Understand that cute little Micro Four Thirds camera that Olympus unveiled in June ? Well, we just got word that the PEN E-PM1 Mini will ship next month, with an equally petite $500 price ticket — including a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. The corporate is positioning the 12.3 megapixel camera as an upgrade for point-and-shoot users, as “the very best PEN to exploit,” as a result of a brand new, simpler user interface and 23 Scene-Select modes. Still, the E-PM1 is a completely capable interchangeable lens camera (ILC), and incorporates a 3-inch 460k-dot LCD, 1080i HD video capture, RAW shooting and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 12,800, together with Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority shooting modes. The Mini might be available in purple, pink, brown, white, silver, and black — our color of choice. Jump past the break for the whole scoop from Olympus.
Small, Easy and elegant Compact System Camera Ships in September and Fulfills the Promise of a Camera with Impressive DSLR Image Quality and HD Video in a Mini Camera Body
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., August 25, 2011 – The wait is over! Starting next month, the smallest, lightest, and the foremost portable Olympus PEN camera – the PEN E-PM1 – would be available on the affordable price of $499.99. The Olympus “PEN Mini” is available in six stylish colors (purple, pink, brown, white, silver and black) to fit your personal style. The PEN E-PM1 packs a strong punch with a similar amazing image quality, lightning-fast speed, and 1080i high-definition (HD) video offered by the recently introduced PEN E-P3 and PEN E-PL3.
The “PEN Mini” can be the perfect PEN to take advantage of, with simple controls that help you effortlessly access the facility of digital photography. A step up from some degree- and- shoot camera, the Olympus PEN E-PM1 incorporates a new user interface that takes the guesswork out of capturing the right shot. a straightforward one-touch button enables you shoot HD video. iAuto and scene select modes help you capture images without problems and speed, and 6 built-in Art Filters assist you explore your artistic side. The Olympus PEN E-PM1 puts the portability of some degree-and-shoot with the performance of a DSLR within the palm of your hands.
“The Olympus PEN E-PM1 is the proper camera for those involved in DSLR quality in a compact camera design. It’s fun to apply, super powerful, and its small size means it is the ‘goes anywhere you go’ PEN camera,” said Katie Roseman, senior product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Whether you’re recording your child blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, capturing an elaborate candle-lit table setting at your favorite restaurant or chronicling a holiday, you’ll never worry about missing a fun or spontaneous moment with the PEN Mini by your side.”
EASE OF USE
Operating the “PEN Mini” is more intuitive with the newly-designed user interface. Popular menu options including Art Filters, iAuto, Scene Modes, and picture are immediately available in your selection. On-screen graphics are easy to read at the 3″ LCD or even include a handy pop-up guide that can assist you understand every setting. The Olympus PEN E-PM1′s Live Guide system means that you can preview effects as you adjust them before the picture is even captured. iAuto mode automatically identifies the scene you’re shooting; portrait, landscape, night portrait, macro, or sport and adjusts the settings to optimize results. Choose between 23 Scene-Select modes, including the hot 3D mode, Fireworks, Sunset, Children, Macro and Panorama, and more that cover almost any shooting situation. The camera’s three-inch widescreen 460-dot high-resolution LCD is so big and bright it enables you shoot and share photos and HD videos effortlessly.
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE QUALITY
The brand new 12.3 megapixel sensor is an identical size as those utilized in pro quality DSLRs. Olympus’ in-body image stabilization technology makes it possible to exploit any compatible lens from wide-angle to telephoto, for perfectly clear, crisp photos whatever the shooting situation, even in low light. New Face Detection Auto Focus adjusts focus automatically at the subject’s eyes for the only shot each time. You not ought to worry about subjects appearing too dark against a lightweight background with the PEN E-PM1′s Advanced Shadow Adjustment Technology.
CREATIVE FREEDOM
Shoot as much as 29 minutes of full 1080i HD video with Dolby Digital stereo sound using the direct HD Movie Button. Add more flair in your photos and videos with six in-camera Art Filters (Pop Art, Soft Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama and Dramatic Tone). Every Art Filter can be utilized in all shooting modes, including HD movie mode. Art Filters can achieve dramatic results at the go without the necessity for a working laptop or computer or editing software, so that you can spend more time shooting and fewer time computing. a wide range of interchangeable lenses, accessories and flashes fit with the Olympus PEN E-PM1 to support all different photography needs. High-precision engineering and a more robust internal focusing mechanism have enabled the Olympus MSC (Movie+Still Compatible) lenses to autofocus quickly, smoothly and silently; perfect for stills and HD movies in stereo with amazing clarity. In any mode, from pack up to landscape, 3D technology brings your images to a different dimension. The 3D data is processed in-camera for simple display on 3D televisions or laptops.
LOW-LIGHT PERFORMANCE
Capture the lifetime of the party with the PEN E-PM1′s super luminosity AF Illuminator LED beam, which permits the camera to focus faster in low-light. Stunning night-time photos are a click away with a maximum sensitivity of 12,800 ISO. Additionally, the “PEN Mini” provides the power of an optional slide-on flash included with camera.
BLAZING SPEED
The Olympus PEN E-PM1 offers fast sequential shooting, enabling you to take in to 5 photos per second. Capture that perfect shot, even if your subject is moving. The brand new FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) AF System is ready to focus at an immense speed and gives 35 separate focus areas which might be spread over nearly the whole sensor, which allows pin-point accurate that specialize in small subjects wherever they seem within the frame. The TruePic VI image processor was designed specifically for the Olympus PEN series, with two (dual core) processing engines for superb color and clarity.
AVAILABILITY
The Olympus PEN E-PM1 kit can be available starting in September 2011. The kit includes the PEN E-PM1 body, MSC M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm, FL-LM1 Flash, USB cable, video cable, BLS-1 Li-Ion battery pack, Li-Ion battery charger, shoulder strap, OLYMPUS [ib] software CD-ROM, manuals and registration card.
U.S. PRICING / PRODUCT CONFIGURATIONS
Olympus PEN E-PM1 Body with MSC M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED m14-42mm II R f3.5/5.6 Zoom Street Price: $499.99
Journalists attracted to additional info, review units and high-resolution images of the Olympus PEN cameras and PEN lenses and accessories should contact Keith Gordon, Mullen Public Relations, 212-885-3218, keith.gordon@mullen.com, or Jennifer Colucci, Olympus Imaging America Inc., 484-896-5719, jennifer.colucci@olympus.com, or visit the Olympus website: http://www.getolympus.com.
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