Olympus E-P1 now available for pre-order at Amazon
updated 04:35 pm EDT, Mon June 22, 2009
Olympus E-P1 pre-orders
The E-P1 Micro Four Thirds digital camera from Olympus that was officially introduced last week is now available for pre-order at Amazon. As promised, the camera will be available without a lens, priced at $750; as a kit with a 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 lens for $800; or bundled with a 17mm f2.8 fixed-zoom lens for $900. An add-on optical viewfinder that mounts to the hot-shoe, the VF-1, is a standalone option for all variations and carries a price of $100.
The 12-megapixel camera is smaller than typical DSLR cameras as there is no mirror box, with users instead relying on a 3-inch LCD to frame subjects. It can record 720p video in AVI formats up to 2GB in size or 7 minutes in length, with support for stereo audio. ISO levels are adjustable between 100 and 6,400, while a digital image-stabilization feature and dust removal function are built in. The photos and videos, which are saved to separately-sold SD/SDHC memory cards, can be edited via an in-camera feature that contains creative effects.
Amazon does not give a shipping date for the E-P1, but Olympus said last week it will be out in July.
