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| (Credit: Olympus) |
Olympus announced another waterproof digital camera to its “tough” lineup. The Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 is waterproof to 10 feet, shockproof from 5 feet, and freezeproof from 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 C). New features include HD video, art effects, and 1 GB of internal memory. The camera is set to go on sale next month for $229.
The Olympus Tough-3000 comes with 12 megapixels, but has the same 3.6x optical zoom lens that is on the Tough-6000. They also share the same 2.7-inch LCD screen, dual image stabilization, tap control interface, and tough specs. The biggest differences between the old and new cameras are that the Tough-6000 has 10 megapixels and is compatible with xD and microSD cards while the new Tough-3000 is compatible with the more standard SD and SDHC media.
The new model adds 720p HD video, making it the first Olympus Tough camera to have that feature. It can be accessed with an on-camera button and downloaded with an optional HDMI cable. The Tough-3000 also has Magic Filters, which are essentially the same thing as the Art Filters on the pricier Olympus cameras. New filters include pop art, pin hole, fish eye, and drawing. Other features new to the Tough series include auto focus tracking, an updated graphic user interface, and new Olympus software that has geo-tagging and face recognition capabilities.
The new Olympus digital camera comes with 1GB of internal memory, which will contain the camera’s user manual in addition to providing space for image storage. According to Olympus’ Jan. 7 press release, the manual move to memory is all about going green “Eliminating a paper or CD-ROM instruction manual is part of Olympus’ ongoing environmental commitment to conserve natural resources and reduce its carbon footprint.”
The Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 will be released in red, pink, blue, and green colors. The older Tough-6000 comes in blue and white while the flagship Tough-8000 comes in black and silver. The flagship camera has the same resolution, LCD, and 3.6x lens as the new model, but is waterproof to 33 feet and shockproof from 6.6 feet.
“The Stylus Tough-3000 is the latest in the Stylus Tough series, a family of compact cameras designed for the places where families really go, like the pool, the slopes and the great outdoors,” said Nadine Clark, product manager at Olympus Imaging America Inc., in the press release. “With HD video and 12 megapixels of resolution, you’ll relive life’s adventures.”
Expect more cameras from Olympus this year. Their press release offered this little teaser: “It’s also the first of several Stylus Tough cameras to be launched in 2010.”
