Featuring an 8MP Full Frame Transfer CCD, the E-500 is Olympus?s third digital SLR built to the FourThirds standard, although the design has changed significantly; with dimensions of 129.5×94.5x66mm and a weight of 435g, it is one of the most compact and light DSLR?s available.
Olympus is targeting the E-500 at the consumer market; as well as Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Program modes, the E-500 features a new Automatic mode and 21 scene modes. Featuring shutter speeds of 1/4000 ? 60 sec (8min bulb), and ISO settings of 100-400 (expandable to 1600) that can be adjusted in 1/3 increments, the E-500 enables continuous shooting is at a rate of 2.5fps for High Quality Jpegs until the card reaches maximum capacity (when a high-speed card is used).
The sensor is kept free from dust thanks to Olympus?s Supersonic Wave Filter that vibrates at a rate of 35,000 vibrations a second every time the camera is activated.
The E-500 incorporates a TTL Penta mirror optical viewfinder, while the 2.5-inch HyperCrystal CCD is composed of 215,250 pixels and can display detailed and basic information about the camera settings.
Other features include: a noise filter, TruePic Turbo Processor, dual memory card slot for xD and CompactFlash cards and 49-zone multi-pattern metering.
The E-500 is available to buy on its own or in a selection of kits: the SE Kit includes a 35-90mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, battery holder and three CR-123 batteries, the Standard Kit has a 28-90mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, rechargeable battery and charger and costs around £600 and the Double Zoom kit features a 28-90mm f/3.5-5.6 and 80-300mm f/3.5-4.5 lens rechargeable battery and charger and will cost around £650.
Olympus has also announced two new lenses. The Zuiko Digital 18-180mm f/3.5-6.3 (36-360mm) lens, which will be available in Spring 2006, while the Zuiko Digital 35m f/3.5 (70mm) Macro hits the shops in December.
Find out more by logging onto www.olympus.co.uk or by calling 0800 072 0070

Specifications

Model Olympus E-500
Type Interchangeable digital SLR camera.
Compatible lensZUIKO Digital, FourThirds System lens.
Lens mount FourThirds mount.
Body Engineering plastics.
Media CompactFlash card (Type I and II), Microdrive, xD picture card. (Dual slot)
Effective pixel number 8 million pixels.
Image size 17.3mm x 13.0mm.

Image sensor
Type 4/3 type Full Frame Transfer CCD solid-state image sensor.
Total pixel number 8.89 million pixels.
Aspect ratio 4:3.
Filter array Primary colour filter (RGB).

Filter
LPF Fixed type.
IR cut filter Hybrid type.
Dust protect filter Supersonic Wave Filter.

Viewfinder
Type Eye-level TTL Penta mirror type optical view finder.
Field of view Approx. 95%.
Magnification Approx. 0.9x with a 50mm lens set to infinity at -1 dioptres.
Eye point Approx. 10mm at -1 dioptres.
Diopter adjustment Built-in type -3.0 to +1.0 dioptres.
Focusing screen Fixed type.
Mirror Quick return mirror.
Viewfinder information AF frame (super impose), AE lock, AF confirmation mark, Metering mode, Exposure mode, Shutter speed, Aperture value, White balance, Exposure compensation value indicator, Flash, Battery check, Record mode, Number of storable still pictures.
Depth of field preview Yes (customised One-touch WB button).
Eye cup Interchangeable type EP-5/6, EP-5 supplied.
Eye piece shutter Eye piece cap EP-4 supplied.

Autofocus
Type TTL phase difference detection system.
Focus modes Single AF, Continuous AF, Manual focus, Single AF + MF, and Continuous AF + MF.
Detection rang EV 0 to 19 (ISO 100).
Focus areas 3 points.
Focus area selection Automatic and manual selection.
AF assist lamp Built-in flash, optional Olympus dedicated flashes.
AF loc Locked by first position of shutter release button, AE/AF lock button (customised)
Focus tracking Available in continuous AF mode.
Focus aid Available.
Manual focus Available by rotating focus ring, available for setting manual focus operation in AF mode (customised).

