DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

Olympus Stylus 720 SW Digital Camera Introduction: Rugged and Waterproof

Olympus Introduces Rugged Versatility With Style: The Revolutionary Stylus 720 SW Digital Camera

Shock Proof, Waterproof Body Design Combines with Bright Capture Technology to Deliver a Breakthrough in Digital Photography

Melville, New York, January 26 , 2006 - With the new Stylus 720 SW, Olympus Imaging Inc. unveils its latest evolution in the Stylus series -a digital camera that can withstand a 5-foot drop, shoot under water up to 10 feet, and capture phenomenal photos in any situation! The Stylus 720 SW combines light, durable body construction and shock-absorbing materials throughout the interior with the sealant technology used in Olympus underwater housings. The fully-featured, compact Stylus 720 SW offers 7.1 megapixels, 3x optical Olympus Zoom Lens, 2.5" LCD, Bright Capture Technology^TM, Digital Image Stabilization Mode and much more. Designed for everyday use yet versatile enough to shoot on the mountain, at the game, at the party, on the beach or under water, the Stylus 720 SW is a breakthrough in digital cameras. Olympus introduces a durable, high-quality camera that doesn't skimp on style or features.

"The shock proof, waterproof, dust proof design of the Stylus 720 SW sets a new standard in digital camera performance and versatility," said Michael Barnett, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Powerful, durable, yet slim enough to fit in your pocket, the Stylus 720 SW is designed for capturing amazing images, anytime, anywhere."

The rugged Stylus 720SW is packed with a wealth of premium features such a large 2.5" LCD and Olympus' exclusive Bright Capture Technology providing dramatically improved shooting in low-light conditions - indoor, sunset, night time, and underwater. The combination of Olympus' TruePic TURBO^TM Image Processor and the 7.1 megapixel image sensor captures crisp, high-quality images fast. And the 28 shooting modes - including Digital Image Stabilization Mode - offer maximum versatility for shooting in most any situation.

Designed to Withstand Drops Up To 5 Feet
Built with durable materials and shock-absorption technology that minimizes the impact delivered to the lens and circuitry, the Stylus 720 SW delivers superior durability in a premium point-and-shoot digital camera. Swimming, surfing, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding - the 720 SW performs in any conditions.

Waterproof to 10 Feet
By combining a lightweight, metal, all-weather exterior with rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal the camera's interior, Olympus delivers a slim body design that performs as well under water as it does on land. The camera can shoot under water to depths up to 10 feet. The large 2.5-inch LCD, Bright Capture Technology, and four (4) underwater scene modes make it the perfect camera for the pool, beach or snorkeling. Want to dive deeper? The PT-033 underwater housing, designed specially for the Stylus 720 SW, enables the camera to shoot at depths up to 130 feet.

Stylish, Compact Design
Like all Stylus series digital cameras, the 720 SW is defined by high performance, durability and style. In addition to the shock proof, waterproof construction, the Stylus 720 SW features the metal body and clean, smooth lines that make it the ideal pocket camera. At a thickness of less than one inch - 3.6" (W) x 2.3" (H) x 0.78" (D) - the camera easily slips into a pocket, handbag or backpack .

Bright Capture Technology for Easy Low-Light Photography
Low-light photography has never been easier thanks to Olympus' revolutionary Bright Capture Technology. Shooting in low light is easy with a brightened preview on the LCD; and with specific scene modes for high sensitivity settings (up to ISO 2500) and rapid auto-focus, even fast-action photos can be captured under low levels of available light.

Digital Image Stabilization Mode
The Stylus 720 SW also features Digital Image Stabilization Mode for capturing crisp, clear pictures - free from the blur sometimes caused by camera shake or moving subjects - with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speed.

Large 2.5-Inch LCD
With a bright 2.5-inch LCD, the Stylus 720 SW easily doubles as a portable digital photo album. The larger LCD makes it easier to see your images clearly both when shooting and sharing photos with friends without having to download to a computer.

7.1-Megapixel Image Sensor for Superior Image Quality
The 7.1-megapixel CCD image sensor inside the Stylus 720 SW delivers high-quality images that are consistently sharp and vivid even in large-format prints - up to poster sizes as large as 16 x 20 inches.

High Quality Olympus Lens Elements
Olympus lenses are known worldwide for producing sharp, vibrant image quality. This is achieved through a number of key technologies, such as Olympus ED and high-refractive lens elements, designed specifically for digital cameras. The lens provides the equivalent of 38 to 114 mm focal length in 35mm photography, with 15x combined total zoom (3x optical and 5x digital) to bring the action closer, and a Super Macro Mode that captures details as nuanced as the iridescent petals of a flower, from as close as 2.8 inches.

TruePic TURBO for High-Speed Response
Olympus' exclusive TruePic TURBO Image Processor enhances image quality and delivers faster overall processing speeds for rapid startup, shutter release and playback. TruePic TURBO enables the Stylus 720 SW to capture information from all 7.1 million pixels with pixel "micro-smoothing" that delivers clearer and more color-accurate photos. The fast startup of less than one second and nearly instant shutter release time ensures a high-speed response so your camera is always ready to take great pictures.

28 Selectable Shooting Modes
With 25 pre-programmed scene modes, such as Beach & Snow, Available Light Portrait, Sunset, and Under Water Snapshot, the Stylus 720 SW makes it easy to capture beautiful images in a variety of lighting and shooting situations. And with its QuickTime® Movie Mode, the Stylus 720 SW can also record VGA-quality videos with sound, limited only by the size of the internal memory or xD-Picture Card in the camera.

PictBridge Enabled - No Computer Necessary!
The power of PictBridge^TM technology enables your photos to be printed directly from the Stylus 720 SW to any PictBridge-enabled printer without using a computer. And the one-touch "Print" button makes printing a single-step process. Printing and sharing images has never been easier.

In-camera Editing
With in-camera editing features such as red-eye fix, resizing, adding frames or text, and color brightness or saturation adjustments, users can edit photos anywhere with ease - touch up or embellish your photos without your computer.

Easy USB Auto-Connect
Connecting the Stylus 720 SW to a computer is easy with the USB Auto-Connect feature, which connects directly via USB 2.0 cable and requires no software.

OLYMPUS Master Software
OLYMPUS Master software provides the ultimate in digital imaging management. An intuitive user interface makes downloading to your computer quick and simple, and images are searchable by date or keyword in the Calendar View. And with one-click editing tools, such as red-eye removal, images can be touched up before printing or e-mailing. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other user services are just a mouse-click away.

Availability
The Stylus 720 SW will be available in March 2006. It includes: a wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/ video cable, Li- 42 B Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger, quick start guide, basic instruction manual, warranty card, (2) CD-ROM's with OLYMPUS Master software and advanced manual.

U.S. Pricing
Stylus 720 SW Estimated Street Price: $399.99 (U.S.)

HOT DEALS

 

Trascend 16GB CompactFlash Memory Card (133x Speed)

Canon 50mm F/1.4 USM Lens

Canon EF-S 55-200mm f/4 - 5.6 AF Lens

Canon LP-E5 Li-Ion Battery for Canon EOS Rebel XSi

Canon Deluxe Backpack 200 EG - Black

Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW All-Weather Backpack

Aiptek GO-HD High Definition Flash Digital Camcorder

Pentax 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL Autofocus Lens