Olympus expands mirrorless camera line

Mirrorless compact cameras with interchangeable lenses are gaining ground among enthusiasts, prompting Japanese camera maker Olympus to produce more of the kind.

Olympus recently came out with an improved line of PEN cameras, or small cameras with interchangeable lens based on Micro Four Thirds System.

The flagship product, PEN E-P3, is a third-generation PEN that still maintains the classic all-metal design of the first digital PEN camera introduced in 2009.

Improvements include the incorporation of an OLED touchscreen to easily navigate and control the camera with a touch of a finger. In addition, the new compact camera features a faster autofocus and a 12.3-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor.

It also features TruePic VI image processor, high ISO of 12,800, a re-engineered autofocus system, full 1080i HD video with Dolby Digital sound recording and Art Filters.

The new PEN E-PL3, or the PEN Lite, has the same features as the PEN EP-3, except that the 3-inch LCD monitor is not touch capable but rather flexible as it allows user to tilt it to take advantage of shooting at low level angles.

The PEN E-PM1, or PEN Mini, is the smallest of the line that targets female users. It comes in six stylish colors of purple, pink, brown, white, silver and black. It also has the same features of its bigger brothers except for the tilting LCD and touchscreen navigation.

Olympus also equipped the new cameras with the ability to shoot dynamic 3D photos in any situation from macro to landscape. The feature is called 3D Photo Mode. Once selected, the shutter automatically takes a second image from a slightly different perspective. The 3D data is processed in-camera resulting in universal 3D format for display on 3D TV or laptops.

Alex Fukui of Olympus Imaging Business said the global market for mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras is growing at a rapid rate. In Japan, the new cameras are eating the DSLR market, accounting for a 45-percent share. He is positive that the mirrorless cameras will also see growth here in the Philippines.

In July 2009, Olympus first came out with the PEN E-P1, a mirrorless format camera with a lens mount based on and compatible with Micro Four Thirds system.

Suggested retail price for the PEN EP3 is P47,999, the PEN Lite can go for P34,999, while the PEN Mini may cost P29,999.