A-DIGITAL-EYE (21ST CENTURY DIGITAL CAMERAS, PHOTO PRINTERS, PAPERS, CAMCORDERS, IMAGING SOFTWARE, DIGITAL EQUIPMENT, REVIEWS AND MORE!) OLYMPUS STYLUS VERVE 4 MEGAPIXEL DIGITAL CAMERA & MASTER SOFTWARE PREVIEW PAGE 
OLYMPUS PRESS RELEASE
OLYMPUS STYLUS VERVE MAKES A FASHION STATEMENT WITH BREAKTHROUGH SHAPE AND SIX COLORS TO MATCH YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
Color. Power. Style. Find Your Verve.
Melville, New York, September 3, 2004 - When the world's top designers meet this month under the tents in New York City's Bryant Park, Olympus is proud to be one of them. In an unprecedented product launch, Olympus will release the new Stylus Verve 4.0-megapixel digital camera in 6 brilliant designer colors to make a fashion statement on the runways as the Official Camera of Olympus Fashion Week. The Verve has a compact and durable all-metal, all-weather body with a breakthrough shape that's sure to dazzle wherever it goes.
"The Stylus Verve lives up to its name as a camera that is full of vitality that will inspire users to elevate their creativity to a higher level of self-expression," said Richard Campbell, product marketing director, Olympus America Inc. "In six electrifying new colors, there is a model to suit everyone's personal sense of style so you can find your Verve. It continues the tradition of power, performance and all-weather durability synonymous with the Olympus Stylus Digital series. This is truly a camera that looks as great as the images it produces."
Delivering Style
Olympus designers have turned a corner with a radical out-of-the-box
design for the Stylus Verve. Instead of an angular boxy body,
the new Verve has rounded corners and a smooth contoured shape
that looks as though it's been forged by the force of water for
centuries. In Silver, Blue, Black, White, Red, and Copper colors,
the Verve's metal body is made to mix and match with your own
style.
At a compact size of only 3.74" x 2.18" x 1.08", and a weight of just 3.7 ounces, the Verve - the smallest Olympus digital camera introduced to date - fits snugly in a hip pocket, shirt-front pocket, purse, tote bag or backpack so it can make a memorable impression wherever you take it.
The Verve employs a new circular lens barrier that tucks away inside the camera body with a satisfying snap when the power is turned on, and protects it by creating a durable, impermeable seal from the elements when closed. The camera comes to life with a start-up sound of either a sports car engine, a pleasing chime or a lively electronic "Whew!" as well as a customizable start-up image on the LCD. The Verve also has three different catchy shutter sounds to choose from. Atop the camera's body is a unique rotating mode dial that spins to set the camera to take pictures, record movies or review images taken.
Designed to Do More
Because it's a Stylus, the Verve's lightweight and ergonomic
metal body provides all-weather protection from the elements,
so it's fine to take the camera outside in a downpour, on the
slopes, on the yacht or in a blizzard. Rubber gaskets throughout
the camera's interior insure that rain, sleet and snow can't
stop the Verve from taking incredibly clear and colorful images
in any weather condition - get the camera wet, wipe it off, and
keep on shooting.
Thanks to the Stylus Verve's new HyperCrystal™ LCD, a bright 1.8-inch display with 134,000 pixels of sharp resolution, taking and sharing images is enhanced. This new LCD is designed to deliver a 160° angle of viewing so it can be seen clearly from above, from the side, and from below by a group of people at once, or on your own. Where conventional LCD displays fail to deliver clear, visible pictures under bright conditions, the Stylus Verve HyperCrystal LCD is viewable even in bright sunlight at the beach or on the slopes.
Designed For You
The process of taking images has also been streamlined for maximum
efficiency. For example, the Stylus Verve has 16 selectable Scene
Program Modes that cover the gamut of possible shooting situations:
Portrait, Self-Portrait, Landscape, Beach & Snow, Indoors,
Cuisine, Night Scene, Fireworks, Panorama and more. Accessing
these modes is as simple as a push of a new navigation control
pad that allows users to quickly and easily cycle through the
various settings displayed on the LCD screen menu.
