Digital Camera News

October 16, 2007

Olympus Introduces E-3 Lenses and Flashes

Oct. 16, 2007, New York, NY – Olympus today unveiled companion accessories to the E-3 digital SLR; three four-thirds lenses – a 12-60mm, 50-200mm, and 14-35mm – a teleconverter lens, two flashes, and a battery holder. These accessories will be available for sale between November and early 2008.

The new lenses include a Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD (Supersonic Wave Drive). When paired with the E-3 body, the camera has the fastest autofocus of any camera currently on the market, said Olympus Product Manager Sally Smith Clemens in an interview with DigitalCameraInfo.com.

The lens is constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups and has a 35mm equivalent 24-120mm focal length. The Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD will retail for $999.99 when it becomes available in November, the same month the E-3 camera body is released.

The Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD has a 35mm-equivalent 100-400mm focal length. Users can shoot as close as 1.2 meters throughout the zoom range. Constructed of 16 elements in 15 groups, the lens promises autofocus that is twice as fast as the earlier ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 lens. The 50-200mm will retail for $1,199.99 when it hits shelves in December.

Third is the flagship lens, the Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD lens with fixed aperture. As part of the Olympus Super High Grade (SHG) lens series, the fast lens is geared for portraiture, landscapes, and indoor shooting. The lens is also splash-proof and waterproof. The 14-35mm lens is priced at $2,299.99 and will ship in the first quarter of 2008.

The new Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter EC-20 extends the reach of Four-Thirds and Olympus E-lenses. For example, when combined with the new 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD, the converter allows for an equivalent 100-400mm focal range. The 2x Teleconverter will retail for $479.99 when it becomes available in December.

In addition to the lens accessories, Olympus announced two wireless electronic flashes, the FL-50R and FL-36R. Both flashes have rotary heads for four-directional flexibility. With the new E-3, users can shoot wirelessly with up to three flash groups. The FL-50R will retail for $499 and the FL-36R for $299.

The HLD-4 Power Battery accepts two lithium-ion BLM-1 batteries to vertical shooting. Like the E-3 body, the battery holder is splash-proof and dust-proof. The HLD-4 is priced at $199.