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PRESS INFORMATION Olympus multiple-axis technology sets multiple benc hmarks STYLUS Traveller creates a higher class of compact World’s first 5-axis movie IS changes category fore ver

Southend-on-Sea, 8 January 2013 – A new launch, a n ew technology,

a new world first! Olympus innovations have done it again, and this

time it’s their mid-priced, high-zoom STYLUS Travel ler compacts that

have hobby photographers licking their lips: the ne w SH-50 and SZ-

15. The flagship Traveller SH-50 comes with manual M settings and

multiple-axis image stabilisation (IS), a world-fir st technology for

compact digital cameras. Hybrid 5-axis Movie IS is so effective you

can record a blur-free Full HD movie literally on t he run. In addition to

the usual yaw and pitch, it compensates for movemen t around the

axis of the lens as well as horizontal and vertical shift. The SH-50

comes with advanced iHS sensor and processing techn ologies that

raise the image-quality bar in low-light conditions . The new cameras

also offer Telephoto Macro and 120fps high-speed mo vie recording –

with the slow-motion videos available in HD on the flagship model.

Both Traveller cameras outstrip rivals with a 24x s uper wide (25-

600mm*) optical zoom lens and Super-resolution Zoom that doubles

zoom capability to 48x with effectively no notable loss of still image

quality. At £249.99, the SH-50 is ideal for very am bitious

photographers, while the SZ-15 is the most affordab le new Traveller

model available with a 24x optical zoom atjust £179 .99. The SH-50

comes in black, silver and white, the SZ-15 in blac k, silver and red.

Both cameras will be available from mid-March 2013.

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Highly stable

The true test of any compact is the quality of the images it generates and

with some of the most advanced technology in the category at their

fingertips, SH-50 owners can expect visual fireworks. Even at high zoom

ratios and in low light, the SH-50 combines the very best iHS technologies

with its new world-beating IS system to essentially eliminate blur. 3-axis

Photo IS is simply the most potent IS for still photos ever installed in a

compact digital camera, while Hybrid 5-axis Movie IS is the first

digital/mechanical hybrid of its kind in any type of compact camera at all.

Whereas most optical IS only compensates for tipping (pitch) or side-to-

side yaw (the way a skidding car rotates on a bend), 3-axis Photo IS also

counteracts movement around the rotary axis – the imaginary line that runs

straight through the lens from the front of the camera to the back. This is

vital with handheld shots at high zoom ratios because even the slightest

tremble could be magnified disproportionately to cause blur. Hybrid 5-axis

Movie IS is even more refined. It uses a mixture of powerful mechanical

and digital IS to affect five different planes of movement – mechanical for

pitch, yaw and rotary shift; sensor-based digital for vertical and horizontal

shift (along the extended plane of the lens surface). Conventional yaw-and-

pitch video IS has its limitations, but Hybrid 5-axis Movie IS is so stable that

you can film on the move. You simply touch the LCD screen to record blur-

free** Full HD movies without pausing to break stride. You can even zoom

in and out as you walk along.

Highly sensitive

If some of these SH-50 specs read like the feature list for a D-SLR camera,

it’s no coincidence. Mechanical 5-axis IS was first fitted to Olympus’ high-

end Micro Four Thirds OM-D model. Of course, the same goes for manual

control of aperture and exposure settings in M mode. The SH-50 harnesses

iHS – a combination of the next-generation TruePic VI image processor

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and the 16-Megapixel backlit CMOS sensor – to reduce noise and

dramatically improve low-light imaging.

Highly detailed

One benefit of a 24x optical zoom lens with a range of 25 to 600mm* is

shooting close-ups in a split second without having to wait – either to get

closer to your subject or to change the lens. Both Traveller series cameras

come equipped with this outstanding, spontaneous zoom potential. What’s

more, they also offer Telephoto Macro and Super-resolution Zoom, which

doubles the zoom factor to 48x without the noticeable loss of quality

associated with digital zoom boosters. Telephoto Macro means you can

effectively capture the fascinating details of macro photography with a

zoom equivalent to 600mm, but as close as 40cm to the subject. You can

defocus the background to achieve professional-looking bokeh without

worrying about disturbing sensitive subjects like insects.

Highly simplified

Choose your format, press record. Whenever you want to capture and

share a video, the SH-50 makes life easy by letting you pick the best format

for your needs before you record the footage – 1080 Full 60i HD, 1080 Full

30p HD or up to 240fps high-speed movies. 1080 Full 60i HD is ideal if you

want super-smooth high-def video images; whereas 1080 Full 30p HD is

better if you want to extract stunning still photos. It lets you play back

footage of fast-action subjects like sport and animals in dramatic slow

motion, often revealing details normally too quick for the human eye.