Once a picture is taken the ability to create a unique image just begins. In-camera editing effects like Soft Focus, Fish Eye, Black and White, and Sepia, allow you to apply an effect to the image directly inside the camera, saving a copy of the original image along with your fun new creation.
The camera's QuickTime Movie Mode with sound can be used to make mini movies with a length limited only by the amount of available memory on the media card. Movies of life's everyday achievements and events can be downloaded and emailed to friends and family across town or around the world.
PictBridge support allows direct printing from the Stylus Verve to any PictBridge-enabled printer, like the Olympus P-10 Digital Photo Printer, without using a computer. In addition, transferring images to the computer has never been easier with the Auto-Connect USB 2.0 that does not require software drivers (for most computers/operating systems) for hassle-free and high-speed image downloads. The Verve also comes with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery and charger.
Digital image management has never been easier than with OLYMPUS Master™ software that enables users of Olympus digital cameras to get the most out of their digital experience. With a logical and intuitive user interface, OLYMPUS Master allows users to instantly store and manage images, by keyword or by shooting date, in an easily-searchable Calendar View database so they never misplace digital photos again. Powerful, one-click editing tools - including improved red-eye reduction - enable users to optimize their images prior to printing on a postcard, index card, calendar, or via online services. Online support, templates, firmware upgrades and other services are just a mouse-click away.
Intelligent Design for the Most Realistic
Digital Images
With a f3.5-f5.9, 2x optical zoom lens (35-70mm equivalent in
35mm photography) and 4x digital zoom, the Stylus Verve delivers
a seamless 8x total zoom to bring the action closer. The very
best picture quality is always assured thanks to incorporation
of the TruePic TURBO image processor, which delivers a broad
color spectrum of light and dark colors with breathtaking clarity.
Camera start-up and shot-to-shot time are also enhanced so no
photo opportunity is missed.
Availability
The Stylus Verve will be available in September 2004. It includes
a 16MB xD-Picture Card, Wrist Strap, Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery
and Charger, USB cable, Audio-Video Cable, Quick Start Guide,
Instruction Manual, CD with OLYMPUS Master Editing Software.
A metal neck strap, leather carrying case, water-resistant underwater
housing, AC Adapter and AC Power Coupler are optional accessories.
U.S. Pricing
Stylus Verve Estimated Street Price: $349.99 (U.S.)
Specifications: Stylus Verve*
CCD Imager 4.0 megapixel (effective)4.2 megapixel gross1/2.5
type (0.4 type) CCD
Lens Olympus aspherical glass 3x zoom lens 5.8 - 11.6 mm (35
- 70mm equivalent in35mm photography), 5 lenses in 3 groups
Digital Zoom Seamless to 8x (2x optical and 4x digital combined)
Aperture Range f3.5 - f5.9
Shutter Speeds AUTO ½- 1/1000 sec. (Night Scene - longest
4 sec.)
ISO 64/100/200/400/Auto (500)
Recording Modes Still Image: DCF Standard (JPEG, EXIF 2.2). DPOF,
PIM 2.5 compatibleMovie Mode: DCF Standard (QuickTime motion
JPEG)
Adjustable Resolutions 2272 x 1704 (SHQ, HQ)2048 x 1536 JPEG
(SQ1)1600 x 1200 JPEG (SQ2)
QuickTime Movie® 15 frames per second in QVGA (320 x 240);
Movies are only limited in length by the xD-Picture Card™
TruePic Turbo Significantly improved image quality, faster processing
speed, noise reduction, uses all pixels at all resolutions, pixel
micro-smoothing
Pixel Mapping Automatic Pixel Mapping (APM) available via menu
setting
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) Print reserve (single, all,
number of copies), Date
Image Shooting Effects Panorama and 2-in-1 shooting mode
Image Edit Effects Soft Focus, Fish Eye, Black and White, and
Sepia
Panorama Up to 10 frames automatically stitchable with Olympus
Master software when using Olympus brand xD-Picture Card™
Sequence 2 frames per second in HQ mode
LCD 1.8" HyperCrystal LCD (134K Pixel TFT) for taking and
viewing pictures (no optical viewfinder)
Focusing System Autofocus (contrast detection)
Focusing Ranges Normal mode: 20in. (0.5m) - Infinity Macro Mode
8in. (0.2m) - InfinitySuper Macro mode: 3.5in. - 8in. (0.09m
- 0.5m) (Tele side only, flash off)
Exposure Compensation None
Scene Programs Portrait, Indoor, Beach & Snow, Portrait +