Exposure control

Light metering system TTL open aperture light metering with 49-zones multi-pattern sensing system.
Light metering modes Digital ESP, Centre-weighted average and Spot (about 2% of entire frame), High light based spot, Shadow based spot.
Detection range Digital ESP, centre-weighted average: EV 1 to 20 (50mm 1:2, ISO 100). Spot: EV 3 to 17 (50mm 1:2, ISO 100).
Exposure modes Auto, Programme with programme shift, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual.
Scene programmes Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Night Scene & Portrait.
Scene select Portrait, Landscape, Landscape & Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene & Portrait, Firework, Sunset, Macro, Sports, High Key, Low key, Document, Beach & Snow, Candle, Children.
Exposure compensation Up to +/- 5 EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps.
AE lock Locked by first position of shutter release or AE/AF lock button (customised).
Exposure bracketing 3 frames in +/- 1, 2/3, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps (selectable).

Sensitivity
Auto ISO 100 to 400.
Manual ISO 100 to 400. Expandable to 1600 (in each 1/3 EV steps possible).

Shutter
Type Electronically controlled focal plane shutter.
Shutter speed Auto, P, Ps, A mode: 1/4000 – 60 sec. (depend on conditions)
S mode: 1/4000 – 60 sec.
M mode: 1/4000 – 60 sec. and bulb (up to 8 min.)
Scene mode: 1/4000 – 2 sec.
X-sync speed X = 1/180 sec, 1/60 – 1/180 selectable in P, Ps, A mode. Super FP up to 1/4000 sec.
Shutter release Soft-touch electromagnetic release.
Self-timer 12 or 2 sec.
Remote control Yes (including bulb function), with RM-1 (option).

Drive system
Drive modes Single and sequential shooting.
Sequential shooting speed Approx. 2.5 fps.
Max. frame number on sequential shooting RAW / TIFF 4 frames,
JPEG (HQ, SQ) up to card capacity with high speed media (SunDisk Extreme III) .

White balance system
Auto WB system Advanced detection system with CCD imager.
Preset WB 8 types (3000K – 7500K).
Lamp 1 (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), Daylight (5300K), Cloudy (6000K), Shade (7500K)
Custom WB 1 custom setting (in Kelvin).
WB compensation R – B / G – M, up to +/-7 steps in each 2 mired for both auto and preset settings.
On touch white balance 1 one touch setting
WB bracketing 3 frames with +/- 4/8/12 mired steps.
Processing
Image processing TruePic TURBO.
Colour space sRGB / Adobe RGB.
Picture mode Vivid, Natural, Muted, Black & White, Sepia.
Colour saturation 5 levels in each Vivid, Natural, Muted mode.
Sharpness 5 levels in each Picture mode.
Contrast 5 levels in each Picture mode.
Filter Yellow, Orange, Red, Green in Black & White mode.
Toning Sepia, Blue, Red, Green in Black & White mode.
Gradation 3 levels (high key, normal, low key).

Built-in flash
Type Auto pop-up type, TTL auto or manual.
Synchronisation modes Auto, Red-eye reduction, Slow syncro with red-eye reduction, Slow syncro, 2nd curtain slow syncro, Fill-in, Off.
Guide number Approx. 13.
Intensity control Up to +/- 2EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps.

External flash control
Type TTL auto FP / TTL auto for Olympus dedicated flash (with FL-20, FL-36, FL-50), auto or manual.
Synchronisation modes Auto, Manual, Red-eye reduction, Slow syncro with red-eye reduction, Slow syncro, 2nd curtain slow syncro, Fill-in for exclusive flash.
Intensity control Up to +/- 2EV in each 1, 1/2, or 1/3 EV steps.

Control panel
Control panel information Metering mode, Exposure mode, Aperture value, Shutter speed, Exposure level indicator, Exposure compensation value, Exposure compensation indicator, AE bracket, ISO, Colour space, Picture mode, Gradation, Colour saturation compensation value, Sharpness compensation value, Contrast compensation value, White balance, White balance compensation value, Noise reduction mode, AE lock, Flash mode, Flash compensation value, Focus mode, AF frame, Drive mode, Record mode, Number of storable still pictures, Selected memory card, Battery check.

