Olympus announces three new compact cameras with FullHD, Multiframe movie, Dual Engine TruePic III+ and Backlight-CMOS-Sensor
Olympus announced three new compact cameras:
SZ-30 24x optical (25-600mm), 1080p movie, Can capture full res photos & video at the same time, Can shoot two videos at the same time
SZ-20 12.5x optical, 1080p Movie, 460k screen, 9FPS Continual shooting
TG-810 Crushproof, Waterproof, Shockproof, GPS & Electronic Compass, 920k dot screen
Although those are not m43 camera it’s always interesting to see what kind of new features Olympus did or didn’t implement. The most interesting feature is the “Multiframe movie” which simultaneous captures 1080p HD videos and full resolution stills. The necessary power for that is given by the new “Dual TruePic III+ Engine“. It’s also a surprise to see that Olympus is using a new 16 Megapixel “Backlight-CMOS-Sensor“. Is it from Panasonic or Sony?
UPDATE: If that 16Megapixel sensor is really from Sony than this could mean that Olympus is no more bound (by 2 or 4 years contracts) to Panasonic sensors. Could this have some influence on the next PEN cameras?
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Comment from Mungo: Canard: Sure thing, I understand your po...
Comment from Miroslav: I forgot to mention I was comparing the ...- Comment from Miroslav: :)
That's how dpreview calls them. I ...
Comment from spam: Sony, Nikon and Canon have launched 16MP...
Michael
2 years ago |Interesting! Even though there were no m43 announcements, this is an intriguing development. “12MP is enough” Olympus step up to 16MP, complete with 9fps shooting and a backlit sensor. I’m certainly hoping this spells good things to come for the high-end m43 model everyone is waiting for!
Parci
2 years ago |I don’t think they are even related, this is a compact camera (probably) using a stock 16 mp bsi sony sensor.
Michael
2 years ago |Isn’t a backlit 16MP sensor a first for Olympus? Without digging around I’m not sure. But even if the sensor is just a stock one, the fact that they are using it shows they have the technology, which is promising.
angry olympus owner
2 years ago |Interesting indeed, it would be odd to see these features in these compacts and not in the “pro” m43 camera thats coming.
Any news on the vertical grip for gh2 admin?
admin
2 years ago |No news yet but I will aks agian the source thats ent me that. he is a good one so I suppose it should come soon!
Miroslav
2 years ago |Yeah, I hope these features ( “gimmicks” ) will trickle up
to Olympus m4/3 cameras.
Paulus
2 years ago |+1
Mungo
2 years ago |Yet another set of compact cameras for the folks who suffer from serious “I need a bigger zoom” complex. Seriously: who cares? I wish manufacturers could understand that there is life outside of that stupid marketing drone department that spits out these things.
Ganec
2 years ago |it is interesting that Olympus can pack 24x zoom to the 4 cm of height!
It may mean that next lenses for PEN can be made smaller.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |That’s only because sensor is microscopic:
Real focal length of that lens seems to be 4.5-108mm and also aperture size is in relation to that.
Ganec
2 years ago |again: real 108mm packed in 40 mm body!!!
No, it is not usual: look for other manufacturers with this parameters .. they are usually 2x thicker
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Fixed lens compacts can be built to even move some lens group out of optical path for retracting rest of the lens into smaller space and there’s nothing new in such “retraction ratio”
Like 70mm lens retracting into what must be about 20mm space (after deducting LCD and sensor) in Canon:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q210grouptravelzoom/
Even without such trick normal telefoto zoom lenses can retract into as much smaller space than their longest focal length.
But smaller elements/lenses also affect optical performance so high quality lenses are rarely from smallest end of size.
Ismael
2 years ago |But that’s why they released the XZ1, right?
canard
2 years ago |Mungo, taken your head out of your arse and gone on vacation ever? Every time I go anywhere remotely touristic, I see 5 or more of these superzoom cameras for every dslr.
