Olympus Debuts “X-tremely Bright” XZ-1 Compact with iZuiko Digital Lens

Camera Review

Center Valley, PA—Olympus says it is taking their compact cameras to the X-treme with the ultra-compact flagship XZ-1, the first of a new series of compact cameras that boast a bright built-in Zuiko lens. The series gets its name from three signature features: an “X-tremely large, super-sensitive CCD sensor, the X-tremely fast TruePic V image processor and the X-tremely bright, fast 6-24mm f/1.8-2.5 iZuiko digital lens.” 

The XZ-1 is engineered to shoot 10 megapixel stills and HD video at 30 frames per second in any shooting environment, including low-light conditions. The pocketsize camera features full manual controls with a control ring around the front of the lens and a wheel controller on the back, dual image stabilization and an AF illuminator to maximize performance in low-light settings. 

For “X-treme” creativity it incorporates six art filters to produce photographic effects. Users can also create an in-camera slideshow that mixes still images, movies and sound. The camera includes five kinds of background music as well as slideshow control functions, such as still image fade-in/out, sound recording volume and background music volume adjustment. And, an on-screen live guide offers quick tips for shooting different subjects and assists with some of the more complex settings (aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation, for instance).

Photographers can compose still images or 720p HD videos on the camera’s 3.0-inch OLED monitor, which provides a wide-viewing angle and a new graphic interface to make it easier to read text and find the settings needed. Plus “live control” enables intuitive operation to shoot photos while viewing the effects on the LCD.

A dedicated record button, allows users to toggle back and forth between capturing stills and videos by using an index finger to press the shutter button or their thumb to press the record button. 

The XZ-1’s 4x compact version of the Zuiko digital lenses featured with Olympus DSLRs has a minimum aperture of f/1.8 at wide-angle and a maximum aperture of f/2.5 at telephoto. The lens is said to have super-fast shutter speeds for sharp low-light images. Apart from the speed of the lens, the camera’s low-light mode automatically adjusts the ISO sensitivity up to ISO 3200 to take full-resolution photos in dark places. The camera’s iAuto mode automatically detects low-light scenes and adjusts the ISO accordingly, while its pop-up flash and AF illuminator also aid in low-light shooting. 

To expand the camera’s versatility, the XZ-1 includes an accessory port so photographers can attach optional accessories like the Olympus FL-14, FL-36R and FL-50R external flash units, the SEMA-1 external microphone adapter, the VF-2 electronic viewfinder or the newly introduced MAL-1 macro light. An underwater housing and HDMI cable are also available.

The Olympus XZ-1 comes in black and white. $499.99. olympusamerica.com