Four lenses will be made available in the first wave of the introduction: a 14 - 54mm standard zoom lens (equivalent to 28 - 108mm on a 35mm film camera, F2.8 - 3.5), a 50mm medium-power telephoto macro lens (equivalent to 100mm on a 35mm
film camera, F2), a 50 - 200mm high-power telephoto zoom lens (equivalent to 100 - 400mm
on a 35mm film camera, F2.8 - 3.5), and a 300mm high-power telephoto lens (equivalent
to 600mm on a 35mm film camera, F2.8).Zuiko Digital interchangeable lenses were
developed specifically for digital SLR use, with professional-grade specifications
to ensure optimum high performance. As dedicated digital camera lenses, they are
designed to ensure that light strikes the image sensor at a near-perpendicular
angle, thereby eliminating the image degradation and light loss that can occur
at the periphery of the image area, or when shooting with wide-angle lenses. As
a result, they maximize the performance potential of the image sensor and ensure
outstanding image quality. They also support high-speed, high-precision focusing,
and offer superb zooming and focusing response. All lenses in the series are specially
treated to shed water droplets, and are designed to withstand the rigorous demands
of professional use. They also capitalize on the design advantages of the Four
Thirds System, and offer large apertures with minimum weight and bulk.
It was in 1936 that the Takachiho corporation, forerunner of today's Olympus Optical
Co., Ltd., introduced its first camera, the Semi-Olympus I. The camera's lens
was given the name Zuiko, a Japanese word that means "light of the gods."
It was an auspicious name, chosen partially because the lens had been developed
at the Mizuho Optical Research Laboratory (in Japanese, the first character of
the name " Mizuho " can also be read " zui " ), and partially
because the corporate name, Takachiho, is a Japanese word that means " mountain
of the gods. " But more than the name, it was the extremely high quality
of the lens that sparked comment at the time. And ever since, Zuiko lenses have
been featured on succeeding generations of Olympus cameras. The Zuiko lenses for
our OM SLR system 35mm film cameras, for example, were widely acclaimed for their
remarkable resolving and imaging power, and became one of the world's most respected
high-performance lens brands.
Now, drawing on traditional optical and lens production technologies, as well
as the most advanced digital technologies, the Zuiko brand has evolved. The result
is the Zuiko Digital lens lineup, a series of dedicated high-performance lenses
developed specifically for the next generation of digital SLR cameras, carrying
on the Zuiko tradition of offering performance that will satisfy even the most
demanding professional. |
