Olympus has today announced an expansion to their ZUIKO lens range with the wide-angle ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm F2.8-3.5 lens (35mm camera equivalent: 22-44mm). 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 achieve its full potential. Furthermore, thanks to their splash-proof construction, the ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are also protected from the elements. The new ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm, F2.8-3.5 is scheduled to go on sale in February 2004.

Press release:

Bright, high performance wide zoom lens for the Olympus E-System

The ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm, F2.8-3.5

Hamburg, 11 December 2003 - With its very wide-angle capabilities, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm, F2.8-3.5 lens (35mm camera equivalent: 22-44mm) opens up yet more creative possibilities to Olympus E-1 digital SLR users. Thanks to its great light gathering power (F2.8 at the wide setting), it also permits shooting with a wider range of shutter speeds in low light conditions, such as at dusk. Through full compatibility with the TIPA Award-winning FourThirds standard, the latest addition to the Olympus E-System delivers the excellent quality professionals need and expect. Superior optical performance is further aided by two aspherical lens elements, which minimise distortion as well as spherical and coma aberration. The latter is caused by light rays entering the periphery of a lens at an angle and converging in the form of a comet instead of a point. Also, to help avoid ghosting or image flare, problems particularly associated with wide-angle lenses, a new multi-coating has been applied to the first two lenses. The focusing system's floating mechanism delivers sharp, high contrast images up to a shortest range of 28cm at any zoom setting.

Optics designed exclusively for digital photography

All ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are designed to maximise the performance of digital SLRs based on the FourThirds Standard. This enables full cross-manufacturer lens interchangeability among camera systems applying the standard, as well as the use of lenses that are small and light but also have a large aperture. 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 achieve its full potential. Furthermore, thanks to their splash-proof construction, the ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are also protected from the elements. The new ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm, F2.8-3.5 is scheduled to go on sale in February 2004.

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 SLR body plus a range of interchangeable lenses and other accessories. For more details, please visit www.olympus-pro.com.

Olympus E-System lenses:

• ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm (28-108mm) F2.8~3.5
• ZUIKO DIGITAL ED50-200mm (100-400mm) F2.8~3.5
• ZUIKO DIGITAL ED50mm (100mm) F2 Macro
• ZUIKO DIGITAL ED300mm (600mm) F2.8
• ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm (22-44mm) F2.8-3.5 (available February 2004)