Olympus’ 28-300mm super-zoomer, the Stylus 1, is turning up in Singapore in December, with the promise of a constant f2.8 iZuiko lens that brings high image quality in a portable format.
Though price is not confirmed for here yet, the camera looks to wow crowds with both its portability and capability.
For starters, it takes physical cues from the highly successful Olympus OM-D retro-looking cameras. It’s aimed at meeting the recent demand for that look old-school while shooting high quality images that were once the domain of entry-level digital SLRs.
Designed for both beginners and advanced users, the camera has the multi-function control ring in the front and the thumb wheel at the back to change settings like on a typical digital SLR camera.
The main attraction to the Olympus Stylus 1 is the non-removable x10 f2.8 iZuiko lens. It allows the shooter to capture images easier in different lighting situations without the need to use a tripod. Lenses that promise the same on digital SLRs would usually be much bulkier and heavier.
The Stylus 1’s image processor and sensor are its other key features. The 1/1.7-inch 12-megapixel backside illuminated CMOS sensor works with the the Japanese camera maker’s TruePic image processor to help the camera shoot better images in low light conditions. This also enables full customisation to ensure that settings can be quickly accessed and fixed prior to shooting.
It helps too to have consumer-friendly features that are now becoming standard. On the Stylus 1, you get a Wi-Fi link to a smartphone for easy image sharing, as well as to control the camera for wireless shooting.
There are also features you’d expect more from a smartphone than a dedicated camera, such as art filters that let you “customise” the look of your photos after shooting.
