Olympus Launches E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1 Pen Compact System Models

Interchangeable-Lens Cameras

Center Valley, PA—Olympus revealed three Pen compact system cameras that combine the portability of a point and shoot with digital SLR features: the E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1.

With a 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor, TruePic VI image processors, ISOs to 12,800, a reengineered autofocus system, Full HD 1080i video with Dolby Digital sound recording, new user interfaces, 3D shooting, art filters and built-in creative features, the trio is designed to offer advanced capabilities with easy operation.

E-P3. The flagship with a classic all-metal design, Olympus says the E-P3 now provides the world’s fastest autofocus. It features a bright, 614,000-pixel high-res OLED touch screen to navigate and control the camera at the touch of a finger.

E-PL3. Easy-to-use creative technologies are packed into its body that is the size of a small point-and-shoot camera yet offers the versatility of interchangeable lenses. A tilting 3.0-inch LCD lets users shoot above crowds or at ground level.

E-PM1. The smallest Pen, it’s available in six colors (purple, pink, brown, white, silver, black) and has a simplified user interface and streamlined button structure.

Shared features include an AF illuminator, in-body image stabilization, dust reduction, a “FAST” AF tracking system with 35 focus points, a dedicated HD video button to start filming in AVCHD or AVI formats with uncompressed CD-quality, compatibility with SDHC, SDXC and UHS-1 cards and wireless Eye-Fi cards, and such in-camera creative features as art filters, multiple exposure, aspect ratios and in-camera editing. All filters can be applied to photos and HD movies, and users can mix the filters.

Also offered is the ability to shoot 3D photos from macro to landscapes: users select the 3D photo mode, release the shutter and pan until the camera automatically takes a second image from a slightly different perspective. The 3D data is processed in-camera, resulting in an .MPO file, the universal 3D format for display.

All of the Olympus Pen cameras are compatible with SDHC, SDXC and UHS-1 memory cards and work with Eye-Fi cards for wireless uploads.

The Olympus Pen models will retail in the following configurations: E-P3 with MSC M.Zuiko Digital ED m14-42mm II R f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens, $899.99; E-P3 with MSC M.Zuiko Digital ED m17mm f/2.8 prime lens, $899.99; E-PM1 with MSC M.Zuiko Digital ED m14-42mm II R f/3.5-5.6 zoom, price TBA; E-PL3 with MSC M.Zuiko Digital ED m14-42mm II R f/3.5-5.6 zoom, TBA; and the E-PL3 with MSC M.Zuiko Digital ED m17mm f/2.8 prime, TBA.

Also announced was the FL-300R compact flash unit, which functions on all three Pen cameras as a bounce flash as well as a wireless remote flash. It is designed in silver to match the new Pen lineup. olympusamerica.com