Working in a photo store, as I do, or hanging out in the echo chambers of enthusiast net forums, you think dslrs are the only “serious” cameras. But people buy these things (we sell plenty of them, and a lot come from electronics stores and/or online), and I even know professional photogs who love them as an “all in one” travel cam.
Why do photo “enthusiasts” think only the things they’re interested in are worthwhile? If my store was run the way you guys talk about photography, we’d just bully people into buying whatever we think is “cutting edge” instead of actually talking to customers and learning about their needs, and we’d be out of bizness in about 15 min.
MikeS
2 years ago |+1
Products like these are camera companies’ bread and butter. The revenue P&S cameras generate, with the associated profit margins, equals funds that go towards the research and development of our beloved (but less profitable) compact system cameras.
Mungo
2 years ago |Canard: Sure thing, I understand your point. The problem is this: in my home town the camera stores don´t usually keep stock of nothing but these super zooms and what not. Throw in a bunch of rebels and nikon entry level dslr´s and thats it. I suspect people might actually buy smarter tools, if they were available.
My point is: there is not a single P&S camera that does what I want a camera to do. That was just my opinion from my very subjective perspective. If people get happy with these things, why not. I just wish companies would put a little effort into more professionally oriented customers. Too many point & shoot cameras out there already, IMO.
napalm
2 years ago |wow… Punk Art filter hehehe
New! Watercolor — transform your images with a finish like that of watercolor paintings;
New! Sparkle** — shoot photos with the luxurious feel of twinkling lights; and
New! Punk — create two-tone images full of rock-and-roll spirit.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Tiny sensor compacts don’t need any separate watercolor mode, noise reduction washes away all except highest contrast details very fast when rising ISO.
tgutgu
2 years ago |Yawn. Not truely exciting.
Admin, what has this announcement to do with m4/3. I think it is not necessary to inform the world via *this* site about everything Olympus or Panasonic are doing. Or call this site Olympus and Panasonic rumors, then the topic would fit.
admin
2 years ago |Please read the About me page. We cover Panaosnic and Olympus digital camera news with the “main focus” on 43 products. The reason why I do post this is that often compact cameras can include technologies future 43 or m43 cameras will include (and that’s the case today!). If you donpt care about the news just skip. 98% of our news are 43 or m43 related
Robbie
2 years ago |You can choose to ignore it if you like.
It’s not at all difficult to filter it by yourself.
But as the Admin has stated before, Olympus might give us a hint of what’s to come in M43 though its consumer DC first.
Cteve
2 years ago |* TG-810 Crushproof, Waterproof, Shockproof
that sounds like a new robot in the Terminator series!
bilgy_no1
2 years ago |About the Panasonic sensor tie-in: I don’t believe this necessarily applied to all the Olympus sensors, but only to the shared use of sensors for 4/3 and m4/3. Olympus seems to have been using mostly generic compact sensors for the past years (after the 2/3″ sensor in the E-20). It remains to be seen of course what a 16MP compact BSI sensor produces in terms of results. I’ve never been convinced by the 10MP BSI sensors so far.
I’m happy to see that Olympus is starting to make more of an effort in the compact camera market with XZ-1 and other recent models that definitively have more appeal, better specs and features than previous models. This is important for the brand strategy: if PEN is supposed to appeal to step-up compact users, Olympus better make sure that they are a known brand in the compact segment with satisfied consumers.
Ganec
2 years ago |> It remains to be seen of course what a 16MP compact BSI sensor produces in terms of results.
ISO 6400 at full resolution .. did I understand correctly the text from dpreview?
Ganec
2 years ago |Still no HDR
Even when they used (first time) CMOS chip, they did not implement multi-image processing features .. except “Handheld Starlight Mode” (for which I cannot even imagine the reason)
Ross
2 years ago |Maybe because it’s NOT a pro camera!