Equally practical are the 11 Magic Filters that come with the two new

Travellers, most of which can be applied to stills and movies. You can

share your finished images wirelessly with social media via Eye-Fi™ or –

on the SH-50 – via an optional FlashAir™ card using your familiar

smartphone interface.

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Highly regarded

For cameras with such great zooming power, the new Travellers are

unexpectedly compact and affordable – not to mention beautifully styled.

An elegant blend of the contemporary and timeless, the new design makes

these cameras a pleasure to own. The Traveller duo is available from mid-

March 2013. The SH-50 will be available in black, silver and white for

£249.99 and the SZ-15 for £179.99 in black, silver and red.

Outstanding features

SH-50

Image Quality

• 24x super wide optical zoom (25-600mm*) for exceptional close-ups

• The world’s first Hybrid 5-axis Movie IS and 3-axis Photo IS (in a

compact digital camera) for unparalleled blur reduction when

zooming and shooting on the move

• iHS technologies for capturing exactly the shots you want with rich

colour and low noise, irrespective of shooting conditions

• 16-Megapixel backlit CMOS sensor for high-resolution, superb-

quality full-size movies, stills and prints, even in low light

• 1080 Full 60i or 30p HD movie with sound for choosing the very

best movie format

• 720p HD (at 120fps) or HVGA (at 240fps) high-speed movie

recording for dramatic slow-motion playback of fast-action scenes

• Super-resolution Zoom for digitally extending the range of the

optical zoom with virtually no loss of image quality (with movies and

stills)

• Telephoto Macro for shooting fascinating close-ups and detail from

as close as 40cm from the subject

Usability

• 3” touch-sensitive colour LCD (460,000 dots) for easily framing,

reviewing and sharing shots, or operating key features

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• M mode for manual adjustment of aperture and exposure time

• Touch Shutter for focussing on the subject you touch on the LCD

and taking the picture automatically

Creativity & Flexibility

• Multi Recording for recording movies and photos simultaneously, or

for shooting movies before and after taking a photo

• Live Guide for easy operation – even by beginners

• Magic Filters for adding creative effects to movies and/or stills

Storage & Sharing

• FlashAir™ compatible for transferring password-protected images to selected smartphones and social networks

• Eye-Fi™ card compatibility for automatic wireless uploading of

images to a website or PC

• Free iOS and Android software downloads for editing and sharing images in social networks via smartphone or tablet PC

SZ-15

Image Quality

• 24x super wide optical zoom (25-600mm*) for exceptional close-ups

• TruePic III+ image processor for ideal colour reproduction and low noise

• 720p HD Movie with sound for HD movies in excellent quality

• 16-Megapixel CCD sensor for high-resolution, superb-quality full-

size movies, stills and prints

• Dual Image Stabilisation for reducing blur with fast-moving shots

• Super-resolution Zoom for digitally extending the range of the

optical zoom with virtually no loss of image quality (still photos only)

• Telephoto Macro for shooting fascinating close-ups and detail from

as close as 40cm from the subject

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Creativity & Flexibility

• Magic Filters for adding creative effects to HD movies and/or stills

Storage & Sharing

• 3” colour LCD (460,000 dots) for easily framing, reviewing and sharing shots

• Eye-Fi™ card compatibility for automatic wireless uploading of

images to a website or PC

* 35mm equivalent ** Blurring may occur in extreme shooting conditions FlashAir is a trademark of Toshiba Corporation. Eye-Fi is a trademark of Eye-Fi, Inc. Product specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check the Olympus website at www.olympus.co.uk for the latest specifications.

For feature descriptions, please see the online appendix: http://www.olympus-europa.com/corporate/rmt/media/corporate_1/press_release_content/Appendix_EU.pdf For questions or additional information, please con tact: Mark Thackara/Sarah Cheetham Sarah Cheetham Product Marketing - Consumer Imaging Twitter: @OlympusUK Facebook: www.facebook.com/OlympusUK Tel: 01702 616 333 Mobile: 07929 042 914 Email: sarah.cheetham@olympus.co.uk Mark Thackara National Marketing Manager, Consumer Products Twitter: @MarkThackara Blog: www.dramatictone.tumblr.com Tel: 01702 616333 Mobile: 07970 758209 Email: mark.thackara@olympus.co.uk Olympus KeyMed, KeyMed House, Stock Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 5QH Web: www.olympus.co.uk