Playback monitor
Type HyperCrystal LCD panel.
Size 2.5 inch / 6.4cm.
Pixel number 215.250 pixels.
Field of view Approx. 100%.
Brightness control +/- 7 steps.

Playback functions
Display mode Single, Zoom (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14x), Index (4, 9, 16, 25 frames), Slide show, Calendar view, Rotation, Light box view.
Information Exposure mode, Metering mode, Shutter speed, Aperture value, Exposure compensation level, ISO, Colour space, White balance mode, White balance compensation level, Focal length, Focus area, File type, Picture mode.
Exposure level view Histogram (R, G, B available), High light point warning, Shadow point warning.

Erase / protect / copy function
Erase modes Single, All, Selected.
Image protect mode Single
Copy mode Single, All, Selected.

Recording system
Type of recording format DCF, DPOF compatible, EXIF2.2 compatible, PRINT Image
Matching II compatible.
Type of file format JPEG, TIFF (RGB 8 bit), RAW (12bit).
RAW+JPEG recording Yes.
File size
RAW: 3264 x 2448 uncompressed Approx. 13.6 MB

TIFF: 3264 x 2448 uncompressed Approx. 24.5 MB

SHQ: 3264 x 2448 1/2.7 Approx. 6.4 MB

HQ: 3264 x 2448 1/4 Approx. 4.5 MB

1/8 Approx. 2.5 MB

1/12 Approx. 1.8 MB

SQ: 3200 x 2400 1/2.7 Approx. 6.2 MB

1/4 Approx. 4.4 MB

1/8 Approx. 2.4 MB

1/12 Approx. 1.8 MB

2560 x 1920 1/2.7 Approx. 3.7 MB

1/4 Approx. 2.5 MB

1/8 Approx. 1.3 MB

1/12 Approx. 0.8 MB

1600 x 1200 1/2.7 Approx. 1.5 MB

1/4 Approx. 1.0 MB

1/8 Approx. 0.5 MB

1/12 Approx. 0.4 MB

1280 x 960 1/2.7 Approx. 0.9 MB

1/4 Approx. 0.6 MB

1/8 Approx. 0.3 MB

1/12 Approx. 0.2 MB

1024 x 768 1/2.7 Approx. 0.6 MB

1/4 Approx. 0.4 MB

1/8 Approx. 0.2 MB

1/12 Approx. 0.2 MB

640 x 480 1/2.7 Approx. 0.3 MB

1/4 Approx. 0.2 MB

1/8 Approx. 0.1 MB

1/12 Approx. 0.1 MB

Image editing
RAW development Yes.
JPEG/TIFF editing Yes (Black & White, Sepia, Red eye reduction, Colour saturation, Resize, ).
PictBridge Yes.

Menu
Category Shooting menu 1, Shooting menu 2, Playback menu, Custom menu, Setup menu.
Languages Default 4 languages (English, German, Spanish, French),
One language can be downloaded via internet.

Interface
PC interface USB 2.0 (Full speed).
Video signal output NTSC or PAL selectable.
Synchro socket Hot shoe.

Power supply
Battery Rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack BLM-1 or 3x CR123A with LBH-1.

Size / weight
Dimensions 129.5 x 94.5 x 66mm.
Weight Approx. 435g (without batteries and CF card).

Miscellaneous
Sleep mode Yes (Off, 1, 3, 5, 10 min. selectable).
Power off mode Yes (Off, 4hours selectable).

Environment
Temperature Operating range: 0°C to 40°C. Storage range: -20°C to 60°C.
Humidity Operating range: 30 to 90%. Storage range: 10% to 90%.
Box contents E-500 body, USB cable, video cable, Li-Ion battery pack (BLM-1) and Li-Ion battery charger (BCM-2) or CR123A battery holder (LHD-1) and 3xCR123A, shoulder strap, Olympus Master CD-ROM, instruction manual, warranty card.

Specifications and design are subject to change without notice.