Ross
2 years ago |It does look incouraging with the source of another sensor that is not (assumed) Panasonic & also using a DUAL processor for the first time & at last 1080 video. The previous Oly P&S cameras went to 14mp but not with the DSLRs, however this may give us some hope that something different might be possible for 4/3s (& m4/3s) soon (I hope).
spam
2 years ago |As Bilgy_no1 pointed out: Olympus has used Sony sensors all the time in compacts (at least in most models).
What’s interesting in this is that Olympus seem to be able to handle Full HD, but it might be that the video electronics are part of the OEM-package which include the lens and stabilizer/sensor parts of the camera.
Also they must have been able to sell some SP-800UZs after all since they come out vith a another superzoom witout EVF. Even Olympus surely wouldn’t launch another SP-800UZ-like design if that model flopped (completely).
Tobias W.
2 years ago |Yes, I always wondered how anybody can take sharp pictures while holding a camera at arms length at 600mm with an aperture of more than 6.
George
2 years ago |Who said “There is no way Oly won’t release more useless cams”
there you go
jak0b
2 years ago |What does it mean when it says that the SZ-30 can shoot two videos at the same time?
– One in HD and one in slow motion? Or 1080p/i at 60fps?
Miroslav
2 years ago |“Users can record two different movies at once: in wide-angle and close-up; full HD and lower resolution or original and filtered.”
Seems to me that both can be full HD.
Igorek7
2 years ago |SZ-20 and SZ-30 are two of the 36 new superzooms (zoom ratio of 10x or more) released in 2011(!), and honestly I have hard time to imagine why one would prefer these two cameras over the others.
TG-810 doesn’t look much better than Panasonic TF3 (except of the larger & more pixels screen — shockproof?). Panasonic actually decreased the number of sensor-Mpix in the newest TF3 to 12Mpix from 14 (TF2).
What bothers me is that both, Pana and Oly can put the larger micro 4/3 sensor in those fixed-lens cameras, but they continue to fight for the customers in the crowd of 1/2.3″-sensor compacts. They have the rugged/waterproof technology, but we yet to see a single weather-proof micro 4/3 camera.
Miroslav
2 years ago |16M 4608 x 3456 = 16 M 4608 x 3456
backlight CMOS = back-illuminated CMOS
1920 x 1080p video = 1920 x 1080p video
9fps Continuous Shooting ~ 10fps Continuous Shooting
3D Photo Mode = 3D Still Image mode
Handheld Starlight Mode = Handheld Twilight Mode
Smart Panorama = Intelligent Sweep Panorama
Shadow Adjustment Technology = HDR ?
It’s not a trick, it’s a Sony
I thought Olympus used only Panasonic sensors in their compacts… Anyway, this is the most advanced Sony P&S sensor Olympus used to date.
Does this impact m4/3? I’d be perfectly happy if they cropped new 16 Mpx APS-C Sony sensor to 11 Mpx 4/3 and put it in E-P3. Go to dpreview and compare GH2 and E-PL2 studio shots – you’ll see there’s little difference between old 12 Mpx and new 16 MPx Panasonic sensors both in jpeg and RAW.
cL
2 years ago |In studio shots, you use ISO 200….
Miroslav
2 years ago |That’s how dpreview calls them. I guess they compare high ISO capability of various cameras in studio because the can achieve the same lightning conditions that way.
safaridon
2 years ago |As another poster has noted take a closer look at the 16MP BIS sensor being introduced by Pany in their new NX-WA10 camera/camcorder.
The current Sony BIS sensor I believe is 14 MP and their new 155nm 1/2.3 BIS is reported to be 12 MP so there is indeed very good reason to believe this may be the Pany sensor. I think we will see this new sensor along with many of the capabilities being touted for this new Oly compact in Pany’s next round of compacts. I especially appreciate the addition of a panarama mode very similar to what Sony is currently using in their models?
spam
2 years ago |Sony, Nikon and Canon have launched 16MP compacts with the new Sony 16MP Backlit CMOS sensor while Panasonic have two models with 16MP CCD-sensors.
