Olympus to launch E-1 sequel next month

Olympus is readying itself to launch a long-awaited sequel to its E-1 high-end digital SLR next month, the company revealed today. While details remain uncertain, the unnamed camera is said to maintain the Four Thirds sensor system of the E-1 while almost doubling the resolution to 10 megapixels; it should also make off-angle photography easier with a live preview LCD and internal image stabilization that doesn't require a self-correcting lens. Newer image processing should handle five frames per second and 11 primary autofocus points.

The camera is likely to be hardened against shocks and weather with a metal body, and is officially scheduled for an announcement on October 17th, shortly after the end of the PMA Europe series of trade shows wind down. Olympus is rumored to name the camera either the E-P1 (suggesting a minor update) or the E-3. The camera maker first previewed the camera as early as the Photokina expo in late 2006 with a concept model (pictured). [via DPReview]