In conjunction with the announcement of the E-300 Olympus has also today announced three new Four Thirds System zoom lenses; ED 7 - 14 mm F4.0 (2x), E 14 - 45 mm F3.5 - F5.6 (3.2x) and E 40 - 150 mm F3.5 - F4.5 (3.8x). On the E-1 or E-300 these lenses will produce an equivelant field of view of 14 - 28 mm, 28 - 90 mm and 80 - 300 mm respectively. In addition Olympus has also improved the as yet to be released ED 150 mm F2.0 by fitting a faster AF drive unit.

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Press Release:

Life through a lens

Three new ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses see the big, the small and the wide picture

Cologne, 27 September 2004. There is more to life than seeing the big picture. Sometimes it’s all in the detail. Capturing life’s memorable moments on film means having the right lens for every occasion. Enter the new range of ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses from Olympus.

Explicitly designed for digital photography and adhering to the TIPA Award winning FourThirds Standard, the latest additions to the Olympus E-System broaden the optical spectrum

• The ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm f4.0 provides ultra-wide-angle performance for professional applications
   
• The ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 covers the wide-angle to mid-telephoto range, whilst the ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm f3.5-4.5 is ideal for mid- to telephoto requirements. Both are especially designed to provide more affordable lens options for the new Olympus E-300 body but are also compatible with the entire Olympus E-System

In addition to these three new lenses, Olympus has boosted the specifications of the soon-to-be-released ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150mm f2.0, by fitting a faster AF driving unit.

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm (14-28mm) f4.0

Designed for use by pros, the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm f4.0 provides photographers with ultra-wide-angle shooting capabilities and delivers amazing results. With a focal length beginning at just 7mm (equivalent to 14mm on a 35mm camera) it offers a 114° angle of view – currently the world’s widest for digital zoom lenses. The minimum working distance (from object to front lens) is just 10cm, allowing exaggerated perspectives.

Main features

• Ultra-wide-angle performance 7-14mm (14-28mm) f4.0
• 10cm minimum working distance (distance from object to front lens) for expanded shooting capabilities
• Large aperture lens combined with world's first double-sided ED glass-moulded aspherical camera lens of greater than 50mm diameter
• Two Super ED and two ED glass elements for absolute minimum chromatic aberration
• Multi-coating process to significantly minimise ghosting and flaring
• Splash and dust proof construction to enhance reliability

ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-45mm (28-90mm) f3.5-5.6

The ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 is a very affordable general-purpose lens. Whilst tipping the scales at only 285g and despite very compact proportions, this model provides full 3.2x zoom performance. It is included with the new Olympus E-300 camera kit, but also represents a cost-effective general-use alternative for Olympus E-1 users. True to the FourThirds Standard, its dedicated digital design ensures consistent high image quality.

Main features

• Small and lightweight 3.2x zoom performance with focal range of 14-45mm (28-90mm) f3.5-5.6
• High refractive index glass and two aspherical lens elements to reduce spherical and chromatic aberration as well as distortion
• Multi-coating process to minimise ghosting and flaring over a wide range of wavelengths
• Robust metal lens-mount for reliable use with all camera bodies adhering to the FourThirds Standard

ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm (80-300mm) f3.5-4.5

Covering a focal range of 40-150mm (equivalent to 80-300mm on a 35mm camera), this 3.8x zoom lens offers superb mid- to telephoto functionality at an attractive price. A fast f-stop of f3.5-4.5 gives Olympus E-300 owners ample opportunity to get creative by extending their telephoto capabilities.

Main features

• Small and lightweight 3.8x zoom capability with focal range of
  40-150mm (80-300mm)
• Fast f3.5-4.5 lens enabling telephoto effects such as shallow depth of field
• Multi-coated to minimise ghosting and flaring
• Robust metal lens-mount for reliable use with all camera bodies adhering to the FourThirds Standard

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150mm (300mm) f2.0

Already crowned with the best high-end lens award from TIPA, Olympus engineers have now added extra power to this lens, prior to its official release in October 2004. The ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150mm f2.0 will now feature a newly developed core-less driving unit – getting it off the mark faster at start-up as well as increasing AF speeds.

Main features

• Ultra-bright telephoto performance 150mm (300mm) f2.0
• One Super ED and one ED lens element for absolute minimum chromatic aberration
• Multi-coating process to significantly minimise ghosting and flaring
• Sharp, high-contrast images through optical system’s advanced floating mechanism (closest focusing distance: 1.4m)
• Focus limit switch and focus stop button
• Splash and dust proof construction to enhance reliability

Optics designed exclusively for digital photography

Based on the FourThirds Standard, all ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are designed to maximise the performance of digital SLRs. The standard allows full cross-manufacturer lens interchangeability among camera systems, whilst nearly telecentric optics ensure images have perfect colour, clarity and brightness from the centre to the periphery of the frame. The lenses’ high resolving power makes sure the image sensor obtains the detail it needs to create images with stunning clarity.

Further information

The Olympus E-System is the world’s first digital SLR system to be based on the FourThirds Standard jointly developed by Olympus and Kodak. The professional system has been designed exclusively for digital photography. It currently comprises the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-300 SLR bodies plus a range of interchangeable lenses and other accessories. For more details, please visit www.olympus-pro.com.

Specifications

	ED 7-14 mm *	E 14-45 mm	E 40 - 150 mm
Focal Length	7 - 14 mm	14 - 45 mm	40 - 150 mm
Construction	18 elements in 12 groups including 2 aspherical	12 elements in 10 groups including 2 aspherical	13 elements in 10 groups
Angle of view	114 to 75°	75 to 27°	30 to 8.2°
Closest focus	TBD	38 cm	150 cm
Maximum magnification	TBD	0.16x	0.12x
Minimum field size	TBD	107 x 80 mm	140 x 105 mm
Number of blades	TBD	7	7
Maximum aperture	F4	F3.5 (Wide) - F5.6 (Tele)	F3.5 (Wide) - F4.5 (Tele)
Minimum aperture	F22	F22	F22
Filter size	N/A	58 mm	58 mm
Dimensions (dia x len)	TBD	71 x 87 mm	77 x 107 mm
Weight	TBD	285 g (10 oz)	450 g (15.8 oz)
Tele converter EC 14	TBD	Yes, Manual Focus only	Yes, Manual Focus only
Extension tube EX 25	TBD	Yes	Yes

* At the time of publication full specifications for this lens were not available.

Four Thirds System lens line-up (current)

• Zoom lenses
  • Olympus ED 7-14 mm F4.0
  • Olympus E 11-22 mm F2.8 - F3.5
  • Olympus E 14-45 mm F3.5 - F5.6
  • Olympus E 14-54 mm F2.8 - F3.5
  • Sigma 18-125 mm F3.5 - F5.6 DC
  • Olympus E 40-150 mm F3.5 - F4.5
  • Olympus ED 50-200 mm F2.8 - F3.5
• Prime lenses
  • Olympus ED 50 mm F2.0 Macro
  • Olympus ED 150 mm F2.0
  • Olympus ED 300 mm F2.8
• Lens accessories
  • Olympus EC-14 Teleconverter (1.4x)
  • Olympus EX-25 Extension tube