Olympus to intro 5.1 mp SLR next year?

May 1, 2001 at 04:00:00 GMT

Some time back we reported that Olympus and Kodak would be working on joint ventures in the future and that Olympus would be using Kodak sensors. Today Kodak gave a seminar and revealed some details, it appears that Olympus will announce a new digital SLR at PMA next year (Feb 2002) which will be fitted out with a Kodak 4/3" 5.1 mp CCD (KAF-C5100E). More interestingly it appears that this camera (or cameras) will have a lens mount and a selection of up to 5 lenses (though the standard "kit" will include a body and lens). Kodak also make mention that this camera may also support Bluetooth (or via a kit) wireless transfer techology. Thanks to my good friend Yamada Kumio (webmaster of digitalcamera.gr.jp) for handing me this piece of news.

A translation of Yamada's bullet points:

• "Dream digital SLR for the Photographer is made".
   
• Real world price is 200,000 YEN (US$1620) or less for "lens and body kit".
   
• The sensor size will be 4/3" and should be fitted out with Kodak KAF-5100CE sensor (5.1 megapixel).
   
• At the sensor size 4/3" then 16 megapixel should be possible in the future
   
• As the sensor area is 4 times larger than that found in the E-10 so four times the sensitivity and dynamic range.
   
• Define a new lens mount based on the 4/3" sensor size.
   
• Announced at PMA 2002, introduced to market (for sale) at Photokina the same year.
   
• Extra grip, mass storage (MO), macro and bluetooth accessories are also to be developed for the "system".

Reproduced with permission.