Olympus has announced that the eight megapixel EVOLT E-300 will be priced $999 for a kit including the body and a 14 - 45mm lens. The E-300 is the first 100% digital-from-the-ground-up consumer SLR and the second Four Thirds System camera from Olympus. While traditional SLRs use glass prisms, the EVOLT uses a sideways swinging mirror system and, to reduce the effects of dust on the CCD and to improve the resultant image quality, features Olympus patented technology first seen on the E-1, the Supersonic Wave Filter.

Press Release:

Olympus Announces Prices For EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR Camera, Digital Specific Consumer Lenses, And Accessories

100% “Designed-for-Digital” SLR Comes with Lens for Under $1000 for World-Class Image Quality; Camera Packs Dust Protection and an 8-Megapixel Imaging Sensor into Innovative Compact, Low-Profile Body

Melville, NY, November 23, 2004 - Today Olympus officially announced that the 8.0-megapixel EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR, the first 100 percent “digital-from-the-ground-up” consumer SLR system with interchangeable digital specific lenses, will be sold with a lens for $999.99. Incorporating a newly designed compact body featuring the Dust Reduction system pioneered on the professional E-1 SLR body, the EVOLT delivers the versatility, durability and reliable performance of an SLR that isn’t just for the pros – now it’s for photographers of all skill levels at a price they can afford.

Camera, Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses, and Accessories Prices:

EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR:
$999.99 estimated street price including the 14-45mm lens ($1399 MSRP)
14-45mm f3.5 - f5.6 Lens: $249.95 estimated street when purchased separate from EVOLT ($299 MSRP)
40-150mm f3.5 - f4.5 Lens: $279.95 estimated street ($349 MSRP).
HLD-3 Battery Holder: $99.99 estimated street price ($119.95 MSRP).
Semi Hard Case CS3-SH (for EVOLT E-300 and 14.45mm or 14-54mm zooms): $49.95 estimated street price ($59.95 MSRP).

The EVOLT E-300 outfit includes a compact, 14 – 45mm f3.5 – f5.6 Zuiko Digital Specific Lens (equivalent to 28mm – 90mm in 35mm photography) that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Its 3.2x zoom covers the range most frequently used in ordinary photography and weighs just 10 ounces (285 grams) offering users an extremely dynamic, portable everyday-use zoom. Close-ups as near as 15 inches (38cm) are possible throughout the zoom range.

Another lens announced earlier this year, the 40 – 150mm f3.5 – f4.5 Zuiko Digital Specific Lens (equivalent to 80-300mm in 35mm photography), now also has a price. With 13 elements in 10 groups and a weight of just 15.75 oz/450g (approx), the Zuiko Digital 40-150mm Lens is meant to go anywhere. In addition, the lens employs an f3.5-4.5 brightness making it ideal for achieving effects like background blurring and perspective compression, suitable for everything from portraits to sports scenes. As with the 14-45mm lens, the 40-150mm is also reinforced by a multi-coating process as well as a reliable metal lens mount.

Both the 14-45mm and the 40-150mm are standard digital zoom lenses that complement each other and can be used in conjunction to cover a wide range of focal lengths and zoom ranges. In addition, both of these “designed for digital” lenses offer superb quality suitable for everyday use by advanced photographers as well as by newcomers to digital SLR products.

EVOLT Supersonic Wave Filter Leaves Other Digital SLR Cameras In the Dust
A common problem with interchangeable lens digital SLR cameras is dust settling on the image sensor. The EVOLT features an Olympus exclusive patented ultrasonic technology, the Supersonic Wave Filter™, to reduce the effects of micro dust settling on the image sensor and impacting the image quality. Located between the shutter and the CCD, the Supersonic Wave Filter uses high-speed ultrasonic vibration to cause most types of dust to fall away from the image sensor so it will not appear in photographs. The filter vibrates at 350,000 times per second and is activated every time the camera powers on, or manually via a menu selection, to instantly remove the dust from in front of the image sensor. The CCD assembly is isolated from the Supersonic Wave Filter by an airtight seal to protect it even more. This unique Olympus feature gives photographers the confidence to shoot photos and change lenses in the field, just as they’ve always done, without the worry of images being damaged or ruined by dust on the imager.

Optional Accessories Designed To Do More

HLD-3 Battery Holder
The EVOLT can accommodate the HLD-3 Battery Holder that holds one or two BLM-1 Li-Ion batteries. With two batteries, the EVOLT can capture almost double the number of images possible with only one battery. The HLD-3 has a shutter release button located at its base to enable vertical shooting, a remote socket for use with the RM-CB1 Cable Release, and a standard tripod socket.

FL-36 Flash
Compact, lightweight and designed specifically for digital photography, the FL-36 achieves higher guide numbers than comparable SLR film cameras even while maintaining wide-angle light distribution. The Guide Number is 117 feet (36 meters) at ISO 100. You'll notice the difference when using it in combination with a wide-angle lens on the EVOLT. Accurate, 1/8-step illumination control provides the precision required by digital cameras, while minimizing illumination reduction near the screen. The newly designed energy-saving circuit improves recharge rates and enables the flash to operate on just 2 AA batteries.

The FL 36 features the FP mode for syncro at shutter speeds up to 1/4000 sec. In both FP-TTL Auto and FP-Manual modes. Standard TTL-Auto, Auto and Manual flash modes are also available. It costs $199.99 estimated street price ($239.95 MSRP)

CS-3SH Semi-Hard Case
Protect the EVOLT and its lens in style with a dedicated semi-hard leather case.

Availability
The Olympus EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR will be available in December 2004. It includes: EVOLT E-300 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Editing Software, CD-ROM, Manuals, Warranty card, and System chart.

For more information, review units and high-resolution images of the Olympus EVOLT E-300 and accessories, contact Michael Bourne, Mullen Public Relations, 650-210-9857 or michael.bourne@mullen.com, or Chris Sluka, senior public relations manager, Olympus America Inc, Consumer Products Group, Two Corporate Center Dr., Melville, NY, P.O. Box 9058, 11747-9058, ph: (631) 844-5000 (800) 622-6372, Fax: (631) 844-5262 or the Olympus Web Site: www.olympusamerica.com/evolt