Sunday, 6 March 2011

MORE IRRESISTIBLE THAN BUNNIES

I can resist buying bunnies home as pets but place a hi-tech camera in front of me and I become weak.  This was what happened to me when I visited the PC Fair in Ipoh this morning.  I had initially wanted to have a look at the latest Olympus XZ-1 model which was advertised in the newspapers.  Actually I had been discussing about a camera like this with my friends Sabri and Sahak.  We wanted something that was compact and easy to carry around but at the same time has the functionality of a DSLR camera.   This camera fits the bill to the T.  An added feature is that it also takes photos in low light.  Ah!!! Exactly what my friends and I were looking for.
After listening to the sales rep about all the features, I was truly tempted.  Then he let me test it and I was became even more tempted.  He finally offered me a price that was too good to resist and I gave in.  So, now I have a new camera.  I had initially thought of buying myself an exercise machine for my birthday but now I will have to settle with the camera.  Anyway, I am certain I will make full use of the camera as I always do.  The exercise machine would somehow turn into a white elephant after I use it for a week or so.  Yeah!  I am lazy when it comes to exercising. 

Here are some photos and info about my new toy to tempt those who are interested.





Technical Details
  • 10-megapixel CCD sensor with the TruePic V Image Processor
  • iZUIKO f1.8-2.5 6.0-24mm (4x zoom) lens for improved shooting in low-light scenarios
  • Capture all the action in crisp 720p HD video at 30 frames-per-second
  • 3-inch OLED monitor; six creative Art Filters
  • Capture images and HD video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Manufacturer Description of Camera
Unleash your creative side with the first-ever Olympus X Series camera. Designed for those who want the quality of an SLR in a high-end point-and-shoot format, this camera provides a new, easy-to-use outlet for artistic expression. With the XZ-1 you'll capture high-quality still images and HD videos in any shooting environment thanks to its fast, super-bright, built-in Olympus iZuiko lens and its large, super-sensitive CCD sensor.

Olympus XZ-1 Highlights

Fast, super-bright f1.8 iZuiko 4x wide lens
The iZuiko f1.8-2.5 6.0-24mm (28-112mm equivalent angle of view in 35mm cameras) digital lens is a newly-developed 4x compact version of the legendary, high-quality ZUIKO Digital lenses featured with Olympus DSLRs. With a minimum aperture of f1.8 at wide-angle and a maximum aperture of f2.5 at telephoto, this lens assures fast shutter speeds for sharp low-light images. This aperture range also allows photographers to take portraits that highlight the subject by defocusing the background, a capability not possible in most compact cameras. The lens is specifically designed for clear, high-quality photographic performance with minimal ghosting or flare.

High-sensitivity CCD
Compared to existing 1/2.33-inch, 14-megapixel CCDs, the light-reception area of each pixel of the 1/1.63-inch, 10-megapixel CCD featured in the XZ-1 has been doubled. Superb, low-noise images can be shot even in dimly lit situations such as night scenes and indoor shots.

Advanced manual controls
The XZ-1 offers advanced manual controls that experienced photographers expect from larger digital SLR cameras. But, with the XZ-1, advanced features are easy to use. A control ring around the front of the lens and the wheel controller on the back provide immediate access to the most important manual settings like ISO, aperture and shutter speed to make it easy to adjust the camera on the move.

New, 3-inch OLED monitor
Whether composing still images or HD videos, photographers will appreciate the XZ-1's sharp 3.0-inch OLED monitor to frame and show off still images and High Definition (HD) movies in detailed 720p. The LCD displays 610,000 dots in vivid color, reproduces colors and shades more accurately with deeper black tones, and consumes less power. The monitor also provides a wide viewing angle ensuring that images can be composed from even the most obscure angles.

Low-light performance
The XZ-1 has an easily accessible built-in pop-up flash to illuminate low-light subjects, reduce red-eye and fill in dark areas. The camera also features an AF illuminator to make it simple to focus in low-light situations. Additionally, Dual Image Stabilization further assures you'll get the shot you want while holding the camera: Mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization compensates for camera movement in low-light conditions when shutter speeds are slower while Digital Image Stabilization freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds that prevent blurry images often caused by a moving subject. On top of all this, the XZ-1 also offers a Low-Light mode which automatically adjusts the ISO sensitivity up to ISO 3200 to take sharp full-resolution photos in dark places.

HD movie with HDMI control
Shooting video is as easy as ever with the new Olympus XZ-1 camera. The camera captures all the action in crisp 720p HD video at 30 frames-per-second. The XZ-1's easy-to-reach record button on the back of the camera body makes recording videos a breeze. If you're about to snap a photo and you realize a video would capture the spirit of the scene even better, simply press the record button and instantly you're capturing videos! The XZ-1 makes sharing your content easier than ever. Just connect it to your HDTV with an optional HDMI cable and use your HDTV's remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera's menus from the comfort of your couch.

TruePic V Image Processor
The XZ-1 pairs a high sensitivity 10 megapixel CCD sensor with the TruePic V Image Processor to produce clear and colorful photos using all the pixel information from each image to provide the best digital images possible. The image processor is noted for accurate natural color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal expression; it also lowers image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings (ISO 100 to ISO 3200), enabling great results in low-light situations.

Hot shoe and accessory port
To expand the camera's versatility, the XZ-1 includes an accessory port that is compatible with select PEN camera accessories. Photographers can attach optional accessories like the SEMA-1 external microphone adapter, the VF-2 electronic viewfinder, or the newly introduced MAL-1 macro light. These optional accessories easily slide into the camera's accessory port and hot shoe.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Digital-Camera-3-Inch-Monitor/dp/B004HO59LK

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