Olympus Imaging Corporation (President: Masaharu Okubo) today announced the upcoming launch of the world’s thinnest, smallest* interchangeable lens type digital SLR camera, the E-420, scheduled for release in the middle of April, 2008.

Main Features

1. World’s thinnest, smallest^* camera body — ideal for travelling or just walking around town
2. "AF Live View" function that makes shooting as easy as a compact digital camera
3. "Face & Back Control" renders both human faces and the background more clearly
4. New large 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD monitor with improved visibility in Live View shooting and picture playback

The E-420 is an upgraded version of the E-410 digital SLR camera (released in April 2007), which has received much praise for its excellent portability and picture quality. In keeping with the slim design, grip size has been minimized, while at the same time the grip design has been improved to fit more securely in the hand. Combining the world’s thinnest, smallest* body with the outstanding picture quality Olympus is renowned for, this camera makes it easy for anyone to enjoy the power of digital SLR performance and to capture and preserve the activities of everyday life or the memories of once-in-a-lifetime journey in beautiful pictures. Embodying the slogan of Olympus digital SLRs, "GO FIND YOUR WONDERS", the E-420 is the ideal photographic companion as users set out to discover the wonder and joy that can be experienced through the act of "photographing".

The E-420 features a new "AF Live View" that improves on conventional Live View by enabling autofocusing based on contrast detection. "Face & Back Control" is another special feature that optimizes exposure of human faces and the background. Using the face detection function, which is capable of detecting up to 8 different faces, this function assures clear, beautiful portraits and group shots even against strong backlight.

With its high picture quality, high functionality and high portability, the E-420 is not only a great choice for beginners who want to enter the world of digital SLR photography, it’s also an excellent choice for experienced photographers looking for a handy, reliable, go-anywhere digital SLR.

To complement the E-420, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm f2.8, a new pancake-type lens optimized for the E-420’s slim design, and Genuine Leather Bottom Case and two Front cases will be released at the same time.

*	Among interchangeable lens type digital SLR cameras as of March 5, 2008 (in-house research)

Release Infromation

Category	Product Name	MSRP	Launch Date
Digital SLR camera	OLYMPUS E-420 Body	Open pricing	Mid-April 2008
	OLYMPUS E-420 Lens Kit (with ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens)
	OLYMPUS E-420 Double Zoom Kit (with ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 and ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 lenses)

Development Background

In the autumn of 2006, Olympus began writing Chapter Two in the story of the Olympus E-System with the declaration, "we will continue to develop revolutionary features that extend the frontiers of DSLR photography, and to strengthen the Olympus E-System body, lens, and accessory lineup. We will continue to develop Olympus E-System bodies, lenses, and accessories for a wide range of genres, so that even more people are able to take photographs that could never be taken before." This declaration was embodied in the E-410, at the time the world’s thinnest, smallest, lightest digital SLR*, and the E-510, which marked the first time an image stabilization mechanism was incorporated in an SLR camera body. Both models were released in April and June 2007 respectively, setting the stage for the release of the E-3, the flagship model with the world’s fastest AF*, which came out in November of the same year. With each boasting its own unique features, these three models have obtained a high reputation from the market.

The newly announced E-420 is an advanced version of the E-410. While maintaining the same super-slim, highly portable design of the E-410, which was made possible by exploiting the miniaturization capabilities inherent in the Four Thirds System standard, the E-420 incorporates an impressive array of powerful new technologies such as "Auto Focus Live View", Face Detection and "Shadow Adjustment Technology" that make it easy even for absolute beginners to obtain beautiful, natural-looking pictures.

In terms of its imaging capability, the E-420 offers the same outstanding quality as the E-3, our widely praised flagship model, released in November 2007.

Bringing the high picture quality of digital SLRs to anyone who wants to enjoy it, the E-420 offers the ideal combination of high quality, easy operation, and maximum versatility.

*	Among interchangeable lens type digital SLR cameras as of 5th March 2008 (in-house research)

Other Features

• Reliable Dust Reduction System
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• Fast 3.5 frames-per-sec. sequential shooting
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• Built-in flash with wireless flash control
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• More advanced, 10-megapixel new Live MOS Sensor and TruePic III image processing engine
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• "Perfect Shot Preview" function to compare the results of various effects before actual shooting
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• Super Control Panel with excellent visibility and operability

Main Features

1. World’s thinnest, smallest^*1 camera body — ideal for travelling or just walking around town
   Like its predecessor, the E-410, the E-420 represents ultimate in compact design, boasting the world’s thinnest, smallest*1 digital SLR camera body. Olympus achieved this by reducing grip size, choosing the right component designs and materials, and optimizing the layout. To ensure the highest level of resistance to shocks and damage, the circuit boards feature a flexible structure while the box inside the camera is constructed with high-strength engineering resin and thick metallic frame. Despite its smaller size, the improved grip design allows the user to hold the camera comfortably and securely.