Landscape, Night Scene, Self-Portrait, Cuisine, Two-in-One, Panorama,
Landscape, Self-Portrait + Self-Timer, Behind Glass, Candle,
Sunset, Fireworks
Metering System Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten and Fluorescent
Flash Built-in
Flash Modes Auto for low and backlightRed-Eye Reduction Fill-in
Off
Flash Working Range Wide: 8in. - 9.2ft. (0.2m - 2.8m), Tele:
8in. - 6ft. (0.2m - 2.0m)
Flash Recharging Time 5 seconds
Removable Media Card xD-Picture Card™, 16MB included
Self-Timer 12 seconds
Settings Memorization On/Off (Hold changes/Reset to default settings)
Outer Connectors USB & Audio/Video out multi-terminal
Auto-Connect USB 2.0 Mini B
System Requirements Windows 98 rev2/ME/2000 Pro/XP and Mac OS
8.6 - OSX
Image Playback Still image: Index display, up to 4x enlargement,Slide
show,
Movie Playback Normal, Frame by Frame
Operating Environment Operation: 32 - 104°F (0 - 40°C)
30-90% humidityStorage: -4 - 104°F (-20 - 60°C) 30-90%
humidity
Power Supply 1 Li-30B Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (included)1
Li-30C Battery Charger (included)
Date/Time Calendar Simultaneous recording into image data, Automatic
up to the year 2099
Size Size 3.74in. (95mm) x 2.18in. (55.5mm) x 1.08in. (27.5mm)
(Excluding protrusions)
Weight 3.7 oz. (115 g) (without battery and media card)
Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice
or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective
holder.
©2004 Olympus America Inc.
OLYMPUS MASTER SOFTWARE MAKES IMAGE ORGANIZATION AND EDITING A DYNAMIC DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
New Software Enhances File Management, Image Searching and Image Editing Functions
Melville, New York, September 3, 2004 - Olympus is pleased to announce today that all forthcoming Olympus digital cameras will include innovative OLYMPUS Master™ software for better organization, editing, and management of digital camera images. OLYMPUS Master Plus™, an enhanced version of the software that offers even more advanced movie and still-image editing, including the ability to record images on CD/DVD media and create video CDs, is also available sold separately or as an upgrade of OLYMPUS Master.
"One of the things that makes digital
photography so appealing to so many people is the ability to
store images on a computer," said Richard Campbell, product
marketing director, Olympus America Inc. "Once in the computer,
however, sorting through and keeping track of all the images
can be difficult when it's time go back and find a particular
shot. With OLYMPUS Master software, digital camera users will
find they are better able to store and sort their pictures in
a logical, organized fashion, as well as enjoy robust editing
and printing capabilities."
Designed to Do More
Because many photographers associate their images with dates,
events or anniversaries, OLYMPUS Master software can be set to
automatically organize pictures by shooting date and display
them on the computer screen as thumbnails within a dynamic Calendar
View.
For Olympus digital camera users who prefer to organize their
photo library by subject, the software allows keywords to be
assigned to images as they are downloaded for quick and easy
retrieval of the specific image or images desired by searchable
keyword(s). For example, a keyword such as "Wedding"
can be assigned to a group of images, which can in turn be further
segmented by additional keywords such as "Ceremony"
and "Reception" for a more precise image search.
By simply clicking on banners located in a column on the right side of the OLYMPUS Master software window, users gain instant access to a host of valuable service and support functions. These services and functions include photo seminar and contest information, customer support services, updates to digital camera firmware (the software within the camera that controls camera operation) and a wide range of other informative content designed to stimulate creativity, enhance printing and improve overall functionality.
Designed to Enhance the Digital Experience
Digital photographers can turn their computer into their own
digital imaging lab with the wide range of photo editing functions
available with OLYMPUS Master. Editing tools include one-touch
compensation for automatic color adjustment, sepia and monochrome
image creation, tone curve correction, distortion compensation
and more. The improved red-eye feature allows users to reduce
red-eye (for people) or green- and blue-eye (for animals).
