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The E-30 fits in the spectrum of the E-System lineup above the E-520 as a mid-range advanced DSLR, while the E-3 remains at the top as the flagship Olympus DSLR. As with all Olympus DSLRs, the new camera provides advanced Dust Reduction and in-body mechanical Image Stabilization so that every Four Thirds lens is stabilized. The new camera also offers TruePic III+ Image Processor and Full Time Autofocus Live View. These features are coupled with a new 12.3-megapixel high-speed Live MOS image sensor to capture breathtaking images.

Adding to the line of Four Thirds-compliant lenses, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II is also being announced. It boasts high-speed Imager AF support for Live View shooting and a circular aperture mechanism for higher imaging performance. A versatile 28-108mm equivalent zoom range makes the new lens an ideal choice in a wide range of shooting situations, enabling users to enjoy the exaggerated perspective of wide angle shooting while providing telephoto power to zoom in for close-ups.

New to the E-30, Art Filters allow the user to apply effects as shots are made using the Autofocus Live View LCD. The filters include:
Pop Art: Enhances colors, making them more saturated and vivid.

Soft Focus: Creates an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere that renders subjects in a heavenly light without obscuring details.

Pale & Light Color: Encloses the foreground of an image in flat gentle light and pastel colors reminiscent of a flashback scene in a movie.

Light Tone: Renders shade and highlight areas softly to lend an elegant air to the subject.

Grainy Film: Evokes the feeling of documentary footage shot in monochrome with grainy, high-contrast film.

Pin Hole: Reduces the peripheral brightness of an image as though it were shot through a pin hole, connecting the viewer intimately with the subject at the center of the picture.

Art Filters are easily activated via the mode dial on the left side of the camera body, and the effects are viewable right on the new camera’s 100 percent accurate swivel 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD when using the E-30 in Live View mode or when reviewing the captured image. The camera also has a new Multiple Exposure function. The E-30 can combine up to four images in a single photograph, overlaying various subjects to create a montage that blends all the elements together. Thanks to the new TruePic III+ Image Processor the user is able to accurately compose, capture and combine your images on the fly directly on the camera’s LCD.

The new camera’s high-performance 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor is said to deliver excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to eradicate noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

The E-30 offers two systems to quickly focus and capture the image. They include Fast Autofocus with AF Live View with an 11 point imager AF with the 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor and Phase Detection AF.  

The new camera’s 100 percent accurate, 270 degree swivel 2.7-inch Live View HyperCrystal LCD can be rotated freely so photographers can compose at tough angles, including overhead and down low. During composition, settings like white balance and exposure can be selected, and their impact is seen instantly on the LCD, thanks to Live View. Real-time monitoring offers amazing versatility and creative control. The LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles. The 2.7-inch LCD makes viewing icons and text on the camera’s menu a squint-free process.

The E-30 provides nine aspect ratios including the standard 4:3, as well as 16:9 for impressive, cinematic-style images, and 6:6, plus 3:2, 5:4, 7:6, 6:5, 7:5 and 3:4. By selecting the aspect ratio before shooting and easily reviewing images on the LCD throughout the shoot, the Multi-Aspect function adds a new means of expression to your photography.

The Olympus E-30 DSLR will be available in January 2009. It includes E-30 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLM-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCM-2), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card. The ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II lens will also be available in January 2009.

U.S. Pricing
E-30 Body: Estimated Street Price: $1,299; ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II lens: Estimated Street Price: $599
http://www.olympusamerica.com.