News Two New Compacts From Olympus: Serious Enough?

Biro

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Olympus today unveiled two new compact cameras. The first is a Pen-styled travel superzoom, the SH-1:

http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/dig...aunch&utm_source=email_etprm&utm_medium=email

This camera looks a lot like an E-P5 and features Oly's vaunted five-axis image stabilization (perfect for shooting at the long end of the 25-600mm zoom range). But, of course, the lens is kind of slow: f/3.0-6.9. The control dial atop the camera includes intelligent auto, program auto, scene modes, etc. but doesn't include aperture and shutter priority. There is a manual mode, however.

The second camera is the latest iteration of Oly's TG Tough series cameras, the TG-3:

http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/dig...aunch&utm_source=email_etprm&utm_medium=email

The primary update to the TG-3 over the TG-2 seems to be wi-fi/photo-sharing.

The new TG doesn't surprise me but the SH-1 does just a bit as I thought Oly was generally getting out of the compact-camera business.
 
Yeah, the SH-1 seems a bit out of place. When I first saw it I thought maybe it was a fixed lens zoom version of hte E-P5 with m4/3s sensor, then I saw the zoom range and knew I was dreaming...
 
The SH-1 could have been really nice with better specs. The sensor is small and the lens is slow. I know it has 5 axes IBIS, but you want that with a fast lens not instead of. Still, it's only $399 MSRP so at least it's priced accordingly.
 
i would think superzooms still sell at least OK.....cel phones can't do that (yet)

I think you are right, but the issue then becomes the zoom range. Super zooms seem to have blasted through the 1000mm mark. Not sure how usable they are at those advanced focal lengths, but I think the specs drive the sale. If you are going to max out at 600mm I think you need a fast constant lens, a la the Panny FZ200. But the SH-1 is pretty, and not too pricey, so maybe it will sell.
 
I wonder why Oly didn't put a higher-resolution LCD on the SH-1... and the control dial around the lens a la the XZ series. Yes, a constant-aperture lens would have been great. But the FZ200 is definitely a larger camera. Who knows? Maybe something like that will still come from Olympus.
 
The SH-1 just looks to be very little different from an SH-50 re-styled into a PEN body. Maybe better controls and better WiFi capabilities, but the same sensor and lens and IBIS. And the SH-50 can be had as a refurb for $199.99 (and on the 20% sale a couple weeks ago, it could have been had for $160 + tax at the same time that I bought my XZ-10 for $128 + tax).

But Olympus did drop Maittani's name in their intro blurb for it, as though he inspired it's design and development, despite being dead for several years.
 
I think you are right, but the issue then becomes the zoom range. Super zooms seem to have blasted through the 1000mm mark. Not sure how usable they are at those advanced focal lengths, but I think the specs drive the sale. If you are going to max out at 600mm I think you need a fast constant lens, a la the Panny FZ200. But the SH-1 is pretty, and not too pricey, so maybe it will sell.

I think there is still a distinction though between bridge camera styled superzooms like the FZ200 and compact (pocket) superzooms like this one. The SH-1 seems more of a Panasonic TZ series competitor than FZ.
 
i would think superzooms still sell at least OK.....cel phones can't do that (yet)

In my (highly biased) opinion, the only thing that can do what a superzoom does is . . . a superzoom. Huge equivalent focal length range, outstandingly convenient (all in one package), light weight (typically under 1.5 lbs), no need to change lenses, no exposure of the sensor, no dropping your spare lenses, no aching shoulder, plus superzooms automatically make your better looking and a beady-eyed, steady-handed lensman. :D

And, of course, you give up all the goodies you get with a bigger sensor.

The only thing I really want my superzooms to have is a bunch more low-light sensitivity.

Cheers, Jock
 
Every time I see a camera that has this: 16 Megapixel – BSI CMOS 1/2.3”, I immediately dismiss it. They can give it 9-axis IBIS, Full HD 120p, 1200x zoom, etc... There is just NO WAY a sensor that size crammed with that many MP's is going to have good enough (IMO) IQ. I don't know of one now that does, and it's the same old BSI CMOS technology. I can't wait until other companies besides Sony start using 1" (+-) sensors!
 
The problem (or not, depending on how you view it) is that if we are going to get 1" sensors into compact fixed lens cameras, they are not going to be having 20 and 30x zoom because the lenses will need to be rather large. Well, it can and probably will be done sooner or later but the cameras will no longer be the little pocketable things they are at the moment. 4-5x zoom, sure. 20-30x, nope. As the tech improves, we will probably see 1/1.7 and maybe even 2/3 with longer zooms, but again, the cameras will be bigger and so will the lenses. I'm quite happy to sacrifice IQ up to a point. I'll get the largest sensor I can, with the longest lens I can, in a small package. So far, the 7x LF1 is winning me over, even though I am attracted by the TZ60. But not til after I buy a new iphone *grin*
 
The problem (or not, depending on how you view it) is that if we are going to get 1" sensors into compact fixed lens cameras, they are not going to be having 20 and 30x zoom because the lenses will need to be rather large. Well, it can and probably will be done sooner or later but the cameras will no longer be the little pocketable things they are at the moment. 4-5x zoom, sure. 20-30x, nope. As the tech improves, we will probably see 1/1.7 and maybe even 2/3 with longer zooms, but again, the cameras will be bigger and so will the lenses. I'm quite happy to sacrifice IQ up to a point. I'll get the largest sensor I can, with the longest lens I can, in a small package. So far, the 7x LF1 is winning me over, even though I am attracted by the TZ60. But not til after I buy a new iphone *grin*

Absolutely, look at the Sony RX10, which is a little better than 8x optical zoom with the 1" sensor and is roughly the size of a small DSLR. It could probably be made smaller with a slower and less incredibly good lens and maybe a 20x could be made to roughly the same size if the lens was typically slow, but it's not a small camera.

There are laws of physics involved and Sony's proving they can be seriously bent, but I don't think they can be broken...

-Ray
 
I think it's more likely that they will improve the IQ of the small sensors to make a better super zoom. Right now I tend to agree that 1/2.3 is the kiss of death for me. Still, I was amazed at the shots by Robin Wong with the Stylus 1.
 
The Stylus 1 has a focal range of 28-300mm. Despite the marketing value of being able to say a camera has a 30x, I doubt most people will use much more than the Stylus 1 has to offer in a practical sense.
 
The Stylus 1 has a focal range of 28-300mm. Despite the marketing value of being able to say a camera has a 30x, I doubt most people will use much more than the Stylus 1 has to offer in a practical sense.

True. My regular cameras have lenses that can do a 300mm equiv. My FZ does a 600mm equiv but with the usual sacrifice of IQ, and when I think about it, I realise that having a massive zoom (ie the 50-60x which are now available) may not actually do what *I* want to be doing. Its quite hard focussing on a bird at distance, and even if you do, the compromises are more than I want to make. Its probably why I havent actually done it so far, in spite of consstantly saying I want to. Something other than finances holds me back
 
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