New Olympus µ TOUGH-3000

Olympus

Perfect for everyday adventures, the new µ TOUGH-3000 is the latest addition to Olympus’ school of hard knocks. With new features such as an HD movie function and [ib] software, the wallet-friendly model aims to please. It inherits the award-winning µ TOUGH-8000 3.6x wide optical zoom, and has been fitted with everything from Dual Image Stabilisation to Magic Filters. Waterproof to 3m*3, shockproof to 1.5m*2, and freezeproof to -10°C, the 12 Megapixel model will be available from March 2010 for a retail price of £199.99.

Whether it’s being flung into a backpack or passed around at a family party, you’ll never have to worry about getting the µ TOUGH-3000 back in one piece. But the model isn’t just sturdy – it has a number of new features to boot:

* HD movie recording and HDMI interface
* 1 GB internal memory and SD card slot
* Photo Surfing
* [ib] software
* USB charging

Chronicle all the action in an HD movie and show your friends on a TV connected via HDMI or flip through images easily on the spot with Photo Surfing. Thanks to Olympus’ new [ib] software, you can quickly locate those particular events, people and locations tagged using GPS, Face Detection, or the date. Group portraits as well as shots of a favourite band rocking-out on stage come out just as you imagined with the versatile 3.6x wide optical zoom (28-102mm*). Also a plus: you’ll never be left wanting for space or caught with a dead battery with the convenient 1GB of internal memory, an additional SD card slot and a practical USB charger.

Besides all that, the µ TOUGH-3000’s In-Camera Manual is on hand whenever you need help or some tricks. And just like with the rest of the TOUGH family, a variety of trusted Olympus features from Beauty Mode and i-Auto, AF Tracking to Dual Image Stabilisation make taking great shots easy.

The shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof µ TOUGH-3000 is an affordable solution to capture all of life’s surprises. It will be available in Oxide Red, Turquoise Blue, Hot Pink and Emerald Green from March 2010.

The Olympus µ TOUGH-3000 – main features:

* Shockproof to 1.5m*2, waterproof to 3m*3, freezeproof to -10°C and scratchproof
* 3.6x wide optical zoom (28-102mm*1)
* Dual Image Stabilisation (combines mechanical and digital image stabilisation)
* HD movie recording and HDMI technology
* 12 Megapixels
* 1GB internal memory and SD*4 Card compatible
* Photo Surfing and [ib] software
* 6.9cm/2.7” HyperCrystal III LCD (230,000 dots)
* Advanced Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology
* Intelligent Auto Mode (i-Auto) and AF Tracking
* Magic Filters
* In-Camera Manual
* USB charging

*1 Equivalent to a 35mm camera
*2 Equivalent to MIL Standard (Olympus test conditions)
*3 According to IEC standard publication 529 IPX8
*4 SD is a trademark of SD Card Association
Appendix

Advanced Face Detection Technology
A technology that searches for faces in a composition and recognises them as the main subject. It then automatically puts them in focus and optimally adjusts exposure to create an image that’s sharp in the right places and ideally exposed. Advanced Face Detection Technology can detect up to 16 faces.

AF tracking
This system tracks the moving subject automatically and keeps it continually in focus for pictures that are optimally focused and exposed. It also memorises subject data even when the subject goes out of frame and resumes tracking when it reappears.

Beauty Mode
Beauty mode touches up the appearance of subjects even while the shot is being taken. This feature recognises faces and automatically makes skin on the face and adjacent areas appear smoother, brighter and more youthful.

Dual Image Stabilisation
Providing two-fold protection, this special function helps to avoid image blur caused by camera shake or fast-moving subjects. It combines high ISO values with a CCD-based mechanical image stabiliser, where a built-in gyro sensor detects camera movement and adjusts the CCD accordingly.

i-Auto Mode
This “intelligent-Auto” mode uses advanced automatic detection technology to allow the camera to recognise the five most commonly used scenes automatically. They enable the capture of perfect photos without any need for manual settings.

[ib] software
Olympus now offers [ib], an integrated photo browsing and organising software. Images can be organised by person with a new face recognition technology, by place with a GPS-based mapping function or by event. The information tagged in each photo allows selected pictures to be viewed on a TV, PC, or the camera’s LCD (with Photo Surfing or Slideshow).

Magic Filters
Enables special artistic effects to be created directly in the camera.

* Pop Art:
Enhances colours, making them stronger and more vivid to create high-impact pictures that express the happy, light-hearted feeling of the pop art style.
* Fish-Eye:
Reproduces the dramatic effect of a fish eye lens, lending a new perspective to the whole scene with a “round” effect.
* Sketch :
Gives the impression that subjects have been sketched by an artist by transforming images into line drawings.
* Pin Hole: Reduces the peripheral brightness like an image seen through a pinhole. Added to this is a unique colour tone that results in a style that has an air of secrecy or portrays the feeling of being lost in another dimension or space.

Photo Surfing
By selecting this option in the Playback menu, users can opt to browse pictures by date, scene, person, place, or image collection.