users demanding a camera that keeps up with their compulsion for creative expression. Sales of the camera are expected to commence in autumn 2003.

Olympus C-5000 Zoom Features

• Firm grip and intuitive layout of buttons and controls
• 1.8” LCD with 134,000 pixels
• 5.0 million pixels
• 3x optical zoom f2.8/4.8 (equiv. 38 – 114 mm on 35 mm camera)
• plus 4x digital zoom
• Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority and Full Manual modes
• 6 scene programs (portrait, self-portrait, sports, night scene, landscape, landscape portrait)
• Hot shoe for external flash connection
• Built-in flash with multiple modes including 1st and 2nd curtain slow synchronisation
• Super Macro mode for shots as close as 4 cm
• Shutter speed ranges from 1/1,000 to 16 seconds
• Movie recording function

Olympus C-5000 Zoom Specifications