Olympus announces 26X zoom SP-590 digital camera

Olympus raised the bar for point-and-shoot digital cameras today with the launch of the new 26x optical zoom SP-590 Ultra Zoom. That’s the biggest zoom yet, and the equivalent of a zoom lens with 26-676mm focal length. The versatility offered by the zoom lens is extreme, it can capture images from macro to almost any distance. The SP-590 produces 12-megapixel images, has Dual Image Stabilization, Face Detection, Ultra High-Speed Sequential shooting and a 2.7-inch LCD. Available in March with an Estimated Street Price of US$450.

The SP-590UZ is the “total package” and an investment in your imaging future that is well worth making. It offers the advanced manual controls that experienced photographers demand and find on a digital SLR (single lens reflex). At the same time, users can easily set the camera to operate like a simple point-and-shoot with automatic scene modes. It offers the compact body of an ultra zoom with the flexibility of high-performance optics usually found in interchangeable lenses for DSLR cameras,

“The SP-590UZ brings subjects closer with the world’s most powerful optical zoom, and the zoom is just one of many elements that set this camera apart. Macro to wide-angle there are no compromises,” said Nadine Clark, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Because of its compact size and an impressive zoom range, it’s the ideal choice for travelers and everyone who enjoys the great outdoors.”

The bright, f2.8-5.0 lens construction combines aspherical lens elements and extra-low dispersion (ED) lens elements to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness and clarity.

Olympus’ ultra zoom cameras provide flexibility and manual controls for experienced shutterbugs, while being as easy and approachable as a point-and-shoot for novice. The SP-590UZ takes this to a new level with pre-capture scene modes: Multiple Exposure, Soft Background Focus and Beauty Mode. The new features enable creative effects to be made inside the camera as the images are captured! The new creative features were adopted from Olympus’ recently announced E-30 DSLR camera.

Multiple Exposure, in the new SP-590UZ, empowers consumers to take two separate photographs and overlay them to craft one unique image. Use the new Soft Background Focus mode on your next trip to a National Park. It enables you to slightly blur the beautiful vista, lake or canyon in the background to accent the majestic wildlife in the foreground.

Beauty Mode lets you soften shadows and smooth wrinkles or blemishes on your subject’s face – all in the camera and as you capture the image! Additionally, subtle edits can be made post-capture using the Beauty Fix mode. Choose “Clear Skin” to smooth a person’s complexion, “Dramatic Eye” to slightly emphasize the eyes, and “Sparkle Eye” to brighten and enhance the contrast of the iris and pupils. You can also apply all three edits at once. Have fun customizing your brilliant images without a PC and costly image editing software.

The SP-590UZ connects to an HDTV with an HDMI cable.

All Olympus digital point-and-shoot cameras accept xD-Picture CardTM media. Starting with products available in August 2008, they also accept microSD memory cards to capture images. The new SP-590UZ offers the flexibility to use either xD-Picture Card or microSD memory cards.

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