So far all Panasonics with “CMOS-like” sensors have used a sensortype Panasonic call MOS-sensor and the highest res I’ve seen so far is 14MP, except for the WA10. It’s likely that Panasonic use the same 16MP Sony sensor, but they could of course have made a new one themselves for this camera, switching to CMOS and a backside illuminated design.
Miroslav
2 years ago |I forgot to mention I was comparing the names and capabilities of various functions in Olympus SZ-30 and Sony DSC-HX100V / DSC-HX9V press releases, but you’re right as well! The Panasonic NX-WA10 has the back illuminated 16 Mpx sensor with the same 4608 x 3456 resolution as these Sony and Olympus cameras. It almost funny how Sony and Panasonic copy each others’ designs.
tttulio
2 years ago |So Why Olympus didn’t add 1080HD to their E PL2 cameras?
wife
2 years ago |+1
Eugene
2 years ago |To apologize before the whole world, Olympus simply should let out by the end of this year E-6 with a matrix from Sony! Hopes on Panasonic aren’t present, as this firm can’t provide manufacture of new matrixes for itself, not to mention Olympus. If Olympus will make new Е-6 in cooperation with Sony, I am assured that then Е-6 can steal up much more close to productivity APS-C under such characteristics, as high ISO.
mewmew
2 years ago |I’m not sure it is a sony sensor, Panasonic HX-WA10.
http://www.panasonic.net/avc/camcorder/dualcamera/product/hxwa10/movies.html#movies03
wife
2 years ago |Did anyone see frame rate on the video?
Charles Ramsey
2 years ago |The 16 megapixels sensors need a stop more light than a 10 megapixel ones. Compare the canon G10 and G11. The best compacts are more that a stop behind the worst micro four thirds. I’m not going to run out and buy any 16 megapixel compact camera. http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Camera-Sensor/Compare/Compare-sensors/%28appareil1%29/247|0/%28appareil2%29/620|0/%28appareil3%29/630|0/%28onglet%29/0/%28brand%29/Canon/%28brand2%29/Canon/%28brand3%29/Panasonic
wife
2 years ago |I have 2 nice p&s and their qualities are no where close to m43rd. i carry m43rd for casual, dslr for serious, and p&s for really casual. they all have their purposes.
Petar
2 years ago |Anyone know what is sensor size ? 16 MPx would be too much even for XZ-1 size sensor.
cL
2 years ago |This is a compact camera. P&S users aren’t that picky on noise performance. Those who cares would buy a DSLR anyways.
Eugene
2 years ago |If Olympus wishes and to exist further as the manufacturer of the present class cameras it simply vital to find another (Sony, Fuji) the manufacturer of matrixes. If Olympus also will eat further remains from table Panasonic long he won’t stretch and will simply die.
mystdeim
2 years ago |GPS!!!
I waited it so long!
Bu
2 years ago |The SZ-30 is a great idea would love to shoot full HD and take full res photos with a MFT!
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Almost makes these look like high end of Olympus with all that what has been going on with iterating and reiterating same Pen again and again with very little if any real changes into hardware inside covers.
Let’s hope they’re putting same/similar features into serious MFT body which would come out soon enough instead of after manufacturers who are serious about having their products available for buyers.
(as Panasonic’s track record with availability of half year ago released GH2 and its batteries can’t be called as serious release)
Paulus
2 years ago |Dear Admin!
Congratulations to your Olympus FT5-rumor (March 2nd)!
You have predicted compacts – Olympus is launching compacts!
I am looking forward to the comment of Frank.
Best regards
Ganec
2 years ago |When FullHD and Full resolution snapshot is possible => (I assume that) video does not use pixel binning, but resolution shrink => video will be without artefacts and there should be possibility to “some digital zoom without quality loss” ?
(as it is with GH2 in special video mode where only center pixels are used)