With the panorama function available on OLYMPUS Master, multiple images can be seamlessly strung together to create a single panorama image of scenes such as a beautiful rose-colored skyline at sunset or a majestic mountain range.
For digital photographers wishing to control the complete "development" process, OLYMPUS Master software offers the ability to process RAW format image data downloaded from Olympus digital cameras - either through single-image or batch image processing. Also, if desired, a histogram can be displayed during processing.
Enjoying the versatility of digital photography is even further enhanced with an expanded range of printing options including the ability to produce documents in index, calendar and postcard layouts. Emailing images is as easy as selecting a menu option from OLYMPUS Master that will synch with the user's preferred email program.
Olympus Master Plus: Designed To Excite
In addition to enjoying the standard features of OLYMPUS Master,
users who opt for the OLYMPUS Master Plus software will experience
the ability to store images and video by burning them to CD-R/RW
or DVD-R/RW media (separate ImageMixer VCD/DVD2 for Olympus software
launches automatically). Images that incorporate music and other
elements can be combined to create video CDs. Once burned onto
the CD or DVD media, images and video can be taken anywhere and
easily viewed using any standard DVD- or CD-compatible player.
OLYMPUS Master Plus also offers enhanced printing functions with options including a free layout album for positioning images anywhere within the printable area of the preferred print media, and the ability to combine images with background or illustration templates. To ensure digital photographers have immediate access to the latest templates, all templates will be available for download from a dedicated website. Once downloaded, the created composite images can be saved for future use and enjoyment.
Editing QuickTime Motion JPEG movies taken with an Olympus camera is done quickly and easily with OLYMPUS Master Plus' available suite of movie editing options. Back at the computer, movies captured in the vertical format can be easily rotated for correct horizontal display. Moreover, individual frames can be converted to still images and edited as if originally shot as a still image, while unwanted material can be conveniently deleted. For users looking for more advanced video editing functions, it is possible to launch third-party motion-image editing applications from within OLYMPUS Master.
Other unique features of OLYMPUS Master Plus include sepia and monochrome movie creation, a filter for one-touch video compensation, the ability to save albums in HTML format, conversion of images into desktop wallpaper, and a slideshow option to allow images to be viewed as movies or screensavers.
Availability
All new Olympus cameras will include the OLYMPUS Master software.
This software can be upgraded to OLYMPUS Master Plus via a website
download (www.olympusamerica.com). OLYMPUS Master and OLYMPUS
Master Plus will be available in November 2004 at www.olympusamerica.com
or your local retailer.
U.S. Pricing
OLYMPUS Master: $19.99 (U.S.); Free with purchase of new Olympus
Digital camera
OLYMPUS Master Plus Upgrade from Olympus Master: $19.99 (U.S.)
OLYMPUS Master Plus: $39.99 (U.S.)
For more information contact Michael Bourne, Mullen Public Relations, 650-210-9857 or michael.bourne@mullen.com, or Chris Sluka, senior public relations manager, Olympus America Inc, Consumer Products Group, Two Corporate Center Dr., Melville, NY 11747-3157, ph: (631) 844-5000 (800) 622-6372, Fax: (631) 844-5262 or the Olympus Web Site: http://www.olympusamerica.com.
ABOUT OLYMPUS
Olympus is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering
innovative solutions in healthcare and consumer electronics worldwide.
Olympus works collaboratively with its
customers and its parent company, Tokyo-based Olympus Corporation,
to leverage R&D investment in precision technology and manufacturing
processes across diverse business lines. These include:
· Digital and film cameras, and digital voice recorders.
· Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally
invasive surgical products;
· Advanced clinical and research microscopes; and
· Lab automation systems, chemistry-immuno and blood bank
analyzers and reagents.
In the U. S. and Canada, Olympus serves healthcare, scientific and commercial laboratory markets with integrated product solutions and financial, educational and consulting services that help customers efficiently, reliably, safely, and easily achieve superior results. Olympus is the leader in gastrointestinal endoscopy and clinical and educational microscopes. The company's market-leading consumer electronics business spans North and South America. For more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com.