NewsJanuary 2007

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Olympus FE-230

7 megapixel compacts seem to be flavour of the month and this little Olympus is no exception. As well as a 3x zoom (38-114mm equivalent) there's ISO 1250 and a simplified operating system packed into the bargain-priced FE-230's 16.5mm thick stainless steel shell.

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Press Release:

Easy, stylish and ultra-slim

The head-turning Olympus FE-230

London, 25 January 2007 – If there are three things that characterise the Olympus FE-230 they are style, ease of use and a great price. Measuring just 16.5 mm thick, this supermodel’s slim stainless metal body cuts a great figure wherever it’s taken. Its easy operation and 7.1 Megapixel CCD makes capturing first rate photos a cinch. A large and roomy 6.4cm LCD screen means that framing shots is effortless and viewing results an absolute pleasure.

The FE-230 makes a big impact thanks to a diminutive slim-line stainless metal body that’s just 16.5mm thick. Image quality is second to none thanks to the TruePic TURBO image processor and 7.1 Megapixel resolution. Proving that its beauty is more than skin deep, a 3x zoom lens and a big 6.4cm LCD screen allow users frame their shots with ease, and makes viewing results a joy too.

Handling the FE-230 is genuinely intuitive, with the camera incorporating a “one button, one function” design principle. A mode dial lets users conveniently choose between the camera’s eight different shooting programmes, which include High ISO Setting mode with ISO 1250, Super Macro and Movie recording with sound. Ideal for happy snappers, 18 preset scene modes are on board to make easy work of familiar photo situations. These include special Underwater modes which (when used with the optional Underwater Case PT-038) give the freedom to take fun shots up to 40m below the water’s surface.

An xD-Picture Card slot and the internal memory make for plenty of storage space, so the photo shoot can continue as long as you wish. And, the Olympus Master software included with the camera means that editing and archiving pictures on the computer is refreshingly uncomplicated. Expect to see the ultra-slim FE-230 in stores from February 2007, with an estimated High Street price of just £150.00

The Olympus FE-230 – main features:

• 7.1 Megapixels in a stainless metal body
• Only 16.5mm thin
• 3x optical zoom (equiv. to 38-114mm on a 35mm model), 1:3.1-5.9
• 6.4cm/2.5” LCD
• Super Macro mode from 5cm
• “One button, one function” design principle
• 18 scene modes (including Underwater Wide and Macro)
• High ISO Setting mode (ISO 1250)
• Internal memory plus xD-Picture Card slot
• Movie recording with sound up to card capacity
• TruePic TURBO
• Supplied with Olympus Master software + LI-42B lithium ion battery
• Multi-language menu with 25 languages
• Underwater case (40m) PT-038 optionally available

Olympus FE-230 specifications

Sensor	• 1/2.5" Type CCD • 7.1 million pixels total • 7.1 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 3072 x 2304 • 2048 x 1536 • 640 x 480
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 30 fp sup to capacity of card • 320 x 240 30fps
File formats	• Still: JPEG (EXIF 2.21) • Movie: AVI motion JPEG • Sound: Wave format
Lens	• 6.3-18.9mm (38-114 35 mm equiv) 3x optical zoom • F3.1-5.9
Image stabilization	No
Conversion lenses	No
Digital zoom	Up to 4x
Focus	TTL iESP auto focus with contrast detection
AF assist lamp	Yes/No
Focus distance	• 0.6m-∞ (standard wide), 1.0m-∞ (standard tele) • 0.1m-∞ (macro wide), 0.6m-∞ (macro tele) • 5cm closest focus (super macro)
Metering	• ESP multi-pattern
ISO sensitivity	• Auto ISO • ISO 50-1250
Exposure compensation	• +/- 2 EV • 1/3 EV steps
Shutter speed	1/2-1/2000 sec
Scene modes	• Sports • Indoor • Candle • Self portrait • Sunset • Fireworks • Behind glass • Cuisine • Documents • Auction • Underwater wide 1 • Underwater wide 2 • Underwater macro
Self timer	Yes
Flash	• Built-in • Auto • Red-eye reduction • Fill-in • Off • Working range up to 3.8m
Viewfinder	No
LCD monitor	• 2.5" TFT LCD • 115,000 pixels
Connectivity	Combined USB and AV output
Print compliance	• PIM III • DPOF
Storage	• xD Picture Card • 20 MB internal memory
Power	• LI-42B Lithium-Ion cell • Charger included
Weight (no batt)	105g (3.7 oz)
Dimensions	90.5 x 55 x 16.5 mm (3.6 x 2.2 x 0.6 in)