2. *1	Among interchangeable lens type digital SLR cameras as of March 5, 2008 (in-house research)

3. "AF Live View" function that makes shooting as easy as a compact digital camera
   The advanced new "AF Live View" function incorporated in the E-420 is an improved version of Olympus’s original breakthrough Live View Technology. With "AF Live View", autofocusing based on contrast detection is available for the first time in our line of digital SLR cameras. When the shutter button is pressed halfway in Live View shooting, by "High Speed Imager AF^*2" system, contrast values are detected at the image sensor and focusing is adjusted at the peak contrast position. The AF in our previous Live View used a phase-difference detection system in which the mirror was moved down temporarily, but with our new AF Live View, users can shoot in the same way as they would with a compact digital camera^*2, making Live View shooting easier and more convenient than ever.

4. *2	When a lens other than the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED14-42mm f3.5-5.6, ED40-150mm f4.0-5.6 or 25mm f2.8 is used, the number of AF focusing points changes to 3 and AF is executed again when the shutter button is pressed all the way. With the ED14-42mm f3.5-5.6 or ED40-150mm f4.0-5.6, lens, the firmware needs to be updated to Ver.1.1 or later.

5. "Face & Back Control" renders both human faces and the background more clearly
   The E-420’s face detection function detects up to 8 faces at a time and automatically adjusts focus to ensure that everyone’s faces are accurately focused even in group photos. This works in conjunction with "Face & Back Control", which optimizes exposure for the faces in the foreground and the scenery in the background, assuring sharp, clear, more natural-looking pictures. Even when shooting against the light, faces can be optimally exposed without over-exposing the background.
6. New large 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD monitor with improved visibility in Live View shooting and picture playback
   The E-420 uses a new 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD monitor with even higher visibility than our previous LCD monitors. The new LCD monitor has increased the contrast and expanded the color reproduction gamut to enable finer image checking in Live View shooting and picture playback. With a viewing angle of 176° in all directions, checking the monitor image is easy from any angle. Image reproduction in Live View shooting and picture playback is further improved by an anti-reflection multi-coating and easy-to-use color temperature adjustment that works the same way as a traditional brightness adjustment control.

Other Features

• Reliable Dust Reduction System
  Dust and dirt — whether it gets inside when the lens is changed or is produced by friction inside the camera when the shutter is opened and closed repeatedly — is the photographer’s biggest enemy. Once it gets on the low-pass filter or the image sensor, even tiny specks of dust will show up in your photographs, spoiling what would otherwise be a great shot. Olympus has always viewed dust as a critical issue in digital SLR cameras and solved it by incorporating a SSWF (Super-Sonic Wave Filter) unit that literally shakes the dust loose so it can be collected with a dust absorber. Activated whenever the camera is powered on ore when Live View is in use, the SSWF unit vibrates at supersonic speeds, removing dirt and dust that cannot be removed simply by moving the image sensor up and down. This system can even remove fine dust attached by intermolecular force that cannot be removed by static electric discharge.
• Fast 3.5 frames-per-sec. sequential shooting
  Sequential shooting performance has been improved to 3.5 frames per second. Now it is easier to capture the best moment from fast moving subjects or human expressions that constantly change from one instant to the next.
• Built-in flash with wireless flash control
  

  The powerful built-in flash incorporates a commander function for combined operation with wireless flashes, a feature already proven on Olympus’s flagship DSLR, the E-3. When the FL-50R and/or FL-36R external flashes are used, multiple flashes can be controlled without either connection cables or an external commander. Settings (including flash mode and intensity) for up to 3 groups of remote flashes can be adjusted on the LCD panel on the back of the camera.

• More Advanced, 10-megapixel new Live MOS Sensor and TruePic III image processing engine
  The E-420 uses a powerful new 10-megapixel Live MOS Sensor for image capturing that enables accurate reproduction of details with natural, vivid colors. The new sensor features an improved dynamic range to ensure richer, more subtle gradations, giving images a natural, true-to-life appearance.
  The TruePic III image processing engine features an advanced processing algorithm to improve imaging performance, gradation expression and color reproduction.
• "Perfect Shot Preview" function to compare the results of various effects before actual shooting
  

  Before actually taking a picture, the user can use "Perfect Shot Preview" to display four images with different compensation/adjustment settings on the LCD monitor and select the preferred image from among them. The Two settings that can be checked are exposure compensation, white balance. Being able to check and compare the effects of various settings in advance make it much easier for users to obtain exactly the image they want.

• Super Control Panel with excellent visibility and operability
  The Super Control Panel displays shooting and setting data on the LCD and features a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for quick, intuitive operation using cross-cursor and OK buttons. Settings are easy to make and easy to check, minimizing mistakes and confusion.

• Introducing A Thin, Lightweight Single-Focus Standard Pancake-Type Lens, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm f2.8
• Designed to fit the "E-410/E-420", "Genuine Leather Bottom Case" & "Front Cases M/S" Launched to Public